Archive
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Cover plan drawn up for hospital switch
CRASH victims, heart attack patients and other 999 cases face longer journeys to hospital next weekend when an accident and emergency unit partially closes for 13 hours. The overnight re-routing of ambulances will happen when Dryburn Hospital, Durham
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Scouts bury time capsule
TO mark the finish of building work on a new community centre in South Bank, the 4th South Bank Scouts Group planted a time capsule, which will be unearthed in 2051. The capsule, made from a section of yellow plastic gas pipe, to ensure the artefacts
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Cheaper travel for community
A PROJECT offering cheaper travel to people in part of Bishop Auckland has been launched. It has taken two years to get the South Bishop Auckland Community Partnership Association off the ground. Sheer hard work and determination finally paid off, with
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Charity shop hogs limelight on its birthday
A CHARITY shop has celebrated its first birthday with the help of Spike the Hedgehog. The Butterwick Children's Hospice Shop, in York Road, Hartlepool, passed the milestone last week. On Saturday, to help staff celebrate, Spike, the hospice's mascot,
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Rain, a record and fighting spirit mark half-marathon
THE weather failed to dampen the spirits of athletes who ignored the drizzle to complete a half- marathon. More than 1,500 people turned out to take part in the 19th Redcar half-marathon, sponsored this year by Enron. Although the race itself was not
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Literacy scheme launched
A SUNDERLAND school is taking part in a project to improve pupil literacy. Quarry View Junior School is the first in the city to adopt the Children's University scheme - first tried in Birmingham. Key Stage Two pupils whose reading and writing are below
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More cash support urged for swimming star Nicola
COUNCILLORS will be asked to dig deep to help cover the costs of one of the region's budding sports stars. At just 16, Richmond's Nicola Jackson took to the world stage when she swam the first leg of the women's 4 x 200 metre freestyle at the Olympic
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Headteacher joins battle to stop phone mast near school
A HEADTEACHER has expressed concern at plans to build a mobile phone mast less than 200 metres from his school. Councillors will meet on Friday to discuss plans by Dolphin Telecommunications to build the 15m-high mast at Cowpen Bewley Cricket Club, off
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Skateboarding area under consideration
THE possibility of a market town having its own dedicated area for skateboarding is under consideration. The hobby is on the increase in the Bedale area of North Yorkshire but it has led to complaints, particularly about youngsters skating in the auction
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New ally to fight doorstep frauds
PENSIONERS have been testing crime-fighting equipment designed to protect them from bogus callers. Sedgefield has been chosen as a pilot area to test the effectiveness of the device - called a door announcer - which has been fitted to 50 pensioners' homes
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PC praised as cash card scam wound up
A POLICEWOMAN won praise for helping to put an end to a bank cash card scam which milked more than £7,000 from victims' accounts in a week. PC Gill Moffatt helped to arrest an alleged ringleader of the operation, carried out across the North by a gang
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Managers rise to the occasion to reach another level
A BAKER'S dozen of assistant managers and one manager from Greggs shops across the region have completed their NVQ level two qualification in retail operations. Greggs introduced the NVQ programme two years ago. Designed by Greggs of Gosforth's training
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Villagers re-dedicate war memorial after £3,500 facelift
A MEMORIAL to villagers who made the ultimate sacrifice has been re-dedicated after a facelift. A £3,500 project to clean and restore the monument at Hamsterley Village, near Consett, was carried out last year, to ensure that servicemen who gave their
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Clare in line to be 'face' of cancer carers
A NURSE who cares for cancer patients has reached the finals of a national award. Clare Brookes, 35, a Marie Curie nurse who cares for patients in the Newcastle area, has been selected for England's Marie Curie/Clinton Cards Nurse of the Year 2001 title
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Puppet master tells secrets
