Archive
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Bishop's wedding mission
A BISHOP flew several hundred miles and postponed an important convention to witness his brother's North-East wedding. Edward, Pentecostal Bishop of Ghana, flew from his African home to see his brother, Franck Abaya, and Deborah Wheatley tie the knot
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Army officer in marathon run for legion
AN Army officer is putting his physical training to the test by tackling the London Marathon. Ron Baynes, who is based at Catterick Garrison, is taking part in the race on Sunday in aid of the Royal British Legion. Mr Baynes, who is also leaving the Army
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Fallon has the class and contacts to land championship again
The turf season is now well under way and the jockeys have all returned from their winter breaks. Some stay at home and ride on the all-weather while others venture around the globe in their quest for success. The top jockeys are obviously eyeing the
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This Lamp shines on and on
WHEN coal was king, Horden was the bright jewel in the crown. In 1930, when 4,428 saints toiled below, they mined 6,758 tons in a day - a European record that stood for 30 years. It was reckoned Britain's biggest village, around 15,000 crowded into colliery
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Rob comes through the trial of his life
IN his mid-20s, Rob Edwards was among Britain's top motor cycle trialists, number one rider for a Spanish works team and winner of 20 national events including the celebrated Scott - up and over Swaledale - and the British Experts. His trials, however
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Leaving on a high note
IF this column has had a recurring nightmare these past seven years on its knees, it's that we'll turn up and find the service long since started - or finished - or that no one else is there, or the bailiffs have been in or that there's a notice on the
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Comment from the Northern Echo; All work and no play...
WE hope all our readers who are returning to work this morning do so relaxed and refreshed after their Easter break. In many ways, Easter is what Christmas should be. Christmas has become so heavily commercialised and is so weighed down by severe expectations
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The water's gone but not the pain
FAMILIES across the region are still facing a life of misery - five months after the worst flooding in decades forced hundreds of people out of their homes. Dozens of residents of flood-hit communities remain uncertain about when they can return to their
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Bungalow roof collapses in mystery explosion
Police are investigating after an explosion caused the roof of a bungalow to fall in. Officers are treating the blast, which caused extensive damage to the inside of the building, as suspicious. Northumbria Police were called to the bungalow in Forest
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It's not good enough - Reid
DISAPPOINTED Sunderland manager Peter Reid last night looked back on a Premiership run which has brought only one win in 11 matches and admitted: "It is not good enough." After losing the two Easter games to Spurs and Coventry Reid is now looking to his
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Plans to divert quarry traffic are to be axed
A SCHEME to bring noise relief to people living near a disused quarry is to be scrapped. The scheme was drawn up between Harrogate Borough Council and the owner of Killinghall Quarry in 1998 and was designed to divert traffic - particularly heavy lorries
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Hospital window finds new home in church
A WINDOW taken from the chapel of a former psychiatric hospital is to be re-dedicated at a Sedgefield church. The window, which comes from the Winterton Hospital, has found a new home at St Edmund's Parish Church. It will be dedicated at a service in
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Milling around in the holiday break
A WATER mill opened during the Easter holiday to show visitors its inner workings. Visitors were able to see the fully-restored, four-storey Tocketts mill, near Guisborough, as it ground local wheat on Sunday and yesterday. Tocketts is a grade II listed
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Nurturing myths in the garden
A FOUR-DAY festival of gardening superstitions took place during the Easter holiday in Middlesbrough. The festival at Nature's World aimed to introduce people to various gardening myths by taking them on a walk. Visitors were given a list of 101 myths
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Parents urged to control children
A POLICE commander has called on parents to take responsibility for their children in an area terrorised by unruly youths. Inspector Colin White, commander for the Thornaby area, has written to parents following complaints about their children causing
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Maureen heaves sigh of relief as ordeal in bog on the Tyne ends
