Archive
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Sexism row councillor hits back
A councillor branded sexist over an article in a newsletter he publishes, has printed an attack on his accusers. Councillor Tony Pelton is editor of The Clarion, circulated free each month in Richmondshire, North Yorkshire. He got into trouble last month
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Woman claims discrimination over disability
A WOMAN has taken a North-East council to an employment tribunal, alleging she was refused two jobs because of her disability. Chrissie Allan, 51, of Middlesbrough, says that applications for the posts of housing manager and community centre site manager
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Pensioner robbed in centre
AN 84-year-old man was robbed by five men as he returned home through pouring rain after visiting his wife in sheltered accommodation. Frank Neat was walking along Duke Street, in Darlington, at 10.45pm on Saturday when he was approached by the men, who
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More miles in promotion
A SALES promotion aimed at advertising, design and marketing consultancies is being extended following its success last year. Mac Miles was to run only through last year, but demand has led the Simpsongroup to continue it this year and beyond. The promotion
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United starlet returns from Spain
YOUNG soccer starlet Damon Robson has returned to the frozen pitches of the North-East from a training camp in the sunny climes of Spain. The 17-year-old, from Great Lumley, near Chester-le-Street, trained with England's finest youngsters in La Manga.
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Developer in negotiations over shop site
A NUMBER of national multiple retailers are in talks with property developers over the site of one of the region's oldest businesses. Dressers announced last month it had accepted an offer from property developer Terrace Hill for the company. Last night
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Thieves go on car raids spree
THIEVES have been targeting vehicles in the North Road area of Darlington at the weekend. Between early evening on Saturday and lunchtime on Sunday, four vehicles had items stolen from them and another was damaged. An excise licence was stolen in Beaumont
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Office scheme for children's home
A FORMER children's home could be turned into an office for an organisation supporting pre-school children. Durham County Council planners will discuss the plan to convert the social services' children's home in Eden Hill Road, Peterlee, at a meeting
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Riddle of charity shop pictures
A charity shop purchase has sparked off a puzzle that readers of The Northern Echo may be able to solve. Sylvia Elliott was shopping in Northallerton when she bought an Instamatic camera shop from one of the town's many charity shops. But on her return
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Anti-social behaviour to be tackled by community group
A DEDICATED team has been set up to tackle the problems of anti-social behaviour in Hartlepool. The Community Problem Solving Group will look at the causes of anti-social behaviour and how it can be resolved. The director of community services, Janet
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Study reveals council jobs threat
COUNCILS could see their role drastically reduced under a new approach to providing services, according to a union report. A study for public sector union Unison says that the Government's Best Value programme could see councils left only with the power
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College gets the good and bad news
ONE of the region's colleges has been both praised and criticised by Government inspectors. Middlesbrough College was inspected by the Further Education Funding Council. While it was praised by inspectors for being in a strong financial position, offering
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Craftsman in army helps to rebuild Bosnia
AN ARMY craftsman from Teesside is carving out a peaceful future for the people of Bosnia. John Mitchell, of Middlesbrough, is serving with The Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment as part of the British contribution to NATO's multi-national Stabilisation
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Sharon Griffiths writes...
