Archive
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Drivers warned after two crashes
MOTORISTS on a North-East country road are being warned to take care, following two accidents in a week. The A173, near the east Cleveland village of Skelton, has been the scene of two head- on crashes in three days and police are concerned that motorists
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Racing Week, by Jo Scott: Reveley's star lands Newbury race in fine style
THE IRISH dream rolled on as Mary Reveley's good mare Function Dream landed the Mitsubishi Shogun Game Spirit Chase at Newbury's all-chase card on Saturday. Her supporters from the Scart Stud, breeders and owners of the winner, and their friends were
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Pupil pen power opens doors to the house
A GROUP of school pupils were thrilled to receive letters from their MP inviting them to the Houses of Parliament. Year five and six children at Rise Carr Primary School, Darlington, are planning a trip to London in July. Three 11-year-old pupils, Sarah
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Cash for breast implant woman
A WOMAN from the region who was forced to have a second breast implant operation because of a health scare will receive compensation this month. But solicitors believe there could be other North-East women who have still not come forward. Women with the
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Dales farmer explains how stocking rates are maintained and the environment improved
A WENSLEYDALE farming partnership has been able to maintain a high stocking rate, and improve the sporting capacity and environmental diversity of their moorland, thanks to European grants and entry into a countryside stewardship agreement. The stewardship
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Scoot along and get in swim
YOUNGSTERS can win the latest fashion accessory by taking part in activities across Redcar and Cleveland during the half term holiday. Leisure centres and swimming pools at Saltburn, Redcar, Loftus and Guisborough are offering the chance to pay for four
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Football: Quakers sign ex-Tigers to give them more bite
IT'S an ill wind, as they say, and Quakers' manager Gary Bennett is hoping Hull City's financial misfortunes blow him some good in time for tomorrow's game at Barnet. The Tigers, managed by former Feethams heroes Brian Little and Kevan Smith, have not
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Top Perth bulls head for N-E
COUNTY Durham Charolais breeder Mr Stephen Nesbitt was joint bidder for the top 28,000gns bull at the breed society's spring sale in Perth last week. Mr Nesbitt, of Alwent Hall, Winston, bought Maerdy Primeminister jointly with Mr Tom Arnott of Haymout
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Healthy attendance record
AN East Durham school that has drastically reduced truancy has won national recognition for its efforts. Three years ago, Eden Hall Infant School in Peterlee had hundreds of unauthorised absences each year. But now they are almost a thing of the past,
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Camera link-up planned
YOUNGSTERS will soon be able to keep an electronic eye on their colleagues at other schools thanks to a new project. BYT is donating £5,000 to 16 schools in North Yorkshire to enable them to link up using digital cameras. Each of the schools will receive
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Closing the door on bogus callers
POLICE and health officials are working to help the slam the door on bogus officials. Cleveland Police joined forces with the Tees and North Yorkshire NHS Trust to prepare crime prevention information packs for residents, following a spate of cons. The
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Pensioner hits out at electric bill blunder
A PENSIONER is furious after a mix-up with his electricity bill meant he had not paid a penny for a year. Len Franklin, 76, of Eden Drive in Sedgefield, was blissfully unaware of the problem until a month ago. He received several letters addressed to
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Getting better all the time
ONE of the region's schools has been told it is making "sound progress" by inspectors. Teachers, pupils and other staff at a Gateshead school are now aiming to make even more improvements after an inspection by Government education watchdogs. Windmill
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Get a taste of classes
REDCAR and Cleveland's Adult Education Service is offering free information and taster sessions. On Monday, February 26, there will be a chance to get creative with spring flowers in Lingdale. The taster session is at Moordale Court, Davison Street, 1
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Youngsters cook up recipe booklet
TELEVISION chefs Gary Rhodes and Ainsley Harriot have given their backing to a Darlington school's healthy eating initiative. Abbey Junior School is producing a booklet aimed at promoting healthy eating and exercise. The booklet contains 40 healthy recipes
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Have skates, will travel
KAREN Davison's skates just keep on rolling ... Since she first wore a pair of roller skates at the age of five, she has been hooked and is now on course for a successful career. The 21-year-old is a BSc (Hons) sports science student at Teesside university
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You will notice new wardens on the streets
SPECIAL wardens are set to hit the streets of Stockton to make the town a safer place. The borough council has been given the green light for the scheme following a successful bid for almost £200,000 from the government. The authority will match the cash
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'Free speech' pledge over restaurant plan
