Archive
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Bid to clean up computer industry
A NEW national regulatory body is to be launched next month to help clean up the computer industry. The Association of Computer Retailers and Manufacturers (Acram) will be a voluntary regulatory body launched by Darlington firm Comusel, which specialises
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Teenager cleared of manslaughter
A TEENAGER who left a pensioner dead after a fight outside a pub was cleared of manslaughter. Cliff Maidment, 67, was sent crashing to the ground when the 17-year-old punched him in the face, breaking his nose. Newcastle Crown Court heard how the fall
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We don't want a £67m white elephant - MP
AN MP is in showdown talks with health chiefs today amid fears that a £67m new hospital could end up an expensive "white elephant". Bishop Auckland MP Derek Foster says he is disturbed by mounting fears that services could be lost from the General Hospital
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Darlington - Rob heads for Canada's icy wastes
A SOLDIER from Darlington will canoe 275 miles through Canada's Arctic wilderness as part of a month-long scientific expedition in July. Staff Sergeant Rob Oliver, 36, serving with the 42 Engineer Regiment Royal Engineers, will take part in the trip along
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War veteran enlists Echo to help find former Naafi girls
A KOREAN war veteran is hoping to trace two former Naafi girls from the North-East. John Scott, of Thornaby, near Stockton, Teesside, appealed to The Northern Echo to help trace Irene Butterfield and Betty Wilson, who used to help run the canteen at Brancepeth
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Nick sets his sights on England honours
A YOUNG Darlington footballer could soon be in line for international honours. Nick Lyons, captain of Carmel school's all-conquering under 15s side, is playing in a trial match for the North East team tomorrow. If successful he could then go on to be
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Road racers make French connection
TWO Guisborough cyclists are looking forward to competing in France during the summer as members of the Limoges-based UCD Nord87 team. Jonathon Rosenbrier, a 21-year-old former Laurence Jackson school and Prior Pursglove college student, is quickly making
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Devoted fan who doesn't need a ticket
DEDICATED football fans follow their club until their dying day - but George Davison could go one step further. George, known to his pals as Smokey, had one last request before he died - to have his remains buried beneath the hallowed turf of his beloved
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Hear All Sides
Letters from The Northern Echo FOOT-AND-MOUTH SURPRISE, surprise, the new Secretary of State for Defra does not want an inquiry into the foot-and-mouth crisis. I wonder why? Silly question. We all know the answer to that one. The BSE inquiry costs were
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Box restoration is signal for change
A 19th Century signal box on the North Yorkshire coast has been given a new lease of life - as the home for a traditional spinning and weaving enterprise. Raw Fibres has been set up by Rosemary Kitchingman in the restored box at Robin Hood's Bay, on the
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Time to be Prepared
THERE is a certain inevitability about it, isn't there - you're just setting off on hols, having a day out at the seaside, a picnic in the park, an outing on a Greek island where no one speaks English and the chemist is closed because it's a Saint's Day
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105th celebration for Hilda
A NORTH-EAST woman celebrated her 105th birthday yesterday. Hilda Tinsley lives in the Broadacres sheltered housing complex at Hurworth Place, near Darlington. Cards and letters congratulating her on her 105th birthday have come from a host of royals,
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Local stables enjoy a field day at Kirkleatham
LOCAL stables had a very successful day at the North East Counties Show at the Kirkleatham showground, Redcar earlier this month. Highmead Graduate, produced by Jerome Harforth of the Stanley Grange stud, Great Ayton and ridden by Hayley Patterson, was
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Gala day of family fun
ORGANISERS of the Teesside Steel Family Gala are gearing up for this weekend's massive event. The gala was cancelled last year when the venue, Kirkleatham Showground near Redcar, flooded and there was heavy rain on the day. The big names appearing at
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Spraire switch sports
The footballers of Darlington Spraire Lads and Lasses swapped sports for a day at the weekend when they competed in an athletics competition in Gateshead. They took part in the Clubs for Young People Durham County Athletics meeting at the Gateshead International
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Magpies face war
NEWCASTLE United are bracing themselves for an escalation in their war of nerves with defender Marcelino. United insiders admit there is a growing feeling at St James' Park that the Spanish flop won't report back for pre-season training next week. Marcelino
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School plans Fun Zone for the holidays
A DARLINGTON school has won more than £16,000 of National lottery cash to set up a holiday club for children. Polam Hall Junior School will use the money from the New Opportunities Fund to buy play equipment and craft materials. Called the Fun Zone, the
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Ex-Magpie Quinn is banned as a trainer
A FORMER Newcastle United striker who turned to training racehorses after his career ended has been banned from the sport for three years. Ex-Magpies star Mick Quinn has been banned by the Jockey Club until 2004 after an inquiry into allegations that
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Recommending scheme's refusal
PLANNERS are strongly recommending refusal of a scheme to build a three-storey five-bedroomed detached house in open countryside near a North Yorkshire stately home. The development site is near Copgrove Hall, between Knaresborough and Burton Leonard,
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Arcadia sales keeping up
FASHION retailer Arcadia has seen sales across its major high-street stores rise, despite a "highly competitive" trading environment. The group is selling off a number of businesses to concentrate on key brands including Top Shop, Dorothy Perkins and
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Sanyo look to close North-East plants
Sanyo microwave factories are threatened with closure, with the loss of almost 300 jobs, it was announced today. Japanese electronics giant Sanyo said it would be consulting its workforce on the possible closure of the plant at Newton Aycliffe, County
