Archive
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Minister to meet blood campaigner
A HAEMOPHILIAC campaigner is to meet Health Minister Lord Hunt over calls for a public inquiry into contaminated blood. Carol Grayson has been invited to meet the minister after a campaign on behalf of haemophiliacs who have contracted HIV and hepatitis
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Naval contracts boost for stricken shipyard
HOPE is on the horizon for North-East shipbuilders after it was revealed that stricken shipbuilders Cammell Laird could be in line to receive Ministry of Defence contracts. It means that jobs at the ship repair yard on the banks of the river Tees could
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Raise a glass to an old friend
OVER the past 175 years, it has come to symbolise brewing in the North-East. It may not have had the volumes of Vaux, the international flavour of Scottish and Newcastle, or the workingman's tradition of Federation, but Castle Eden came to stand for the
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Families oppose conversion of farm
A CONTROVERSIAL plan to develop a Guisborough farm could win the backing of the borough council despite objections from local residents. On Monday, North York Moors National Park's planning committee is to discuss an application to change farm buildings
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Police recover drugs after raid on homes
POLICE arrested 13 suspected drugs dealers when a year-long operation culminated in a dawn raid yesterday. More than 70 officers raided 17 houses in Dean Bank, Ferryhill, and two in Spennymoor, County Durham, in the early hours. Small quantities of drugs
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Laura Ashley back in fashion
FASHION and home furnishings group Laura Ashley has bounced back after years of losses to post a £10.2m profit. The group, which was on the brink of collapse two years ago, had last recorded a full-year pre-tax profit in 1997. The profit figures, for
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A total rout by the NFU
"THERE is no risk-free option." Ah well, since it is bubonic plague that we are faced with, I suppose we must just hope that the open-air burning of a million or so animal carcasses isn't dousing Britain in cancer-causing nasties. Government ministers
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A total rout by the NFU
"THERE is no risk-free option." Ah well, since it is bubonic plague that we are faced with, I suppose we must just hope that the open-air burning of a million or so animal carcasses isn't dousing Britain in cancer-causing nasties. Government ministers
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NHS shake-up
Health Secretary Alan Milburn was today unveiling proposals to slash NHS red tape. The radical overhaul is designed to free up cash for frontline health services. Proposals also include cutting the number of health authorities in England from 99 to 30
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River rescue biker 'my hero'
A BIKER has been hailed a hero after he stripped off his leathers and plunged into icy waters to rescue a drowning seven-year-old boy. Mark Minchell, 32, was riding his Ducati motorbike beside the River Tyne, when he spotted Liam Devine thrashing about
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Website could have the answers
ADULTS in Hartlepool will soon be able to click on to a new website to help them in the quest for knowledge or a new job. Details of education courses and job vacancies in the borough will be available thanks to a free Internet service being launched
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Store bag snatch appeal
POLICE are appealing for witnesses to a bag snatch that left the victim badly shaken. The incident happened at 6.10pm on Monday, in the car -park of the Asda store in Portrack Lane, Stockton. A 40-year-old woman was pushing a shopping trolley towards
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Men hurt in raid on home, court told
TWO men were injured in a raid on their home, a court was told yesterday. Paul Jones and Mark Milburn answered a night-time knock at the door of the mid-terrace house in Wycomb Street, Darlington. Several men entered the house and attacked the pair. They
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Assault charge teacher 'was labelled pervert'
A TEACHER who denies indecently assaulting three girls had already been labelled a pervert by other pupils, a court was told yesterday. A 12-year-old girl who alleged that Middlesbrough school technology teacher Peter Hewson, 50, touched her bottom, said
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D-Day veterans' reunion surprise
