Archive
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Grandfather's patent formula plays a part in newly-developed plant food
A 21-YEAR-OLD Barnard Castle man is ready to take the gardening world by storm with a product made from disposable nappies. Mr Richard Hawlor, who is passionate about the environment, is horrified that eight million used nappies go to landfill sites every
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Baker is in the dough after Live Wire win
MICHAEL Sisterson is certainly a rising star. The baker has turned a gamble into success, and been named runner-up in the Shell Live Wire awards for the Tees Valley, a scheme which recognises the efforts of business people aged 16 to 30. No-one was more
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Mr Hague walks into dispute over when tourists can return
TORY leader Mr William Hague yesterday backed business leaders' calls to bring tourists back to the Yorkshire dales. The Richmond MP was in Hawes to hear of the plight of local business people affected by an outbreak of foot-and-mouth in the area. With
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Riding centres on the brink as clients stay away
EQUESTRIAN centres in the region face financial ruin if they fail to persuade their customers to come back to the fold. But the foot-and-mouth situation is changing so rapidly that on Tuesday morning a North Yorkshire centre was urging its clients to
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Countless murders down, Jack left only one unsolved
AS a piece of police history, the grim catalogue of crime charting the 40-year career of one of the North's top detectives speaks volumes. The story of retired Chief Superintendent Jack Collinson, who died last weekend, is told in the pile of papers he
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Planners' porch warning
BUILDERS are being warned that porches need planning permission following a protracted case in Redcar. Members of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's planning committee made a site visit to Rydal Avenue after a retrospective planning application was
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Darts News
Tow Law Bass League Billy Row Club completed their championship win with a resounding home victory over Esh Football Club for the loss of only one point. The Row's singles winners were Jeff Sneath, John Ward, George Dodds, Fred Cockburn and Geoff Pratt
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New weapon to contain disease
THE FIGHT to stop the spread of foot-and-mouth gained a new weapon when North Yorkshire County Council was granted a licence to operate a vehicle decontamination unit, one of the first in the area. The county council depot in Boroughbridge Road, Northallerton
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North Yorkshire - Spy cameras for villages
THE Home Office seems set to step in with more than £250,000 to foil young thugs plaguing two North Yorkshire communities over the winter months. Residents from both Scotton and Hipswell have been forced to call police dozens of times to numerous incidents
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Glittering prizes await 'guinea pig' community
THE glittering prospect of regeneration cash could be within Guisborough's grasp. Townspeople heard on Tuesday that efforts already made had put Guisborough at the forefront of a pioneering market towns initiative. Nearly 100 people packed into Sunnyfield
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Rescue centre forced to close
HEDGEHOG sanctuaries have been told to close their doors to new arrivals as a precaution against foot-and-mouth. Any rescue centres violating the instruction face being told they are breaking the law and having all their hedgehogs slaughtered. Lynne Appleby
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Historians' help needed to save site
HISTORIANS are being urged to help preserve a reputed Civil War battle site in Guisborough. Evidence that the battle of Stumps Cross began on the Chapel Beck site is required in order to have it included in the town's conservation area. The move to protect
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Farmers urged to support vaccine
MINISTERS launched a concerted drive last night to get the farming industry onside ahead of a likely decision to use vaccination as a "firebreak" against foot-and-mouth disease. The Prime Minister focused on the issue during a 90-minute meeting with National
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Durham - Double honour for centenarian
IT IS many years since Emma Vogel fled Nazi Germany - but she still received a message from the president of her home nation as well as the Queen on her 100th birthday. Mrs Vogel, of Esh Winning, fled to France in the 1930s but was forced back to Dusseldorf
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He simply forgot me...
DON'T talk to me about Mother's Day. I'm thinking of disowning Senior Son. He forgot all about it. Forget? How could anyone FORGET? For months the shops have been full of cards, chocolates, jumpers, jewellery, vouchers for make-overs and adventure holidays
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He simply forgot me...
DON'T talk to me about Mother's Day. I'm thinking of disowning Senior Son. He forgot all about it. Forget? How could anyone FORGET? For months the shops have been full of cards, chocolates, jumpers, jewellery, vouchers for make-overs and adventure holidays
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Arts News: Youth drama group seeks sponsor for dales trip
A YOUTH theatre from Sheffield which has built up a faithful following in the Yorkshire dales hopes to be able to return this summer. Over a period of about 16 years, Sheffield youth theatre has performed in Grinton church, Reeh memorial hall, the Georgian
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Film tells the story of town's last 100 years
A GUISBOROUGH drama club is making a film chronicling the last 100 years of life in the ancient market town. Spotlight Film and Drama enables people in the East Cleveland area to learn drama and film-making skills and brings together amateurs and professionals
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Bishops urge against May election
Senior Church of England bishops today urged the Prime Minister to delay the General Election as the foot-and-mouth epidemic rages. The Archbishop of York, the Right Reverend David Hope, and a number of his colleagues joined farmers and the Tories in
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Mum's special day for Jane
ONE of Jane O'Neill's earliest memories is of reading newspaper billboards proclaiming the sinking of the Titanic. Mrs O'Neill, of Brambles Farm, Marske, celebrated her 100th birthday on Sunday with her three children, four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren
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Hostel scheme 'purely political'
A PROSPECTIVE Tory MP claimed the decision to build a controversial bail hostel in County Durham was made on purely political grounds. Addressing a packed public meeting in Chester-le-Street, Matthew Palmer told anti-bail hostel protestors that Labour
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Female golfers go to college due to weather
A GROUP of women golfers have swapped their club for a classroom, after recent bad weather stopped play. The eight women, from Billingham Golf Club, decided to spend their spare time improving their computer skills at Stockton and Billingham College,
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Swimming News
The British team for the annual six nations junior international contest in Cadiz this weekend, includes two local swimmers in Matthew Bowden (Sedgefield), 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke and Tara Johnson (Chester-le-Street) 400m and 800m freestyle, writes
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Small town crime