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Sanyo look to close North-East plants
Sanyo microwave factories are threatened with closure, with the loss of almost 300 jobs, it was announced today. Japanese electronics giant Sanyo said it would be consulting its workforce on the possible closure of the plant at Newton Aycliffe, County
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Sanyo look to close North-East plants
Sanyo microwave factories are threatened with closure, with the loss of almost 300 jobs, it was announced today. Japanese electronics giant Sanyo said it would be consulting its workforce on the possible closure of the plant at Newton Aycliffe, County
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Hannah celebrates Scottish sprint title
A YOUNG swimming ace from Northallerton was crowned sprint champion this week at a national competition in Scotland. Hannah Creelman, 15, a student at Northallerton college, won the under 15s 50m freestyle event at the Scottish national championships
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Tenant plan doubts denied
THE Government has given a council the green light for a multi-million pound boost to its tenants on the same day a union raised doubts about the scheme. Housing Minister Sally Keeble named Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council among 27 authorities to
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Ritzy to leave school in bid for stardom
A STAGESTRUCK young girl is leaving her local school in County Durham to pursue her dream of showbiz stardom. Eight-year-old Ritzy Keaveny will say goodbye to friends at Bowburn Juniors, near Durham, at the end of term after coming through auditions to
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Forty years - and he's never missed a meeting
A CLERK who has given 40 years of unbroken service to his village council was praised as a pillar of his community this week. Mr Harry Coyle, aged 80, of Harewood Lane, Romanby, has been clerk to Romanby parish council since 1961 - and he has never missed
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Police sights trained on high-tech centre
MARKSMEN from police forces across the North-East are to be put through their paces at a high-tech centre, which opened yesterday. A canon firing plastic bullets and a video shooting range are among the training aides at the police firearms training centre
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Chemical leak 'close to a disaster'
A CHEMICAL leak on a town centre road came close to bringing disaster, the emergency services admitted yesterday. Firefighters said that, had it been raining when the acid spilled on to the A182, through Washington, a deadly cloud of hydro-chloric gas
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Durham fight-back
Durham County Super League - Aycliffe entertained Durham and got off to their best start of the season taking a 4-1 lead. Durham then came back to win eight of the last nine frames to win the match 9-5 and maintain their challenge for the league title
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Children take safety lessons
PUPILS are taking part in a safety campaign aimed at teaching them how to cope with dangerous situations. About 2,000 children from across East Cleveland are taking part in the multi-agency scheme, organised by Cleveland Police. The Crucial Crew campaign
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Pitmen's girls get ready for race day
WITH their groomed hair, immaculate make-up and stylish clothes, Jeanette Morrell and Carol Wilson are all set for a glamorous day at the races. The pair, who both come from mining families, received a stunning make-over for the annual Pitmen's Derby
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More historic buildings at risk on latest list
HISTORIC buildings have joined a growing list of those threatened by neglect and decay. Buildings in Wensleydale, Richmond and Guisborough are among those which have been included in the 2001 English Heritage "at risk" register . The number of listed
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Sit back and enjoy the biggest film flop of all time
It's official - Town And Country is the biggest film flop of all time. The picture cost £60m to make and earned just £4m in four weeks of release before the distributors decided to admit defeat, pulling it from US cinemas. All the more surprising, perhaps
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School work may be put on hold by access hitch
THE FUTURE of a much-needed extension for a Northallerton school was thrown into doubt on Monday after town councillors expressed concerns over road safety during the building work. North Yorkshire County Council plans to start work on a two-storey extension
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Tyres leave club in the dumps
HUNDREDS of old rubber tyres have been dumped on private land used by Hutton Rudby football club - and the hard-up club might have to pay for their removal. A landowner has requested that the tyres be removed or the football club will no longer be able
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Betts off for former paceman's return
DURHAM need to repel the threat of former teammate Melvyn Betts when he returns to the Riverside for the first time today since his winter move to Warwickshire. Durham will go into the four-day match with the side which won the C and G Trophy tie against
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Nissan forges ahead to hold on to Euro productivity title
NISSAN's Sunderland car plant is the most productive in Europe, according to a new survey. The factory topped the productivity league table for the fifth year in a row, surging ahead by nearly 20 per cent from its competitors. A survey by World Markets
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Farmers stop walkers
DISSENTING farmers are putting closed signs back on footpaths that cross through their land because they fear walkers could bring foot-and-mouth disease. All footpaths in County Durham which lie more than 3km from the nearest foot-and-mouth case are now
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Vickers hoping to agree new contract
MIDDLESBROUGH defender Steve Vickers will next week seek contract talks with new boss Steve McClaren. Vickers, one of Boro's longest-serving players after seven-and-a-half years at the club, only has 12 months left on his current deal and is hoping to
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Two die at blackspot
A FATAL crash at an accident blackspot has prompted renewed calls for the road to be turned into a dual carriageway. Two men died on the A171 Guisborough to Scarborough road near the Stanghow turn off at Lockwood Beck on Monday evening, when their vehicles
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Foot-and-mouth returns to the northern dales
