Archive
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Plans for riverside resort in spotlight
A PLAN to create a riverside resort on Teesside could move a step closer today. Stockton Borough Council is poised to approve the joint funding of a study of the Tees Corridor to help British Waterways with plans to redevelop the river bank in Stockton
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Fresh warning that strays will be killed
TRADING standards officers are again warning farmers that animals found straying from land in infected areas will be destroyed. Cattle, sheep, pigs and goats will be killed if their owners cannot be identified, North Yorkshire County Council said yesterday
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Contamination worry after raiders strike
THIEVES who went on to farmland to steal feed and equipment have led to fears they may have spread foot-and-mouth disease on to the premises. Detectives say the theft has added strain to the Darlington farmer's already stressful life when more and more
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Jury acquits man charged with rape
A RAPE trial took an unexpected turn yesterday when a jury acquitted a man before hearing any evidence in his favour. Stuart McSkelly, 28, was accused of raping and beating a young mother in her home after she returned from a night out with friends. But
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Diver seeks damages over injury
A MARINE engineer who was left partially paralysed after a diving incident has launched a legal battle for damages. Geoffrey Hardaker, 57, was exploring a wreck in the North Sea off the Northumberland coast, in August 1991, when he was struck down by
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Rape trial told of liaison in
A MARRIED restaurateur told a court yesterday how he was lured from his marital bed to have a sexual liaison with a guest in their spare room. Mark Hird, 28, is accused of raping the woman after she crashed out following a late-night drinking session.
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Widow's hip death 'a tragedy'
A WIDOW died after a hip replacement operation in a "two-in-a-thousand tragedy", an inquest was told yesterday. Former shop assistant Jean Woodmansey, 74, died from a deep vein thrombosis despite measures taken by her surgeon and staff at Middlesbrough
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Baby accounts planned
Prime Minister Tony Blair today unveiled plans to open a savings account for every newborn baby. The "baby bonds" could range from £500 for a child from a deprived family to £250 for a baby with richer parents. The trust funds will receive £100 top-ups
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Glimmer of hope for shipyard jobs
A RAY of hope emerged last night that troubled shipbuilder Cammell Laird may be bought within the next few weeks, safeguarding the jobs of about 170 workers in the North-East. And there were hints that the company's yard on the Tees, closed last Friday
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Glimmer of hope for shipyard jobs
A RAY of hope emerged last night that troubled shipbuilder Cammell Laird may be bought within the next few weeks, safeguarding the jobs of about 170 workers in the North-East. And there were hints that the company's yard on the Tees, closed last Friday
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Pearson gets £1m contract
RECRUITMENT advertising company Pearsons, has scooped a £1m advertising contract with The Leeds Teaching Hospitals (LTH) NHS Trust. The Middlesbrough agency beat off competition from a number of recruitment advertising agencies to be appointed by the
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Manufacturers subdued by US slowdown
THE US economic slowdown has "quashed" hopes of an upturn in manufacturing, figures released yesterday showed. The survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) showed a fall in output and business confidence as domestic orders for the past four
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Armour discovery
HUNDREDS of pieces of Roman armour - some of which may have been worn by infamous Gladiators - have been unearthed in one of the most significant finds ever made in Britain. The rare discovery will provide a fascinating insight into life on the empire's
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New scheme is very handy
THE first person to benefit from a scheme for the elderly is delighted with her new man about the house. Mavis Perkins, of Redcar, is enjoying the rewards of a partnership between Redcar and Cleveland Council, Age Concern Teesside and Transmore van hire
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Bureau may face cuts in service
A CITIZEN'S Advice Bureau desperately needs new volunteers or it will be forced to scale down its service. The number of volunteers at Derwentside CAB has nearly halved in the past few months and now the organisation has issued an urgent appeal for new
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'A new start but we won't forget Hannah'