A COUNCILLOR is today preparing to take a stand over a restaurant scheme. Coun John Fletcher says it will go against free speech if he is asked to leave a meeting of Stockton planning committee this afternoon. He says he does not want to be pilloried
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Half term fun in store
A SERIES of half term activities based on a theme of the Tudors is on offer to youngsters next week. Events at Kirkleatham Old Hall Museum include making banners, a Tudor bag hat and card models of a manor house or jousting knight, complete with lance
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Wear Valley - Drug dealers face tougher penalties
A JUDGE delivered a stark message to drug dealers in Bishop Auckland on Monday 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 a caravan
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Nursery head's memento of Number 10
THE headteacher of Britain's second oldest nursery school has told of her honour at visiting Downing Street for an education conference. Pat Pennington, of George Dent Nursery in Darlington, which opened in 1917, visited Number 10 on Monday for the conference
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Dairy farmer plans to sue government
CAMPAIGNING dairy farmer Mr Bert Langthorne is preparing to take the government to court. If successful, his action could open the door for other farmers to claim millions of pounds in compensation. Mr Langthorne, pictured left, has joined forces with
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Path from castle is closed
A CRACK that appeared in a public footpath has gradually widened, causing it to be closed for safety reasons. The path wends upstream along the riverbank from the castle in Barnard Castle, past the site of the former gas works. A spokesman for Teesdale
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Top band singz itz praizez
ONE of the country's most popular tribute bands is to perform in the region. Gunz 'n' Rozes will play the songs of American rock giants Guns 'n' Roses at the Dickens Inn, Middlesbrough, on Thursday, February 22, at 8pm. Singer Garry Crowley proved a hit
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Regiment aims to draw soccer fans
FANS of one of the region's Premiership football clubs are being given the chance to win one of four signed football shirts in a free draw. The draw for the Middlesbrough shirts, which has been organised by the local infantry Regiment, The Green Howards
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New status will help protect breeding birds on backbone of England
ENGLISH Nature has welcomed a government announcement that it has designated more than 40pc of the North Pennine moors the largest special protection area (SPA) in England. The organisation is the statutory body responsible for looking after the country's
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Tribute to student
A TRAINEE cleric who died in a university gym was remembered last night by fellow students. A memorial service was held in Leech Hall, St John's College, part of Durham University, for Claire Burton-Page, 24. Miss Burton-Page, originally from Paris, died
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£16,000 is a dream win
A NORTH-EAST man made his wife's dreams come true last night after picking up £16,000 on television quiz show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. Richard Scott, a civil engineer from Middlesbrough, told host Chris Tarrant that he wanted the cash to take his
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Driver's lucky escape as steel beams wreck lorry
MORE than 20 tonnes of steel smashed into the cab of a lorry as it veered off a dual carriageway - but the driver walked away virtually unscathed. The impact separated the cab from the trailer as the vehicle came off the road and into a field after suffering
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Police say they will not enforce pylon access
NORTH Yorkshire police will not enforce access by the National Grid Company on to land to build their controversial pylon line, if the land owner does not agree to it. Supt David Short, the police officer overseeing the Lackenby to Shipton pylon project
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Go-ahead for £1m hospital replacement
BUILDING work on a hospital in the region should start in April, after approval from planners. Two years ago it was feared that the dilapidated Horn Hall Hospital, Stanhope, County Durham, would close after it was found repairs would cost £750,000, but
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Fake goods survey
SCHOOLCHILDREN on Teesside are being included in a Government survey into attitudes about buying counterfeit goods. The Patents Office in London has approached the University of Teesside, in Middlesbrough, for help in gathering information about counterfeit
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Mystery death inquest resumes
AN INQUEST which resumes today could finally shed light on the mystery death of a pensioner who was found in a beck ten months ago. The body of Alice Rudd, 86, was discovered in Crook Beck, on the Watergate Estate, Crook, County Durham, last April. Her
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Club's pledge over complex
SUNDERLAND AFC assured worried supporters last night it would not be funding a planned sports complex. Fans of the Premiership team are worried that money for new players could be spent on the proposed development next to the Stadium of Light, which is
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Chance to learn first aid for horses
VET Nigel Haizelden is holding a course on first aid for horses on March 17 from 10am to 4.30pm. It is intended for horse owners, riders, breeders and veterinary nurses and there are limited places. Quiet horses will be used for practice sessions. Course
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Thirty-second masterpieces that we are all well and truly sold on