NAOMI Campbell is right. She IS entitled to some privacy. Gosh, I never thought I'd say that... The model - not, shall we say, renowned for her sweet good nature - is suing a paper which pictured her outside a clinic and wrote about her being treated
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Missing girls turn up safe
TWO teenage girls who sparked a police search after going missing turned up safe and well at college yesterday. Police had issued appeals to find the whereabouts of Lorraine Harland, 16, of Fence Houses, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, and friend
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Education funds may be available
SCHOOLCHILDREN in County Durham are being offered the chance to find out the finance available to them for higher education. Durham County Council is holding four information evenings throughout the county to explain to prospective university and college
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When the golden couple lost their glow
He said: "When I am with her I know fairy tales exist. It's as if we are one being." She said: "I mean, he had great biceps. It was really the biceps that won me over. I was a goner after that." But the current state of their marriage is, to paraphrase
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Very heaven to be Scottish
IN THE recent House of Commons debate on hunting, all 75 Scottish MPs cast their votes. As it happened, they were all against hunting. But that's not the point. The Bill they were voting on was to ban hunting in England and Wales. Whether hunting continues
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Cancer victim's father raises money for research
A MAN whose son died of cancer has raised £1,000 for research into the disease. Michael Reynolds, from Shildon, decided to raise money for The Cancer Research Campaign after his son, Paul, died in October. He organised a fundraising event at Shildon Railway
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Reid turns his attentions to Bolton's supersub Ricketts
Sunderland boss Peter Reid has earmarked Bolton supersub Michael Ricketts as a potential long-term replacement for Niall Quinn. Ricketts, 22, has scored 17 goals in 27 appearances this season for Wanderers - 10 of them after coming off the bench. His
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Vision of a new dawn
THE Government is considering radical regeneration proposals to unlock £2bn for shattered Teesside steel communities, The Northern Echo can reveal. Regeneration chiefs have put together a package of measures since last week's announcement by Corus that
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Archaeologists fall in love with wedding present castle
A MAN'S romantic dream has come true, after he was given grants to preserve a castle bought as a wedding present for his wife. When Niall Hardie-Hammond was looking for a gift for his bride-to-be, Caroline, last year, he came across Scargill Castle, near
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Fred's famous ball goes to auction
SOME of the most important pieces of cricketing history went under the hammer last night as legendary fast bowler Fred Trueman put his collection of memorabilia up for auction. The fearsome fast bowler, who became the first player to take 300 Test wickets
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Inspectors single out 'Good Schools'
MORE than 20 of the region's schools have made it on to Ofsted's Good School's list. The roll call of 26 successful schools in the North-East and North Yorkshire formed part of the HM Chief Inspector's Annual Report on Quality and Standards in Education
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We can't believe the sea
A DISTRAUGHT father spoke yesterday of his disbelief after his son drowned at a favourite seaside spot. Stephen Scott, 46, said the family, along with his son's girlfriend, were struggling to come to terms with 20-year-old Kevin's death. The car valet
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Stables are hit by wave of crime
POLICE are cracking down on crime at stables and riding equipment stores after new figures revealed the scale of the problem. Riding tack worth about £1,000 is stolen each week in North Yorkshire Police's eastern area, which stretches from the A1 to the
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Well baby, just look at you now
WHAT a difference a year makes. Just 12 months ago, tiny Millie Fox was fighting for her life after she was born weighing just 1lb 15oz. She was not due until May, but her mother, Susan, went into labour almost four months early. Doctors at Middlesbrough's
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Vale of tears as woeful Quakers crash out of Trophy
Darlington failed miserably in their quest for a semi-final place in the LDV Vans Trophy when they were comprehensively beaten at Vale Park last night. Quakers had no answer to the strong running of the second division side and if it wasn't for keeper
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Eriksson's Riverside mission is in vain
ENGLAND coach Sven-Goran Eriksson learned little from his Riverside scouting mission as the spectre of Wimbledon loomed large again on Middlesbrough. The Dons, Boro's conquerors in the third round of this season's Worthington Cup, will be lying in wait
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Spice girl plans to find out opinions
NORTH-WEST Durham's own Spice girl has announced plans to find out the opinions of the district's young people. Derwentside District Council has appointed Sharon Robinson as project officer to run the Special Project to Implement Children's Elections
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Percy can end backers' wait at Ludlow
PERCY BRAITHWAITE'S failure to clear the second last fence at Market Rasen in November cost his backers a pretty packet because the nine-year-old was so far clear he only had to stand up to win. If you were one of those unlucky punters whose money went