JACK Liam Smith was born on Sunday evening at The Friarage Hospital in Northallerton. Weighing in at a very respectable 7lbs 2oz he is just one of hundreds of babies born at the busy North Yorkshire maternity unit every year. Every baby is special to
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Jury acquits man charged with rape
A RAPE trial took an unexpected turn yesterday when a jury acquitted a man before hearing any evidence in his favour. Stuart McSkelly, 28, was accused of raping and beating a young mother in her home after she returned from a night out with friends. But
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Mum's £1.2m legal action launched
A mother is claiming £1.2m damages after her baby was allegedly left brain damaged when doctors gave her too much medication during labour. Laura Anne Smith was left severely disabled after her mother, Jane Brown, then aged 18, was given too much of a
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Ear bite attacker escapes jail term
A CHOCOLATE factory worker who bit a chunk from another man's ear in a street fight escaped jail yesterday - but must pay his victim £2,000 damages. Recorder Jonathan Gibson told Lea Barker, 27, said the injuries merited him being sent to prison for 18
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Villagers respond to help plea after rape
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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Teaching shortages "horrendous"
STRESSED head teachers are having "horrendous" problems finding supply teachers as schools struggle to cope with the staff shortage crisis. The situation has become so serious that at one school in County Durham an entire year comprising 200 pupils had
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Disbelief over latest infection
THE farmer at the centre of the latest diagnosed case of foot-and-mouth has expressed his disbelief that his cattle are infected. Michael Walker, of Picton Grange Farm, Picton, near Yarm, Teesside, was told yesterday that his livestock had contracted
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Better browsing on your mobile
NOKIA has been at the forefront of mobile communications devices for almost half a decade. While other manufacturers just talked about handsets which combined the best features of a phone and a PDA, Nokia actually produced such an item. The original Communicator
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Hear All Sides
Letters from The Northern Echo REGIONAL FUNDING I HAVE supported The Northern Echo's campaign to have the Barnett Formula updated. I wrote to Alan Beith on December 9, 1997 informing him of my concerns about job losses in this region and pointed out that
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Injury ends Arnison involvement in Pool's promotion bid
PAUL Arnison is facing injury heartbreak. The Hartlepool United wing-back has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign after a long-standing knee injury flared up again. And that means the former Newcastle reserve skipper will miss out if Pool
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Keeping up with the march of time
TIME is a wonderful thing but we never seem to have enough of it. A new family of watches from Casio Electronics should help make better use of those precious moments. First up is the new Wrist Audio MP3 Player, already being touted by Casio as "quite
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Playing yesterday's games
HAVE you just bought a bang up-to-date computer? Does it sport the very latest Intel pentium III processor? Then I've got some bad news. It's already yesterday's technology. Stung by criticism that it held back new models until after Christmas, CPU giant
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Gadgetman goes Windows shopping
CHRISTMAS is a great time of the year. But how do you avoid yet another round of socks and hankie sets? Or even worse, a novelty tie that plays Jingle Bells. Why not settle back for a moment and have a look at some of Gadgetman's Christmas 2000 recommendations
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The future's all in the cards
CHANCES are you've never heard of Jen-Hsun Huang. If you are into playing games on the PC, however, he is the genius who helps your beige box out-perform a PlayStation II. Huang is the chief executive officer of graphics chip company nVidia. His personal
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Exam help is available online
NOW that the Easter break is fading into history it is time for students to get that homework done and the revision underway. The Internet has seen an explosion in services available for school children and students to help them with lessons. Some websites
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Foot-and-mouth crisis puts League opening on hold
The Durham County League season won't start until May 12. A meeting of league clubs last week decided that because of the foot-and-mouth scare, the start of the season should be delayed for a fortnight to enable clubs to prepare for the new season. The
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Agricultural show cancelled