THE spectre of foot-and-mouth disease returned to the Wensleydale area with confirmation of an outbreak in Bishopdale on Wednesday. Slaughtermen moved in to cull sheep and 30 dairy cattle at West Lane farm, Newbiggin, as soon as the virus was confirmed
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Wheely testing in the forest
A CAR mechanic is swapping four wheels for two and taking to the wilds of Hamsterley Forest with a challenging, new mountain bike course. The 5,000-acre ancient woodland, near Bishop Auckland, could soon be setting the pace for bike enthusiasts with its
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Swimming News
Richmond's Nicola Jackson swam brilliantly in the 200m freestyle to lead all the way and break the British record clocking the third fastest time in the world this year at the Scottish open long course championships in Glasgow, the fourth and final qualifying
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Pony dates
Bedale & West of Yore PC. - July 6: Rally at Richmond Equestrian Centre for members aged 11 and under. July 13: Rally at Richmond EC for members aged 12 and over. July 23-25: Mini-camp at Northallerton Equestrian Centre, Yafforth for members aged
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Stranded ship's crew flown home after mission steps in
RUSSIAN sailors stranded on Teesside have finally flown home. The seven remaining crew of the Vismark Gloria, which has been impounded since November, left the region in the early hours of yesterday. Their flights were paid for by the German Seaman's
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Mother who killed baby sent to mental hospital
A YOUNG mother who killed her six-month-old baby by banging his head against a wall has been sent to a mental hospital. Corey Raine suffered "extensive injury" and "multiple fractures" to his head after Sarah Allison, 19, attacked the youngster when she
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Day 5 round-up - Henman shines through
Tim Henman advanced to the fourth round after a hard earned victory over Dutchman Sjeng Schalken. The British number one fell behind in the first set 7-5 but fought his way back, taking the next three sets 6-3 6-4 6-2 with relative ease. Greg Rusedski
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FMD crisis will hasten change in farming
REJUVENATE was established in Wensleydale three weeks after the foot-and-mouth disaster struck as a self-help group to solve the mountain of veterinary and administrative problems which immediately occurred. Over the succeeding weeks a horror story unfolded
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Sydney star returns to school
AN OLYMPIC hero this week returned to the North Yorkshire school where his sporting career began. Three-times gold medal rowing champion Matthew Pinsent dropped in at Aysgarth school in Newton le Willows on Monday. He boarded at the school from 1978 to
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Shipwreck comes to life
The Countryside Agency has awarded a £10,600 grant to the Cleveland Divers for its Shipwreck Dimitris project which aims to give local people access to the former Greek cargo vessel which sank off the coast of Redcar in 1953. The grant will be used to
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Recognition for green-fingered Denis
Denis Turner from Saltburn has received the Community Service Award from Saltburn, Marske and New Marske Parish Council in recognition of his many years service to the Saltburn Allotments Association and the parish council. Mr Turner joined the Saltburn
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Grants for good works
ORGANISATIONS in East Cleveland are set to benefit from the latest round of grants from the local parish council. Saltburn, Marske and New Marske Parish Council has handed out more than £1,700 to help organisations within the three East Cleveland communities
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Village stories told in flowers
CHURCHGOERS in a village parish are in for a floral treat this weekend, when St Bartholomew's Church in Croxdale, near Durham, stages its first major flower festival. Walk Through Time charts the history of Croxdale, and the neighbouring communities of
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Sledgers gets for slide
Ushaw Moor v Whitburn, Captain Ramsden Cup, proved the column's first cricket match of the sun-blessed season. Whoever Captain Ramsden was ("a Sedgefield cup," they say) it's unlikely that he swore like a trooper. These days it's like God bless you, sledging
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Athletics News
Durham City Harriers - THE club's youth athletes continued their run of success in the Durham County Schools track and field championships at Harrow. There were tremendous victories by Rachel Abbs in the junior girls long jump (5.04), Sarah Davison in
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Letters: Rudby cabins plan an improvement
Sir, - I write regarding your report on my planning application in Hutton Rudby (D&S, June 22) White House nursery was built in the late 70s as both a wholesale and a retail outlet. During the early years, business was good. Now, with the advent of
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Judge retires after 50 years in legal circles
ONE of the North-East's most distinguished district judges is stepping down after more than 50 years' service to the legal profession. Judge Allen Brougham, aged 72, presided over his final hearing at Darlington county court on Monday and officially retires
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Disaster could deepen, warns hill farmer
UNLESS more farm animals are allowed to be moved, there could be a deeper agriculture disaster, a hill farmer warned this week. Many hill farmers are struggling to cope with excessive numbers of animals on their farms because of foot-and-mouth movement
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Consett & Stanley - Town's fun day is licensed to thrill
PEOPLE in Stanley town centre will be shaken, not stirred, by an annual fun day with an exciting new theme. James Bond 007 look-a-like Nick Richmond will no doubt ooze danger and sex appeal as he declares the Stanley Annual Fun Day for The Cancer Research
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Essential to stop Yorkshire's Liberals becoming socialists
FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - Thanks to the Marquess of Ripon, the Liberals of Thirsk and and Malton, Ripon and Elland divisions were enabled to hold a very enjoyable picnic at Fountains Abbey on Saturday afternoon. Opportunity was also taken to
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Durham - Museum celebrates 100 years of popular toy
DEPENDING on your point of view Meccano was either an ingenious gateway to a whole new world of discovery, or an infuriating collection of nuts and bolts that mostly ended up lost down the back of the sofa. Either way, almost every boy in the North-East
