Archive
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Comment; Keeping faith with education
THE reputation of comprehensive education has always been dragged down by the "bog standard" schools of which the Prime Minister spoke yesterday. Too often, the excellent achievements of the vast majority of schools have been overlooked because of concentration
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No cut in blackspot junction speed limit
HIGHWAYS officials plan to make an accident blackspot junction safer, but calls to reduce the speed limit have been deferred. Several accidents, in which people have been injured, have occurred at the Bournmoor junction on the A1052, near Chester-le-Street
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Road safety scheme under way
A MAJOR roadworks and bridge scheme to improve safety and reduce conjestion is due to start on Tyneside on Thursday. The £2m scheme will include sections of the A194(M), A184 and A19 trunk roads between Whitemare Pool and Tesco roundabout, near Boldon
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Former wife tells of shock after body of potholer found
THE former wife of a college lecturer who died in a potholing accident spoke of her shock last night. Ann Lea said her husband, Ray, was a man who did everything right and "took no risks". Mr Lea, a lecturer at Darlington College of Technology, was found
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Karen gets on academic roll
QUEEN of the rink Karen Davison is getting her skates on in the hope of achieving an honours degree in sport science. The 21-year-old, of Marton, Middlesbrough, does have practical knowledge of sport - as British roller skating champion. She is ranked
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Silver Screen club a big success
EARLY morning film screenings at a Darlington cinema are proving a hit with people over 60. The town's ABC Cinema, on North Road, holds a 'Silver Screen' morning every Monday from 10.30am. It is only open to people aged 60 or over, and shows a variety
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Teenager in killing case gains freedom
A TEENAGER accused of manslaughter was allowed bail yesterday after a £50,000 surety was lodged. Christopher Howard, 18, was charged with the unlawful killing of Anthony Walker, outside Toxin's nightclub in Middlesbrough. Mr Howard, from Evesham Road,
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Award for vet's practice
A VETERINARY practice in the region, designed and run by a husband and wife team, has won a prestigious national award. CVS, Myton Park in Ingleby Barwick, run by Penny and Derek Copeland, was named the winning practice in the British Veterinary Hospital
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Negligent directors could face 15-year ban
THE Government will today unveil plans to ban negligent company directors for up to 15 years. Stephen Byers, Secretary of State at the Department of Trade & Industry, (DTI) is expected to outline the proposals when he publishes a business White Paper
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In paradise-with a dead goat
PUBLIC relations consultant Di Burton and personal assistant Vicky Raspin found themselves acting out Tom Hanks' predicament in the film Cast Away after agreeing to take part in a TV survival programme. Armed with just a few essentials and recorded by
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Owner's horror as cat caught in snare
SHAMUS the cat is lucky to be alive after a night roaming the fields around his home almost ended in tragedy. Since his rescue from a farm in Ireland and his arrival at his new home in North Yorkshire, the silver long-haired tabby had been kept indoors
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Community cafe given a £15,000 helping hand
A COMMUNITY caf in Darlington is to continue for a second year thanks to a £15,000 donation. The caf on the Skerne Park estate received the money from the Lloyds TSB Foundation. Skerne Park Community Enterprise Association (CEA) was given the money, to
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Works starts on university's £10m research unit
WORK has started on a £10m research facility at one of the region's universities. The Wolfson Research Institute, at the University of Durham's Stockton campus, will bring together a number of disciplines in one building and will focus on research into
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Letters
BUS STATION WHAT joker says we don't need a bus station in Darlington? Do they use the buses? We live in Barnard Castle and travel on the long distance buses to my daughter's. We leave Barnard Castle, travel to the High Row, Darlington, then carry our
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Children due to get Sure Start
PLANS to launch a scheme that will help young children in east Durham get a better start in life have been welcomed. The Government has announced that the area - one of the most deprived in the country - is to get its own Sure Start programme. Sure Start
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"Vicious" dog on the road
A THIEF may have bitten off more than he could chew when he stole a couple's caravette. The crook who drove off in pensioner Fred Yates's Citroen camper, also sped away with the 73-year-old's "vicious'' Jack Russell bitch, Meg, on board. When Mr Yates
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Travellers' train nightmare
Rail passengers suffered a 16-hour nightmare after a series of problems hit a Virgin train travelling from Newcastle to Plymouth. The service left at 3.05pm yesterday - but passengers only arrived in Plymouth on a replacement coach service shortly after
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Dreams of a barrier-free land
IF buildings could twitch or shuffle nervously, then many would be doing that now and we would be witnessing some very strange sights across our towns and cities. Recent legislation means that by the year 2004, most structures will have to be accessible
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Work gets under way for improvements to shops