A SERIES of puppet-making workshops for schools is being organised by Sedgefield Borough Council's arts development service. The summer workshops are run by puppeteer Phil Spellacy, from Leeds, who will visit several schools to show pupils how to make
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On the horns fo a dilemma
SUCH is the wild fever surrounding the foot-and-mouth epidemic, the Government is increasingly finding itself damned if it does something and damned if it doesn't. It is true that much of this is down to its failure to respond rapidly enough in the beginning
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Farmers 'waiting weeks for cash'
FARMERS hit by the foot-and-mouth crisis say they are facing the added strain of waiting weeks for their compensation. The Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food (Maff), which has already paid out more than £12m, has assured farmers they will be compensated
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Library head appointed
THE head of Durham's new library has been appointed. Chartered librarian June Gowland, 44, will manage the new Centre for Lifelong Learning that is being built in the multi-million pound Millennium City development. Mrs Gowland, who has two sons, was
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Woman hurt in crash
A woman is in hospital with serious injuries after being involved in a car crash early yesterday. A Ford Mondeo carrying five people collided with a crash barrier on the roundabout connecting the A19 and A1231 in Sunderland, at 3.40am, before rolling
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Disinfectant pads plea answered
DISINFECTANT pads are to be put down in east Cleveland as a precautionary measure. East Cleveland is one of the few areas in the North-East unaffected by the deadly disease. The move was decided at a meeting at Moorsholm early yesterday, 36 hours after
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'Mother raped while son played'
A MOTHER was raped while her son played in the room next door, a court heard yesterday. Ahmed Sarhini, 35, who is also known as Antonio, of Wardroper House, Greenford Road, Newcastle, denies raping the woman in a Darlington flat on September 23 last year
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Murray loses out to rival
Rider-manager Keith Murray, from Darlington, oversaw a victory for the Steve Goff Frames RT squad in the North Midlands Cycling Federation's open 25-mile TT. But was handed an unexpected beating in the individual order as teammate Paul Dotchin, 29, from
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PC in knife threat picks up award
A POLICE officer who faced down a knife-wielding youth was chosen to collect her force's third Charter Mark. PC Sally Ann MacDonald, 30, accepted the award from Home Secretary Jack Straw on behalf of Northumbria Police, at a ceremony in London. PC MacDonald
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Students' on-stage exam
A GROUP of A-level drama students hope to pass a test on stage this week. Students at Conyers School, Yarm, will perform a selection of monologues and dialogues at the Arc, in Stockton. The first performance is on Wednesday for members of the public,
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Logo contest judged a great success
A logo competition has attracted so many good entries that the judges are going to award more prizes. More than 500 designs have been submitted for the competition run by Sunderland City Council's education and community services department. Youngsters
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Fans find truce through art
NEWCASTLE United and Sunderland fans made peace in the name of art in the area recently. The Lanchester and District Operatic and Choral Society adapted the story of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Gondoliers to involve rival supporters of the two big North-East
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Jill's growing ambition blooms into award
AN enterprising mother whose florist business has blossomed after a year has been named one of the North-East's top young entrepreneurs. Jill Purvis, 29, was the only woman among six finalists and fought off competition from a field described as outstanding
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Introducing firms to region is a success
A business which works to help foreign firms set up in the UK has been named as the Tees Valley's best young company. Frontier Europe, run by three 20-year-olds, is based in Brunswick Street, Stockton. It supports businesses outside the EU who want to
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Road safety given cash boost
MORE cash is being allocated for rural road safety schemes in the Harrogate district during the next financial year. More than £70,000 has been allocated from the borough council's on-street parking income, an increase of £10,000 on the current year.