DUNKIRK veterans from Leeds and Scarborough are to re-unite after the two groups remained unaware for decades that the other existed. Leeds Founder Dunkirk Veterans, who believed they were the only group of survivors in Yorkshire, discovered by chance
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Terrier died trapped in badger sett
A DOG died after being shut into a disused badger sett. The discovery was made on Saturday morning when a nature reserve warden noticed a badger sett appeared to have been disturbed. Now RSPCA inspectors are investigating the crime at Gosforth Park Nature
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Hear All Sides
Letters from The Northern Echo ANTI-SOCIAL WHY is farming the only private enterprise in which we allow and, indeed, subsidise anti-social behaviour? Behaviour like the devastation of our countryside, once so rich in historical, as well as natural, interest
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Work to start soon on revamping old estate
WORK will start soon on a multi-million pound regeneration scheme on a derelict estate in Willington. Private and housing association developments on the Dene Estate will replace homes built in the 1920s which had become unattractive to prospective council
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No forgotten corners on George's new patch
Inspector George Ledger has set himself the task of reaching every community in his new patch covering Crook, Willington and the villages in Weardale. He will head a team of 60 officers based at Crook, with offices at Stanhope, Willington and Tow Law
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Marathon man Ellis finally blooms with a capital display in London
ELSWICK Harrier Ieuan Ellis won his first major event as a veteran when he finished the first over-40 in the Flora London Marathon. The University of Northumbria head of department had a tremendous tussle with Bolton's Tony Duffy before winning by almost
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Tonic for region's hospitals
NHS hospitals in the region were celebrating yesterday after being named among the best in Britain. Eight NHS Trusts in the North-East and North Yorkshire were included in the 40 which received the accolade from CHKS, a firm measuring health care performance
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Father shows gratitude with fundraising day
THE FATHER of a girl with a rare condition is to help raise cash for the hospital that treats her. Maddison Walton has suffered from sleep apnoea - failing to breath properly while asleep - since she was born last November. After treatment at Dryburn
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Work on stranded jet
RAF engineers were busily fixing a stranded Harrier jet today after its pilot was forced to make an emergency landing at Teesside Airport late on Tuesday night. The pilot reported an electrical problem before he was guided safely down by an accompanying
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Baby-break mother lands bingo jackpot
BEGINNER'S luck won a young mother £110,000 on the bingo. The 32-year-old housewife, who has asked not to be named, had only taken up bingo since her eight-month-old baby was born, so that she could take the occasional break. Now the woman, from Stanley
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Deal means North-East Lion will continue to roar
UNTIL relatively recently, the history of Camerons' Lion brewery was fairly stable. But a succession of takeovers and closure threats have marked the past decade. Camerons became a limited business, in Hartlepool, Teesside, in 1894, and the Lion flourished
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Doctor highlights disease confusion
A SURGEON has urged people not to confuse suspected cases of foot-and-mouth disease in humans with a similar, but totally unrelated illness. The warning came as two more cases of suspected foot-and-mouth in humans were being investigated by health experts
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Pub is stripped bare as the bailiffs are sent in
BAILIFFS swooped on a pub yesterday and stripped it bare in front of the landlord. The Penny Black pub, in Hartburn, Stockton, was emptied of fixtures, fittings, glasses, beer barrels and furniture. But despite the seizures, landlord Ron Edwards was determined
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Taxi driver in protest over signs ruling
A TAXI driver has criticised his local council after being told he cannot relicence his two cabs until the roof signs are changed. George Jenkinson says it could cost up to £75 each to change the signs because they do not conform with council policy.