WORK is under way to revitalise a row of shops on Hartlepool's Headland. The improvements are being made to the Brunswick shops at Northgate/Durham Street as part of the overall regeneration of the area. All 11 shops are being spruced up, with the majority
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Judge sends hard line message to dealers
A JUDGE delivered a stark message to any drug dealers in a North-East town yesterday as he jailed three men for supplying heroin. Durham Crown Court heard how Michael Graham, 25, played the lead role in the operation supplying heroin deals, mainly from
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Burglars hit easy targets on housing estate
A SUSPECTED team of sneak thieves are making the most of unlocked back doors to pilfer their way through a Chester-le-Street housing estate. Police in the town are warning people in the Avenues area to be on their guard after a spate of raids over the
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Drama unfolds in theatre workshop
A PILOT project to teach adults how to act is being launched on Teesside. Stagecoach Theatre Arts, which numbers Billy Elliot star Jamie Bell among its former pupils, has chosen the area for its first grown-ups' classes. The pilot scheme takes the form
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Slimmers' birthday party
A SLIMMING club is celebrating its first birthday with a party. A Slimming World class in the village of Hurworth, near Darlington, has been a big success since it was started by Sandra Cowley. She said: "In my first year of being a consultant I've helped
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Three quizzed over hit and run
THREE people were being questioned last night in connection with a hit and run incident which left a pensioner dead. Ronald Pearson, 70, died after suffering multiple injuries when a speeding VW Polo struck him near the Billy Mill roundabout, North Shields
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O'Leary calls for striking power
Leeds manager David O'Leary is desperate for Mark Viduka and Alan Smith to recapture their goalscoring touch tonight as he pins his hopes of further Champions League glory on a shot-shy strike force. O'Leary is without Robbie Keane for the visit of Anderlecht
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Booking a disgrace, raps angry Phillips
ENGLAND striker Kevin Phillips has launched a scathing attack on Premiership referees after receiving a two-match suspension for picking up his tenth booking of the season. Speaking on the club's official website, the 14-goal hitman accused match officials
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Injuries pile up for Venables ahead of cup tie
MIDDLESBROUGH are in the midst of a new injury crisis as Terry Venables bids to avoid an unlucky 13 defeat in tonight's FA Cup fourth-round replay against Wimbledon at Selhurst Park. Manager of the month Venables, unbeaten in 12 games with Boro in League
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Damage bill for engine's crash given to police
A CHIEF constable has been landed with a financial headache after a convoy carrying a huge engine crashed into a low bridge on the A1. The slow moving convoy, which needed a police escort, was on its way to the Cammell Laird shipyard at South Bank, near
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Capsule captures 21st Century life
AN EAST Durham town is preparing to mark the 21st Century by stopping the clock during 2001. Schools, youth clubs, community organisations and a local authority have been working together to compile items for a time capsule painting a picture of life
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Youngsters get picky about litter
DON'T rubbish our neighbourhood ! That is the message from a community which is to pilot a three-year Government-sponsored clean-up campaign. Children attending Ayresome Junior and Infant Schools helped to launch a Going for Green scheme in the Gresham
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Schools can Net power prize in Echo challenge
The Northern Echo issues a challenge to schools across the region today - harness the power of the Internet and get your electricity bill paid for a year. The paper has joined forces with Northern Electric to offer youngsters the chance to win enough
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Man used false name to store his cash
A MAN accused of drug dealing had £33,000 hidden in bank accounts in a false name, a court was told. Stephen Adams, 37, also had £4,820 in cash tucked under a cushion at his girlfriend's home, and £900 inside the hollow of a table lamp at his flat, Teesside
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The death knell for 'bog standard' secondaries
The end of the era of the "bog-standard comprehensive" was forecast yesterday as Prime Minister Tony Blair announced plans for a radical shake-up of secondary schools. Private companies will be allowed to help run successful as well as failing schools
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Lancet probe may be over
The controversial Operation Lancet inquiry into alleged corruption among Britain's most successful crime-fighting squad in believed to have ended with all 393 criminal allegations being thrown out. There are renewed calls for a public inquiry into the
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Child porn gang's horror trade
Seven paedophiles were facing prison sentences last night after a court heard how they helped compile a vast Internet database of horrific images of child sex abuse. The men, all from the UK and members of the Wonderland Club, an international ring of
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Schoolboy killer cut off his baby brother's hand
A 13-year-old boy was in secure custody last night after a court heard how he killed his baby brother by stabbing him 17 times and cutting off his left hand. Bristol Crown Court was told that the boy, who suffers from a serious psychiatric illness, had
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Job Search 2001