A POPULAR agricultural show has fallen victim to the foot-and-mouth crisis. The show at Thornton-le-Dale, near Pickering, North Yorkshire, which usually attracts crowds of 10,000 and more, has been cancelled. "The committee decided there was no way the
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A bridge too far for this spectator
Back in December, the BBC failed to get its act together and provide wheelchair-bound sports star Tanni Grey-Thompson with access to the podium at the Sports Personality Of The Year awards. This gaff highlighted the way people with disabilities can be
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Not enough wind for this honour
THOUGH the tunes may not universally be considered glorious, this column has long been much stirred by the bagpipes. It is therefore one of life's very great honours to have been invited to become Chieftain of the Newton Aycliffe Royal British Legion
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Gavin plans to shut out champions
Jason Gavin hopes to line up at the Riverside against champions Manchester United on Saturday and help the Middlesbrough back-line take their impressive clean-sheet record to four in the their last five games. The Irishman has come into the Boro defence
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Kilty blow for Quakers
DARLINGTON midfielder Mark Kilty could be out of action until Christmas. The 20-year-old, who only recently signed a new two-year contract, was injured just five minutes into Saturday's 2-0 home defeat by Hull City and at first it was thought he would
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Conmen target pensioner, 87
THIEVES stole a large amount of money from an 87-year-old woman in an elaborate confidence trick in which they claimed to be delivering a parcel to her Darlington home. The pensioner answered the door to a man wearing a smart navy blue suit shortly after
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Not such a great thing, in my view
THIS TIME two years ago everyone thought the Internet was going to be "the next big thing." They were wrong. And while investors have been looking for the "next big thing" ever since it was right here, sitting in the corner of the living room. Because
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England line up Germany
The prospect of England taking on Germany at Feethams in the European Championships looms large as their respective Under-16 teams go into action tonight. Should England top Group C and Germany finish as Group A runners-up, the old foes will battle it
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It's not yet in the can with the digicam
DIGITAL camcorders may already be a thing of the past. Although the technology has only just taken off in this country, Hitachi has already shown us a glimpse of the future. The DZ-MV10 uses DVD discs to record sounds and pictures that can be played back
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Health secretary quizzed
Readers at this website have started sending in their questions to Health Secretary Alan Milburn. The minister and Darlington MP has put himself online by becoming a guest at The Interview-e. Anyone can send in a question on any subject,so whether you
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MP quizzed
Readers at this website have started sending in their questions to Darlington MP Alan Milburn. The MP and Health Secretary has put himself online by becoming a guest at The Interview-e. Anyone can send in a question on any subject,so whether you want
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Design firm provides uplift for bra lady sadie
ANOTHER innovative business is taking shape in the heart of Newcastle city centre, thanks to help from the Grainger Town Partnership. Media design agency, onebestway, has taken up residence in Pink Lane, in Newcastle's Grainger Town, with help from a
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Challenge for expert - improve this garden
GARDENING guru Nicholas Roeber faces a tough task when he comes to the North-East next month. He has to come up with ways of improving what most green-fingered enthusiasts would regard as a near perfect "patch". The renowned garden designer will run the
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You just can't beat the roar of the crowd
From the most avid to the most slouch-like; from the noisiest to the quietest and from the most travelled to the stay-at-home; football attracts many different types of supporters. At different times in my life I have been all these. Sadly, now I have
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Looks aren't everything
AT the end of the presentation it didn't look like a huge plastic letter X as so many pundits had predicted. For all the ballyhoo surrounding the launch of Microsoft's first dedicated games console in over a decade, the Xbox looks remarkably staid. As
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Corus workers back call for industrial action
CORUS workers on Teesside voted to support beleaguered colleagues in the coil plate mill and support a ballot for industrial action. The 234 workers in the mill are set to be made redundant by June after management rejected the rescue package put forward