Red-faced Maureen Shotton went to spend a penny - and got stuck in a superloo for almost two hours. A huge crowd of onlookers gathered as the drama unfolded on the Quayside in Newcastle. Maureen, 51, of Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, was marooned in the
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A fading snapshot of the man who scored the equaliser
JUST four minutes remained when George Mullen hit Bishop Auckland's equaliser in the 1922 Amateur Cup final. Benny Potts saved a South Bank penalty two minutes later; the Bishops won 5-2 in extra time. It was their second successive victory and the fifth
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Assassin Armstrong offers support to Boro
OLD boy Alun Armstrong piled on the agony for relegation-threatened Middlesbrough yesterday, then insisted: "I hope they stay up.'' Armstrong, sold to Ipswich for £800,000 in Terry Venables' first week with Boro in a deal brokered by manager Bryan Robson
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Elderly couple attacked in home
An elderly couple were attacked in their home by three robbers wearing ski-masks over the Easter holiday. The men forced entry to the couple's home at Stone Cross, near Fishburn, brandishing a baseball bat and a hammer. A quantity of cash was stolen and
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Nikos is boost for Bobby
A DELIGHTED Bobby Robson welcomed back Greek international defender Nikos Dabizas, saying: "He showed us what we have missed all season." Dabizas comfortably slotted into the Newcastle back four, adding a degree of authority that has clearly been missing
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Magpies get back on the winning trail at last
NEWCASTLE ended their dismal recent run of form with a hard fought win over an out-of-sorts West Ham side to finally banish any fears of relegation. It was United's first win since January 20, and only their third of a troubled start to 2001, but it was
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Quakers' revival halted by brilliant Brighton
Two goals inside a minute ended Darlington's six-game unbeaten run at promoted Brighton yesterday afternoon. But Gary Bennett's men so nearly spoiled the promotion party with a battling display which was only ruined by some bad luck and some loose finishing
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European dream fades further for Reid's men
SUNDERLAND'S European dream is turning into a nightmare after a second Easter defeat, this time at the hands of relegation-haunted Coventry City at Highfield Road. The Wearsiders had Slovakian central defender Stanislav Varga sent off for the second time
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Interesting exercise in ecclesiastical democracy
WHEN Norman de Bretteville gave Yafforth a church in 1208 it was "to celebrate divine service, every day for ever". Forever's a pretty long time, of course, and, over 900 years, Yafforth's not got much bigger nor the times more manifestly god-fearing.
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Rebirth of Cornsay recalls finest hour
Cornsay Park Albion live again, re-awoken in the Russell Foster Under 14s League after a Rip van Winkle hibernation. Yes, yes says club secretary Colin Todd - the Colin Todd from Catchgate - but what can we tell him about the old Albion? Next to nothing
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Go-ahead for motorcycle showroom plan
A COUNCIL is to perform a U-turn and give the go-ahead for a motorcycle showroom in Darlington. Earlier this year, Darlington Borough Council rejected proposals to build the showroom at 199 Grange Road. The Security Surveyors Group wanted to demolish
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Motoring groups to fight 'A1 toll plan'
MOTORING organisations say they will oppose any moves to make North-East drivers pay to use motorways. Whitehall insiders believe Labour may introduce tolls if it wins a second term. It follows studies which reveal that road traffic is set to rise by
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Roman extension
ROMAN Shower Enclosures is expanding with the opening of a big extension to its site at Aycliffe Industrial Park. The £1.5m project is on a three-acre site next to the existing factory, and should bring an additional 50 staff to the workforce of 90 in
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Misraah will be a Stoute choice at Newmarket
Newmarket handler Sir Michael Stoute has few peers when it comes to the training of older horses. It seems significant that the champion trainer has retained the lightly trained Misraah for a four-year-old campaign. The colt, who thrived physically last
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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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Concern over spread of virus to new areas
FARMERS say the discovery of foot-and-mouth in previously uninfected areas is proof that the disease is far from under control. The virus has reached the outskirts of Darlington, after a case was discovered at High House Farm, Brafferton. This has led
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History relived as storming Norman's return to slaughter saxons