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Telesales, Richmond. 9am to 5pm, Mon-Fri. Required to cold call businesses. Must have minimum two years' experience in similar environment. Ref: RID
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Activities set up for holiday
A SERIES of half-term activities based on a theme of the Tudors is on offer to youngsters in Redcar and Cleveland next week. The events, at Kirkleatham Old Hall Museum, near Redcar, tie in with an exhibition currently being held at the museum, on Tudor
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Job Seasrch 2001
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Solicitors' book keeper/accounts clerk, Billingham. £3.70ph, full or part-time. Required to do wages and VAT. Computer accounting experience essential
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Keeping pace with technology
A GROUNDBREAKING training programme is expected to help thousands of workers develop the skills they need to succeed in the high-technology engineering industry. The Tyne and Wear Further Education Consortium has joined forces with training and development
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Driver had to have face rebuilt after crash
A young motorist had to have his face rebuilt after a crash, a court was told yesterday. Neil Lonsdale, 21, had titanium plating put in his face and jaw and he lost most of his teeth, said Carl Gumsley, defending. Miner Mr Lonsdale was off work for nine
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Man used false name to store his cash
A MAN accused of drug dealing had £33,000 hidden in bank accounts in a false name, a court was told. Stephen Adams, 37, also had £4,820 in cash tucked under a cushion at his girlfriend's home, and £900 inside the hollow of a table lamp at his flat, Teesside
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Wardens employed to reduce crime
A NEW team of neighbourhood wardens is to be employed in Stockton, to help reduce crime and anti-social behaviour. The Government is giving the borough council £192,300 to employ eight wardens under the Safer Stockton Partnership. The wardens will be
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Plenty of new young shoots in this school
PUPILS at a Darlington school are enjoying greener surroundings because of a free trees scheme. The grounds of 11 of the town's schools have been enhanced by Darlington Borough Council's Local Agenda 21 Free Trees scheme. Councillor Stephen Harker, the
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Billy Elliot stunner
Top British film Billy Elliot suffered a cruel double Oscars blow this afternoon. The heartwarming movie about a schoolboy dancer in the North-East missed out on a Best Film Oscar nomination when they were announced in Hollywood. And the hugely popular
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Trainee soldier died on run
A 17-YEAR-OLD trainee soldier has died while on a training run at Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire. The youngster, who has not been named, was on a run at the Infantry Training Centre at the garrison, where he was based, on Friday morning when the
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Couple take over pub where cupid's arrow brought them together
WHEN Gordon Foster stepped up to the dart board in his local pub, he found himself struck by Cupid's arrow after someone inadvertently walked across his line of fire. As he turned to give the woman a telling-off, his anger disappeared, and his complaint
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Disabled man's scooter terror
A WHEELCHAIR user has described how he feared for his life when his motorised scooter sped out of control down a steep hill. Eddie Frankland said he was "scared stiff" when his scooter, with a top speed of 8mph, careered down the one-in-six gradient at
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JobCentres win Charter Mark award
MYSTERY shoppers have helped two Teesside JobCentres to win a Charter Mark award. Staff from JobCentres in both North and South Tees Districts will join more than 60 other regional winners at a ceremony being held in London today to receive their award
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Factory pays respect
THE factory where a young worker died is due to be closed today as a mark of respect. Technical engineer James Sapsford, 21, died on Friday, February 2, when he was pulled into machinery at Triple T Engineering, in Shildon, County Durham. James, who lived
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Fire brigade's safety test fails
AN experiment to stop children swinging on the rear ladders of Cleveland fire engines has failed to stop youngsters endangering their lives. The fire brigade's health and safety department had considered the removal of the ladders from the back of engines
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Former soccer stars pass their skills to youngsters
FORMER Middlesbrough football stars will be passing on their skills to youngsters during a special coaching course. Ex-Boro heroes Jim Platt and Frank Spraggon are joining forces with Middlesbrough Ladies' manager Marrie Wieczorek, at Middlesbrough Football
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Gang get out the glad rags for Lynne
SUPERMARKET staff have raised more than £1,000 in a fancy dress event held in tribute to a colleague who died last month. Staff at the North-East Co-op in Chester-le-Street will be contributing the cash to Macmillan Nurses in memory of Lynne Marley. The
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Families given say in choice of vicar
A CONGREGATION is being given a say in the kind of vicar it wants. Members of the flock of St Cuthbert's, Marton, Middlesbrough, are putting together a wish list, embracing all the qualities they would like to see in the new incumbent. It follows the
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Local interests spur record results
DARLINGTON Building Society's commitment to looking after local interests has helped it to record results. The region's second largest mutual institution saw a rise in mortgage balances, total assets and reserves for the year ended December 31, 2000.
