Archive
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Body found in river identified
POLICE confirmed yesterday that they have found the body of missing County Durham man John Fisher. Mr Fisher disappeared more than a month ago after he and a friend jumped into the swollen River Wear at Durham City, when the two mistakenly believed they
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Officer touches down close to home ground
THE new command for Wing Commander Nigel Guz is also almost a homecoming, He has just taken the reins of XI (Fighter) Squadron at RAF Leeming, taking over from Wing Commander Mick Mercer who has been posted to the Ministry of Defence. Born in Middlesbrough
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Extra powers to look after children in care
GREATER powers will be made available to ensure children in care in Middlesbrough are looked after properly. Middlesbrough Borough Council's corporate parenting board was set up in February to examine how well the authority acted as a parent to children
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Recruitment drive for female surgeons
WOMEN surgeons are on a recruitment drive at a girls' schools. Today, a team led by Helen Richardson, senior registrar at he Sunderland Royal Hospital, will visit Polam Hall School, in Darlington. The visit is part of a national drive by the Royal College
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Feline friends in need of a loving home
THE Northern Echo is launching a campaign to find homes for abandoned and stray cats in Darlington. The scheme has been laucnhed following a warning that hundreds of stray cats might have to be culled if the town's feline population continue to soar.
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The final destruction of our sanity
IF ANY national crisis ever deserved the Biblical billing "a tale told by an idiot'' the foot-and-mouth catastrophe must be it. Let us remember the crucial facts: foot-and-mouth is a preventable, usually non-fatal, disease that poses no risk to human
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Residents help design estate's recreation site
A YOUTH council has been making plans for a better future for people on a Darlington estate. The Skerne Park Youth Council has been considering how to make the best use of the green area next to Hammond Drive and Lakeside. One idea was to develop the
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Sir Ian to quit Nissan
SIR Ian Gibson, the driving force who helped make Nissan's Sunderland plant the most efficient car operation in Europe, is to step down. The senior vice president of Nissan Motor Co in Japan, Sir Ian has decided to leave as part of a major shake-up in
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East meets west as Pupils fashion a delight in dress and dance
The cultures and traditions of the East and West met in the form of a fashion show at a school last night. For the fourth year running, pupils at Hall Garth School, in Middlesbrough, put on a show featuring both Eastern and Western outfits. They also
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Mike Amos writes...
HANNAH Hauxwell, for whom it was famously too long a winter, is in hospital after breaking her left hip in a fall whilst hanging out the washing. Hannah, 73, is believed to have lain for some time before being discovered in the garden of her home in Cotherstone
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A walk around town
COUNTRYSIDE wardens have been given permission to organise a walk. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's council's countryside wardens are promoting a gentle stroll in Guisborough, as part of World Health Day, on April 7. The one-and-a-half mile walk
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Quakers biding time
Darlington are still sweating on the international clearance of their three French signings. The trio, Jean-Michel Cau, Alexandre Jeannin and Abraham Keita, have completed the relevant paperwork in Darlington and signed contracts until the end of the
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Venables calls for Cup to follow season end
TERRY Venables has criticised the FA and Premier League for forcing clubs into an agonising two-week wait to discover their fate at the end of the season. There is an unprecedented 14-day break between the final two Premiership games in May, with the
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23 arrested in thefts crackdown
A CRACKDOWN on shoplifters in a town centre has led to 23 arrests. The move has been welcomed by Bishop Auckland traders who lose thousands of pounds every year to theft and fraud. Detectives and uniformed officers from Bishop Auckland police station
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Attractions remain closed
TWO County Durham visitor attractions may stay closed because of the epidemic. Killhope, the lead mining museum in Weardale, was to open on April 1, and Binchester Roman Fort, near Bishop Auckland, was to open for the Easter weekend. But both could keep
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Today's news round-up for Northallerton
HAMBLETON Leisure Centre is gearing up for a massive transformation when the Royal Shakespeare Company brings its touring production of The Tempest to Northallerton next week. The sports hall is to become a theatre for seven sell-out performances. "It's
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Wave to a pal, then Kevin was dead
Youngsters were still in shock yesterday after seeing a fellow pupil crushed under the wheels of a bus. Kevin Bulman, 12, died after falling under the school bus which had just taken him to his home, in Houghton-le-Spring, at about 4pm on Monday. Several
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1,000 drivers prosecuted in speed blitz
MORE than 1,000 drivers have been caught in the first week of a police speeding blitz. Northumbria Police began a three-week campaign to cut speeding at the beginning of last week, and already 1,140 motorists have been issued with fixed penalty tickets