TODAY North Yorkshire police launches its local policing plans for the year with the emphasis firmly on dealing with so-called minor crime and anti-social behaviour. It is a measure of the force's success that resources can be devoted to tackling issues
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Parting is so sad to do
A FAMILY firm, whose staff have stuck together through good times and bad, will say goodbye to Darlington tomorrow. Dressers, on High Row, will close its doors to the public and begin the task of erasing its presence ready for new owners. Miss Elspeth
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New generation buses unveiled in the region
A NEW generation of environmentally friendly, easy access buses is being rolled into service in the region. Bus operator, Go North-East, unveiled the new single-deck Scania Solar bus to travellers at the MetroCentre, in Gateshead, and is the first company
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Oh Minister, messing with TV could prove dangerous
As a government policy, it's a vote-catcher on a par with Anne Robinson standing for the Welsh Assembly. No politician would dare be the one to turn off the nation's TV sets and leave viewers all over the country with blank screens. The situation is not
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Cabbies face new rules on disabled
DARLINGTON'S taxi drivers could be fined up to £1,000 if they refuse to carry guide, hearing and assistance dogs accompanying disabled passengers. Government legislation being introduced from Saturday requires all licensed Hackney carriage owners to carry
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Show jumping reviews disease precautions
THE British Show Jumping Association is reviewing its current recommendations regarding shows as foot-and-mouth disease continues to escalate. The former BEF guidelines are now considered insufficient and new ones are being produced for approval by Maff
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Junior Football
Crook Town Horizon Glass Wheatley Hill, in second place in the Russell Foster League Tyne and Wear Youth League, were the visitors for a game, which brought committed attacking from both teams and a 6-1 win for the away team. In the early stages the Crook
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'I did it my way' insists softly-softly Reid after six years managing Euro-chasing Black Cats
PETER Reid will continue to do the job his way after six years in charge at Sunderland. Reid celebrated his anniversary yesterday by insisting that he wouldn't be held to ransom in the transfer market. But he did confirm that he's on the lookout to strengthen
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What a refreshing change
SEVEN women, five shops, three floors, all under one roof...In these days when the same big names dominate every High Street in the country, the businesses in 36 Priestgate - opposite the King's Head in Darlington - make a refreshing change. Not that
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Durham title tilt
The team which copes better with the Twickenham atmosphere will win the Daily Mail Under-18 Cup final tomorrow, believes Durham coach Paul Gerrard. Durham will have to wait until after the Vase and Under-15 finals before tackling Campion, from Essex,
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Pressure grows to cut gas tragedies
SEVEN people died in the North-East last year after falling victim to the Silent Killer, new figures have revealed. And another 53 people suffered injuries as a result of the 19 confirmed incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning. Now a major campaign is
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Merger boosts financial teams
TWO firms of financial advisors have merged in Darlington. BIB (Darlington) will be further strengthened by the merger with Kent Finance. All staff from Kent Finance, including Nigel Kent and Kevin McKeown, have made the move from Coniscliffe Road to
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Professional singer lucky to escape ban
A PART-TIME professional singer, clocked by police exceeding 100 mph on a North Yorkshire motorway, was allowed to keep his driving licence yesterday. In Harrogate Magistrates' court, Eric Hutchinson admitted driving his Saab at 108 mph on the A1M at
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Pensioner on trial
A redcar pensioner has been sent for trial on child pornography and sex abuse charges. Arnold Hartley, 71, of Church Street, faces 27 charges. Nine relate to alleged indecent assaults on girls between 13 and 16 and 18 involve child pornography. Mr Hartley
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Lottery cash for libraries
A TOWN is logging on to the information super highway - thanks to the Lottery. A £375,035.60 cheque from the People's Network branch of the Government's New Opportunities Fund means 200 computers will now be placed in the 13 libraries across Redcar and
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Reid reveals dream to lead troops into Europe
SUNDERLAND expect a record sell-out crowd for this afternoon's visit of old rivals Leeds United, described by Wearside boss Peter Reid as "our biggest game of the season." The biggest attendance since the Stadium of light was extended this season was
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Letters: Patronising and perhaps racist
Sir, - I am writing about two letters in last week's issue (D&S, Mar 23). The first was about two Asian girls who had obtained a lottery grant to take their aunts and mothers out. What was the person who wrote it complaining about? Was it the fact
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Lex does £112m deal for Auto Windscreens
MOTOR services group Lex Service has struck a £112m deal to buy the windscreen replacement business Auto Windscreens. The Buckinghamshire company said Auto Windscreens would be incorporated into the RAC business it bought 18 months ago. It claimed its
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Former soldier cleared of rape
AN ASYLUM seeker accused of raping a woman while her child and friend sat next door was yesterday cleared of the charge. Former Lebanese army officer Ahmed Sarhini, 35, was found not guilty by a jury at Teesside Crown Court. He had denied raping the woman
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Adopt-a-brick opportunity lays foundations for orchid house restoration
AN orchid house which once took centre stage in an historic garden is close to being restored to its former glory in a £130,000 project. And organisers of the Helmsley Walled Garden project are now offering people a chance to play in a part in the scheme
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North Yorkshire - Mum loses every photo of her son in car raid
A RICHMOND mother is distraught after the theft of every photograph she has of her baby. Karen Stephenson had gathered together hundreds of pictures and negatives of her five-month-old son Oliver to create an album as Mother's Day gifts for her mum and
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Jilted lover flashed topless picture to his ex's pupils
A JILTED lover flashed a topless picture of his ex-girlfriend to boys at the school where she was teaching. Yesterday, Sunderland magistrates heard that Marc Bastholm pursued a campaign of intimidation against her after they split in January. Paul Power
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M and S staff boost charity
CARING shop workers presented a charity and its giant bear with a cheque for £7,000 yesterday. Staff at Marks and Spencer's Middlesbrough branch donated the sum to the Edward Guy Foundation, a cancer charity. It marked the store's third gift to the Teesside
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Letters: We all must share responsibility
Sir, - Who will take responsibility for the foot-and-mouth epidemic - another sorry episode in our awakening to inappropriate farming practices? I do not mean who is to blame. I do not promote a search for the guilty or the haranguing of a scapegoat.