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Show poses big questions on healthy living
A SHOW with a Who Wants To Be A Millionaire format has been launched with the goal of a long and healthy life replacing cash prizes. It is being launched on Teesside, which has a history of bad health, and targeted at 30 schools in areas where coronary
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School for hearing impaired is to close
PARENTS have lost their battle to keep open a school for hearing-impaired children. From September this year youngsters with hearing problems attending Beverley School, Middlesbrough, Teesside, will be integrated into mainstream schools. They will be
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Pair arrested over body on rocks find
TWO people are being held by police investigating the killing of a Hartlepool teenager. Detectives searching for the killer of John Paul Jeffries, arrested a 17-year-old youth and a 34-year-old man at two houses in Hartlepool town centre yesterday morning
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North-East actor attacks 'wicked' job losses
FILM star Richard Griffiths has joined The Northern Echo's campaign to make steel giant Corus think again about its plans to axe thousands of jobs. The Cleveland-born star slammed a decision by Corus to axe jobs in Wales and Teesside as "wicked". The
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Councils under fire from school bus campaigners
SAFETY campaigners have accused local authorities of failing to practice what they preach over the safety of children travelling to and from school. Local authorities have backed a national campaign to encourage parents to ensure children wear seatbelts
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Train used in protest by football fans
DISGRUNTLED fans of Darlington FC made their feelings clear at the weekend. A banner draped across the town's famous brick train read: "All aboard the Reynolds express - next stop the conference." The message was aimed at the Quaker's flamboyant chairman
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Two hotels go up for sale
TWO of the North-East's best known hotels are being put up for sale. The Croft Spa Hotel, at Croft, near Darlington, has an asking price of £1,150,000. The hotel, which is on the County Durham and North Yorkshire border, has 36 ensuite bedrooms, a public
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Teachers' cautious welcome to plans
Martin Fisher, North-East principal officer of the National Union of Teachers, said that although the help for new teachers was welcomed as a positive step, the proposals would not solve the problem of keeping people in teaching. He said: "This shows
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Re-inspection as 'grotty' ward of hospital hidden
HEALTH Secretary Alan Milburn has ordered a fresh inspection at a hospital where a director instructed colleagues to keep Department of Health scrutineers away from a "grotty" maternity ward. A leaked memo also called for extra cleaners, porters, receptionists
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GP creator of paramedic service dies
A DOCTOR credited as the pioneer of the paramedic service has died in hospital after a short illness. Kenneth Easton, 76, was a GP in Catterick Village, North Yorkshire, in the days before the dual carriageway was built to the west of the community. As
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Award scheme grows
THE number of venues running the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme in Darlington has increased in the past year. Eight units operate the scheme: Branksome School, Longfield School, the Open Award Centre, Eastbourne School, Carmel College (bronze group),
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Warden patrols scheme expands
MORE neighbourhood wardens are to be recruited to help fight crime in Darlington. An extra £120,000 is to be provided to support Darlington Borough Council's uniformed warden scheme, it was announced yesterday. The money has been made available by the
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A beautiful reminder of a missed sister
A baby has brought joy to her mother a year after the heartbreak of her younger sister's death. Sadly for Hannah Thea Shepherd, she will never know the aunt from whom she takes her name. It will be left to her mother, Sarah Yorke, and her dad, Tony Shepherd
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Football club has designs on winner
Regional development agency One NorthEast has appointed Sunderland Football Club as the preferred developer for Stadium Park after a two-stage design competition. The nine-acre site is next to the football club's 48,000-seater Stadium of Light. Sunderland