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Brewery building could be listed
PART of the famous Castle Eden brewery site now earmarked for demolition could be protected as a listed building. Bosses at the site, next to the A19 near Peterlee, bought rival Camerons in Hartlepool and are planning to shut the County Durham operation
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Police appeal for rape information
DETECTIVES are hoping a positive response from the public to appeals for help in finding a rapist will continue. A team of more than 20 officers are working in an incident room set up to investigate the attack, which happened in the village of Middleton
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Awards for community conscious youngsters
TEN young people who have made a positive difference to their Wear Valley communities have been honoured by Durham Agency Against Crime. Shrievalty Awards were presented to the youngsters, aged between 11 and 19, who tackled issues including drug abuse
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University pool site proposed
A NEW home has been proposed for the region's only 50m swimming pool. A Newcastle City Council report to the cabinet will seek approval today for the development of a 50m regional pool on a new site at the east end of the city's Northumberland Road. The
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New foster scheme for vulnerable youngsters
VULNERABLE youngsters will receive better quality care under a new fostering scheme being launched in the North-East. Children's charity NCH is setting up intensively supported foster care for youngsters aged 11-17 who suffer from behavioural problems
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Nice and spicy, like the wife
IT IS to be another catch-up day, Jimi Hendrix perforce relocated to tomorrow's John North column because of pressurised space. The transfer fee, undisclosed, is thought to be substantial.. We'd mentioned two weeks ago Hendrix's appearance in Darlington
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Police move into their new headquarters
POLICE have reported it is "business as usual" following a busy weekend switch to a new divisional base. Durham Constabulary's new Peterlee station provides a plush home for the force's Easington area headquarters. Along with the new magistrates' court
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Fresh call for town bus station
ONE of Darlington's oldest family businesses has added its voice for calls for the town to have a new bus station. The depot in Feethams was closed to the public in November 1997, leading to a massive influx of extra buses in the town centre. Local people
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Comment from The Northern Echo -A glass half full or half empty?
FOR 175 years the Castle Eden Brewery has been one of the region's industrial gems. In recent years, when small breweries were being closed across the country, Castle Eden defied all the odds to stay in business. It will be sad, therefore, to see such
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Hopes of extra cash for childcare
CHILDCARE in Hartlepool could be in line for a massive boost with more than £1.7m in Government money being made available. The Hartlepool Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership has been invited to bid for money to tackle unemployment in disadvantaged
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Why Pride can be proud
SPECIALITY bread manufacturer Pride Valley Foods has risen above the competition to become the UK food industry's company of the year. The Seaham-based speciality bread maker won the title at the Food Processing Awards, beating off international competition
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Curtain to go up on Meet's big fundraiser
THE curtain goes up on the Richmond Meet's annual variety show this evening. The first of two perform-ances at the Zetland Christian Community Centre, in the town's Victoria Road, opens at 7.30pm. Comedian Sandy Gilroy is compere for the evening, with
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Sushi and chips to go, please
SO Robin Cook thinks Chicken Tikka Masala is our national dish... OK then, So what would you say it is - good old fish and chips? Well, yes maybe. But only because Walter Raleigh went off to America and brought back a sackful of spuds. The Americans hadn't
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Nursery scheme stalled over parking problems
A LACK of parking places has wrecked plans for a children's day nursery in Sedgefield. But owner John Owens says he has not given up and intends to apply for temporary permission to run the nursery. Mr Owens wants to open a day nursery to cater for 36
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Charity organisers in fun day rallying call
THE organisers of an East Durham charity event are calling on local groups to get involved. The Northern Training Trust, in Peterlee, is planning a fun day, possibly next month, at East Durham and Houghall Community College in the town. Proceeds from
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Midlands jobs go in thirst for sell-offs
Brewer Wolverhampton and Dudley is cutting 200 jobs as part of a restructuring programme which involves the sale of Camerons Brewery in Hartlepool to rival Castle Eden. W and D is closing two distribution centres, in Burton on Trent and Wrexham. The plans
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New system adopted by council
A COUNCIL hopes to trail-blaze with its new style of government. Wear Valley District Council is to be streamlined after voting to adopt a new system of government yesterday, which will see departments cut from eight to four and the number of meetings
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Man who made Castle Eden's success add up