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Tickets for Picnic in Park go on sale
TICKETS are on sale for an outdoor music extravaganza in the North-East. Picnic in the Park will take place in the grounds of Hurworth Grange Community Centre, Hurworth, near Darlington, on Saturday, July 7. It has been organised by Hurworth Community
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Villagers back street parking ban
HUNDREDS of villagers have signed a petition in support of a scheme to ban drivers from parking along a stretch of road. Last year, Hartlepool Borough Council received a request from Greatham Parish Council for the introduction of double yellow lines
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Irish flights take off
IRISH eyes are smiling following the launch of new flights to the Emerald Isle. Brymon Airways yesterday launched the first scheduled flight from Newcastle International Airport to Cork and a thrice-daily service to Dublin. Today, passengers on the new
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School gets maths games library
A GAMES library based on solving mathematics problems has been opened at a Trimdon school. The Friends of St William's RCVA Primary School worked hard to raise funds to buy the games to mark numeracy year. More than 100 maths games, costing £1,000, have
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One-stop shop to cater for carers
CARERS have been given a new lifeline with the opening of a resource centre. The Stockton Carers' Resource Centre will provide a one-stop shop for carers across the town, who will be able to receive advice and support. There will be two paid staff - a
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Seafarers' adventure begins
YOUNGSTERS will begin a week-long celebration of youth volunteering when they take part in a seafaring adventure. Twelve young people, who are all Millennium Volunteers will today board the ocean youth yacht, The James Cook, from its starting point near
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Burning Questions
Q: WHY is it that a woman named Margaret at birth goes through life being called Peggy? - Bill Rowley, Shildon. A: PEGGY is connected with Maggie, the pet form of Margaret. Maggie is the shortened pet name that you would expect to derive from Margaret
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Charity group's volunteers call
THE Cancer Research Campaign's Stockton supporters group is appealing for fundraising volunteers and a treasurer. The group has been running for nearly 60 years, raising hundreds of thousands of pounds. Vice-president of the group Dorothy Rose said: "
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Initiative to attract more volunteers
AN initiative to encourage more people to take up voluntary work has been launched. The Sedgefield Borough Volunteer Bureau, funded by the National Lotteries Charities Board, held an open day at Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre last week. Organisations
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Nolan Sister did not pay bill
A HOTEL boss has won a court battle against a Nolan sister who did not pay her bill. Jeff Hind thought stage star Linda Nolan had made an oversight when she did not settle up after her stay. But a year later, after several calls to her agent and accountant
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Riverside walk appeal plea
AN appeal for cash to restore a riverside walk and prevent further erosion has topped £24,000. A total of £75,000 is needed for the scheme near Richmond, North Yorkshire, and it is hoped that major organisations and businesses can be encouraged to help
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Eighty scrabble for success
SCRABBLE players from all over the country tested their wordpower at the weekend. And North-East players had reason to celebrate at Durham University's Trevelyan College. About 80 Scrabble experts from as far afield as Inverness and the Isle of Wight
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Call-up for brigade old boys
A boys' Brigade is asking for former members to help celebrate the company's 75th anniversary. The 2nd Consett Boys' Brigade, which was the 1st Consett Company when formed in 1926, will have a special church service in November, and a display at Consett
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When ridicule can be dangerous
WHEN it comes to analysing the causes of a riot, experts often look to social deprivation, inequality and a distrust of authority. But perhaps another factor should be brought into play - the influence of Blind Date. Cilla Black may seem an unlikely instigator
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Worldwide aid appeal to be launched
AN annual appeal to raise funds for humanitarian projects around the world will begin in Darlington, on Saturday. Last year, members of the Darlington Seventh-day Adventist Church, in Hird Street, collected £664 for World Wide Advent Missions projects
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Funeral of minister found dead in field
THE funeral takes place today of a former church minister found dead in a field three months after going missing from home. The body of George Alexander Harding was discovered by a man walking his dog at Farewell Hall Farm, on the outskirts of Durham
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Dennis joins expert team hoping to prove himself a gem
SAPPHIRE Technologies has recruited a new consultant to its expert team. DENNIS WHINCUP, pictured, has joined the Stockton information security and e-development company as technical consultant, in the information security division. He has a wealth of
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Appeal to move mountain
HOSPICE fundraisers are appealing for transport to help move a money-spinning paper mountain. Volunteers at the Butterwick Hospice at Bishop Auckland won The Northern Echo's environmental competition Making a Difference after judges learned that their
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Youngsters put cares aside for a day
YOUNGSTERS who face adult responsibilities looking after a relative enjoyed a special fun day on Saturday. Sixty young carers from the Durham and Derwentside areas enjoyed a "fun fest" at the Belle Vue Leisure Centre, Consett. During the day, organised
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Visitors enjoy a model start to week-long community festival
A WEEK-LONG community festival began at the weekend with a range of activities, from song and dance to face painting and lifeboat displays. The Circle of Life Festival, taking place at Hartlepool Historic Quay and the neighbouring Sir William Gray Suite
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Woman in taxi charge protest
A WOMAN says she will boycott a taxi company after she was charged extra for stopping to get change. Dee Hall-Waters, who works for the Orange communications company in Darlington, says she was charged 50p extra by United Taxis because she asked the driver
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Distraught mother's plea after baby pictures stolen
A MOTHER is distraught after the theft of every photograph she has of her baby boy. Karen Stephenson had gathered together hundreds of pictures of her five-month-old son, Oliver, to put in an album. She was going to make up two albums as Mother's Day
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Crunch meeting for association
A DURHAM community association in danger of folding has been dealt another blow by an arson attack on its hall. Newton Hall Community Association's centre in Carr House Drive was badly damaged, forcing the groups that it use it to seek alternatives. Wednesday's
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Sven seeks words to unearth a Cole goal
England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson will hold heart-to-heart talks with Andy Cole ahead of the World Cup qualifier in Albania to ensure that the striker's confidence has not suffered a jolt. Eriksson seems set to retain faith in Cole tomorrow night, despite
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The deadly legacy of 'hate crimes'
THE police have been "swooping" here in London. They have been raiding houses in the early hours and arresting perpetrators of so called "hate crimes". It makes you wonder: aren't all crimes in a sense hate crimes? What would a "love crime" look like?