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Allotment holders offered payout
ALLOTMENT holders at the centre of a storm over a toxic ash scare have been offered a payout of £25,000. Newcastle City Council made the ex gratia offer at a meeting attended by hundreds of plot holders affected by contamination from the Byker incinerator
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Prison to start pilot scheme
A NORTH-EAST jail will assess and treat dangerous people with personality disorders. Frankland Prison, in Durham City, has been chosen by the Government to pilot two new units, which will be built within its walls. It is one of several projects announced
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Teenage pregnancy expert in region
THE WOMAN who is masterminding the Government's drive to reduce teen pregnancies is in the region this week. Cathy Hamlyn, head of the national Teenage Pregnancy Unit, is visiting Teesside, which has some of the highest teen pregnancy rates in England
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Soldiers earn royal honour in competition
SOLDIERS are celebrating after winning a royal honour in an annual contest. Members of the 1st battalion, The Green Howards' B company, most of whom are from Teesside and North Yorkshire, have been named as King Harald's Company in the inter-company competition
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The beast and the beach bum
NONE of the grisly goings-on in Hannibal, the sequel to The Silence Of The Lambs, come as much of a shock as the behaviour of one of our most acclaimed actor knights at this precise moment. Sir Anthony Hopkins, the man who made a meal out of playing Hannibal
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Badger baiters back in business
SADISTIC badger baiters are stepping up their activities to take advantage of the breeding season to produce a sterner test for their dogs. Wildlife protection groups have reported a recent flurry of digging around setts in Cleveland and North Yorkshire
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War pilots who saved town from disaster
A VALENTINE'S Day act of love for the brave father she never knew is bringing a Canadian woman on a pilgrimage to the North-East today. For nearly 60 years, faded photographs and scrapbook clippings have been all that Lynn Scott had to remember pilot
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Man jailed for sex with girl, aged 7
A CONVICTED sex attacker who preyed on women for almost half a century has been jailed for 12 years. John Cairns had already served a ten-year sentence after he attempted to rape one woman and tried to strangle another during street attacks in 1966. He
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Horror of devil worshipper's killing of boy
The mother of a murdered 12-year-old boy was dragged from the Old Bailey yesterday after she hurled objects and abuse at a North-East devil worshipper who stalked and killed him. Angeles Villar-Fernandez - with other relatives - threw water, plastic containers
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Magpies to tie up deal
NEWCASTLE are set to tie up the £1m signing of Sheffield United wing-back Wayne Quinn. The Magpies last night confirmed they have agreed a deal with the Blades for the 24-year-old Cornishman. Quinn completed a month's loan when he made his fourth appearance
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Job Search 2001
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Clerical assistant, Darlington, full time, must be computer literate particularly Excel, should be flexible, training provided. Ref: DAE 25095. Senior
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Tusked beast on comeback in North-East year
POSSIBLY the last thing you expect to encounter on a quiet country road is a 12-stone wild boar making a desperate bid for freedom. So when the driver of a Ford Orion hit his brakes in the early hours of Monday morning near Consett, County Durham, as
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Bennett targets Hull duo
Darlington manager Gary Bennett is expecting to snap up at least one player from crisis club Hull in the next 48 hours. Bennett yesterday held talks with two players, midfielder Gary Brabin and defender David Brightwell, and is optimistic he can bring
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Bomb sent to farming business
LETTER bombers struck yesterday for the tenth time since December. The nail bomb was posted to an agricultural business in North Yorkshire - strengthening police conviction that the attacks are the work of animal rights extremists. Following an incident
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Student 'ran for his life'