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Man gets eight years jail for sex attack
A MAN was jailed for eight years yesterday after being found guilty of raping a girl under 16. Nigel Dack, 40, of Princess Royal Park, Scarborough, attacked the girl between October 1999 and September 2000. Yesterday, at York Crown Court Judge Paul Hoffman
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Changing hands
McDonnells Convenience Store in Cleveland Terrace, Darlington, has been sold. The 3,000 sqft family-owned business has been bought by the Mills Group for an undisclosed sum. Agents for the sale were Christie & Co, of Newcastle.
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Parents warned over fire hazard
PARENTS are being urged to keep their children away from a derelict fire trap. The appeal is being made by Cleveland Fire Brigade after vandals broke into an empty school on Teesside, and started numerous fires, causing widespread damage and filling buildings
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Ugo helps school pass on kindness
YOUNGSTERS at a North-East school got to meet one of their footballing heroes yesterday. Middlesbrough defender Ugo Ehiogu visited Hurworth House School, Hurworth, near Darlington, to accept a cheque on behalf of Comic Relief. Pupils at the private school
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Rail operator says sorry for cancelled train
A RAIL operator has apologised to passengers after a train had to be cancelled because of a power fault. The morning rush hour Saltburn to Bishop Auckland service ran into problems and had to be taken out of service at Darlington yesterday. The train
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Benefits check call goes out to pensioners
pensioners are being urged to find out whether they qualify for housing benefit following changes in the budget. Changes to the rules being introduced in April mean that many people will qualify for the benefit who did not before. A Durham City Council
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When one wheel will do
YOUNGSTERS at a Richmond school are having a wheely good time after a teacher started a unicycling club. The project was launched at the beginning of the year and now more than 50 pupils join in the weekly sessions. Some are so keen they have even bought
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£5.5m adds up to positive decade for children
DURING the past ten years children in the Tees Valley have received a £5.5m boost to their education thanks to grants from Tees Valley Training and Enterprise Council (Tec). The money has been used to support a large number of diverse and innovative projects
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Tourism bosses' plea for visitors
BELEAGUERED tourist bosses mounted a concerted campaign yesterday to draw visitors back to the region's countryside. A £50,000 advertising drive, unveiled at an emergency summit of the Northumbria Tourist Board in South Shields, has been prompted by the
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Silver lining to Bootle blow
CONDOM manufacturer SSL International is expanding its County Durham factory, even before it officially opens for business. The £12m project at Whitehouse Industrial Park had been planned to go on stream in June, creating 150 jobs. Now a reorganisation
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Hodgson goal earns a point for Quakers
QUAKERS enjoyed a satisfactory week in their battle against relegation, with four points from two games lifting them to 18th spot in the Nationwide Third Division. A hard-fought home win over promotion-chasing Scunthorpe United was followed on Tuesday
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The UniBond League
Spennymoor manager Peter Mulcaster named himself as one of the substitutes at Colwyn Bay on Tuesday night. Mulcaster, 54, was forced to sit on the bench in a playing capacity because of late injuries and unavailability for the long trip to North Wales
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Millions to be injected to improve life quality
MILLIONS of pounds are to be injected into measures geared to improve the quality of life for residents in disadvantaged areas of a town. A £2.6m range of projects has been approved by Middlesbrough Borough Council's cabinet. There will be an environmental
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Mural will stay despite objections
A VILLAGE youth club's mural is to stay, despite the objections of residents. The artwork of youngsters at West Rainton, which decorates the outside of the Jubilee Hall, in North Road, was only meant to be a temporary feature. But when the club, which
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Darlington - Voice at the door aims to beat the bogus callers
PENSIONERS have been testing a new crime-busting gadget designed to protect them from bogus callers. Sedgefield has been chosen as a pilot area for the specially designed device called a door announcer. It has been fitted to 50 homes throughout the borough
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Boro fail in audacious bid for Juninho
MIDDLESBROUGH have failed in a bid to bring crowd favourite Juninho back to Teesside for a third time. The 28-year-old Brazilian is currently in his homeland after being loaned by Atletico Madrid to Vasco da Gama, where he has recaptured his old form
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Labour of love is paying off
THE first book on the history of Chester-le-Street is flying off the shelves just days after being published. More than 100 copies of Chester-le-Street and its Place in History, by local historian Raymond Selkirk, have been bought by local history buffs
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Highwayman calls in at hotel relaunch
A NORTH-EAST hotel entered a new era by re-living an episode from its colourful past. The Royal County Hotel in Old Elvet was relaunched yesterday as the Durham Marriott Hotel, Royal County. The former Swallow hotel became part of the Marriott group when
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Volunteers urged to join lifesavers
REDCAR lifeboat crew is on the lookout for new recruits aged 17-40 who are physically fit and live and work within 10 minutes of the lifeboat station on The Esplanade. Anyone interested should attend a meeting at the lifeboat station at 7pm on Thursday
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Ripon all set for new Flat season
RIPON'S 14-day 2001 Flat season starts with a seven-race programme on Wednesday, when racing gets underway at 2.20. The feature races are the Galphay Conditions Stakes over nine furlongs, the Fountains Handicap Stakes over six furlongs and the betabet
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Mallon defiant on speaking at public forums
SUSPENDED supercop Ray Mallon has angered his bosses by speaking out. The detective superintendent has received a written warning from Cleveland Police to take care in what he says after agreeing to appear at three public meetings with Middlesbrough South
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Viennese operatic treat
SOME of the North-East's finest singers hope to strike a chord with Wear Valley music lovers next week. Opera Nova, which was formed more than 30 years ago, has earned a reputation for its performance of modern and classical works. The group will be making
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It's Roger and out for the man with a bit of Van in his soul
ROGER Statham and Van Morrison were born within 24 hours of each other. But the link between the probation boss and the music legend doesn't end there. For Van the Man's imaginative lyrics and haunting melodies have been a powerful, if unusual, source