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Army goes to war
THE Army was last night helping under-pressure Government officials fighting to control foot-and-mouth disease in the North-East. About 80 soldiers were called up as the outbreak threatened to overwhelm experts from the Ministry of Agriculture (Maff).
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BBC shows the 'face of Jesus'
AN image of what Jesus may have looked like has been created by the BBC for a new programme about the life of Christ. The documentary series, Son of God, uses the latest scientific technology to bring the story of Jesus Christ to life. Detailed historical
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Hartlepool boss happy to stand by Robinson
CHRIS Turner is pinning his faith in Mark Robinson - and the 19-year-old is determined to repay his boss. Robinson was handed his first start since August by the Hartlepool boss in Saturday's win at Plymouth after Sam Shilton was struck down by flu. After
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Officer suspended by Lancet can return
THE first officer is to return to work after being suspended because of the controversial Operation Lancet inquiry into Cleveland Police. Detective Constable David Laing was one of eight officers - including Detective Superintendent Ray Mallon, the former
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Another massive game we mustn't lose, insists Liddle
Determined Darlington skipper Craig Liddle has sent a defiant message to his battle-weary team on the eve of their crucial clash with fellow strugglers Exeter City insisting: "We must come away undefeated." Fresh from success at the weekend against Scunthorpe
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Meetings encourage families to consider short-term fostering
TWO information events are being held this week to promote a type of short-term fostering, called Sharing the caring. They are being held by Stockton Borough Council's child placement team, tomorrow, from 10am to noon, and on Wednesday, from 6pm to 8pm
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Beautiful Game, wonderful cause
STARS of the West End stage are lending their voices to an appeal to raise money for a cash-strapped hospice. Members of the London casts of Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables are heading north this summer to give a night to remember on Teesside.
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Flower show defies crisis
One of the country's major flower shows will beat the foot-and-mouth crisis when Harrogate Spring Show is staged at the Great Yorkshire Showground, from Thursday to Sunday, April 26 to 29. A spokesman for organisers, the North of England Horticultural
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Woman injured in car plunge
A 20-year-old woman is in Sunderland Royal Hospital with serious leg and arm injuries after the car in which she was a passenger plunged down an embankment. The accident occured at the junction of the A19 and the A1231 in the city yesterday. The driver
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Cash on offer for history projects
COMMUNITY groups are being urged to apply for funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund for local history projects in the North-East. The funding available for each project could be up to £837. The projects must run from April to December. The Heritage Lottery
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Bid to explain Campbell crash
Investigators have begun the task of unravelling the mystery behind Donald Campbell's tragic attempt on the world water speed record. The investigation is being carried out on his craft, Bluebird, which famously lifted from Coniston Water and disintegrated
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Bishop's shame over treatment of divorced
A bishop has broken rank to apologise for the Catholic church's treatment of divorcees. The Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, the Right Reverend Ambrose Griffiths, courted controversy by asking for their forgiveness at a special service. In defiance of
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Cathedral blaze alarm
FIREFIGHTERS rushed to save the treasures of Durham Cathedral after getting a call that it was on fire. A passer-by spotted smoke wafting around the ancient building that forms part of a World Heritage Site, early on Sunday. But firefighters discovered
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Prayers for community
The farming community at the centre of the foot-and- mouth outbreak came together in prayer yesterday. Until February, few people outside the North East had heard of the village of Heddon-on-the-Wall, several miles west of Newcastle. Now the name is synonymous
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Letters
FOOT-AND-MOUTH THE Agriculture Minister, Nick Brown, has denied that Maff or the Government had any prior knowledge of the imminent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. Yet, there are reports now emerging that approaches to timber suppliers were made weeks