'ADVERTISING ... it's the best thing on television these days." That phrase, a staple of pub and dinner party conversations for years, has found its ultimate expression in a new book which celebrates the best of British television advertising. It's an
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Play area to be debated on
RESIDENTS are to be consulted over plans for a new play area. The play area - the idea of Top Lakes Residents' Association and Kirkleatham Community Forum - would be situated on Roseberry playing field at Redcar. The two groups asked the community to
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Gambler conned fellow residents
A DISABLED man conned fellow sheltered housing residents with a string of lies and broken promises to feed a gambling habit, a court heard yesterday. After four residents fell foul of Edward Peter O'Neill, the 56-year-old, who has a plastic knee as a
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Letters: We all must chip in, big and small
Sir, - With reference to the report of the chamber of trade meeting, I wish to clarify a statement regarding the multiples and banks (D&S, Feb 9). My personal response to the suggestion of the chamber funding hanging baskets for town centre premises
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Images may aid hunt for killer
POLICE investigating the murder of North-East student Sara Cameron have released new images in a bid to track down her killer. The pictures are video-stills of people using the Tyneside Metro on Thursday April 20 - the night before Sara's body was found
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Durham - New store offers help to jobless
JOBLESS people in Durham are being offered the chance to sign up for jobs and training with a new supermarket. Tesco hopes to staff its new multi-million pound store in Dragonville - where unemployment is three times the rate for the rest of the city
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Planners support M-way upgrade
PLANNING officers are calling for 50 miles of the A1 between Barton and Bramham, in West Yorkshire, to be upgraded to three-lane motorway standard. Hambleton council, the administrative area of which includes 13 miles of the A1 between Dishforth and Leeming
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Consett & Stanley - Community creates a new woodland
A COMMUNITY braved icy weather at the weekend to start the creation of a new woodland of up to 3,000 trees. The tree-planting by residents of Lanchester, County Durham, is part of national project called Woods on your Doorstep. The new woodland, called
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Skeletons found under floor
THE skeletal remains of three humans, believed to be many hundreds of years old, have been discovered during building repairs in North Yorkshire. Norton postmaster James Hands was taking up floorboards, damaged in floods, when he saw the first skeleton
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Chester le Street - Safety measures planned for junction
HIGHWAYS chiefs plan to make an accident black spot junction safer. But calls to reduce the speed limit on the A1052 at Bournmoor, near Chester-le-Street, have been rejected. Several accidents, in which people have been injured, have occurred at the junction
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Jim fixes it for fundraisers
CELEBRITY fundraiser Sir Jimmy Savile has thrown his weight behind a project to expand and improve the village hall and school in Sutton under Whitestonecliffe. The former DJ and TV presenter arrived in Thirsk police's Skoda Octavia patrol car, driven
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Theatre reveals programme for spring and summer
THE wraps have come off the new spring and summer season at Richmond's Georgian Theatre Royal. The classics are mixed with productions aimed at all ages - although it is children who come first next month, when the programme opens with a performance of
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Villagers say bus drivers are 'rude and unreliable'
IRATE passengers in Hurworth are desperate for answers over a hit and miss bus service. Regular users of the number 74 Arriva route from Darlington to Hurworth claim the service is always unreliable and that drivers are rude when pressed for explanations
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North Yorkshire - Police hunt for trapper
SHAMUS the cat is lucky to be alive after an encounter with a hunter's snare. The silver long-haired tabby was only saved from choking to death by a quick-thinking vet who used pliers to cut the snare pulled tight around his neck. Owner Julie Haynes,
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Grain prices
Thursday's prices Kenneth Wilton, Thorpe Arch. - Wheat: Feb £70, March £71, April £72. Barley: Feb £70, March £71; April £72. Oilseed rape: Feb £122, March £123, April £124. GrainCo, Tyne Dock. - Wheat: Feb £70, March £70, April £71. Barley: Feb £71,
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Fears for future of covered market unless cash is spent
TRADERS are warning that Darlington's covered market will cease to exist unless more money is spent on it. People who own stalls in the market believe they have been let down by Darlington Borough Council. They say the market is in need of major investment
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Pony dates
British Eventing (former BHTA). - Feb 17/18 and Mar 4: Cross country clinics, Helen Bell, Manor House, Newsham, Thirsk. Tel: 01845 587207. Charity sale. - Feb 19: Tack and tog sale in aid of the Riding for the Disabled Association at Great Smeaton village
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A little humility please
IN these days when Premiership footballers have access to psychologists to get their mental preparation right, perhaps someone can tell me why many of them seem to behave like morons. Are they born with a personality defect, or does their pampered, closetted