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Wear Valley - Farmers urge council to disinfect dale road
FARMERS have called for a major road through a rural community to be disinfected in an effort to save their dale from further devastation at the hands of foot-and-mouth. Landowners in the stretch of Weardale between the Cumbrian border and Wolsingham,
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Park says paths must stay closed
FOOTPATHS and bridleways should not be reopened in the foreseeable future according to Yorkshire Dales National Park chiefs this week. Mr David Butterworth, chief executive of the authority, told members at its meeting in Skipton on Tuesday, the authority
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Radcliffe takes the honours
THERE'S no doubt where my sporting Oscar goes this week. Becks would be among the nominations, but after so many glorious failures the winner has to be Paula Radcliffe. There's probably more meat on a butcher's pencil than on Paula, but what heart she
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New fight may flare over race circuit
A MOTOR racing circuit could find itself embroiled in a fresh controversy next week. Last year, Richmondshire District Council had to pay the management at Croft Circuit, near Darlington, a substantial settlement after dropping a noise abatement notice
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Former employee 'regretted note'
A MAN accused of assaulting his former bosses in a pub, has told a court he regretted writing "a childish" note about one of them. Stephen Hayward, 37, of Northallerton Road, Brompton in Northallerton is accused of assaulting Mark and Shelia Flintoft
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Taking rides to town
A TRAVELLING funfair is looking to town venues as the foot-and-mouth crisis continues to spread. Paul Evans, from Byerley Road, Shildon, is taking his traditional show rides to Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, in an attempt to try to bring the attractions
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MAFF blames Whitehall for delays in moving dead stock
CHILDREN played just yards from hundreds of sheep carcases left lying in upper Wensleydale when transport due to remove them failed to arrive. Residents in the Hawes area, in the grip of foot-and-mouth, had expected five wagons to collect culled stock
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Future bright for Lottery hope church
A DARLINGTON church which faced possible closure is preparing for a £500,000 transformation into a new community facility. Just a few years ago, the future of St Columba's looked bleak because its congregation had dwindled. But through hard work and determination
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Countryman's Diary
IT may be rather early in the year to be discussing bats, but a correspondent from Snape near Bedale has written to tell me that, a few weeks ago, he and some friends noticed a pipistrelle above an allotment, flying around aimlessly, as if lost. The date
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Jesus, who's this then?
THE BBC has reconstructed the face of Jesus Christ - and he's not how we imagined at all. But the makers of the television documentary, The Son Of God, say their image of a swarthy, coarse-featured man with short hair, produced with the aid of computer
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Stadium of Light and sound used in history experiment
AN anguished sigh from the stands as a Kevin Phillips shot whistles past the post - not just a sporting event but now part of a history degree. Students will be examining the crowd's reactions to the ups and downs of their team's fortunes in a match at
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Rob's road race to victory
YORKSHIRE 10K champion Rob Holladay underlined his emergence as one of the region's leading road racers with a clear victory in Sunday's Enron Redcar Half Marathon. The 26-year-old Guisborough PE teacher, who scored his second victory in the Loftus Pountry
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Cricket is caught out by the virus
FOOT-and-mouth disease has claimed the Darlington and District Cricket League. A month before it was due to start, the competitive season has been abandoned without a ball being bowled. "It's just heart breaking, the straw that could break local league
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Cricket is caught out by the virus
FOOT-and-mouth disease has claimed the Darlington and District Cricket League. A month before it was due to start, the competitive season has been abandoned without a ball being bowled. "It's just heart breaking, the straw that could break local league
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Fewer complaints against force
THE number of complaints against Cleveland Police is continuing to fall, according to latest figures. But assault allegations continue to be the most common grievance against the force. Between last April and December, 221 complaints were made against
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O'Brien steps in
NEW boy Andy O'Brien is in line to make a timely debut for Newcastle United against former club Bradford City at Valley Parade tomorrow. The Republic of Ireland Under-21 defender, who joined United ahead of last week's transfer deadline in a £2m deal,
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Fears grow as disease moves down dale
FARMERS across North Yorkshire were yesterday holding their breath as foot-and-mouth was confirmed in two previously unaffected parts of the county. Infected stock at holdings in Bellerby, near Leyburn, and Danby Wiske, near Northallerton, were slaughtered
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Home-killed beef safer than imports, says NBA
HOME-KILLED beef is safer than imported beef so retailers and caterers must respond to consumer needs by quickly re-focusing on the domestic product, urges the National Beef Association. It says repeated reports of deliveries containing prohibited spinal
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Angling News
The 2001 Teesside Friendly League got underway with a capacity turnout on the recently opened Maple Lake on the Oaks Complex at Sessay, writes JEFF HERBERT. The 13 teams of five found the venue's carp in a co-operative mood feeding in numbers. Nigel Hargreaves
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Llamas culled on visitor centre farm
FOOT-and-mouth this week claimed a County Durham farm which last year attracted more than 50,000 visitors. Hall Hill Farm near Lanchester fell victim on Tuesday when more than 1,400 sheep, five cattle, two pigs, three llamas, 12 goats and three deer were
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Wear Valley - Firemen put horse back on his feet
FIREFIGHTERS turned out to give a sick horse a lift on Sunday after it had laid down to die in its stable. Crews responded to a call from the Ramshaw Rescue Centre, near Bishop Auckland, where two-year-old Cooper had collapsed. A line rescue team from
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Firms backing charity appeal
TAXI firms and pubs will do battle in a five-a-side football tournament to raise money in memory of a cot death victim. Benson Gillham, was 13 weeks old when he died at his home in Stanley, near Crook, on March 6. His mother Catherine, 24, has been raising
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Plans are laid to breathe new life into Whinfield
A FACT-finding mission is helping lay the groundwork for a new community and church centre in Whinfield, which could be a reality within five years. Over the next two weeks an options questionnaire is going out to all 2,500 homes on the estate and a professional
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Sorry, it will have to wait ...