BATTLE re-enactors travelled centuries back in time yesterday to recreate ferocious clashes between Saxon warriors and Norman invaders. The turbulent years following the conquest of 1066 were played out at the 900-year-old Richmond Castle - Yorkshire's
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Let's get together
Linking people together is what the Internet is all about, and what it is best at. Whether you want to communicate with someone on the other side of the world or a person in the same village who shares your interests, the World Wide Web has helped people
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Edmond catches the eye
Here we are again. Another Grand National. A great day's racing and we're all scratching our heads looking for the winner. It's never easy to find but over half of the last 27 winners had starting prices ranging from 9-1 to 14-1. It's also worth noting
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Corus rejects union plan
STEEL giant Corus has rejected union proposals to keep the coil plate mill at Lackenby open. The announcement, which followed a meeting of the strip mill managers and the unions on Teesside this afternoon, puts an end to the 160-year-old integrated steel
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Drivers targeted in town clean-up
A CAMPAIGN to stop motorists littering the streets has been launched in Hartlepool. The borough council is offering free car litter bags to drivers to stop them throwing rubbish out of their cars. Council officer Helen Beaman said: "It is important that
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Outbreak forces culls on 30 farms
HUNDREDS of animals are to be burned at Tunstall, near Richmond, North Yorkshire, after an outbreak led to culls on up to 30 neighbouring farms. Huge funeral pyres are being built at Manor House, where the case was confirmed on Friday. The Ministry of
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Arrests made following death
FOUR people have been arrested after a 53-year-old man died during a brawl outside a working men's club. Police were called to Ushaw Moor Workmen's Club in Station Road just before 8pm yesterday and found dozens of people fighting in the street. A 53-
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Jessica's diary of despair
TO eight-year-old Jessica Cleminson, Caroline the cow was her pet. She loved her in the way that children in towns love their pet dogs, cats and rabbits. During the summer, Jessica would take turns with her older sister Laura to ride on Caroline's back
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Innovation Centre looks on track for full capacity
BUSINESS is booming at the Innovation Centre on Kirk-leatham Business Park, near Redcar. It already has 17 firms in residence, employing 99 people, and hopes are high that occupancy levels will be approaching 100 per cent when the £2.4m facility celebrates
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Hear all sides
KYOTO AFTER reading your editorial comment (Echo, Mar 30) I thought how strange it is that, as religious observance declines, the prophet of doom arises to remind us of the day of destruction and requests us not to follow "the filthy path to prosperity
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Why fear of the smear is still costing lives
PATRICIA Burton remembers the horror of picking up the post and finding her GP's card recalling her to the surgery after an abnormal cervical smear result. "It was terrifying. It was a year after I got married and I just panicked over it. I automatically
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Help for firms in country
WITH the foot-and-mouth epidemic expected to continue into the summer, hundreds of rural County Durham businesses are struggling to cope. A4E's Business Link County Durham is aware of the difficulties and is committed to providing support for any companies
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Packing them in at St. Pat's
A question perhaps little asked or imagined: is Consett the most God-fearing place in the North-East? It is known for other reasons, of course, chiefly riding on the ferrous wheel of fortune but also as the home of Susan Maughan, who all those years ago
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His truth goes marching on... and on
THE Salvation Army citadel stands enduringly in Bolckow Street, Eston, the Cleveland Bay next door on one side, the Wellington Hotel 100 yards away on the other. It was once an ironstone village, Henry Bolckow the ironmaster, and still a village when
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Crackling fit for royalty
IT was Messrs Crosse and Blackwell, memory suggests, who boasted that all their stuff was Ten O'clock Tested. What was so crucial about ten o'clock, whether it was am or pm, how the testers spent the rest of their working day and why ten o'clock testing
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Job Search 2001
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Cleaner, Stockton. £3.70ph, 4-7pm Mon-Fri. Experience in buffing preferred but training can be given. Ref: STL 27247. HGV Class 1 driver, Stockton.