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Future of town show in doubt
A TRADITIONAL town show, saved by councillors last month, has been put under threat again. Last month Hartlepool councillors voted to let the Hartlepool Show carry on into its 47th year despite suggestions it was unpopular and out-of-date. Complaints
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Higher education cash hints on offer
PUPILS are being offered the chance to find out about the finance available to them for higher education. Durham County Council is holding four information evenings in the county to explain to prospective university and college students the technicalities
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Supervisor stole £13,000 from charity
A CHARITY supervisor stole nearly £13,000 after being put in charge of the books. Alison Harmison, 35, spent the money on her car, her home and on herself, Teesside Crown Court heard yesterday. Prosecutor Roy Mitchell said that Harmison was appointed
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No lost causes as prizes light up Tow Law gloom
Even in Tow Law they reckoned it was bad out, which, translated, means that it was utterly monstrous. You could hardly see the snow for the fog. The club secretary, who lives in Darlington, had struggled as far as West Auckland before doing a U-turn of
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Job Search 2001
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Trainee chef, Barnard Castle, £3.90ph, up to 45hrs pw some split shifts, required for award-winning a la carte restaurant, to be trained by head chef
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Chairman ousted over MP choice
THE man in charge of finding a replacement for Durham North MP Giles Radice has been replaced by Labour Party bosses. Following claims that he is biased against candidates from outside the North-East constituency, Tom Conery was removed as chairman of
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Job Search 2001
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Laboratory assistant, Dalton. £10,000pa, Mon-Fri, temporary. Must have analytical skills. High level of accuracy required. Ref: NOE 12800. Analyst/programmer
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Pub aids charity appeal
THE Wheatsheaf pub, at Chilton, near Ferryhill, is staging a charity night to raise money towards the £2,700 needed by the local branch of the St John Ambulance for a heart defibrillator. The show, on Saturday, will feature live music from rock band Shovel
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Fuel protest farmer vows to enter Mandelson fight
BELEAGURED Hartlepool MP Peter Mandelson is facing another challenge to his Teesside seat. North-East farmer Andrew Spence, who led last year's nationwide petrol protests, has vowed to challenge the former Northern Ireland Secretary. Mr Spence, 33, of
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Job Search 2001
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Kitchen assistant, Thornaby. £3.70ph, 16hrs pw. Food handling certificate preferred but not essential as training given. Ref: THN 5295. Cleaner, Thornaby
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Job Search 2001
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Cleaner, Peterlee. £3.70ph, 15hrs pw, Mon-Fri. Required for local company. Buffing experience preferred but training can be given. Ref: PEV 16258. Finance
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Plan to give children Sure Start submitted
A DRIVE to give youngsters living in the north of Hartlepool the best possible start in life has taken a major step forward. A detailed delivery plan has been submitted to the Government setting out the aims of the North Hartlepool Sure Start Partnership
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8,000 jobs fear
MORE than 8,000 manufacturing jobs are likely to be lost in the first three months of this year, according to the latest survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). The CBI study found that job losses were expected to continue in all but two
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Police unable to prevent pub chain from opening in city
POLICE will be unable to fight plans for a real ale pub in Durham because the site already has a drinks licence. National chain J D Wetherspoon, whose pubs have no music or TV screens, is seeking planning permission from Durham City Council to convert
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House prices up but growth is slowing
HOUSE prices across the UK rose by 0.1 per cent last month, with the value of an average house rising to £85,666, said the Halifax. But prices are only 0.9 per cent higher than at the same point last year - a substantial decline in the annual rate of
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Job Search 2001
Kitchen assistant, Thornaby. £3.70ph, 16hrs pw. Food handling certificate preferred but not essential as training given. Ref: THN 5295. Cleaner, Thornaby. £3.70ph, 16 plus hours pw. Required for store. Experience using cleaning machinery preferred. Must
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Rape and abuse centre seeks volunteers
A GROUP which helps victims of rape in Darlington and County Durham is looking for volunteers so it can extend its services. The Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Centre, Darlington and County Durham, is holding a spring training programme. It is looking
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Councillor calls for new bus station
A BUS station should be included in plans for a Darlington leisure development, according to a councillor Conservative Councillor Sheila Brown says a town the size of Darlington should have a bus station, and the ideal place for it would be the site of
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Who wants to be a teacher, then?