A GUISBOROUGH man has declined an invitation to collect the Duke of Edinburgh gold award he had worked so hard for. However, Mr David Buckworth, aged 25, has a more pressing matter on his mind - his wedding. Mr Buckworth is due to marry Miss Sara Blackburn
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Students storm to national biathlon title
ATHLETES from a Guisborough college swept to success in the national schools biathlon championships in Rugby recently. Jenn Cornes, Katy Livingston and Liz Adams joined forces to take the team gold medal for Prior Pursglove College by a comfortable margin
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City's mayor-elect in dispute over wine bought for civic do
RIPON's mayor-elect came under fire this week by buying wine in France for a civic event. Coun David Harrison, chairman of the city council's civic events committee, went with deputy mayor elect, Coun Bernard Bateman to France to buy the wine for the
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Quiet revolution in the region's medical schools
A QUIET revolution which is opening up the region's medical schools to more local people has been given a boost by Health Secretary Alan Milburn. As part of the Government's drive to increase access to higher education, a new kind of medical training
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Teenager admits string of motoring offences
AN 18-year-old has been ordered to do 120 hours community service and banned from driving for 12 months, after admitting to a string of motoring offences. Stephen Ganley, of Padgate Road, Pennywell, in Sunderland, admitted two charges of aggravated vehicle
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Experts hold sway over residents' flood fears
WATER experts have approved the draingae system at a new housing development which people at Stokesley fear could aggravate flooding problems. Barratt won planning permission on appeal 17 months ago for 18 houses at Eastfields, behind the Safeway supermarket
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Stress caused by progression to secondary may be stopped
MOVING up to a different school is a natural step in a child's development, but it can also be a stressful time. However, emphasis is now being placed on keeping any stress to a minimum, thanks to a project being piloted in North Hartlepool. Close links
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Hear All Sides
Letters from The Northern Echo TONY BLAIR I HAVE seen reported recently that Tony Blair's advisors, Alastair Campbell and Jonathan Powell, should have their powers curbed. This report came from a cross party committee of MPs. Since Mr Blair came to power
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School praised by inspectors
ONE of the smallest primary schools in Teesside has been praised by Ofsted inspectors. The 87 children in Wilton Primary School's three classes receive "good quality teaching" and "make very good progress". The report also said: "Children's achievements
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Call for public to help fight crime
A LEADING councillor is calling for more involvement from the public in the fight against crime. Councillor Ken Walker, chairman of Cleveland Police Authority, said: "What is clear is that people are particularly concerned about issues of anti-social
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Permission to alter historic pub is refused
A PLAN to develop an historic pub has been turned down because the scheme was deemed out of keeping with the listed building. Andrew Nutter, of the New Inn, Thornton-le-Dale, had wanted to build an extension and relocate the inn's kitchen, to increase
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Partnership set up to secure future
THE loss-making Esk Valley rail line in North Yorkshire, which has only four trains a day, could be run by a pioneering partnership to safeguard its future. For years the line between Whitby, through the Esk Valley, to Middlesbrough, has had an uncertain
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Electors urged to use postal vote
VOTERS at a forthcoming by-election are being urged to apply for a postal vote because of the foot-and-mouth crisis. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has had to fix the date of the Loftus by-election for Thursday, May 3, because of legislation surrounding
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Sport bid closer
Laurence Jackson School's bid to achieve specialist teaching status as a sports college has moved a step closer thanks to a public consultation exercise. The Guisborough school, which has until autumn to fully prepare its bid, will hear whether or not
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A chance for cricket's young stars to shine
YOUNGSTERS in the region have the chance to follow in the footsteps of some of their cricketing heroes. We have teamed up with Durham County Cricket Club to organise a knockout tournament for under-15 teams from schools throughout the region. The final
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Quakers boss Bennett ready to make French connection
Darlington manager Gary Bennett could give another Frenchman his debut in tomorrow's home game against promotion-chasing Leyton Orient. After giving Alex Jeannin and Olivier Bernard their first taste of English football in the last fortnight, Bennett
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The Northern Echo Darlington Sunday Invitation League
The Northern Echo gained their first win of the year and consolidated their mid-table position in Division One with a 5-0 victory over relegation-doomed Jack Homers who defended superbly in the first-half with the Echo taking the lead just before the
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Creme Eggs blockade lifted
LORRY carrying 44 tonnes of aid bound for Romanian orphanages has finally been allowed on its way by French authorities - minus 500 Cadbury's Creme Eggs. Customs officials in France had ordered the Romanian driver of the 40-foot long Convoy Aid lorry
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Jobs to go in M&S chief's recovery plan
TROUBLED high-street chain Marks & Spencer is to cut up to 4,390 jobs in a bid to revive its fortunes. The retailer, which has fallen dramatically from grace during the past two years, is closing its 38 mainland European stores and selling its two
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Bill relishes three years in chair
A NORTH-EAST radio station has appointed a chairman to its board. Bill Midgley, a well-known figure in the North-East business community, starts three years in the Century FM hot-seat from Sunday. Century, recently acquired by Capital Radio, is the region's
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Bells ring out over moorlands
VILLAGERS in a moorland community have certainly been ringing the changes of late. When help became available through a special scheme, people in Westerdale decided they would like nothing better than to learn how to ring the church bells. Now the North
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Rail operator says sorry for cancelled train