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No nagging doubts at the Nags Head
ABSTEMIOUSLY awaiting his flat racing debut at the age of 48, pub landlord and amateur rider Edward Boynton has enjoyed his first flat success as an owner. He bought Massey at 11.30pm. Next afternoon it won the 3.30 on the Wolverhampton all-weather -
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Business sense to help in quiz
BUSINESS brains are being asked to use their knowledge to raise money for children's charities. A quiz, organised by the firm Keith Robinson, of Middlesbrough, will be held on Thursday, May 8, at the Bannatynes Health Club, in Thornaby. It is being held
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There is a rocky road ahead
AT the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity we prayed amid the Italianate splendour of the chapel at Aske Hall, that all the church's branches might be united beneath the true banner of Christ. Who is separated from whom, what is branch
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Parents defend school governor
PARENTS have defended a school governor who was caught up in controversy following the sacking of a deputy headteacher. The Northern Echo revealed last month that Sue Whitcombe has been standing in as a supply teacher at Bishopton and Redmarshall School
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Job Search 2001
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Youth development worker, Horden. £13,599 to £15,384pa, 37hrs pw. Required to implement training pro-grammes for unwaged young people over school age
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Cyclist's date blossoms into 60-year marriage
WHEN young George Clarkson caught the eye of the village beauty, while out cycling, he decided he had to ask her for a date. A visit to the cinema and love blossomed, leading eventually to his marriage to his sweetheart, Irene. Now, 60 years later, having
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Renamed nightclub to attract top DJs
A NIGHTSPOT is changing its name as part of a £1m refurbishment. The Top Hat in Spennymoor, County Durham, will relaunch as Cube, when it opens later this year. In the 1960s, the club regularly drew large crowds to hear headline bands, such as Thin Lizzy
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Ringing up a place in history
THE phone rings. Nothing unusual about that except it's 1877 and such a contraption has barely been invented. On one end of the line, singing Auld Lang Syne, is eminent scientist and inventor of telecommunications equipment, Alexander Graham Bell. On
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Eighty have a crack at pub's egg contest
EGGED on by eager crowds, pub-goers indulged in an ancient North-East tradition when they took part in an egg jarping contest. The Australian Hotel, at Howden-le-Wear, County Durham, held its annual jarping contest yesterday, when 80 contestants swapped
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Hamster prompted violence
Former lovers warred in the street over a dead hamster, a court was told today. Donna Angus, 20, accused Darren Brown, 26, of killing her elderly pet, but he said that it died of old age. They came to blows when they met in a Redcar street after she broke
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Braathens flies in for tenth birthday party
NORWEGIAN airline Braathens celebrated ten years of flights from the UK when the commemorative flight touched down at Newcastle Airport. General manager Moira Briddock ensured that there were tiers not tears when the flight came into land, presenting
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Words never failed him
EVEN in the belief that it's impossible to libel a bloke who burned at the stake 455 years ago, it's hard to know what to make of Thomas Cranmer, the original Yes Minister. On most arguments he was Henry VIII's lapdog, an ecclesiastical poodle completely
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A little bit of ancient wisdom from Rainbow-Hawk and Wind-Eagle
AMERICA may represent a modern consumer heaven for most of us but for Patricia and Mike Bell, it's the land of spiritual awakening and tribal enlightenment. So strong was the couple's urge to immerse themselves in everything American - American Indian
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Community groups celebrate as Lottery dishes out grants
A INJECTION of Lottery cash for heritage, arts and sporting projects across North Yorkshire has been announced. Community groups are celebrating a windfall of more than £100,000 in the latest round of grants to be handed out by the National Lottery Awards
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Restoration club revs up for open day
The North East Vehicle Restoration Club is planning a classic car show and open day. The event will take place on Sunday, May 13, in Washington, Wearside. Michael Hartley is one of the members who will be showing his work at the open day, exhibiting a
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Swap-over project proves an eye-opener
A NORTH-EAST project involving 15 people from the arts changing places with those in the business sector has proved a success. Changing Places was the region's project for the first Arts and Business week. Each participant spent a day in another workplace
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The case for vaccination
PILES of smouldering carcasses and heaps of animals being bundled into graves provides a grim monument to the devastation wreaked by foot-and-mouth in just a few short weeks. But, as the death toll mounts, there are fears the graves could commemorate
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Job Search 2001
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Cashier, Darlington. £3.03 under 18, £4.06 over 18, 1x15hrs and 1x16hrs, weekends. Must be of smart appearance and cash hand-ling experience essential
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Baby Easter oysters join 'big mummy'