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Forecourt campaign launched to slam the brakes on crime
Thieves responsible for hundreds of forecourt fuel thefts every year are facing a police crackdown, it was announced yesterday. Police and filling station owners are joining forces against petrol thieves - whom officers suspect of being the same people
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Knife attack on refugee
REFUGEES are demanding better protection from police after a knife attack on an asylum seeker. The 31-year-old Iranian was stabbed in the back and arm by two men in Sunderland city centre on Thursday night, in what police described as a racially-motivated
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Sex offender pointed air rifle at youths after months of torment by neighbours
A CONVICTED sex offender who took pot shots at two youths with an air rifle after their friends called him a "nonce" has been warned by a judge he could be facing jail. Mark Urwin, 36, snapped following months of torment from neighbours, after his conviction
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Search for the British Judge Judy
Ever watched Judge Judy, she whose autobiography is entitled Don't Pee on My Leg and Tell Me It's Raining? It's a mesmerising American television series, starring the formidably feisty Judge Judy Sheindlin presiding over real cases, usually involving
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Talented trio taste success
A TRIO of talented children are celebrating success for their school at an annual speech and drama event. Three pupils from Abbey Junior School, in Abbey Road, Darlington, won categories in the Darlington Speech and Drama Festival. The school also claimed
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Paper scheme creates tonnes of interest
THE first kerbside collections of waste paper in the borough of Stockton saw more than 30 tonnes of recyclable material collected last week. Stockton Borough Council's blue bag collection scheme, in partnership with Cheshire Recycling and Roseberry Recycling
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New look planned for golf course
A MUNICIPAL golf course is about to undergo a major redevelopment to attract more players. Stressholme Golf Club, which is owned by Darlington Borough Council, is one of the most popular and highly regarded courses in the area. But most of the facilities
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Time to find young high flier
THE search for Tees Valley's best young businesses draws to a close tomorrow when the winner of the Shell Live Wire Young Business Start-Up awards is announced. The competition is for young people aged 16 to 30 who have started their own business. Stockton
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Punishment not fitting to the crime
WHILE perusing a national newspaper, Roger Statham's gaze rests on a familiar looking name. Isn't that...?, he wonders, his mind racing back 20 years to the source of the connection. Allowing himself the indulgence, he pauses for a moment as the old feeling
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Horror of death drive wrong way down A1
THE driver of a car which ploughed head-on into a lorry as he sped the wrong way down the A1 had taken a lethal cocktail of drink and painkillers, an inquest heard yesterday. Andrew Bentley seemed fine when last seen by his wife in the early hours of
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Gerrard back to full fitness and relishing Anfield clash
Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard is confident he will finally put 14 months of injury frustration with England behind him after declaring himself fit for Saturday's World Cup qualifier with Finland at Anfield. The 20-year-old, who has been constantly
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Unlawful killing verdict on toddlers in police car crash
TWO toddlers who died when travelling in a police car were unlawfully killed, an inquest found yesterday. Neza Price, four, and sister Claudette, two, suffered head injuries when the police car was involved in a collision with a Renault people carrier
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System pumps up extra jobs
TWENTY jobs are being created at a North-East firm thanks to the success of a new hydraulics system developed by another company in the region. The latest control system developed by Ultronics, in Newton Aycliffe, has led to a lucrative contract at Tanfield
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Boro in shock move to snap up Carbone
MIDDLESBROUGH are poised to end Benito Carbone's Bradford nightmare in a shock deadline day move today. Carbone and agent Giovanni Branchini are to meet with Boro chairman Steve Gibson and coach Terry Venables in the hope of thrashing out a deal ahead
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'Leeds Utd solicitor said: Keep on lying'
Leeds United footballer Michael Duberry told a jury yesterday that the club's solicitor advised him to continue lying to police over a fellow player's alleged involvement in an attack on an Asian student. He also said that teammate Jonathan Woodgate,
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Parents in appeal for heart donation to save their child
AS the parents of a baby girl appealed for a transplant which could save her life, the queue for hearts and lungs in the region has reached record levels. Amanda and Mark Dale, from Stoke-on-Trent, have been told that a heart transplant at the Freeman
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Show a real family affair
BISHOP Auckland Amateur Operatic Society's latest show, Brigadoon, has a close-knit cast. Neighbours Jane Bellis and John Cunningham star in the show, while John's father, Bruce, is producer and plays a piper, and his mother, Sheila, is in the chorus.