A RAIL operator has apologised to passengers after a train had to be cancelled because of a power fault. The morning rush hour Saltburn to Bishop Auckland service ran into problems and had to be taken out of service at Darlington yesterday. The train
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Play area campaign takes step forward
PLANS to set up a safe play area for children in a Durham suburb have taken a step forward. The Pity Me play park initiative adopted a constitution at a public meeting, held in the Abbey Sports Centre. The group, which has been running informally for
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Tennis coach wins new sports award
THE sterling efforts of a dedicated County Durham tennis coach and official have been recognised with the presentation of a new award. Brian Thompson, a retired teacher from Shotley Bridge, Consett who has chalked up 40 years of service to the sport,
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Vandals target trains with bricks
INCIDENTS of vandals throwing bricks and masonry on to rail tracks and roads could increase with longer hours of daylight. Police issued the warning after two incidents on a South Tyneside rail line. In the first incident, vandals threw bricks through
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Football club to offer discounts
The Albany Northern League has agreed to Guisborough Town offering a £5 family discount ticket for two adults and two children, and to a 50p discount for admission for members of the club's weekly draw. Town draw: Albany Northern League Division One strugglers
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Prince's choice is from Bedale
A BEDALE company set up only 18 months ago has won royal approval for one of its products. CVO Fire was on Monday awarded the prince's medal for its octagonally shaped firebowl in the Homes and Gardens and Victoria and Albert classic design awards. The
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School raises £1,300 for good causes
Pupils at Yarm school have spent the last few weeks raising more than £1,300 for good causes. In the immediate aftermath of the Indian earthquake, sixth formers launched an appeal for help. Largely through the efforts of Jesse Stanley, a collection was
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Athletics News
Evenwood Road Runners Four members were able to finally stretch their legs at the Redcar half marathon, putting behind them their disappointments when previous races were cancelled due to the foot and mouth outbreak. In overcast and drizzling conditions
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Oh Minister, messing with TV could prove dangerous
As a government policy, it's a vote-catcher on a par with Anne Robinson standing for the Welsh Assembly. No politician would dare be the one to turn off the nation's TV sets and leave viewers all over the country with blank screens. The situation is not
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"People in this region should choose" - Mandelson
THE North-East has been given the clearest hint yet that it will get the chance to vote on a regional assembly within the lifetime of the next Parliament. Former Cabinet minister and key Labour insider Peter Mandelson today threw his support behind elected
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Primarosa could bring worthwhile rewards
ALL-WEATHER racing has without doubt had its critics in the past, but I shudder to think what state the sport would be in now but for the three sand tracks at Wolverhampton, Lingfield, and Southwell over the past few weeks. Thankfully the area around
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Frances' glory
Frances Blaylock became Darlington Gymnastics Club's first representative at a national final for 11 years after finishing third at the Regional Club Grades. It means she will compete for the North-East at the National Club Grades Championship in Kettering
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Holladay coasts to victory in Redcar showpiece
GUISBOROUGH PE teacher Rob Holladay romped to a clear victory in Sunday's Enron Redcar Half Marathon. The 26-year-old finished almost a minute and a half ahead of Morpeth clubmate Terry Wall, completing the course in 68 minutes 1 second. Holladay used
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Darlington - Farmers face wait 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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Hockey wages hope as league considers action
PLAYERS and staff at the Newcastle Jesters ice hockey club hope this morning's post will bring their long-awaited pay cheques. Wages due on February 28 had still not arrived last night and the club's owners, Fablon of London, and its media rights arm,
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Looking Back
FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - A Sixteen Hours Working Day: Mr Aubrey Rees, secretary of the National Association of Grocers' Assistants, giving evidence before the House of Lords' Select Committee on the Early Closing of Shops, the other day, said
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School's rugby rookies win tournament
A TEAM of rugby rookies were celebrating a tournament win yesterday. Lumley A team came out on top after a rugby union tag tournament for under-11s, held at Chester-le-Street's Riverside cricket ground. The team from Lumley School, Great Lumley, near
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School breakfast club helps put stop to late arrivals
LATE arrival is becoming a thing of the past now that pupils can get breakfast at their school. The breakfast club at Carr Hill Community Primary School, Gateshead, is attracting up to 150 pupils, who arrive at 8am. The club, which started more than a
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Comment from The Northern Echo - The filthy path to power
IT IS deplorable that President George W Bush has so publicly announced that America is single-handedly tearing up the Kyoto agreement on reducing greenhouse gases. This is an initiative which has been carved out over many years. It demands international
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Celebrity visits remote school
THE tiny Forest-in-Teesdale Primary School in County Durham , has only 15 pupils, most of whom live on remote farms. So receiving celebrity visitors is a rarity. But now a new education package is beaming top authors into the school's classrooms via a
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School's tasty fundraiser
AA COMMUNITY has pulled together to help an Easter raffle. The Friends of Rise Carr Primary School, in Darlington, hope to raise money for sporting equipment. "The school hasn't got any and we are trying to raise the money," said Margaret Thomas, a member
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Sex film producerjailed for five years
A COMPUTER consultant who ran a "school for sexual corruption" in a respectable suburb was jailed yesterday for five years. Peter Collins lured schoolgirls into taking part in pornographic films, which he produced, directed and starred in. The 42-year-old
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Just how will we cope?