AFTER six years working as a design engineer for a fabrication company, Jeff Allan had a mortgage, a comfortable lifestyle and a salary of £34,000 a year. Last year he decided to give it all up and train to become a teacher. When he starts work in the
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Training initiative by police
A POLICE force is encouraging more women officers to take up public order training. Durham Police's public order training unit is to hold a training day in County Durham next month. PC Sarah White, an instructor with the unit, said: "While the number
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Disabled badge action a success
A CAMPAIGN to stop the misuse of parking permit badges meant for disabled drivers in Darlington has been hailed a success. The badges, which used to be orange, but are now blue to conform with European legislation, allow disabled drivers access to reserved
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New date set to net anglers for contest
ANGLERS from all over the region had to cast aside all hopes of a big catch at the weekend when a major competition was postponed because of the bad weather. Blizzards and gales forced the cancellation of the annual Easington Sea Angling Competition,
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BOC profits ahead by 16%
BOC, the industrial gases supplier, reported a strong start to its financial year, despite a dip in sales in its UK gas business. The Surrey group, which has operations in the North-East, including a depot at Teesport employing 90, said its first quarter
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Post office raiders torch getaway car
ARMED raiders used a stolen car as the getaway vehicle in an attempted post office robbery. The white Vauxhall Cavalier, registration H823 DBB, had been taken from Great Lumley, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, last Tuesday. It was found burnt-out shortly
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Drum roll as regiment entertains
SOLDIERS showed off their musical skills at an event aimed at forging friendships. The Corps of Drums of the Green Howards, based at Warminster, Wiltshire, went to Middlesbrough to perform to an invited audience last night. Among those present at the
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Massage class for parents
PARENTS can soothe their children's troubles by enrolling in baby massage classes. Ann Ball is running the five-week course at Sherburn Community Centre, Sherburn Village, near Durham, from February 21, 2pm to 3pm. The course, in conjunction with the
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Toy shop's near miss
A TOY shop narrowly missed out in its first attempt to win a national competition. Lamb's Stores, in Darlington, was the only toy shop in the North of England to be short-listed for annual awards run by the British Association of Toy Retailers. But at
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Band's top spot for album launch
A NORTH-East band are launching their debut album in a cathedral. Durham outfit Coastal Dune release Bluegreen on Friday, with a performance at Durham Cathedral. They have been touring the country for two months, including shows at Leicester Square and
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Future still nicely flame-grilled for Dalepak
A THREE-year investment programme at Dalepak Foods is nearly complete. The programme has seen about £8.75m ploughed into the company's production facility at Leeming Bar, in North Yorkshire. The frozen food specialist is now more than two-thirds of the
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Gadfly
WHEN this column was young, that is to say younger still, the Monday afternoon venue was always the Red Lion, over the road from the office. It was labelled the Liquid Luncheon Club, its undoubted star Coun Peter Jones, prominent businessman and chairman
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Opportunity to get fit with various classes
A RANGE of new fitness classes is on offer from Stockton Adult Education Service. The classes are aimed at people who want to keep fit and have fun and include gentle exercise as well as more challenging regimes. On Mondays, from 10am to noon, there is
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Ministers listen to plea over education cash cut
Government ministers have answered Durham County Council's plea not to cut its education funding. The Labour-run authority made an appeal to the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) when ministers announced proposals to slash £1.2m from its
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Mind volunteers' hard work rewarded
VOLUNTEERS from the Darlington branch of Mind's charity shop have been rewarded for their hard work. Twenty four volunteers from the Bondgate shop received certificates and badges as part of the national charity's volunteer week. Among them was Nora Midcalfe
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Bernie waves off fundraisers in round britain challenge
A GROUP of young people went on a marathon shopping trip to raise money for a good cause. Members of Middlesbrough Rotaract went on a two-day Round-Britain Challenge for items that had made their namesake town famous, such as rock from Blackpool, and
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Man charged with Sarah Payne murder
A MAN was charged yesterday with the murder of schoolgirl Sarah Payne. Roy Whiting, 42, of Littlehampton, West Sussex, was also charged with the kidnapping of the eight-year-old, who was snatched last summer, Sussex Police said. Detective Superintendent
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Airline executives ease into new roles
AN "adopted geordie", who turned his back on the family food business in Liverpool for an airline career in Newcastle, has been rewarded with promotion to the board. Captain Simon Rawcliffe, 42, has been made director of flight operations with Gill Airways
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Letters
HINDUJA BROTHERS IF the Hinduja brothers had a million pounds to spare I would have thought it would have been better spent on the poverty in their own country, rather than waste it on the Dome. What are they now prepared to cough up for the victims of
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The gloom clouds gather
IN all probability, Redcar would still be a quaint North-East fishing village if it hadn't been for the arrival of the steel industry at the beginning of the last century. The landscape was changed forever when the huge blast furnaces and massive mills
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One Richmond to another