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Hope springs as owner of restored hall unveils fountain
A Unusual water feature, which will greet guests at what may become one of the country's top hotels, sprung to life yesterday. The William Pye sculpture, in front of the entrance to the restored Seaham Hall, spiralled into action after a countdown by
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Villagers' school choice protest
A VILLAGE is campaigning for freedom of choice after a child was refused entry into a nearby primary school. The continuing fight by parents for the chance to send youngsters from Middridge to nearby Byerley Park school, in Newton Aycliffe, has been simmering
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Councils are recycling more waste
SERVICES provided by council environmental departments in the region have shown steady improvement in recent years, a new report reveals. Recycling of household waste has doubled in the past five years, while there have also been improvements in street
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Life's no lottery for play-safe Barbara
SPEND Spend Spend musical star Barbara Dickson, who plays 1960s pools winner Viv Nicholson, admitted yesterday that she's never bought a lottery ticket in her life. Dickson, 53, who started off singing on the North-East folk circuit in the 1960s, arrived
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Celebration time for shop
CHARITY shop volunteers had two reasons to celebrate yesterday. The Imperial Cancer Research Shop in Hartlepool celebrated it's 18th birthday, and having raised more than £670,000 since it opened. To commemorate the milestone a small birthday party was
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Village couple take over at revamped pub
A VILLAGE pub near Darlington has reopened after extensive refurbishment. The Fighting Cocks pub, in Middleton St George, has been taken over by Graham and Linda Clark. The couple, who were residents of the village, have taken the pub on a 21-year tenancy
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Markets scheme for discussion
There will be a public meeting next Tuesday, at 7pm in Sunnyfield House, Westgate, Guisborough, to discuss a Guisborough Markets Initiative Scheme, funded by the Countryside Agency. The scheme is concerned with regenerating market towns and Guisborough
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Teacher in trek tribute
A RETIRED teacher is preparing to trek through the jungles of Borneo in memory of her husband. Mary Mann, 67, will complete a six-day trek through jungle and tropical rainforests in aid of the British Heart Foundation in memory of her husband, Stanley
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Toothless Tiger is anxious
Tiger Woods is a golfer frustrated by the weight of expectation on his shoulders. That is the view of Woods' Ryder Cup team-mate Hal Sutton, who at Sawgrass todaysets off in pursuit of a repeat of his brilliant Players' Championship victory over the world
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Charity event to take place
A Mother's Day celebration is being held at the Timothy Hackworth Museum, Shildon, on Sunday. The event will raise money for the Butterwick Hospice at Bishop Auckland and features a cross-stitch exhibition. Every mother, aunt or grandmother who attends
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Kevin leads charge
TV star Kevin Whately is one of the first celebrities to lend his support to an innovative regeneration scheme. The Northumberland-born actor has made a "substantial investment'' in the Newcastle Employment Bond Scheme which aims to breathe new life into
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Choirs to join forces for town concert
VOICES will be raised in song when two choirs from opposite ends of the country meet in harmony later this month. The Northallerton Male Voice Choir will join forces with the County of Cornwall Male Choir for a concert. The County of Cornwall Male Choir
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Burst pipe causes sport club flooding
A SPORTS club in Harrogate came close to a flooding disaster as thousands of gallons of water swept across its land. A burst water main in nearby Leadhall Lane, off Leeds Road, sent a torrent of water beneath buildings at Harrogate Racquets Club and through
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Charity dance held for disease victims
A dance night will be held in Chester-le-Street to raise money to help victims of a rare disease called diamond blackfan anaemia. The condition affects bone marrow and only 50 people in country suffer from it - including a child in Chester-le-Street.
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Imagination takes flight on paper
THE much-loved art of creating paper aeroplanes came under the spotlight in the first of a series of activities to mark national science week. Final year students from Newcastle and Northumbria Universities dropped in to the Shipley Art Gallery in Gateshead
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Advice bureau spreads its wings to take in villages
CHESTER-le-Street Citizens Advice Bureau is taking its services out to more neighbouring villages. The bureau has secured Coalfields Regeneration Initiative funding to set up sessions at community centres at Bournmoor, Fence Houses, Pelton, Ouston and
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Cash award for club
A YOUTH club reborn from the ashes of an arson attack has won cash to spruce up its land. Oxhill Youth Club, at Stanley, was devastated in the autumn of 1999 when its wooden clubhouse was burnt to the ground. But a new building, which cost £133,000, opened
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Park-and-ride project on the way for city
WORK is to start on the first of three park-and-ride sites planned for the outskirts of Durham. Durham County Council is to draw up a planning application and begin negotiations to buy land at Belmont when funds become available. It is looking to provide
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Bandsman struck the right note
MUSIC really was the food of love for a couple who have celebrated their diamond wedding. Tom and Freda Raine, of Craghead, near Stanley, first saw each other while Tom played in a Salvation Army band more than 60 years ago. Mrs Raine, 79, said her future