An Easter parade at Polam Hall School in Darlington saw girls from year one joining the parade as baby Easter oysters. The girls' teacher, Linda Taylor, was dressed as the "big mummy oyster" when the youngsters dressed up for the final school assembly
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Alchemy enters Cammell race
THE VENTURE capital firm which headed an abortive take over of the Rover Group has confirmed it is to throw its hat into the ring in the bid for stricken shipbuilder Cammell Laird. The announcement from Alchemy Group comes as Tyneside shipyard Swan Hunter
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On course for therapeutic body massage
A LIMITED number of places are left on a course for people wanting to learn professional therapeutic body massage. The 100-hour course, which covers anatomy, physiology and practical body massage, begins on June 9 at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College
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More lambs are killed in latest 'beast' attack
THE mystery beast which has slaughtered scores of lambs in the past few weeks and left a farmer fearing for his livelihood has struck again. Police are investigating the spate of attacks, which all occurred at night on a County Durham farm. Last night
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The plan is to win an award
TOWN planners have launched an award competition for the North-East. The northern branch of the Royal Town Planning Institute has unveiled Planning with Communities as the theme for the 2001 awards scheme. Each year, the branch chooses a different theme
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New arrival adds to dale's attractions as caravan sites reopen
A NEW calf brought an unexpected bonus for caravanners enjoying their first stay of the season at the weekend. The calf was born recently to the pair of Highland cattle which Herbert and Kathleen Hutchinson received as a wedding anniversary present, five
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Bid for crackdown on wildlife crimes
A BID is to be made to appoint an intelligence officer who would spearhead a crackdown on wildlife and environmental crime. A business case supporting the creation of the post is being drawn up by chief inspectors Graham Rankin and Tim Wilson, of Durham
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Claims about 'terror tots' are rejected by Blair neighbours
POLICE and residents have played down allegations that children as young as three are running riot near Prime Minister Tony Blair's North-East home. It had been claimed that cars and houses were regularly attacked, and elderly people harassed in Trimdon
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Cars damaged
Police are appealing for information after three cars were damaged outside a Darlington pub. The cars were damaged behind The Glittering Star on Saturday night. Witnesses or anyone with information can contact police on (01325) 467681
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Burglars scare woman
TWO men scared an elderly woman out of her home when they broke in early yesterday. The 80-year-old fled her house in the Front Street area of Seaton Carew at 5.30am and went to the nearby Marine Hotel. She told staff she had disturbed two men in her
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It's been a winter of tears
The straight and narrow isn't what it used to be, the line of the land precipitous. When the farming folk of Masham gathered on Sunday evening to speed the plough, it was impossible not to suppose that it was struggling in first gear, uphill all the way
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The grandest ladies in the easter parade
EASTER celebrations raised money for another festive occasion in Marske, near Redcar, yesterday. The Marske Town Centre Partnership ran an Easter egg decorating competition and Easter bonnet competition at the town's cricket club. Visitors enjoyed themselves
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Armstrong's double puts Boro in the mire
MIDDLESBROUGH reject Alun Armstrong returned with a vengeance to make Bryan Robson rue the day he sold the Geordie striker to Ipswich. Armstrong, on his first appearance at the Riverside since his £800,000 move in December, struck twice in five minutes
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Men against boys proves no first-class proposition
A SEVERE case of stage fright afflicted the student batsmen yesterday as the curtain went up on Durham University's first-class life. On an utterly cheerless day at the Riverside, the Durham University Centre of Cricketing Excellence seemed a wild misnomer
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Terrific Terriers climb to third after Milner hat-trick
Bedlington crept closer to the top of the Northern League with a 4-0 home win over bottom-club Crook Town yesterday. Bedlington are now in third place in the table, seven points behind leaders Durham with nine games in hand. They took the lead after 25
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Girl is injured
A 12-YEAR-OLD girl was in hospital with serious injuries yesterday after colliding with a single-decker bus while playing on her scooter. The girl was in Newcastle General Hospital. She collided with the bus in Bedeburn Road, in the Newbiggin Hall area
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Prescott holds key to housing
DEPUTY Prime Minister John Prescott is being urged to give the go-ahead to a housing development in a village - despite the concerns of local residents. People living in Middleton St George, near Darlington, believe their village is already overdeveloped
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Job Search 2001
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Warehouse person/relief, LGV driver, Dalton, Thirsk. £16,960pa, shift system. Experience of over-head cranes and fork lift licence an advantage. Must
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Playground needle incident leaves little boy in fear
A nine-year-old boy is facing an agonising wait to find out if he has a killer disease, after stepping on a dirty hypodermic needle in his school playground. Aaron Proud has to wait for up to four months to find out whether he has contracted an infection