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It's the Tyne for change
A year ago there was considerable apprehension following the merger of the former Tyneside Senior League with the Northumberland County League, necessitated by the formation of the Foster's North- East Premier League. Clubs from the two leagues were uncertain
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High Force Hotel on a four-day week
ONE of the region's best known hotels is to close for three days a week because of the foot-and-mouth crisis. The High Force Hotel, at Forest-in-Teesdale - normally swarming with tourists at this time of year - has seen a 90 per cent slump in bookings
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Expect twice as many asylum seekers, North-East warned
THE number of asylum seekers living in the North-East could almost double in the next year, it was revealed yesterday. The Home Office is telling local authorities in the region to be ready to take up to 9,000 refugees by March next year - compared to
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Victorious owner brings national pride to city
GRAND National-winning owner Norman Mason has handed over his trophy from his Aintree success to his home city. The self-made millionaire, born and brought up on Wearside, and his gelding Red Marauder were feted by the people of Sunderland at a civic
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And let the flags fly once more
NEWLY created an MBE at the age of 92, the remarkable Canon Leonard Piper makes a heady admission in the Durham diocesan newspaper. Before the last war, he says, he and fellow curate Brian Canning would frequently fly a black shirt from the tower of St
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So farewell to you, Miss Robinson
THE shop is so traditional, so old fashioned in a state-of-the-art sort of way, that probably they call it Messrs Dressers. Certainly the retired managing director still calls the general manager Miss Robinson - and Elspeth Robinson, who 46 years ago
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Safety message in family's escape
THE story of how a young family narrowly escaped death in a fire has been highlighted by a senior fire officer to make a safety point. A man, woman and child were saved by a smoke alarm waking them in the early hours of Wednesday, last week. Ian Dockerty
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Crossing must be reinstated, say pensioners
PENSIONERS are living in fear of crossing a busy main road in a town centre where there is no safe crossing. Retired councillor Walter Nunn, of Queen Street, Shildon, County Durham, said the town was in desperate need of a new crossing near the post office
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Man who's making cheap days return
CHESTER-le-Street market place: 11pm, Sunday: It is as if the River Wear has upped and offed and is taking the dog for a bedtime walk down Front Street. The dog's misbehaving, an' all. In a sleet-lashed bus shelter, a group of youths eats pizza as a jackal
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Why Dreamcast is just faking it
SEGA may have pulled the plug on Dreamcast but a growing band of amateur programmers certainly haven't. Dreamcast was, until recently, the most powerful video games console you could buy. Based on tried 'n' tested components, mostly cast-offs from the
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Comment from The Northern Echo - In the name of the fathers
OF course fathers should be given time off to attend the birth of their child. Any employer so callous and heartless that it can even consider sacking an employee for attending the great event deserves to be taken to an industrial tribunal and shamed.
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Fears as pyre grows in size
ANOTHER 200 carcasses are to be burned on a pyre built for 15 cattle. The move has caused concern among people living near the site, amid fears over the effects of the burning on human health and the possible risk to traffic from drifting smoke. A Ministry
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Bus lane plans are back on course
BUS LANES are again being given the go-ahead for a town, just weeks after the proposals were jettisoned. Dedicated priority routes and bus-biased traffic lights are not only back on track for two of Middlesbrough's busiest arterial routes - Acklam and
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Jimi's stolen Fender remains a mystery
JIMI Hendrix, his mother a Cherokee Indian and his father a municipal gardener, played Darlington in February 1967. Darlington won, Hendrix lost a guitar. Several claim to know the thief, none - even now - will identify him. Suffice that the guitar was
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From Horden to Hollywood
JOHN Alderson was a miner's son who lied about his age to join the army, became a major, married the general's secretary, began a new life in the United States and in a 50 year silver screen career has appeared in over 150 films. From Horden to Hollywood