An Asian student today told a jury how he "ran for his life" from a group of Leeds footballers before being kicked and beaten unconscious. Sarfraz Najeib, 20, had left the Majestyk nightclub in Leeds when a man knocked him to the ground and sent his glasses
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New skill helps football fans
Newcastle United employee Sandra Goff was able to use her newly-acquired sign language skills to communicate with a group of five deaf children who turned up to the match which was called off against Southampton. The children, aged between eight and 15
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Turner brushes off talk of Wednesday move
MAN of the moment Chris Turner last night brushed aside reports linking him with an emotional return to Sheffield Wednesday. Hartlepool United chief Turner, who two weeks ago signed an extended contract to keep him at Victoria Park and was also crowned
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Rapper rapped over drugs issue
A TEENAGE American pop star criticised rapper Eminem when she met youngsters to warn them off taking drugs. Country and pop singer Ashley Jay, 16, from Los Angeles met about 30 youngsters at Consett's Empire theatre, on Saturday, as well as community
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Tutor cleared of indecent assault
A tutor's torment after a ten-year-old boy accused him of indecent assault was ended in less than ten minutes by a jury yesterday. That was the speed with which they found private tutor Andrew Hawken, 43, not guilty. Mr Hawken denied indecently touching
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Pal Beardo saved my life
Former Newcastle and England hero Peter Beardsley helped save an old friend's life after he suffered a heart attack during a soccer match. Bill Lisgo, 46, a former England schoolboy international, thought he was going to die after collapsing on the touchline
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Girl's letter leads to sex abuse charge
A MAN appeared in court yesterday after a youngster wrote to a women's magazine to say she was being abused. The 12-year-old girl submitted a story and a letter to Take a Break magazine saying she had been indecently assaulted by Mark Urwin, 36. Newcastle
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Mail bag thief sent to prison
A man stole two mailbags awaiting distribution from a North-East railway station, a court heard yesterday. John Kirk, 31, picked them up from a Royal Mail trolley on platform one at Darlington station, and hid them in a rubbish bin to collect later. A
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Still on flood watch despite the sunshine
PARTS of the region were still on flood alert yesterday, despite an improvement in the weather. The sun may have come out by mid-morning, but rivers and streams in North Yorkshire were still swollen after heavy rain over the weekend, with 13 formal flood
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Job Search 2001
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Butcher, Chester-le-Street. £195pw, dep on exp, 7am to 5pm,, Mon-Sat. Must be qualified and experienced in all aspects of butchery. Ref: CHM 13011.
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Compass targets Selecta
CATERING group Compass has tabled a £374m offer to buy the remaining two-thirds of Swiss food vending business Selecta. Compass, which has now completed its demerger from the Granada Media group, already owns a 33.3 per cent stake in Selecta. It is launching
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Lampies second series lined up
HIT cartoon series The Lampies has been given a second series. BBC bosses have commissioned a further 26 episodes of the cartoon following its overwhelming success with the junior audience. Securing the second series is expected to enable further expansion
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Training firm opens up cyber cafe
TEESSIDE'S newest cyber cafe is in business. QM Training, which runs Pitman Training Centres in Middlesbrough and Sunderland, has opened the doors to its centre offering Internet access to the public five days a week. The Cyber Cafe gives people in Middlesbrough
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Chamber's main events await Tracey
Tracey Wallis is relishing the challenge as events/sponsorship manager with the North East Chamber of Commerce. Heading the events team, she will be organising occasions such as the annual Teesside and Newcastle Chamber dinners, golf tournaments, celebrity
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Hit and run driver hunted
A PENSIONER was killed by a hit-and-run driver as he crossed a busy road at the weekend. Ronald Pearson, 70, died after suffering multiple injuries when a speeding VW Polo struck him near the Billy Mill roundabout, North Shields, at 10.45pm on Sunday.