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Still feeding the poor
GIVE or take one or two, the Rev John Marshall last year conducted 59 weddings, 200 baptisms and 213 funerals. "The bishop," he grumbles, "won't even give us a curate." The Bishop of Durham is among his parishioners, a short step away and a frequent 8am
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Give North's police credit, Straw is told
A POLICE chief has publicly taken Home Secretary Jack Straw to task for overlooking achievements made in the North-East. Durham Chief Constable George Hedges has taken the unusual step of writing to Mr Straw, spelling out concerns that the national debate
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£5.5m formula for success
A £5.5M development is well under way on York's Science Park. Its main aim is providing office accommodation for new and expanding technology-based companies. It marks the continuation of a partnership between Malton companies, S Harrison Construction
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Directions for disability and family concerns
AN organisation is aiming to make every County Durham resident aware of its goldmine of information on health, disabilities or family matters. Directions was set up six years ago to create a database of local and national information on everything from
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Approval likely for quad bike site
PLANS for a quad bike circuit in the North-East are set to be given the go-ahead by planners. The owners of Brierton Farm in Greatham, Billingham, Teesside, have applied for permission to create the track, car park, changing rooms and a viewing area,
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Singing to the big hymn sheet
PERHAPS the most instantly obvious change in Britain's churches these past 25 years has been the warmth and width of their welcome. Gone are the half-frozen handshake, the brimstone black back row bouncers. In their place, smiling faces like Anne Gilmore's
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Corruption inquiry in Africa
A SENIOR North-East detective is in East Africa as part of an international team engaged on a major corruption inquiry. Detective Chief Inspector Denny Pygall, who is crime manager of Easington in County Durham, is one of only two British police officers
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Never felt more like singing the blues
PALM Sunday, grim and glorious. Sheep graze, if no longer safely, the sign outside the Reeth newsagent's urges customers to disinfect their shoes before entering and across the fields a cock crows, though it may be unwise to stretch the neck of the metaphor
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Fighter's story packs a punch
TOTAL fighting champion Ian Freeman is hoping fans will be knocked out by his autobiography. Ian "The Machine" Freeman will be released by Mirage Publishing in June. It charts his rise from being a rookie club doorman to one of the most respected Vale
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One dead in A66 crash
MOTORISTS faced traffic chaos this morning after a fatal head-on smash between a lorry and a car caused huge tailbacks on the A66 in North Yorkshire. The crash occurred at 7.30am the Newsham crossroads, near Scotch Corner, and the car driver and a passenger
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Bloom contest chance ruined by pipe work, claim villagers
VILLAGERS say their chances of success in this year's Britain in Bloom contest have been ruined. Northumbrian Water has spent months renewing pipes in Aycliffe Village and the surrounding area. Residents say efforts to reinstate areas of the village green
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Bridge work underway
THE final phase of a massive rebuilding project at an historic landmark will get underway today. The 155-year-old Mercury Bridge at Richmond collapsed after severe flooding of the River Swale last June, cutting off the main link from the town to Catterick
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Venture eases strain on disabled
THE little things in life can be a struggle for the disabled - brewing a cuppa, taking a shower or tying your shoelaces. However, a North-East business means help is now at hand. Independence Restored, in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, sells household
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Chance to try fabric painting
YOUNGSTERS and adults are invited to turn their hands to a spot of fabric painting. Stockton Borough Council's Art Service and Matchbox Artists' Network are staging a day of batik workshops, at Preston Hall Museum, on Thursday. The hour-long sessions
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Wedding date reluctantly kicked into touch
RUGBY player Rich Ellis is excitedly limbering up for the biggest game for his life, but will reluctantly miss another major match. The Malton and Norton prop forward has a special reason for hoping his side do not end up as sporting bridesmaids at Twickenham
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The greatest gift is love
SINCE love may conquer all but it's duty which pays the gas bill, the column found itself on the evening of St Valentine's Day at a diocesan service in Penshaw in celebration of holy wedlock. Some marriage lines now follow. There, too, were Ted and Mona
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Young and old clown around in town's shopping arcade
PEOPLE were treated to a day of Easter activities at Queen Street Shopping Centre, Darlington, yesterday, which was organised by town centre bosses. There was a free party with face and egg painting, balloon bending and a visit from the Easter bunny,
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Cigarettes scam appeal
SMOKERS keen to buy cheap cigarettes are falling victim to conmen, police have revealed. People are being encouraged to pay for cigarettes on their doorstep, but never see the salesmen, or the goods, again. Police in Middlesbrough said the scam had been
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North-East may get free digital TV