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Boy racer has the pace to blow away his Perth rivals
COTTSTOWN BOY (5.20) looks the lad to follow in the Ballathle House Handicap Hurdle at Perth this afternoon. There's no substitute for digging deep into the form book when trying to unearth the best value in such contests and on a point of handicapping
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Victory of dad fired for seeing baby born
PARENTING groups last night welcomed a landmark legal case which saw a bus driver compensated for being sacked after taking time off to attend the birth of his son. Dean Matthews, 23, claimed his dismissal was in breach of recent legislation designed
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Council chief's road warning
HIGHWAY chiefs have issued a road safety warning to ramblers. Most public rights of ways and footpaths in County Durham remain closed to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth, so walkers have been enjoying the scenery from the roads. But Durham County
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Teacher jailed for dealing in Ecstacy
A TEACHER was jailed for dealing in Ecstasy. Stephen Fisk, 40, of Prospect Terrace, York, pleaded guilty at the city's Crown Court to possessing 64 Ecstasy tablets with intent to supply, last October. He told police they were only intended for himself
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Probe into school fire
POLICE are investigating the cause of a fire which destroyed half of a North-East school. More than 40 firefighters spent five hours fighting the blaze, which broke out at West Moor First School, in Great Lime Road, West Moor, near Killingworth, North
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Family pets perish in house fire
FIVE family pets died of smoke inhalation following a house fire. A Jack Russell terrier, three cats and a hamster were overcome when the blaze broke out at a house in Greenwood Close, in Wheatley Hill, east Durham, yesterday. Firefighters were called
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Plans for riverside resort in spotlight
A PLAN to create a riverside resort on Teesside could move a step closer today. Stockton Borough Council is poised to approve the joint funding of a study of the Tees Corridor to help British Waterways with plans to redevelop the river bank in Stockton
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Museum is opening
A MINING museum shut by the foot-and-mouth crisis is to open to school parties. Killhope North of England Lead Mining Museum, in Weardale, County Durham, is on the edge of an area hit by the disease. Since the museum closed in March, staff have been visiting
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A little girl's offer eases jessica's heartbreak
A YOUNG animal lover, touched by the story of a girl whose pet cow was slaughtered because of foot-and-mouth, is offering to give away one of her own pets to ease her heartbreak. The diary of eight-year-old Jessica Cleminson, from New Hummerbeck Farm,
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Contamination worry after raiders strike
THIEVES who went on to farmland to steal feed and equipment have led to fears they may have spread foot-and-mouth disease on to the premises. Detectives say the theft has added strain to the Darlington farmer's already stressful life when more and more
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Teacher cleared of indecency charges
A TEACHER was found not guilty yesterday of indecently assaulting three girl pupils after allegations branding him "a pervert". Peter Hewson, 50, had been suspended since last July from the Middlesbrough school where he taught for 20 years until the claims
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SMK hit by phone fall-out
AYCLIFFE Industrial Park has been dealt another jobs blow with news that Japanese electronics components firm SMK is cutting 58 jobs next month. The company makes mobile phone components and remote control units for televisions, as well as control panels
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Gill's engineering flies to Normandy
GILL Airways is transferring its engineering business to Anglo-Normandy Aeroengineering. In what the airline describes as a "win-win" deal for all parties, Guernsey-based Anglo-Normandy will acquire the maintenance facilities and engineering staff of
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Banks discuss 'potential merger of equals'
MORTGAGE bank Halifax is in merger talks with the Bank of Scotland. In a brief statement, the pair said they were in discussions over a "potential merger of equals". The talks come just weeks after Bank of Scotland's hopes of a tie-up with Abbey National
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EMH reports 10% rise in profits
EUROPEAN Motor Holdings has increased profits despite difficult trading conditions. The company, which operates 18 dealerships across the North-East, including Mill Garages, saw pre-tax profits for the year ended February 28, rise by 10.2 per cent to