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Minister too calm in teeth of storm
The question on most people's minds as the new turf Flat season gets under way is: 'Should we be racing during the foot and mouth crisis?' I train horses and also farm cattle and sheep, so I can see both sides of the argument. At Denton, we have disinfectant
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Committee urged to back mural
A MURAL painted on a village hall by youngsters may be allowed to stay, despite the opposition of residents. Members of West Rainton Youth Club, working with an artist, produced the pictures, which tell the history of the former pit village and include
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Celebrities shine for children's charity
STAR footballers are among celebrities lined up for a charity ball next month. The Rainbow Trust Children's Charity is holding its fourth annual northern ball at Newcastle's Gosforth Park Hotel on Saturday, April 21. The sold-out event's star-studded
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Golden celebration for former mayor
A FORMER mayor and mayoress of Great Aycliffe have celebrated their golden wedding anniversary John and Hilda Fleming marked 50 years of marriage with a family party in Newton Aycliffe on Saturday. The couple were married at St Stephen's Church, Wolsingham
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Gymnastics stars on show
ABOUT 500 children from 35 schools are setting themselves on the road to sporting success this week when they take part in a two-day gymnastics festival. Infant, junior and secondary pupils aged from four to 18 will be at two centres tomorrow and Wednesday
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Flightlines prepared for take-off
A NORTH-EAST airport is preparing for its busiest-ever summer holiday programme with the launch of a magazine. The first edition of the Teesside International Airport magazine, Flightlines, contains information about the airport, as well as tips for travellers
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Playground campaign group appeals for public backing
PEOPLE at Pity Me are being urged to back the launch of a group that aims to build a safe play area for children. The Pity Me Play Park Initiative has been formed by parents concerned at the loss of open space in the area, on the outskirts of Durham,
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Joy at last for car park noise complainant
A RICHMOND resident's long-running campaign for peace and quiet has finally paid off. Although the individual was never identified, the district authority's environment chiefs were told at a meeting that one person had been bombarding the department with
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Police honoured for bravery in tackling disturbed man
THREE police officers who risked their lives to tackle a disturbed man trying to set light to himself have been commended for their bravery. The trio confronted the extremely agitated man in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, where he sprayed petrol over himself
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Invitation to take part in history fair
A HISTORY group is appealing for residents to take part in Hartlepool's 800th charter celebrations. As part of the celebrations the Headland Local History Group is putting on a local and family history fair. The group would like residents of Hartlepool
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Swimmers take plunge to support Fundraising marathon
MORE than 150 people took part in an annual swimming marathon in Darlington to raise money for cancer charities. The BT Swimathon, taking place at more than 500 pools across the country, aims to raise more than £2m this year. The Darlington event, which
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College takes award
STOCKTON and Billingham College was one of 30 organisations to be presented with a national health and safety award for its work during the European Week for Safety and Health 2000. The presentation was made by Sir Trevor McDonald at a ceremony in London
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£96,000 boost for new HQ
A CHURCH'S plans to build a community hall have moved a step forward thanks to its Guide and Scout groups. They have handed over £96,000 towards the £500,000 project at St Mary Magdalene Church in Belmont, Durham. The money was raised to build them a
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Families get say on local plan
PEOPLE in Hartlepool have been given the chance to influence how the area will develop during the next 15 years. They are being invited to give their views on a new version of the Hartlepool local plan. The plan covers issues affecting land in the borough
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Creative talent to stay put
A drive to keep creative talent in the region is in the bag thanks to an initiative being launched by the North East Publicity Association (Nepa) and the region's largest further education provider, Newcastle College. Advertising and publicity agencies