FAMILIES in the North-East may be in line to receive free digital televisions from the Government. Communities across the country will be targeted so experts can study how it changes lifestyles. The equipment will cost the Government, which will announce
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'Old pit poses no danger'
EXPERTS have dismissed fears of a danger posed by a forgotten pit containing infected beasts culled in the 1960s. The pit was said to be yards from Bobby Waugh's Burnside pig farm at Heddon-on-the-Wall, Northumberland. The farm has been identified as
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Once in a lifetime occasion
AS if a remembrance of the rich man, the camel and the eye of a needle, the gateway to the Poor Clare convent is a narrow one. Unable to pass through it, a small bus halts outside. Fourteen smiling women emerge quietly - for such is their way of life
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Businessman hopes to clean up for charity
A BUSINESSMAN is making a clean sweep for charity by turning his firm into a fundraising scheme. Alex McKinley, of ABM Cleaning Services, has introduced a bin cleaning service to Hartlepool and Teesside following the introduction of wheelie bins in the
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Matter of the heart for England captain's mum
Martin Johnson, brick outhouse captain of England, returns on Saturday from rugby purdah. His mum wonders, quite literally, how much more her heart can stand. Hilary Johnson's from Darlington, Hilary Cleminson when she joined Darlington Harriers as an
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A real lack of quality as trainers settle for the numbers game
Certain trainers are bleeding the system by running horses totally out of their depth to gain appearance money. This was again apparent at Pontefract this week when in the 0-90 classified race, with appearance money of £500 for each runner, 12 of the
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Business group warns of long-lasting effects
A BUSINESS group has warned that many County Durham traders affected by the crisis may not survive the next few months. Hundreds of businesses in the region are bracing themselves for the devastating impact of a drop in trade over the summer months. County
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Magistrates up for questioning
RESIDENTS are being given the chance to quiz Hartlepool's magistrates about law and order in the town. Dr John Phillipson, chairman of Hartlepool magistrates, and deputy chairman David Mills, will be speaking at the Central Area Police and Community Safety
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Firm seeking to demolish houses
A STREET of empty houses could be demolished and replaced by quality homes as part of a £1m "showpiece" development. Malton building company S Harrison Development has bought the 57 derelict buildings, formerly owned by the Ministry of Defence, in Tedder
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Donations pour in to society's crisis fund
ALMOST £70,000 has been donated in about three weeks to a farmers' fund established by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. Cheques that have been handed over to the society by the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Society, the Farm Crisis Network and the
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Government 'dithering' over jabs plan, say Tories
A DECISION on whether to use vaccination in the fight against foot-and-mouth is imminent, the Government's chief scientific advisor said yesterday. Professor David King was speaking after meeting farmers in Cumbria, many of whom were doubtful about the
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Parents dealing with disorder urged to help each other
PARENTS of children suffering from a behaviour disorder are being urged to set up support groups, to help each other tackle the problem. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder can play havoc with home and school life, but the impact can be reduced if
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Driving 300 along road to new career
MORE than 300 unemployed people on Wearside could be on the road to jobs after the launch of an automotive and manufacturing industry training drive. The Automotive Sector Strategic Alliance (Assa) has secured a contract with the employment service to
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Funds for more bobbies on beat
MORE than £100,000 has been allocated to pay for extra bobbies on the beat across a district of County Durham. It is thought that at least five new policemen will be made available to Derwentside police, although senior figures in the force are hoping
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Green group attacks Labour over pollution
TWO areas in Labour's North-East heartland are bearing the brunt of Britain's pollution problems, according to environmental campaigners. Friends of the Earth has produced a list of communities it claims are having to cope with the majority of the country's
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Giant Garry out to bring experience to bear in the dot.com world
GARRY Gibson is walking tall again. After several years adopting as low a profile as may be possible for a 6ft 6in giant, the former Hartlepool United chairman is ready once more to face the world wide web. His enthusiasm returned, he's even started watching
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Jessica's diary of despair
TO eight-year-old Jessica Cleminson, Caroline the cow was her pet. She loved her in the way that children in towns love their pet dogs, cats and rabbits. During the summer, Jessica would take turns with her older sister Laura to ride on Caroline's back
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Faraway places and daft ideas
IT'S Easter week and the Archbishop of Canterbury has had an idea. It's also probably the first white elephant of the new millennium. Dr Carey has suggested a huge international congress of Church of England lay people for the year 2003. Early planning