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Sedgefield hurdles to bring best out of Barnburgh
BARNBURGH BOY can celebrate his return to hurdles by winning the Tote Credit Club Showcase Handicap at Sedgefield today. Although Tim Easterby's runner has yet to finish out of the first four over fences this term, he has not been jumping his obstacles
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Roxy rockers return for some 'unfinished business'
Former chart stars Roxy Music spoke of the "unfinished business" which had brought them back together after nearly 18 years, as they announced a string of UK dates yesterday. And the band - famed for hits such as Virginia Plain and Love is the Drug -
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Gough anxious to avoid flashpoints with umpires
Darren Gough will attempt to rise above the frustrations involved in bowling on the sub-continent and avoid any flashpoints with umpires in the series against Sri Lanka. Gough and the rest of the England attack had to use all their self-control during
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Residents' views sought over creation of play area
RESIDENTS are to be consulted over plans for a new play area. The play area would be situated on Roseberry playing field at Redcar, Teesside, and is the idea of the Top Lakes Residents' Association and the Kirkleatham Community Forum. The two groups asked
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Hectic time for Eagles
Newcastle Eagles, with games in hand over all the clubs in the seven-team Northern Conference, have a tremendous opportunity this week to consolidate third position. But they face a difficult task at London Towers tomorrow night, and on Friday entertain
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Martyn's radio aim is to play the bossa Nova
YORKSHIRE Radio Enterprises Ltd (YRE) is bidding for the new West and South Yorkshire FM licence, which will cover 2.5 million adults in the region including parts of North Yorkshire. One of the two biggest licences being made available in England,YRE
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North-East protestors arrested at sub base
A GROUP of 20 people from the North-East were arrested for protesting at a Scottish nuclear submarine base yesterday. Others arrested included a Labour MP and several church ministers. The action by nuclear protestors at the Faslane base, on the River
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Public sector organisations win awards
TAXMEN, schools, health trusts, JobCentres, and a salsa dancing university are among a record 61 public sector organisations from the North-East winning the Government's gold medal for customer service today. They are among 744 organisations around the
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Animal charity monitors increase in cat population
THE RSPCA has launched a research programme across the North-East in an attempt to prevent the UK's cat population spiralling out of control. Earlier this month, the nation's most popular pet was also dubbed its biggest killer, accounting for millions
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Steel dossier handed over
LOCAL newspaper editors joined forces this morning to present union officials from Corus with a dossier of information to help in the fight to keep steel jobs on Teesside. Chris Lloyd, assistant editor at The Northern Echo, was joined by Paul Robertson
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War pilots who saved town from disaster
A VALENTINE'S Day act of love for the brave father she never knew is bringing a Canadian woman on a pilgrimage to the North-East today. For nearly 60 years, faded photographs and scrapbook clippings have been all that Lynn Scott had to remember pilot
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Pay row college staff in one-day strike
STAFF at a college in the region will stage a one-day strike today. Employees at Teesside Tertiary College, in Middlesbrough, will take action as part of a dispute over their 2000 pay award. Members of the Unison and Nafthe unions rejected an offer of
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Fire station wall set to stay despite objections
A FIRE station wall branded unsightly by villagers looks set to stay - but it could get a facelift. People living in Co-operative Terrace, High Handenhold, between Chester-le-Street and Stanley, have lodged an objection to a retrospective planning application
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Reaching the depths in entertainment
PERHAPS you think things are not so bad? If you still harbour a few cherished thoughts about Britain as a respectable country with standards of public decency and good taste, just look at the sort of barbarism which has been going on this week. Eminem
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Where Sheena leads, it wise to follow
THOSE with an O Level in Religious Education (or Religious Knowledge, or Scripture or whatever these doubtful days it has become) may be familiar with the parable of the centurion's daughter. So great was the Roman's belief that he urged Jesus not even
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Upwardly mobile Marske take fizz out of Bucks
FA Carlsberg Vase last 16, Marlow entertained Marske United on Saturday. Marlow means muddy lake, Marske means marsh. Inevitably it was an ocean of clarts. Marlow's in Buckinghamshire, 30 miles west of London, Sir Steve Redgrave its most famous son. Had
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'Coordinator's role has boosted my self-esteem'
THE money donated to Skerne Park Community Centre will be used to fund two part-time caf coordinators. One is Mel Jones, who lives in Skerne Park and started working as a volunteer in the caf in June 1999. At first she helped out one day a week, but that
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Crime blitz hailed success
MORE than 1,000 crimes have been cleared up and £161,988 worth of stolen property recovered in a three-month operation coordinated by police across North Yorkshire. Operation Starling was launched last November and the objective was to target thieves
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Work aims to improve centre
WORK has started on a major project to spruce up a popular community centre in north Hartlepool. The main hall, reception area and social room at West View Community Centre, in Miers Avenue are being refurbished, and its toilets upgraded in the first
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Unlucky break can't stop katie
A YOUNG actress has proved that breaking a leg is no obstacle to treading the boards. Ten-year-old Katie Lydon was devastated when her accident threatened to bring the curtain down on her performance in a community stage production. But producers tweaked
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Club planning sport complex
FLAGSHIP sporting facilities are about to go up on derelict land alongside Sunderland's Stadium of Light. Sunderland AFC was yesterday named as preferred developer for the nine-acre site next to the club's 48,000-seater stadium. Following a two-stage