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Tourism role for former mill
A LANDMARK will be opened as a visitor attraction today. Fulwell Mill, in Sunderland, has had an £810,000 restoration, which has seen a new visitor centre added. Sunderland City Council leader Colin Anderson and the city's Mayor, councillor Ken Murray
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Big Brother rivals in clash
BIG Brother reject Narinder is desperate for Bubble to be the next to get the boot - because they argued about football. Geordie Narinder, 28, is a Newcastle United fanatic while Cockney Bubble follows Chelsea. They clashed numerous times while Naz was
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Storming to success
NINE-YEAR-OLD Alice McCullagh from Saltburn Grange Farm, Saltburn, was in tremendous form at the North East Counties Show, Kirkleatham, where she won the novice working hunter pony championship. She was riding Richard Roberts' eight-year-old bay gelding
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Disbelief as disease gathers pace again
DISMAY settled over the Yorkshire Dales last night with a second case of foot-and-mouth confirmed in as many days. The fresh outbreak came as a screening programme was launched in Northumberland after three people involved in the foot-and-mouth cull contracted
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Traders like a touch of continental colour
PROMOTIONAL "sausage" banners which adorned Darlington town centre lamp posts in May have been given the thumbs-up by businesses and shoppers. The colourful, tubular banners, which are similar to windsocks, were used to advertise town centre shopping
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I have done my part, now it's up to fans - Reynolds
Darlington chairman George Reynolds has told fans that he's fulfilled his side of the bargain - and now it's time to fulfill theirs. Speaking at a packed fans' forum, Reynolds told fans that the key to future success is in their hands. "Two years ago
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Hope for tobacco site is dashed
HOPES that a rival tobacco company would take over the abandoned Rothmans plant at Spennymoor have finally been dashed a year after the plant closed. Developers Industrial Estates Scotland (IES) had originally aimed to move the first tenants into small
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New minister visits disease-hit area
WEARING a white suit and wellingtons, Mrs Margaret Beckett, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, visited a farm near Skipton on Monday. Mr David Beresford, of High Ground Farm, near Hellifield, who had more than 280 cattle culled
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Man charged with assault
A MAN appeared in court yesterday accused of carrying out a serious assault on a 62-year-old man in his own home. Mark Anthony Gladstone, 32, is charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, in the incident at Galloway Road, Peterlee
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North Yorkshire - School raid has a happy ending
CHILDREN at a Catterick school were devastated when they discovered thieves had ruined a new garden they had worked so hard to create. The intruders first stole a bird table and bench, which the Army had helped to make to brighten up a neglected courtyard
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Confidence abounds
Wensleydale Creamery League - Confidence that the league will be able to return to normal at the start of the new season was expressed at the annual meeting held at the Dalesman Club, Leyburn last week. The league came to a premature end on February 24
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Angling News
Darlington Brown Trout's latest event staged between Lane Fox and Snipe Ponds sparked a peg for peg battle on Lane Fox to decide the outcome, writes JEFF HERBERT. Ken Close of the RSPS and Darlington's John Elmer pulled out the two long jetty pegs and
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Pupils stop to think
ALMOST 700 pupils have been learning how to stay safe at school, at home and at play, by taking part in a child safety event. Pupils from nine Gateshead schools took part in accident intervention and prevention role-playing scenarios at the Stop and Think
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Artwork and dance celebrated
ARTWORK of all shapes and sizes will light up a one-off multi-media exhibition in Chester-le-Street next week. The event, which coincides with Alzheimer's Awareness Week, celebrates an arts project running since October, involving 50 pensioners. The event
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Teddies are clean winners
TALKING teddy bear litter bins are encouraging youngsters at a play area to dispose of their rubbish properly. The four bins, which say thank you when litter is put in them, and ask for more, have been installed at the play area at Delves Lane Village
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Priory wall wrecked by vandals
VANDALS have wrecked a stretch of wall at Gisborough Priory. Using bars taken from the nearby churchyard, youngsters caused thousands of pounds worth of damage. The area which has been hit is a ha-ha retaining wall. Mr Ken Pellant, manager of Guisborough
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Henman, here we come
FUTURE Wimbledon champions could be nurtured in Darlington thanks to the initiative of a junior school teacher. Abbey junior school year four teacher, Mrs Fiona Tweddle, submitted a bid to the Awards for All lottery fund a couple of months ago. This week
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New endeavour to protect market cross
WORK begins early next month on a scheme to protect pedestrians while preventing a town centre monument from being damaged by heavy lorries. A Durham County Council project to alter the shape of the traffic island at the Market Cross in Barnard Castle
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New pool years away
IT COULD be some years before Guisborough gets a new swimming pool, according to officials from Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council. A campaign has been launched in the town for a new pool because it is felt the present baths need replacing with more
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School tests row after stressed head cheats
PRESSURE was mounting last night for an overhaul of national school tests after the resignation of a head teacher who doctored exam papers. Stressed Helen Quick, 46, quit her job at Wyndham Primary School in Newcastle after confessing to education bosses
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Bowlers needed
MARSKE Bowling Club is appealing for new starters as well as social and experienced bowlers. Anyone interested should contact secretary David Hare on (01642) 476652 or (01642) 471091.