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Real crimes deserve real punishment
SITTING in the solitude of their bed-sits or back bedrooms, logged on to a virtual world which appears cut off from reality, many of those men involved in the world's largest Internet child porn ring found it chillingly easy to convince themselves they
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Hot desking with the lad
When they were devising the National Curriculum did no one think of working mothers? I work from home. I use the computer. Smaller Son is in Year 12 - what used to be the Lower Sixth in old money - and he uses the computer. There always seems to be course
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Pupils show they are well versed
YOUNG scribes have seen their first work published before they have even left primary school. Primary pupils looked to the skies for inspiration when they were set the task of submitting poems for schoolchildren's poetry anthology Up, Up and Away. Children
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Girl hurt in street battle
THE peace of a town was shattered yesterday when youths, some armed with wooden sticks, fought a running battle in the streets. A 17-year-old girl, who was assaulted and thrown to the ground, was taken to Dryburn Hospital, Durham following the fracas,
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Hunt warns of threat to charity ride
ORGANISERS of a popular North Yorkshire fun ride have warned that this year's event will be the last if hunting is banned. Based on a 12-mile course starting and finishing at Lightwater Valley, near Ripon, the West of Yore fun ride has been staged for
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Lisa ready for ups and downs of charity trek
TREKKING for up to eight hours a day to heights of 4,000m across the Himalayas, with temperatures plummeting to -15C is tough, but nothing will deter Lisa Vickers from raising £2,500 for breast cancer research when she sets off for Nepal today. Lisa,
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Spectator's Notes: Plenty of chances to pop off before bedtime
TIME was when fireworks were confined, by and large, to Guy Fawkes' night, but now they pop up, and off, at any time and at everything from national rejoicing to private birthday parties. The noise and colour are shared, inevitably, with neighbours far
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Prison for father in vicious pub attack
A FATHER-OF-TWO has been jailed for three months for his part in an attack on a pub landlord after a family christening. Keith Ventress, 31, knew he was barred from the Grey Horse Inn in Whitburn, near Sunderland, when he turned up with his family. And
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Cash help to higher education
STUDENTS from disadvantaged backgrounds are being helped into higher education with a new bursary scheme. Sunderland University is offering an additional £1,000 per student on top of £2,000 from the Government, to ease the burden of continuing in education
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Road-rage driver loses his business
A ROAD-RAGE driver has been banned and will lose his computer business after his motoring madness was exposed. The normally timid Michael Watson, a computer engineer, had earlier been found guilty of road rage outbursts in his BMW estate. He was banned
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Victorian pub demolition plan in the balance
A CONTROVERSIAL plan to demolish one of Middlesbrough's oldest buildings is to be decided upon today. Middlesbrough Borough Council's planning committee is being advised by council officials to approve the plan to demolish The Ladle, a pub in a mid-Victorian
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Planners end fantasy wood dream
A COUPLE'S dream of creating a fantasy wood full of elves and goblins has been shattered. Former seaman Harry Davison and his wife, Val, have already spent £30,000 buying and developing their Elfinwood on the outskirts of Crook, County Durham. They planned
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Yorkshireman voted into top spot
A YOUNG farmer from Roecliffe, near Boroughbridge, has been elected national chairman of the Young Farmers' Federation. Mr Stephen Jarvis, who comes from a farming family, joined the YFC at the age of ten and has held many offices in the movement on his
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New way around the wetlands
FOR three years wheelchair-bound Jacqueline Smith has been a volunteer at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in Washington. But there are parts of the park she has never seen because she could not get to them in her wheelchair. All that changed when 2,000
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Appointment aids volunteers
PEOPLE who would like to become volunteers in their community have been given a boost with the appointment of a development officer. Carolynne Withers has begun work as a volunteer development officer at the Stockton Borough Voluntary Development Agency
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A Rolls Royce of trips
YOUNGSTERS will see some of the classiest technology in the country, at the Rolls Royce factory in Sunderland, today. About 24 nine and ten-year-olds, from Redby Primary School, Sunderland, will visit the Pallion plant as part of a project to involve
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Man found not guilty over shotgun death
A MAN has been found not guilty of shooting a love rival in cold blood. Keith McQuade's acquittal from a charge of murdering 32-year-old "likeable rogue'' Lee King brought gasps from the packed public gallery at Teesside Crown Court. It is the second
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Pupils' aid for quake victims