LIBRARY staff have been delighted to welcome an unexpected visitor from the far side of the world. Over the past few years, Richmond librarian Angie Simpson has forged close links with towns around the world that share her home town's name. From those
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Murder trial told of man being gunned down
A MAN with a reputation as a womaniser was gunned down by a jealous rival, a court was told yesterday. Lee King, 32, had a one-night stand with a former lover of Keith McQuade, 47, after which he called her a slut. Mr McQuade stuck a sawn-off shotgun
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Driver jailed for birthday death crash
A WOMAN died in a crash on the way to her 28th birthday celebrations, a court heard yesterday. Council worker Cathy Brumler's barbecue party was washed out, so the celebration was switched to a nightclub, Teesside Crown Court was told. It was on the one-mile
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Hussain happy
England emerged from the opening two-day examination of their fitness and form encouraged by the early progress key players have made as they step up preparations for the Test series in Sri Lanka. A positive result was always unlikely in the two-day fixture
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Drug addict burglar walks free
A burglar who was caught breaking into a school on a Saturday told police he was trying to enrol his unborn child. Drug addict James Pearson, 23, was arrested as he tried to raid the caretaker's house at Stranton Primary School, in Hartlepool, Teesside
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Education centre to open at cathedral
RIPON Cathedral will see a long-held dream come true when its education learning centre opens at the weekend - on Education Sunday. The resource centre will be used by people from the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds, including schools and youth groups. Although
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City survey uses latest technology
THE people of a North-East city have had their views canvassed through the latest technology. Sunderland University and local community organisation Hendon 2000 used personal keypad technology to poll the views of people living in Hendon and the east
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Holiday fun for youngsters
YOUNGSTERS in Thirsk will be kept busy in the half-term holidays with a wide range of activities at the town's swimming pool and floodlit pitch. Sub-aqua, with the Nordic Divers Sub-Aqua Group, will introduce youngsters to the underwater world. Middlesbrough
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Community centre opened as focal point
AN £800,000 community centre has been officially opened in Hartlepool. The Community Initiatives Centre, built on land near Hindpool Close, will act as a focal point for people of all ages in the community. A wide range of training programmes for local
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Services due to get £8m boost in budget
STOCKTON Borough Council has announced its recommended budget for the coming year with three central services due to benefit from more than £8m. The budget of £180.6m was set last week after lobbying by councillors led to additional Government resources
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Pledge may bring in £3.75m bonus
A COUNCIL in the North-East has become one of the first in the country to sign an agreement with the Government to improve services. Middlesbrough Borough Council reached a landmark yesterday when its leader and chief executive signed a Public Service
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Giving succour to the bullied
HERE'S a horrible tale. Last Friday I walked down to our parish church of St Michael's, happily contemplating the festival I was about to celebrate: the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. All through the service I was distracted by a young
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Equally deserving of recognition
Like the signs of a storm, or a profile of Ms Vanessa Feltz, this column is not difficult to recognise. Barry Dowson seemed to have cracked it straight away. "Either that or he's a nervous wreck," suggested Garry Gibson, former chairman of Hartlepool
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Control room into port with minimal fuss
The Tees and Hartlepool Port Authority has a new gate house/control room at its container terminal at Tees Dock, thanks to Portakabin. The port authority turned to the modular buildings provider because they required minimal disruption to the day-to-day
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Rally fan killed in collision during blizzards
BLIZZARDS claimed the life of a popular rally fan when a car driven by his brother was in collsion with a council gritter. Ian Close, 39, was in the back seat of a Peugeot 306 driven by his 35-year-old brother, Trevor, when the accident happened on the
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College students get chance to quiz bishop
A COLLEGE in Darlington is to be visited by the Bishop of Durham. Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College will be visited by the Right Reverend Michael Turnbull on Thursday, between 2pm and 3pm. He will address an audience of A-level politics, religious studies
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Going Barefoot in the Park
A PRODUCTION made famous by Robert Redford and Jane Fonda comes to Chester-le-Street this month. A production of Barefoot in the Park, a successful film of the late 1960s, is at the town's community centre, in Newcastle Bank, from Tuesday, February 20
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Family anguish at bobsleigh soldier's killing
A family were still trying to come to terms yesterday with the brutal murder of a British soldier in Austria at the weekend. Corporal Derek Osborne was in Innsbruck to compete in the Army bobsleigh championships and had been celebrating on Saturday night
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Why we fight for steel jobs
WE continue to fight tooth and nail to save the 1,000 jobs Corus plans to shed on Teesside. We maintain that the workforce has delivered everything asked of it in terms of efficiency and productivity on behalf of Corus. It is unjust that the company is
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All-star trip for pair of basketball fans
TWO students are to meet their basketball heroes after winning a dream trip to the US. Adrian Blackett and Thomas Haines, pupils at St John's RC Comprehensive School, Bishop Auckland, are preparing for a trip to the US after winning a National Basketball