THE BRILLIANT young professor was looking forward to taking on his critics in a high-profile debate. Steve Baldwin, a tall, lean, driven man with a liking for yellow shirts and red braces, had become internationally known in his field since becoming Teesside
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Boeing drops superjumbo plan
THE UK aviation industry is celebrating the removal of any rival to the European Airbus superjumbo aircraft which will create 22,000 British jobs. US plane-making competitor Boeing has decided not to go ahead with plans for its own superjumbo. This now
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Abbey takeover inquiry to weigh up job losses
JOB losses and branch closures will be weighed up as part of an investigation into Lloyds TSB's proposed take-over of Abbey National, the Competition Commission has said. Its chairman Denise Kingsmill stressed that although the principal concern of the
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Hospitals peg waiting times
SOUTH Durham hospitals are succeeding in keeping down patient waiting times, according to a report. Between October and December last year, more than 90 per cent of patients visiting the accident and emergency departments of Bishop Auckland General Hospital
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Parent warning over fire hazard
PARENTS are being urged to keep their children away from a derelict fire trap. The appeal is being made by Cleveland Fire Brigade after vandals broke into an empty school on Teesside, and started "numerous" fires, causing widespread damage and filling
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Consett & Stanley - Drinks binge almost killed teenager
A MOTHER has told how her son nearly lost his life after drinking a bottle and a half of vodka handed to him in the street by an adult. The teenage boy, who wishes to remain anonymous, quickly drank the spirit before collapsing in a field near South Stanley
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Adam splashes out to go the distance for charity
A YOUNGSTER has swam more than a mile in a bid to raise money for charity. Adam Williams, saw a poster advertising the BT Swimathon in his local leisure centre and decided he wanted to take part and help raise money for numerous cancer charities. Along
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Casualty display a hit
CASUALTY equipment devised by a North-East hospital and being developed by a manufacturer in the region, will soon be available to the nation's healthcare industry. The new accident and emergency (A&E) display unit was developed by the Regional Medical
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Extra time for bus passes
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council is urging its 14,000 concessionary bus pass holders not to panic as the expiry date for passes approaches. This date was originally set as March 31, but the council has agreed to extend the deadline until the end of
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Spotlight to fall on Man Utd wages bill
RETAILERS, a biotech company and Manchester United will provide the City with a rich variety of news next week as traders look for a stream of positive corporate numbers to boost confidence. The City's attention will focus on biotech company Alizyme's
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Chester le Street - Raffle offers chance to win city balloon ride
CHARITY fundraisers say the prizes donated to their raffle should be just the ticket. But so far sales for next month's draw in aid of Action on Pre-eclampsia have not taken off. Sheila and Joe Thornton, of New Brancepeth, are holding the raffle because
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Angela is brushed up for season to begin
ARTIST Angela McCall, above, was yesterday putting the finishing touches to an exhibition at one of the National Trust's treasured properties. Despite the foot-and-mouth restrictions elsewhere in North Yorkshire, Nunnington Hall, near Helmsley, opens
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Letters: Taxi vouchers may make a come-back
Sir, - We are rather more in touch with local residents than the Lib-Dems at Richmondshire District Council, and so had no need to take up their "ask the audience" approach to policy making with regard to taxi vouchers. We know that taxi vouchers were
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Living with right to roam
ONE of the most vigorously contested issues in the town-v-county struggle of recent years, the right to roam, is now upon us, writes Simon Kirkup of Dickinson Dees. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, came into force on January 30 and introduces
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Pony dates
Bedale and West of Yore PC. - All mounted activities cancelled until further notice. Cleveland Hunt PC. - All mounted events are cancelled until further notice. Darlington & District RC. - The Cottrells bit talk on Monday has been cancelled on BHS
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Sorry boss, test driver has stolen the car
A RED-faced car salesman was left without his motor when it was stolen by a thief on a test drive. The salesman, from Darlington's Reg Vardy car show room, had been asked by a man, posing as a customer, to take a £10,500 Vauxhall Vectra for a drive. Just
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Extra cash for deprived areas
FOUR deprived areas of the region are set to benefit from an injection of cash to help improve education standards. The small Education Action Zones were announced today as part of the Government's Excellence in Cities programme. Parts of Hartlepool,
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TV show looks at history of PR company's home
THE history behind the home of a North-East PR company will be revealed on television today. Robson Brown, the advertising, PR and design agency, has an office in Clavering House, near Forth Banks, in Newcastle. The building will be the subject of a half
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Centre scheme to lead drug addiction battle
THE battle against drug addiction has stepped up a gear with proposals for a new outreach centre. The search is on for a base in the Bishop Auckland and Dales area for the centre. County Durham and Darlington Drug Action Teams coordinator David Cliff
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Student 'acted out play' in siege
A CRAZED drama student who held the sister of actor Jimmy Nail hostage at gunpoint, has been put on probation. Newcastle Crown Court had heard Christopher David snapped when no one would listen to his ideas for a play, so he started to act out the plot
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Wearside League
North Shields celebrated their best league result in the club's long history when they trounced Simonside SC 12-1 to maintain hopes of overtaking leaders Nissan in the championship race. Only four points separate the two contenders and the Robins have
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Hospital doctor answers allegation
A HOSPITAL doctor alleged to have pursued an inappropriate relationship with the mother of a patient may face disciplinary action. Dr Harpreet Singh, a senior house officer in paediatrics, has been called to appear before the Professional Conduct Committee
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Sofa buyer returns stashed £100
A WOMAN who unwittingly left £100 stuffed down the side of a chair she sold, was touched when it was returned. Margaret Weastell, from Chilton, in County Durham, sold her pink three-piece-suite to an elderly woman in Wolsingham earlier this week. But
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Durham's golden goal penalty heartbreak
Members of Durham Johnston School's Under-12 girls five-a-side football team returned heart-broken from the Wagon Wheels Schools' National Cup after being knocked-out at the semi-final stage on Saturday. And they suffered more semi-final disappointment