PRIMARY school pupils will play their part today in raising money to help the victims of the Indian earthquake. It was after watching the disaster unfold on television that a group of year six boys at Shotton Primary School, near Peterlee, County Durham
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Wear Valley - Young volunteers to create nursery garden
A TEAM of volunteers will be working hard all weekend to create a garden for children at a Spennymoor nursery. Members of Darlington Rotaract Club will be joined by youngsters from Ferryhill and Newton Aycliffe Interact Clubs to transform the grounds
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Driver declines to speak at crash inquest
THE driver of a lorry involved in an accident in which two women died declined to give evidence at their inquest yesterday. But in a taped interview with police, Paul Simpson, 30, recalled the moment his seven-and-a-half tonne lorry ploughed into the
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Soldier samples life in the jungle
A COUNTY Durham soldier has been sampling life in the central American jungle on a six-week Army exercise. Sergeant Alan Robinson, 27, from Trimdon Village, is in Belize on Exercise Native Trail. A member of the Royal Corps, his normal duties are to prepare
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Swimming: National title for college team
A TEAM of student swimmers from Darlington turned on the style last weekend to become national schools' medley relay champions. The Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College senior boys team won their heat in the finals at Crystal Palace before producing a superb
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MP cuts turf
THE first turf has been cut for the construction of a £2.4m learning resource centre. Dr Ashok Kumar, Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP carried out the ceremony at Prior Pursglove College, Guisborough. The centre will include a drama and music
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Burglary victims' fury
AN ELDERLY couple from the Northallerton area are threatening to take a housing association to court after they found burglars in their home. The couple claim they had complained several times that the lock on their front door was faulty. They say Home
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Flood-hit village given new hope
FLOODS minister Elliot Morley this week offered hope to a community devastated by repeated downpours. Skinningrove was hit by flooding twice last year and the village is still counting the cost. A group of villagers, together with officials and councillors
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Abattoir is step nearer
MOVES to provide Wensleydale with its own commercial abattoir took a step forward when a planning application was lodged with the Yorkshire dales national park authority. Mr Martin McIntyre, who has run an unlicensed slaughterhouse at East Borwins, between
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In deep thought about the best way to recycle rubbish
A PROJECT which takes recycling into the classroom is being extended to schools in the Sunderland area. WasteWise has been running for three years in Durham and Darlington, encouraging youngsters to become more environmentally aware and think about how
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Wanted: purrfect owners for purrfect pets
ABANDONED cats are causing problems for animal lovers who have given them temporary homes. Some cats in the care of the RSPCA's team of foster carers, in the Northallerton area of North Yorkshire, have been there for five months. The charity's Vale of
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Share your news with us
IF YOU would like to share your news or views, or would like to publicise a forthcoming event, contact Clarion and Northern Echo reporter, Lucia Charnock. You can phone (01642) 480397, fax (01642) 498910
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This lesson's just heavenly
YOUNGSTERS at Ingleton CE school blasted off this week for a journey beyond the stars. Theatrical group Spacefund arrived in County Durham for the first time on Wednesday with the interactive show Kids in Space. The group was formed by "space cadets"
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Hope for flood village after meeting with minister
A COASTAL village devastated by floods was offered a glimmer of hope this week. Extra government cash could be available to help pay the £1m flood damage bill in Skinningrove. Floods Minister Mr Elliott Morley is to step in to help clinch "main river"
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Police course teaches youngsters to resist lure of drugs
YOUNGSTERS from Leeming Community Primary School have been learning how to resist the lure of drugs. A total of 28 pupils have celebrated the completion of a 16-week programme known as Dare (Drugs Abuse Resistance Education.) Each youngster attended one
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Weather Watch: Coldest January for a decade is a refreshing change
AFTER the Christmas cold snap, milder air had reached the whole region by early on New Year's Day. The southerly gale that heralded its arrival blew itself out by mid-morning. Another active front moved east across us on the 2nd giving some heavy rain
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Campaigners are kept on hold over telephone mast
CAMPAIGNERS fighting plans for a telephone mast will have to wait until councillors visit their village before a decision is made. Wear Valley District Council postponed the outcome of the planning application by mobile phone company One2One so it could
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Pair charged with student's murder
THE two men charged with the murder of student John Paul Jeffries have been remanded in custody. A 17-year-old youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and 34-year-old Darren Gibson, of Raeburn Street, Hartlepool, appeared before magistrates in the