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Great welcome at the poolside
Studiously avoiding anywhere where farm animals might roam, due to the current crisis, it was perhaps ironic that I chose the Horsemarket in Darlington for my latest outing. This delightful square in the centre of Darlington - although home to a regular
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Phone mast protestors go online
THE first Internet petition against controversial regulations on the siting of mobile phone masts has been launched. North Yorkshire MP Phil Willis is urging campaigners to sign the petition following the Government's refusal to change the planning system
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Now meet the tae kwon do kid
A SEVEN-year-old boy has become one of the youngest black belts in the country. Andrew Raine was awarded his black belt, or first Dan grading, at the weekend after astonishing judges with his skill. The youngster had to demonstrate a number of complex
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Report's criticism of park officials
SERIOUS concerns have been raised that members representing a national park have exceeded their responsibilities over planning applications. A report by the district auditor into the Yorkshire Dales National Park examined a sample of planning committee
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What everyone wants and most won't get
ELECTRONICS giant Sony kicks off a massive advertising campaign for the PlayStation 2 tomorrow. The message: if you haven't bought one already, you're probably too late. A worldwide shortage of machines has seen the European allocation of PS2 machines
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The dog you can give for Christmas
DO YOU remember Doctor Who's annoying pet dog K-9? Back in the 1970s, the concept of a robotic dog was the stuff of science fiction. Today it's science fact. Earlier this year Sony decided to flex its corporate muscle to produce the world's first fully
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It's lean, mean and sexy. It's a new PC
A PERSONAL computer may be just the job for spreadsheets, community letters and games, but it could hardly be called an attractive piece of furniture. A boring collection of grey or biege boxes, the PC was something to be hidden away, not shown off to
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In praise of two brave ladies
HANNAH Hauxwell, for whom it was famously too long a winter, is in hospital after breaking her left hip in a fall whilst hanging out the washing. Hannah, 73, is believed to have lain for some time before being discovered in the garden of her home in Cotherstone
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Sex shop boss to face day in court
THE owner of a sex shop still faces prosecution - despite removing an unconventional advertisement from the A1. John Middleton parked a caravan on land he owns on the southbound side of the dual carriageway in October last year, with the word "massage
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Vendetta claim by suspended police officer
A SUSPENDED policeman last night accused his bosses of waging a vendetta against him. Detective Constable Brendon Whitehead, who is based in Middlesbrough, was yesterday charged with seven disciplinary offences by Cleveland Police, including discreditable
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Maisie's Five bundles of joy
THERE is plenty of baby talk at a Bishop Auckland vet's since the arrival of a new mother and her fast-growing brood. Maisie's five puppies were only a few hours old when they were handed in to Paul Wilson's surgery, in Tenters Street, last week. The
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Darlington aim for Indian summer with ace Sidhu
Despite losing more times than any other side last time around, Darlington firmly believe that they are on course for a much better season following the signing of Indian Navdeer Sidhu. They struggled to bowl sides out last season and see in Sidhu a saviour
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Joy for couple who lost their little girl
Robert and Susan Smith are on cloud nine - all because of little Jack Liam. The couple, of Aldbrough St John, near Richmond, went through hell after their much-loved only child, three-year-old Hannah died on the operating table. She had a rare heart defect
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Bulldozers herald new start for estate
BULLDOZERS made their final visit to a Darlington housing estate yesterday, to complete the demolition of more than 300 homes. In the past 18 months, the houses on the Firthmoor estate have been demolished to prepare for a multi-million pound regeneration
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Don't ever be let down again
WE'VE all been there. The moment when you realise your car has got a flat tyre. Inevitably, you are miles from the nearest phone box and the spare is useless. Oh, and it's probably raining. A new gadget from a company called SmarTire aims to make that
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Awards for The Northern Echo