DAVID Soley is an accountant turned engineering boss, turned brewery boss. He is the brain for figures behind the Castle Eden operation. The former chief executive of Teesside-based Davy Offshore used a healthy payout from his former employers to help
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MP weighs in with obesity challenge
MP Gerry Steinberg claims that too many people are being labelled as obese. The Durham City MP challenged the formula used to calculate obesity during a meeting of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee. According to a new report more than half
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Ince urges teammates to be on song
INFLUENTIAL skipper Paul Ince is urging his Boro teammates to show the fans what their made of, in a bid to get the Riverside faithful back in full voice. Ince believes the players need to show a greater degree of mental toughness to get the fans back
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A dress you will look sharp in
A MAJOR exhibition showcasing the work of contemporary British artists is about to open at its only Yorkshire venue during a UK tour. Featuring the rapidly developing area of textile arts, the display has been described by critics as challenging, provocative
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Taxis examined in road safety drive
MORE than 150 safety checks were carried out on taxis in a County Durham district at the weekend. It was the first time that Durham police have teamed up with Derwentside District Council to carry out a mass inspection of vehicles in the Consett and Stanley
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Size matters in cricketers' battle of the sixes
A VILLAGE cricket team is turning its back on a pocket handkerchief pitch where sixes were ten-a-penny for a ground three times bigger - and all for just £1. The land, part of an emerging sporting and community project, was sold to the village for a pound
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Blair and Prescott 'split on funding'
DOWNING Street moved last night to damp down suggestions that the Government is rethinking the controversial spending formula which favours Scotland over the North-East. After a day of confusing signals from Westminster, the message from Number 10 underlined
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Terrorised lollipop lady could be taken off duty
A LOLLIPOP lady is set to be taken off the streets because teenagers are making her life hell. June Walker, 53, runs a daily gauntlet of foul language, verbal abuse and spitting from secondary school pupils. The tearaways throw bricks from bus windows
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Tories in probation hostel site claim
TORIES in County Durham have accused a Labour council of helping the Probation Service choose a site for a bail hostel by sending them a list of nine possible venues. Conservative Action Team leader Matthew Palmer claims to have leaked the list of sites
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Victory parade is a Red letter day for racing hero Marauder
CROWDS lined the pavements several deep to witness the victory celebrations of the region's latest sporting champion. Thousands of well-wishers turned out to see Grand National winner Red Marauder's parade through the streets of owner Norman Mason's home
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Heart clinics scheme for GP surgeries
HEART disease clinics are being set up in every family doctor's surgery in Darlington. Extra investment by Darlington Primary Care Group means that each general practice in the town will soon have a coronary heart disease clinic run by practice nurses
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Better services is the target
A NORTH-East council has been given a £6.8m impetus to deliver improvements in services. Newcastle City Council yesterday pledged to carry out an array of improvements, with the promise of extra cash from the government if it meets its targets over the
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Turner insists Saltergate farce will not sour run-in
FOCUSED Hartlepool United boss Chris Turner insists his players won't be affected by what is fast becoming a calamitous end to the Division Three season. Football League chiefs yesterday rejected the findings of their disciplinary panel into Chesterfield's
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Quarry villages awaiting acid test
A VISION for a cluster of North Yorkshire communities which have been blighted by quarrying faces its first acid test this week. Scorton, Brompton-on-Swale, Kiplin, Ellerton and Bolton-on-Swale have had to endure lorries rumbling along the roads on their
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Cashing in on the great divide
THERE is nothing like a good split in the Government to bring an issue sharply into focus. And there is no better split in a government than between a Prime Minister and a Deputy Prime Minister. Now, suddenly, the issue of regional government is sharply
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Paceman Brown still not fit for Trent Bridge
DURHAM have been spared a selection dilemma for their match against Nottinghamshire starting at Trent Bridge today as Simon Brown is still not fit. The left-arm paceman was expected to recover from a side strain in time to play against Gloucestershire
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Distribution firm takes up European base
THE UK arm of US distribution giant Product Development Corporation (PDC) has set up its headquarters in York. The company, which will employ 20 staff, will be the first tenants of the Westminster Place development on York Business Park. Simon Raine,
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Staying in Toon