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Letters: Names are there for all to see
Sir, - The clerk to Northallerton Town Council, Mrs Sheila Gibbins, should have a look in her own information window. The names of members of the town council are on display with the names of the amenities committee. Coun Steve Merritt is shown on both
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Vandalism may hit recycling
VANDALS are putting the future of recycling services in jeopardy, council officials in Hartlepool have warned. They have spoken out after a series of incidents in which large 1,100 litre bins, used for the collection of items such as glass and paper,
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Voluntary groups lobby council over budget 'cuts'
MORE than 60 representatives from voluntary groups lobbied councillors over budget plans which they say will result in a cut in the social services budget. Members of North Yorkshire County Council corporate policy committee were faced with the demonstration
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Lady luck runs out on fortune teller
LUCK seems to have run out for a fortune teller who has been touting for business in a layby near Ripley. Motorists and passers-by on the Ripley-Pateley Bridge road have been surprised by advertising boards, promising instant tarot readings by fortune
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GP urges interest in care group
A DOCTOR is urging people to take an active interest in the running of their health service. Dr Henry Waters is chairman of the Middlesbrough and Eston Primary Care Group. Residents are being invited to attend a meeting of the group's board on Teesside
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Hopes raised as schools look to future with £10m project
TWO East Durham schools look likely to be among the chosen few in the country to be included in a £10m Classroom of the Future pilot scheme. One other County Durham school is also believed to have been selected for the pioneering project designed to boost
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Residents facing increase in their council tax bills
RESIDENTS in parts of the North-East are to pay at least £37 more for their council services from April. Sunderland City Council is increasing council tax bills by 6.4 per cent - more than twice the current headline rate of inflation. This will mean that
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MP visits school praised by inspector
DURHAM'S Labour MP Gerry Steinberg is to visit a school that has won national praise. Mr Steinberg will call at Bowburn Infant and Nursery School today to congratulate staff and pupils on their success in achieving an outstanding Ofsted report. The school
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Leading article: Mast myopia
MOBILE phones are easy targets for the "progress-means-worse" brigade, whose prejudices are fanned every time they see a gaggle of schoolgirls in thrall to saucy text messages. After the briefest of honeymoons, nearly every invention on which we now depend
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Parents help pay for teachers
THE Friends of Middleton Tyas primary school have raised £4,000 to help maintain four full-time teaching staff. Eighteen months ago, the completion of a £50,000 extension ensured that the small North Yorkshire school would be able to expand as pupil numbers
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Real crimes deserve real punishment
SITTING in the solitude of their bed-sits or back bedrooms, logged on to a virtual world which appears cut off from reality, many of those men involved in the world's largest Internet child porn ring found it chillingly easy to convince themselves they
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Stars event is 100% success
YOUNG supporters of Middlesbrough Football Club were taken on an exclusive tour of the club's training ground yesterday. The youngsters enjoyed an afternoon looking around Rockcliffe Park training ground, at Hurworth Place, near Darlington. It was an
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Durham - Police fear man who leapt into river is dead
A MAN who jumped into a fast-flowing river when he mistakenly thought he was being followed by a police helicopter is feared dead. John Fisher, of Gilesgate, Durham, is believed to have jumped into the River Wear near Barker's Hough sewage works, at about
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Countryman's Diary: Furry friend with killer touch
THERE is an old tradition which says that wild birds mate on the feast of St Valentine, and that the crocus comes into bloom at this time. In some parts of Yorkshire, the crocus was dedicated to this saint - although, in fact, some 52 saints share this
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Stencil will mark way for Walking Train
The Abbey School Walking Train route in Darlington will take on a new look with its stencilled signage, next week. Today, Councillor Nick Wallis, Darlington Borough Council cabinet portfolio member for highways and transport, will be painting a Walking
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Athletics: Yorkshire's golden girls race to national glory
TWO athletes from Richmond and Zetland Harriers and one from Loftus AC picked up gold medals when they helped the Yorkshire under 20 women's team win the UK inter-counties cross country title on Saturday. In the race at Wollaton Park, Nottingham, Andrea
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Looking Back: PO and ponies escape fire
FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - The Richmond Post Office and Millgate had a narrow escape from being burnt down on Thursday noon. Mr H Petch, a senior postman, discovered a fire in his picture framing shop. Neighbours hastened with buckets of water
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Open all hours: but does the town really need it?