Journalists from The Northern Echo were this afternoon presented with awards in a prestigious ceremony for the best of the media in the North. Awards picked up during the BT Awards ceremony at York Racecourse included The Northern Echo's Mike Amos being
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MS group kidnaps businessman to raise cash
A GROUP of Multiple Sclerosis sufferers kidnapped a Teesside businessman to raise money for a trip on the high seas. The members of the MS society are joining a chartered boat in Hartlepool today to set sail to Scotland. The boat, chartered by the society
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Foot-and-mouth and people: the truth
Q Is foot-and-mouth dangerous to people? A The chances of catching foot-and-mouth are remote and, even for those people who do become infected, the disease is not serious, according to Dr John Woodhouse, director of public health for County Durham and
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Dominant Hetton again the title favourites
Despite losing a couple of promising junior players, South Hetton are clear favourites to clinch the title for the third successive year. They were pressed all the way by Hylton last time but in the end their vast experience carried them to their sixth
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Crime figures continue to fall
CRIME figures have fallen across County Durham for the sixth time in seven years. Statistics for the 12 months from April 2000 to the end of March this year, show recorded crime tumbled by more than eight per cent, but police chiefs insist there will
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An issue of law, not party politics
LAST week I spoke to the Hartlepool Advanced Motorists Association. A couple of weeks before that to the Durham Agricultural Discussion Group. In between I have been guest speaker at a couple of charity events. I will speak to anyone, anywhere about law
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Sarah opens awareness exhibition
FORMER Northern Echo reporter Sarah Gatenby took time out from her new job in television to open a disability awareness day exhibition. Returning to where she started her journalism career in Bishop Auckland, Sarah declared the event, in the Optimum Centre
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Bishops cleared over violence at cup match
A 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 an FA
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Colleges plan merger 'to avoid competition'
TWO rival colleges are to merge in the face of an increasingly competitive further education market. Governors at Middlesbrough College and Teesside Tertiary College, both in Middlesbrough, have agreed to the union next April. With 15,000 students on
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Wired for sound
THE Creative Nomad Jukebox - a portable MP3 player capable of holding your entire record collection - is a fantastic way of taking your favourite tunes on holiday without the need for a second suitcase. But I have found something even more amazing. The
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Marking Labour day
BISHOP Auckland Constituency Labour Party holds its centenary dinner in Auckland Castle tomorrow night. Since there are those who have long regarded these columns as a thorn in the red rose side, it is a particular pleasure - if something of a surprise
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Damn lucky to be alive
Fifty years ago today, the floods as fulminating as in more recent memory, George Robert Glasgow, pit deputy, won the BEM for his extraordinary heroism in saving colleagues trapped below ground in the torrent. All 36 survived, only a pony dramatically
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By George, what a pirate
THOUGH his team struggles of late, there is better news for Darlington FC chairman George Reynolds: he is directly descended from Barnacle Bill the Pirate. "He was my great, great uncle. I've joked about it for years and now I've got the proof," says
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Still a poplar entertainer
GETTING on three decades ago, Vin Garbutt wrote a song called John North, about this grand young lad who drank the best ale in the land. Chance would be a fine thing... Last Saturday - surviving, thriving - he sang beneath a tree in Darlington, one of
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Bulk Hogans
BRITAIN'S most bibulous Over 60s club held its Christmas party on Tuesday: free lunch, free beer and a bottle opener from Santa. "Some people like eating, these lads like drinking," said Dave McGee, founder of the feast. Eight years ago Mr McGee opened
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Wrestling with peace and good will
Senior Son came home for the holidays. He brought four big bags of dirty washing. And a goldfish. Don't ask me. It's called Timo, I think. After a DJ in a Manchester club. Of course. Timo looked terrified. As would you if you'd spent the afternoon slopping
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Yes, you shall go to the panto...