Kieron Dyer today declared he was staying at Newcastle as Manchester United launched a £20 million swoop. The England wing-back, 22, pledged his loyalty after the Red Devils had a reported £15m bid rejected by the Geordies. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson
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Dalgleish to reign at Epsom
LEADING apprentice rider Keith Dalgleish, not long back from a successful stint in Dubai, can further enhance his burgeoning reputation aboard Roman King (4.15) at Epsom today. Soon Dalgleish will become a fully-fledged senior jockey, so it makes perfect
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£100,000 technology boost helps cheer rural community
A RURAL community crippled by the foot-and-mouth crisis has been given some cheer after receiving more than £100,000 to launch an information technology scheme. Hundreds of people in Teesdale will benefit from National Lottery funding which will see the
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Victorian villa building scheme ruling defended
CAMPAIGNERS who led Darlington's biggest public opposition to a housing development, and lost their battle, believe their efforts have been vindicated. In October last year, Darlington Borough Council approved plans to build 41 flats in the wooded grounds
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Blackmail woman won right to appeal
A WOMAN found dead in a psychiatric hospital while awaiting sentence for blackmailing an international footballer had been granted leave to appeal against her conviction. Former beauty queen Carolyn Pick, 36, of Washington, Wearside, was found dead on
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FA investigation into crowd trouble
A PROUD North-East football club shamed by bogus fans earlier this year has emerged with its reputation officially unscathed. The Football Association has given Bishop Auckland FC a clean bill of health following an investigation into crowd trouble at
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Castle walls to come tumbling down
THE closure of the brewery at Castle Eden is the latest blow to the industry in the North-East. In July 1999, workers in Sunderland were facing the same uncertainty as some at Castle Eden are contemplating. The Swallow Group closed its Vaux brewery and
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Hollywood glamour to pupils' roles
A GROUP of children are taking on the might of Hollywood with a stage production of a story that has just gone on general release as a film. Normanby Primary School, Middlesbrough, teacher Darren Gamble said the clash was no more than a coincidence. He
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N-E officers to tell of anti-abuse success
TWO probation officers from the region have been invited to speak at a European conference on domestic violence. Mary Smith and Sue Gow, from Northumbria, will tell delegates about the Divert programme, for men convicted of abusing their partners. The
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Art explores carving and letterwork
AN art exhibition will open today exploring carving and letterwork. The Ground Beneath Our Feet is showing at the Reg Vardy Gallery, at the University of Sunderland, until May 11. The exhibition is a showcase of the work of the carving and design duo,
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Nice and spicy, like the wife
IT IS to be another catch-up day, Jimi Hendrix perforce relocated to tomorrow's John North column because of pressurised space. The transfer fee, undisclosed, is thought to be substantial. We'd mentioned two weeks ago Hendrix's appearance in Darlington
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Fundraising drive success
A FUNDRAISING drive to send a group of physically disabled people on a summer break has been a success. Members of Bishop Auckland Friendship and Activity Club had such a good time in Blackpool last year that they want to go back. All are aged between
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Ask your MP a question
Darlington Alan Milburn has gone online to take reader's questions. The Health Secretary is the latest person to be featured at our Internet section The Interview-e. Mr Milburn is hoping readers will find the website an easy opportunity to get in touch
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Interest-free loans plan to help struggling firms
BUSINESSES hit by the foot-and-mouth crisis could be offered interest-free loans to help them recover from the loss of trade. The move could extend to urban shops where sales of outdoor clothing and equipment have fallen, as well as traders in rural areas
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Buoyant housing market boosts Northern Rock
MORTGAGE bank Northern Rock has been boosted by the strong housing market. The Newcastle-based bank said yesterday its range of competitive mortgages and the buoyant housing market resulted in a "very strong" trading performance in the first quarter of
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£300,000 public transport plan
A LEADING councillor has promised a bright future for public transport at a seaside town after a £300,000 scheme was revealed. North Yorkshire County Council has bought Whitby bus station to develop quality passenger waiting facilities on the site. The
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Sushi and chips to go, please
SO Robin Cook thinks Chicken Tikka Masala is our national dish... OK then, So what would you say it is - good old fish and chips? Well, yes maybe. But only because Walter Raleigh went off to America and brought back a sackful of spuds. The Americans hadn't
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Suspect Rolex fraudster in suicide
AN AMERICAN student suspected of swindling a North-East couple out of their life savings in an Internet fraud has committed suicide. Former miner Tom Shead, of Eastdene Way, Peterlee, County Durham, spent almost £5,000 on a gold Rolex watch in an Internet