THE prospect of round-the-clock shopping is coming to Thirsk. But the proposal has not met with universal approval, prompting one parish councillor to question the need for it. Tesco announced a fortnight ago that its store in Northallerton was preparing
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North Yorkshire - Nail bomb detonated
LETTER bombers struck again in North Yorkshire yesterday, posting a device to an agricultural business in Thirsk. It's the tenth nail bomb sent through the mail since December - and police are convinced animal rights extremists are behind them. A woman
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Relaunch of scheme to thwart conmen
A CARD scheme designed to help keep conmen callers out of vulnerable people's homes is being relaunched after a spate of crimes. Police in Bishop Auckland have become concerned about the number of elderly people being targeted by tricksters claiming to
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Darlington - New era of pupils earn Duke's awards
FIVE pupils have become the first to collect Duke of Edinburgh awards since their school reintroduced the scheme two years ago. The Year 11 pupils from Brank-some School, Darlington, completed community service and a project of personal interest as well
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Volleyball ace is england's choice
A NORTH-EAST teenager has been selected to play for the England volleyball team. Ross Enfield, of Darlington, will travel with the England Under-19 junior volleyball team to Barbados in April. The 18-year-old, who lives in Waltham Close, has only been
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Athletics: Magnificent seven reach national finals
A GUISBOROUGH school is celebrating a day of unprecedented cross country success after seven of its pupils qualified to compete at the national schools' championships. Laurence Jackson school had 11 runners in the Cleveland team which took part in the
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Relief as flats plan gives way to houses
A DARLINGTON dormitory village may escape having blocks of three-storey flats foisted on it. Hopes are high in Middleton St George that Mandale Properties of Stockton has had second thoughts about building two blocks of flats and 34 houses on the former
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Consett & Stanley - Youngsters given chance to give their opinions
NORTH-WEST Durham's own spice girl has announced plans to discover the opinions of young people across the district. Derwentside District Council has appointed Sharon Robinson as project officer to run the Special Project to Implement Children's Elections
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Soldiers help community by raising funds for adopted hospice
Soldiers have been showing they care about their local community by adopting their local hospice. The 1st Battalion the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, based at Catterick Garrison, has been raising cash for St Teresa's Hospice in Darlington. At a ceremony
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Council to run award course
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council Youth and Community Education Service is running a basic expedition leaders award course on Wednesday evenings and weekends at Redcar Youth Centre. For details call (01642) 498103. Theatre talk: Roy Broadbent, arts
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Prices at the markets
BARNARD CASTLE. - Wed. Fwd: 10 calves, 768 sheep. Bull calves to £135; hfrs to £155. Store hoggs to £45. Lt hoggs to 112.5p av 100.5p; std to 117p av 111.6p; med to 119.5p av 114.8p; heavy to 111.9p av 108.4p. Cast ewes: Mule to £40; Suff to £54; Cont
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Inquest on teenage soldier
AN inquest was opened yesterday into the death of a 17-year-old trainee soldier who died after collapsing on a five-mile run. Jonathan Ian Mackenzie, of Starbridge, Worcestershire, died at the infantry training centre, at Catterick Garrison, last Friday
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Plea for sponsors to revive band tradition
A CALL has gone out to businesses to support efforts to revive the band-playing tradition that once flourished in a former railway town. Staff at Sunnydale School, in Shildon, are leading what they hope will be a community-wide effort to bring on a new
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Request for people to help service review
PEOPLE are being asked to come forward to help review the services provided for children with disabilities in Stockton. The request comes from Stockton Borough Council, North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust, and Tees and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust.