"Are you the walking wounded or the wheelchair wounded?" The purpose of this question from the Box Office at Darlington Civic eluded me at first, until the reason was explained. There are two "disabled" areas at the theatre with limited capacity so some
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Wearside Rose to bloom
Sunderland have a new captain and hope to announce in the next few days that they have signed another professional to help them retain the championship they won at a canter last season. They had re-engaged Cameron Cuffy, who topped the averages with 54
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Slaves to King Beer
THE Demon Drink is an edifying new booklet from Middlesbrough Temperance Society - "established 1836, born again 1993." For reasons unimaginable, and with a cryptic note that simply says "Cheers", Phil Chinnery from Eston has rushed a copy here. Though
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Wartime secret lay hidden in Durham
AT first glance it does not look much - three faint streaks on a grainy map of the North-East. But to a team of researchers delving into one of the murkiest episodes of the Second World War, it could be historical dynamite - the most damning evidence
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Lorry driver guilty
A LORRY driver who killed six people when he ploughed into three other vehicles on the hard shoulder of the A1 was today warned he is facing a substantial prison sentence. Brian France pleaded guilty to six counts of causing death by dangerous driving
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Shayler in court
Renegade MI5 agent David Shayler appeared in court today at the start of one of the most explosive spy trials in 20 years. Middlesbrough-born Shayler, 35, who faces three charges of breaching the Official Secrets Act, is accused of leaking details of
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26 arrests in crackdown on burglaries
POLICE in County Durham are celebrating the success of a month-long crackdown on house burglaries. Operation Sockeye was launched by Chester-le-Street police last month to combat a growing number of burglaries in the town centre. Detectives were worried
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Students raise cash for dream trip
TEENAGERS from Belarus will be visiting the North-East thanks to the efforts of sixth form college students. Last October, students from Prior Pursglove College, Guisborough, visited the state, formerly part of the Soviet Union, which suffered as a result
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Abused lollipop lady gets protector
A LOLLIPOP lady whose life has been made hell by young thugs carried out her duties under police escort yesterday. June Walker helped children to cross the road while two uniformed officers watched to make sure none of them attacked her. It is thought
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This Lady was a tramp
SHE was described by the Daily Telegraph as a wandering lunatic, attended by the Co-op butcher from Consett and the porter from Blaydon railway station, who launched a colourful 20-year claim to one of the North-East's wealthiest estates. "She did not
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Dreams of a barrier-free land
If buildings could twitch or shuffle nervously, then many would be doing that now and we would be witnessing some very strange sights across our towns and cities. Recent legislation means that by the year 2004, most structures will have to be accessible
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The designer tool fights back
THE Swiss Army knife is probably the original Gadgetman tool. Created more than a century ago, it remains as useful as ever. When the design was first registered on June 12, 1897, the Swiss Army knife was no survivalist plaything. Created by Charles Elsener
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Hot desking with the lad
When they were devising the National Curriculum did no one think of working mothers? I work from home. I use the computer. Smaller Son is in Year 12 - what used to be the Lower Sixth in old money - and he uses the computer. There always seems to be course
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Neale patients: When are we getting our inquiry?
CAMPAIGNERS have written to Health Secretary Alan Milburn to complain about delays in investigating the Richard Neale affair - one of the largest medical scandals in the history of the NHS. On the day Mr Milburn announced a major shake-up of the NHS designed
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Runs dry up for Durham after Lewis' early flood
AFTER the Trent Bridge floods had been repelled Durham skipper Jon Lewis promised a torrent of his own yesterday. But after launching the innings with a rapid 56 against Nottinghamshire, his exit dramatically turned the tide and Durham finished the first
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Is the Dream really over now?
SEGA did more to popularise video gaming in this country than any company since Atari. First the Master System then the Mega-Drive made consoles seem cool once again. Even Nintendo couldn't compete. So it was with a heavy heart that I read last week of
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Holy clown without the sequins
AMONG the funny things about Tuesday night was that at Scotch Corner a blizzard was raging - getting quite upset, anyway - whilst 15 miles to the south the sky was clear. Among other funny things, 15 miles to the south, was the appearance - direct from
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The day the Queen came to tea
WAVING the flag, as ever, last week's column touched upon the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh's visit to Co Durham on May 27, 1960. Whilst there is nothing presently to add to the Case of the Prettified Pittleybeds - in Horden, it may be recalled, the
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Good Knights
NIGER - pronounced, more or less, Nee-zhair - is reckoned the poorest non-warring country in the world. The average life expectancy is 43 for men and 41 for women, a child under five dies every four minutes, the literacy rate is 21 per cent - the lowest
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A miilion-to-one coincidence
MORE than 50 years after they last met, a former Co Durham police officer has had an extraordinary reunion with the prisoner of war he knew simply as Hermann the German. "He was always a canny little feller, not tub height to me but there was never any