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Gan On - ye knaa what ah mean leik
THE Plain English Campaign has launched an outspoken attack on a further education college for using a North-East colloquialism in a poster to attract students. East Durham and Houghall Community College is promoting a range of summer taster courses using
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Pollution fears over quarry site
A REPORT into a long-standing quarry has revealed it could be heavily contaminated. North Quarry, 500 metres from the town centre of Birtley, near Chester-le-Street, has been found to pose a potential health risk. An independent report commissioned by
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Chester le Street - Amateur outsells top painters
AMATEUR painter Annette McKinnon had no idea her efforts would cause such a stir when she first took them into a Consett art shop. But sharp-eyed art businessman Ron O'Keefe knew better when he first spotted the pastel landscapes and woodland scenes created
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Davis leads the way
The Readers Durham County League Under-18s - Langley Park posted the formidable total of 175 for the loss of just two wickets in only 20 overs when they visited Newton Aycliffe who were all out for 57. Chris Davis led the way for Langley Park, carrying
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Phone mast like a tree joins rush to beat new law
A MOBILE phone mast disguised as a lonesome pine is among a rash of applications being submitted to Darlington council. Companies are in a race to get planning through ahead of legislation which may cramp their style. Phone companies do not need planning
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Taste of the orient in store for city
THE second in a chain of Chinese buffet restaurants has opened its doors in Durham. Lau's Buffet King, which has a branch in Newcastle's Chinatown, has taken over three former shops in North Road. As well as the 250-seater restaurant, which opened for
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Carmel revel in football fortunes
Carmel Technology College's football teams have finished top of the class in the football stakes. The Darlington college has enjoyed another incredible season with success spreading throughout several teams while some talented individuals have made their
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Wear Valley - Parents oversee Sure Start project
A MULTI-MILLION pound scheme that should drastically improve the lives of pre-school children is steaming ahead in Wear Valley. A committee of parents and officials has been formed to drive forward a £2.5m Government initiative that aims to give children
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Chester le Street - Volunteer project expands
A SUCCESSFUL youth volunteer scheme has been extended into County Durham. Chester-le-Street and District CVS and Volunteer Bureau has been invited by the Government to extend the Millennium Volunteers programme, which has proved a hit with youngsters
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North auction house has lot to celebrate
AN auction house can boast it is the best outside London after winning a top industry award. Tennants of Leyburn, North Yorkshire, took first prize at the British Antiques and Collectable Awards ceremony at the capital's Dorchester Hotel. Senior director
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Soldier fined £750 for bank card 'stupidity'
A GULF WAR veteran was fined £750 and severely reprimanded by a court martial at Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, yesterday, after he admitted using his sergeant's bank card to pay for a school trip for his daughter. Lance Bombardier Richard Davidson
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'Conveyor belt' claim denied in sex case
A FORMER aide of Prime Minister Tony Blair denied he had a "conveyor belt" of teenage boys who he abused, a court heard yesterday. The trial of Martyn Locklin heard the Sedgefield borough and Great Aycliffe town councillor say he had never had sexual
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£1.8m fund will help in jobs hunt
REDUNDANT Corus workers on Teesside will get help finding new jobs through a £1.8m grant from the European Social Fund. The money has been granted to Steel Partnership Training Ltd, an organisation set up by the unions to help those made redundant get
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Downright rank PR
THE decision to close the surgical wing at Scorton hospital clearly took everybody by surprise. The extent of that shock has become manifest in the fortnight since it was announced. Affected staff and patients did not suspect a thing. The way the Hospitaller
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I'll be working next year
ISN'T Father's Day supposed to be the one day of the year when us poor, hard-done-by dads get to relax? To be frank, I'd hoped for one of those Father's Day presents that costs nothing, but when I tried getting romantic, the love of my life looked me
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Another driver killed on A66
A driver died in an accident on the notorious A66 last night. A car and a lorry were involved in a collision at the Foxhall Inn, near Ravensworth, North Yorkshire at 5.10pm. A 37-year-old man was cut out of his car by the fire brigade, but was certified
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Durham - Young performers stage charity show
A GROUP of disabled and able-bodied performers is staging a show in aid of a hospital unit for premature babies. The Making Music Project, which has been run by the Mid-Durham Community Education Service for five years, brings together singers and dancers
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Foot-and-mouth stops school outings
THE foot-and-mouth epidemic which has hit the hill farmers of the North so hard also affected pupils at Reid Street Primary School, because it forced the cancellation of two school trips. Year four children were due to visit Bede's World, at Jarrow, in
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Comment from The Northern Echo - Broken by a flawed system
IT is necessary for the performance of schools to be monitored and assessed, which is why, in principle, the Standard Assessment Tests (Sats) are a good idea. By providing incentive and accountability, Sats have helped the Government drive up standards
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Suspects escape
ATTEMPTS by police to catch four people seen running from the scene of a burnt-out Volvo car at Hackworth Industrial estate, in Shildon, on Wednesday night, failed. The police helicopter and heat-seeking cameras were used in the search, as well as the