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Vicious attack by bag thief
A WOMAN was left badly bruised and shaken after a vicious attack by a robber who stole her handbag containing £400. A police spokesman said the 42-year-old woman was walking her dog in a football field between Stanley and Tanfield Lea, known as Oakies
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Mayor opposes bid to force 11-plus poll
THE Mayor of Ripon has attacked efforts to force a referendum on the selection of pupils for secondary education. Councillor Paul Freeman was responding to a request, tabled through Ripon City Council, for a parish poll to be held on the issue of selection
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Spending priorities a problem for forum
MEMBERS of a town forum cannot decide how to prioritise its spending. The Newton Aycliffe Area Forum will have about £100,000 to spend on the tidy estates initiative next year, plus about £12,000 left over from this year's budget. At a meeting this week
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Inquiry called into proposed tunnel toll rise
A PUBLIC inquiry will begin next month to hear the case for and against a 20p price rise proposed for vehicles using the Tyne Tunnel. The inquiry was called after 119 groups and individual motorists lodged objections to the new toll figures suggested
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Trip target set
A FUNDRAISING drive has been launched to send a group of physically disabled friends on a three-day break. Members of Bishop Auckland Friendship and Activity Club have nominated Blackpool as their chosen holiday spot, but it will cost £3,300 to send nine
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Avecia's audit is successful
A COMPANY making new medicines to tackle diseases at a low cost, has won international recognition for its work, Avecia Biotechnology, the Advanced Biologics Centre in Billingham, has had a successful inspection by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) which
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Mayor's fair draws wide response
CRAFTS people from all over the region will be setting up stall in East Durham next month in aid of charity. The Mayor of Peterlee's annual Charity Craft Fair will be held in Shotton Hall banqueting suite, Old Shotton, on Sunday, April 8. The event, which
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Power games and the right to be heard
IN 1974, I was representing Great Britain in an eight nations water polo tournament in what was then West Germany. Spain, Italy, Turkey and Russia were all there and most of the players knew each other moderately well as we knocked around on the international
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Duke has double mission on visit to herriot country
THE Duke of Gloucester visited Herriot country yesterday to unveil a regional centre of excellence for medical training. A £480,000 training centre in Thirsk, expanding the first aid services provided by St John Ambulance across North Yorkshire and Teesside
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Bus pass alternatives will be investigated
ALTERNATIVE arrangements to the new state bus pass scheme for the elderly are to be investigated by officials in the Ryedale district. But any decision will not be made until it becomes clear how much the passes are likely to cost the local authority.
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Making a profit out of misery
POLLSTERS have been accused of profiteering from the foot-and-mouth misery by running a premium-rate vote on culling animals. Unsolicited faxes have been sent to businesses and individuals, asking them to vote on whether healthy animals should be slaughtered
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Fans to design new crest for Quakers
SUPPORTERS of Darlington Football Club are being asked to help design a new logo for the Quakers to use as the club crest. Darlington chairman George Reynolds wants supporters to base the logo on the crest he uses for his business, George Reynolds UK.
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BASF records 8% rise in profits
CHEMICAL companies group BASF has recorded an eight per cent rise in profits. Sales increased from £860m in 1999 to £930m last year. The strong upturn followed a year of structural changes which included the Cramlington pharmaceutical and fine chemical
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The industry going to the wall
IT now appears certain that Corus will go ahead with its plans to cut 6,000 steel jobs across Britain, 1,000 of which will go on Teesside. It is a salutary reminder that, although the crisis in agriculture is grabbing all the headlines, there are other
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Classless society? You must be joking...
TO tie in with the Census, the Government has just issued a new way of classifying occupations - and within an hour of it being mentioned on Radio 4, about 10,000 people had logged on to find out where they come in the great pecking order. So much for
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Don't hold out a lot of hope
STEEL workers in the North-East were dealt a bitter blow yesterday when Corus indicated the company was highly unlikely to accept union proposals to save jobs. Since the troubled firm announced its devastating plans on February 1 to shed more than 6,000
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Woman kicked by bag thief
A WOMAN was left badly shaken after she was pushed to the ground and kicked by a man who stole her handbag. The incident happened at 7.25pm on Monday, in Dent Street, Hartlepool. A 52-year-old woman was walking along the street when she was approached
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On the brink of disaster as disease hits more N-E farms
FARMERS were facing disaster last night as the foot-and-mouth epidemic spread into previously unaffected areas. In County Durham, the disease has spread eastwards out of Weardale to take in Brancepeth, on the outskirts of Durham City, Middlestone Moor
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Sarah proves top class at music festival
TOP class tuition and a willingness to travel, paid off for a teenage violinist when she was voted Young Musician of the Year, at the Harrogate Competitive Festival of Music, Speech and Drama. Sarah Crick, 16, of Knaresborough, a sixth-former at Harrogate's