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Lost crop farmer asks for aid
A NORTH Yorkshire tenant farmer who is facing up to £130,000 losses from his ruined potato crop has pleaded for help from the Agriculture Minister. Mr Robert Tesseyman, who farms at Staveley, near Knaresborough, has harvested only a tenth of his crop
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Go-anywhere computer attracts investment
A TEES Valley firm has produced a small waterproof and shockproof computer which can be used on mountain tops or below sea level. Such is the potential of the machine that Stockton firm CTEC has now attracted a significant investment from business investors
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Rector aims to make hall the hub of village life
A FACELIFT for a church hall is set to create a new focal point for a village. The rector of Brotton, the Rev Bruce Harrison, wants St Margaret's church hall to be in use seven days a week. He aims to make the hall the hub of the village and the starting
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Chester le Street - Joe has a talent that's in his genes
LITTLE Joe Hughes is a product of his genes. At the age of four he was diagnosed as having cystic fibrosis - a genetic disease that can stunt growth, leave sufferers gasping for air and put an end to any thoughts of success on the sports field. But his
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Teenager injured in schoolyard explosion
POLICE are investigation an explosion in a schoolyard which seriously injured a teenager. The 15-year-old boy suffered burns to his body, head, arms and legs, as well as a fractured skull, when a skip exploded at Harelaw Special School, Harelaw, County
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Meet your councillors
THE following Redcar and Cleveland councillors are to hold ward surgeries: Today: Thelma Bennet, Coatham, 9 O'Clock Club, West Dyke Road, Redcar; Anne Franklin, Bill Clark, Guisborough, Stumps Cross Community Centre; Keith Pudney, Guisborough, Maltby
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Ray Mallon
LAST Wednesday, the country was agog. It was as if it had never happened before. Lead item on the television news and the front pages: politician gives straight answer shock! The politician was Tony Blair. When asked by William Hague what he meant when
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Tales that are not so unexpected
When the news came out that Phil Mitchell was going to be shot in EastEnders, you could have been excused a feeling of deja vu. The Who Shot Phil? scenario is a blatant attempt to emulate the Who Killed JR? furore 21 years ago when Larry Hagman's devious
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Lanlords fight to keep out national pub chain
PUBLICANS in Richmond have vowed to fight plans by a national pub chain to open in the town centre. J D Wetherspoons has applied for planning permission to convert the post office building in Queen's Road into a pub and beer garden. But landlords say
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Jazz guitar duo in town hall date
The James Birkett/Rod Sinclair jazz guitar duo will be performing at Bishop Auckland Town Hall, on Wednesday, March 7, at 8pm. The duo recreates guitar music of the 1920s and 1930s and are particularly influenced by jazz and blues artists such as Eddie
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It started with a Kiss . . .
BEER lovers have been raising their glasses for a real ale event which has been launched with a Kiss. The cause for celebration is the third beer festival organised at Bishop Auckland Town Hall, County Durham, by the Wear Valley branch of the Campaign
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Dentist's anger over blow to surgery
A DENTIST who claims he spent £65,000 on a new surgery after a suggestion by council planners, has been told by officials that it is unsuitable. Dr Paul Ridgway had planned to move his Chester-le-Street surgery so that elderly and disabled patients could
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Flynn hopes to make big impression
Valentine's Day has been and gone and one handsome chap is still looking for love. Eighteen-month-old Flynn is a lurcher/saluki cross breed who has been named after Hollywood sex symbol Errol Flynn, because he is so handsome. But Flynn doesn't have the
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Angus set for Blue Chip debut after jump-off win
DURHAM'S Angus Smales was on top form at Stainsby Grange, Thornaby where he took the 25-starter Krailburg Coral Qualifier in a nine-pony jump-off. The 14-year-old will be making his debut at the Blue Chip finals at Solihull with the eight-year-old Comsay
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Charity shops need helpers
VOLUNTEERS could meet a new circle of friends by helping out at Help the Aged's charity shops across the region. Helpers are needed in Bishop Auckland, Chester-le-Street and Stokesley. They get a 20 per cent discount on all shop purchases. Lin Lawrence
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Sports night kicks off
GUISBOROUGH Cricket Club is holding a sportsmen's evening on Wednesday, February 28 at 7.30pm. Guest speaker is former England, Liverpool and Newcastle footballer Alan Kennedy, supported by comedian Seth Shildon. Tickets cost £10 and are available from
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Darlington - Public called to fight crime
THE public are being invited to join a team whose task is to fight youth crime using new and innovative powers. Darlington's Youth Offending Team is expanding to take on more responsibilities, including a new panel which examines the offender's motivation
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Planners end fantasy wood dream
A COUPLE'S dream of creating a fantasy wood full of elves and goblins has been shattered. Former seaman Harry Davison and his wife, Val, have already spent £30,000 buying and developing their Elfinwood on the outskirts of Crook, County Durham. They planned
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Interactive storytelling session
THE age old art of storytelling was brought to youngsters at Albert Hill Nursery School, in Darlington. Pascale Konyn, a member of North-East group A Bit Crack, visited the nursery for the interactive session with the children, who did actions to go with
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Teachers and pupils celebrate hat-trick
TEACHERS and pupils at a Birtley school are celebrating after winning a series of top training and community awards. The quality of staff training and development at Lord Lawson of Beamish Community School has again been recognised as the school has been
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Villagers call for express bus action
RESIDENTS from a Teesside village are to hand a petition to their MP today, calling for an express bus to make an extra stop. More than 160 residents of the New Skelton and Hollybush Residents' Association, in east Cleveland, have signed the petition