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Man's £35,000 heroin binge
A JOBLESS man spent £35,000 inheritance in a year on heroin, a court was told yesterday. Peter Lake, 22, starting using the drug after his father's death to help him to cope with the grief, said Stephen Constantine, defending. But he rapidly became an
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Shoppers flee supermarket blast
TERRIFIED staff and shoppers fled from a County Durham supermarket after a freezer appeared to explode last night. The drama unfolded in the Tesco score at Delves Lane, Consett, at about 6.30pm, while the store was filled with about 200 shoppers. The
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Four years for dad who killed baby
A Father who admitted killing his 13-week-old daughter after he lost his temper was jailed for four years yesterday. Tyler Alice Polley suffered "catastrophic" brain injury when Gary Polley snapped while looking after the sick youngster. He shook the
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Farm turned into countryside centre
A NEW facility to teach people about the countryside was officially opened yesterday. MEP Dr Barbara O'Toole, helped by children from Ayresome and Rosewood Junior Schools, opened Lingfield Farm Countryside Centre, in Coulby Newham. Afterwards, adults
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Racing Week by Jo Scott
ROYAL by name at the Royal meeting, Mark Johnston sent out Royal Rebel to land the Group One Gold Cup on Thursday in battling style. Johnny Murtagh was on board the Yorkshire raider and had to work hard throughout the race on the quirky character to bypass
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Fire rescue heroes praised
A GROUP of young people may be recognised for bravery after rescuing a neighbour from a house fire. Brothers Mark, 18, and Dan Gill, 25, and a friend, David Northend, 18, broke in through the front door after being told a couple were trapped inside their
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South West Durham League
Tow Law maintained their unbeaten record but they were taken to the decider when they visited Crowtrees. The first match between John Hall of Crowtrees and Charlie Donaghy started slowly with neither player taking early opportunities. However Donaghy
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'Ascot of the North' makeover for miners' daughters
THE annual Pitmen's Derby at Newcastle is one of the most eagerly awaited events in the North's racing calendar. The Northumberland Plate, to give it its formal title, was first run on the Town Moor in 1833 as a relatively modest two-mile handicap. The
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Objections to building detached home
A parish council is leading objections over plans to build a detached home in the garden of a dormer bungalow, near Boroughbridge. Langthorpe Parish Council has tabled a four-point protest over an outline application for the new home at Sunny Haven, Skelton
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Off my trolley? Not with these mean machines
LIKE barbecue cooking and mowing the lawn, pushing the trolley around the supermarket has become the domain of millions of British men. So when the opportunity arose to test drive three new revolutionary trolleys at a local supermarket, it was odds on
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Wool board costs expected to rise
FOOT-and-mouth is hitting the British Wool Marketing Board and its producers hard. The board's 19 depots have effectively been closed for four months; with wool collections in infected areas suspended. A lack of information has made it difficult to plan
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Gothic celebration
A GROUP of goths will be celebrating their flamboyant style at a ghost and ghouls theme night in Guisborough. The event, which takes place on Friday, July 13, at Guisborough Priory, has been organised by Guisborough Town Pride. The fireworks concert will
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BNFL's £210m loss prompts criticism from the chairman
BRITISH Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) has reported an operating loss of £210m and said performance in some of its areas was "unacceptable". The Cumbria-based nuclear fuel operator said problems at its Wylfa Power Station in North Wales had contributed to a poor
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Consett & Stanley - New drugs centre plan sparks fear
HOUSEHOLDERS have voiced concerns at plans to open a drugs and alcohol centre on their residential street. The new centre, which will have a needle exchange, will cost about £55,000 and is due to open on the corner of Roseberry Terrace and Palmerston
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Have some sympathy for James's mum
DURING the James Bulger murder trial, I couldn't bear to read the full details of the court case because my son was the same age and it was too upsetting. Reading last week's reports about the release of his killers, I discovered, for the first time,
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Have some sympathy for James's mum
DURING the James Bulger murder trial, I couldn't bear to read the full details of the court case because my son was the same age and it was too upsetting. Reading last week's reports about the release of his killers, I discovered, for the first time,
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Fitness boom beefs up profits for health clubs
HEALTH club operator Fitness First, which plans to open a new club in Stockton creating 16 jobs, is benefiting from the fitness boom as first half profits sprinted ahead by 60 per cent. Membership across the Poole, Dorset, company's gyms rose to 365,000
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Babysitting club hailed a success
A club to help youngsters in east Cleveland improve their babysitting skills has been hailed as a great success. The five-week course focusing on all aspects of looking after a small baby was the brainchild of Sure Start health visitor Susan Harrison
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Funds to give safe passage to school
SCHOOLchildren in Hartlepool are being given a safer passage to school thanks to a £100,000 boost. Hartlepool Borough Council is providing the money to create three new Safer Routes to School (SRTS) to encourage more youngsters to travel by foot or bike
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Plenty of room on top
OLDER people in Stockton enjoyed a bird's eye view of the town this week - and for some, it would have been a real eye-opener. For new landmarks on the horizon were not around the last time some of the party took a trip around the area. The pensioners
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Letters: Where do I go now for treatment?