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Scheme to improve cancer treatment
CANCER treatment services in the North-East could receive a major boost with plans to reopen a much-needed regional training centre. The Northern Echo has learned that a joint bid by Northumbria, Teesside and Sheffield Hallam universities to open a new
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Racing Week by Jo Scott
WITH all the flexibility of a well-known credit card, Tim Easterby switched Knighted, an intended runner at the postponed Cheltenham Festival, to Doncaster's first flat meeting on the turf - and the change of plan worked. Indeed, this was the third idea
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Pool News
Tow Law League Tommy Sloan and Ian Turner of Tow Law New Market won the League Doubles Championship by beating Stuart Turner and Malcolm Umpelby of Tow Law Station in the Final played at Tow Law Black Horse. The semi-finals were the best of three frames
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Burglary gang blamed for town's crime wave
A GANG of thieves is responsible for a 70 per cent increase in house burglaries in a north Durham market town, say police. Detectives in Chester-le-Street are urging residents to take precautions amid the crime wave, that has seen burglars buck the north
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Conservation Area Status for hamlets
TWO more hamlets in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales have been given Conservation Area Status, by the National Park authority. Both Gayle and Carperby, in Wensleydale, have been designated, after consultation with people who live in the area. However,
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School's rugby rookies win tournament
A TEAM of rugby rookies were celebrating a tournament win yesterday. Lumley A team came out on top after a rugby union tag tournament for under-11s, held at Chester-le-Street's Riverside cricket ground. The team from Lumley School, Great Lumley, near
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The Albany Northern League
Billingham Town manager Alan Robinson hailed his side's midweek win at Durham City as one of their best of the season. Town virtually ended City's hopes of lifting the league title with a 2-1 win, and Robinson (pictured, right) said: "Apart from the Stalybridge
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Durham - Students 'may be excluded'
AN MP believes Durham University is at risk of becoming accessible only to "an elite band of students". Durham MP Gerry Steinberg was speaking after the university agreed to increase students' residence fees by £200, plus inflation. The university council's
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Pool fun helps hospice
A swimming and water fitness challenge has raised more than £1,000 for two local charities. John Moore, head coach of Sedgefield 75 Swimming Club, organised the event at Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre on behalf of St Teresa's Hospice and the Pioneering
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Ice Hockey Junior Round - Up
Billingham Falcons, already assured of runners-up slot in North A and a place at the national finals, completed their regular league season with a 4-1 win over Nottingham Tigers. Robert Dowd gave Falcons the lead at 2.04 and Steve Pritchard scored a second
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Snooker News
Worthington CIU Winter League Old Shildon clinched the championship after they whitewashed their second placed hosts, Cockton Hill. Billy Goggins got Shildon away to a good start with an early 31 break but then found Lee Taylor ahead of him by six points
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Food ban on trip to France
A DARLINGTON school banned pupils from eating chocolate, butter and meat on a coach journey to Dover on Monday. The six-day school trip to Arques la Bataille in France, set off from Hummersknott school at 6am on Monday. Pupils were not allowed to eat
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Basketball News
Durham League All but one of the end of season cup finalists were in ties played at Peterlee. Teesside Huskies A suffered a bad news, good news time. They started their trials and tribulations with a 74-64 loss to East Durham and Houghall Academy in the
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Radcliffe takes the honours
THERE'S no doubt where my sporting Oscar goes this week. Becks would be among the nominations, but after so many glorious failures the winner has to be Paula Radcliffe. There's probably more meat on a butcher's pencil than on Paula, but what heart she
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Consett & Stanley - New hospital set to admit patients
DURHAM'S new £97m hospital will open its doors for the first time next week. The University Hospital of North Durham, which replaces Dryburn Hospital, is due to admit patients on Tuesday. The development is being carried out in two phases and inpatient
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Environment accolade for village
A PROJECT to smarten up a dales village has been named as one of 23 of the most outstanding schemes of the year. Middleton in Teesdale environment improvement scheme, which has seen ugly tarmac and broken paving slabs replaced with stone paving, granite
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Hope for shifts switch at police force
POLICE in North Yorkshire hope that a radical new shift system which comes into operation on Monday will help to reduce sickness and make more officers available at peak times. The switch to a five-band system from the existing four bands means that the
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Past Lives: The comfort of strangers
SAN Martino della Battaglia had been at the centre of a freak storm two days before our arrival. On a blazing hot day last September we drove through a winter landscape a couple of miles either side of this Italian village: vines, hedges, trees had all
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Archer on target
VETERAN Crook and District AC athlete Kevin Archer has won gold and silver in recent national indoor competitions. Archer won gold in the men's 45-49 years 1500m at the Scottish Veterans indoor track and field championships in Glasgow, recording his first
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Women's Hockey
Roseberry Sunday Invitation League Champions Roseberry gained two wins, without conceding a goal, in their bid to retain the crown. They had a 2-0 win over Norton and a similar success against Guisborough. Following a goalless first-half against Norton
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Chester le Street - Cadets launch fundraising appeal
THE second phase of an appeal to help fund the activities of North-East cadets has been launched. Dignitaries, including Hartlepool MP Peter Mandelson, County Durham Lord Lieutenant Sir Paul Nicholson, and Viscount Ridley gathered at HMS Trincomalee,
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Jesus, who's this then?
THE BBC has reconstructed the face of Jesus Christ - and he's not how we imagined at all. But the makers of the television documentary, The Son Of God, say their image of a swarthy, coarse-featured man with short hair, produced with the aid of computer
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'Flood babies' lift gloom at village
WITH the last pieces of debris cleared from a flood-hit community, residents are now celebrating a rush of babies. Four-day-old Robert Dunn and three-month-old Dean Wallace have no idea of the chaos that hit their parents' homes nine months ago. When
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A Good Sport: by Paul Pearson
DAWN had come and gone, but I still felt a faint thrill of anticipation as I prepared to pick up the gauntlet for my first taste of the noble art of fencing. I knew from the brief glimpses I had seen on TV, usually during the Olympics, that the sport