Sir, - What sadness I experienced this week on hearing of the decision to close so many departments at the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God, Scorton. For staff who will lose their jobs this is a disaster. For patients who will lose their treatment
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Wear Valley - Carnival fun comes to town
JAZZ bands and floats added to the carnival atmosphere on the streets of Willington at the weekend. But the procession was marred because by not being allowed along the main street, said organiser Christina Jackson. Mrs Jackson, a member of the Willington
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I'll be working next year
ISN'T Father's Day supposed to be the one day of the year when us poor, hard-done-by dads get to relax? To be frank, I'd hoped for one of those Father's Day presents that costs nothing, but when I tried getting romantic, the love of my life looked me
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Mill joins heritage at risk register
TOCKETT'S Mill, the 18th Century watermill at Guisborough, has joined a list of threatened historical buildings. The regional At Risk register, published annually by English Heritage, contains 136 entries of Grade I and II buildings - those of national
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Ormesby collapse
Bass North Cleveland League - Ormesby Hall crashed to 35 all out when they visited Greatham Paragonians in Division One. Peter Hughes claimed six wickets for just 21 runs in a devastating 11-overs spell and he was assisted in the Paragonians' attack by
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Following in the steps of Billy
A YOUNG boy, inspired by The Riverdance, has taught himself the steps to become an award-winning dancer like his hero Billy Elliot. Sean McNicholas was just four-years-old when his parents bought the video of The Riverdance stage show which was to became
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Following in the steps of Billy
A YOUNG boy, inspired by The Riverdance, has taught himself the steps to become an award-winning dancer like his hero Billy Elliot. Sean McNicholas was just four-years-old when his parents bought the video of The Riverdance stage show which was to became
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North Yorkshire - No action on travellers
COUNCIL chiefs are unlikely to step up security on land used by travellers who terrorised a community. Eight caravans arrived at the Leeming Bar industrial estate over the May Bank Holiday weekend and travellers caused thousands of pounds worth of damage
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Sit back and enjoy the biggest film flop of all time
It's official - Town And Country is the biggest film flop of all time. The picture cost £60m to make and earned just £4m in four weeks of release before the distributors decided to admit defeat, pulling it from US cinemas. All the more surprising, perhaps
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Thirsk hit by double roadworks nightmare
THIRSK was plunged into traffic chaos this week as double roadworks ground motorists to a halt. Rush hour traffic was gridlocked on four main roads due to two sets of temporary lights. Three-way traffic lights at Town End roundabout caused cars to back
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Girls have a ball and raise £700 for charity
TWO Egglescliffe school friends organised a midsummer ball at a hotel, which raised £700 for a new bowel cancer charity. Guests from the media attended the event at the Parkmore hotel, Eaglescliffe, and helped raised money for Against Bowel Cancer. Laura
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Dedication pays off for young athletes
A TEAM of young athletes from Guisborough are preparing to compete in the finals of a national schools competition tomorrow. The junior boys team from Laurence Jackson school will be up against 11 other regional winners after qualifying for the finals
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Call to clean up eyesore offices
CALLS have been made to clean up a derelict office block that has become the focus of repeated attacks by vandals. Faverdale House, on the edge of Darlington's Faverdale Industrial Estate, has been empty for a number of years. The West Auckland Road site
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Call to clean up eyesore offices
CALLS have been made to clean up a derelict office block that has become the focus of repeated attacks by vandals. Faverdale House, on the edge of Darlington's Faverdale Industrial Estate, has been empty for a number of years. The West Auckland Road site
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Community group has designs on a new image
YOUNG people are to give their community group a new image in a bid to win back members. Members of the Shildon Junior Neighbourhood Watch Group embark on dozens of ventures every month, whether it is raising money for a family disco, making trips to
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Inaugural school title up for grabs
The final of the Durham County Primary Schools Table Tennis Festival takes place tomorrow afternoon at the Dolphin Centre, Darlington where eight schools from across the region will be attempting to become the first annual winners of The Sportsmatch Trophy
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Relief as 200 jobs salvaged at threatened works
A £20M deal to keep the Plaxton coach works in Scarborough open, has been rubber stamped. The deal will keep 200 of the site's 700 employees in work, but the remaining 500 will be made redundant in August, when the plant closes for its summer shutdown
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Leading conductor takes up baton at Raby
THE musical wizardry of the new conductor and artistic director of the Performing Arts symphony orchestra, Roderick Dunk, can be seen and heard at Raby Castle this summer. He will be at the held during the Last Night of the Raby Proms concert on Sunday
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Perfect site for a nest
WORKERS at the noisy Hobson Smith construction site in Saltburn couldn't understand why a bird was following their dumper truck until they discovered a tiny nest with half a dozen eggs wedged near the foot controls. The truck, on loan from Pickering Plant
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Sessay have Lord's in their sights
A VILLAGE cricket club is on the road to Lords after clinching a place in the finals of a national competition. Sessay Cricket Club are through to the last 32 in the National Village Knockout, run by Cricketer magazine. So far in the competition they
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Plans spark village anger
HISTORY looks set to repeat itself over a controversial plan to introduce a nightclub into an East Cleveland village. Kenneth Morley from The Lodge, in Liverton Mines, applied to Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council for a public entertainment licence
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Holidaymakers stranded
THOUSANDS of North-East holidaymakers are being caught up in a strike by coach drivers in the Balearic Islands. Nationally, some 300,000 tourists were expected to be hit by travel chaos this weekend as the strike triggered queues of up to three hours
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Move will help boost workforce for Yule
ARCHITECTURAL aluminium fabricator, AC Yule, is set to double its workforce with a move to new premises. The Scottish firm, which established a division in the region at the Pallion Industrial Estate in Sunderland, is moving into a purpose-built 15,000sq
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Shelly takes cup
Cleveland League Harrison Memorial Trophy - The final of the individual competition took place between Andrew Shelley (Carlin How) and Dave Beckett (Redcar WMC) at Saltburn's Lune Street Social Club. The first frame saw Shelley benefiting from his opponent's
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Letters: Leyburn deserves better than this
Sir, - A public meeting was held in Leyburn some years ago regarding Thornborough Hall. The Richmondshire district councillors who attended were told in no uncertain terms by the Leyburn electorate that they did not want the hall to be sold off, but would
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Hospital deaths probe 26 years on
DOCUMENTS surrounding the deaths of four patients at a North-East psychiatric unit are being re-examined by police after 26 years. The patients at Darlington Memorial Hospital died within 27 days of each other in the summer of 1975, leading to the Northern
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Onyx provides online gateway
ONYX Internet is offering permanent Internet access to Tyneside businesses via telecoms giant Telewest Communications. Under the deal, the Middlesbrough Internet pro-vider will use Telewest data circuits in Newcastle, cutting the cost of permanent connections
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Young cyclists to get on their bike
Young cyclists from across the North-East have qualified through a series of local competitions to take part in the regional final of Raleigh Challenge 2001 the national competition Organised by the British Cycling Federation, the event takes place at
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Black cats in double signing
NEWS of every kick during Sunderland AFC matches can be heard via the local radio airwaves over the next two seasons. Sunderland announced yesterday it has renewed coverage rights with both the most-listened to North-East independent station, Metro Radio
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Beijing bid hits heights
CHINA will apparently leave no mountain unscaled in their efforts to bring the 2008 Olympics to Beijing. Given their human rights record they shouldn't even be on the starting blocks, but they are starting to realise their mistakes. They have hatched
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Beijing bid hits heights
CHINA will apparently leave no mountain unscaled in their efforts to bring the 2008 Olympics to Beijing. Given their human rights record they shouldn't even be on the starting blocks, but they are starting to realise their mistakes. They have hatched
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Leehome enjoy away day victory
Durham and District League - Leeholme travelled to King George V and whitewashed their hosts to move ten points clear at the top of the table in the match where they won by 101 shots to 53. Rink scores (King George V names first): C. Ford 10 W. Teesdale
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Gill's going for gold in Australia
A SPORTY County Durham teacher is flying Down Under hoping to repeat one of Britain's golden moments from last year's Olympics. Among the Great Britain medal haul at the Sydney games was Denise Lewis's gold in the heptathlon, the seven event all-round
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Sledgers set for slide
Ushaw Moor v Whitburn, Captain Ramsden Cup, proved the column's first cricket match of the sun-blessed season. Whoever Captain Ramsden was ("a Sedgefield cup," they say) it's unlikely that he swore like a trooper. These days it's like God bless you, sledging
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Charity darts marathon aims for world record
THREE men are hoping to set a world record this weekend in a 40-hour charity darts marathon. Tony Mitchell, Glenn Moody and Andy Cree, all of whom play for Marske Workingmen's Club in the Cleveland Superleague, hit upon the idea of doing something for
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Boys rescued from pier
THREE boys were rescued by a lifeboat after they were discovered hanging on to the legs of a seaside pier. The drama began just after 7.30pm last night, when the Redcar relief Atlantic lifeboat was launched when it received a report that a small boat
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Boys rescued from pier
THREE boys were rescued by a lifeboat after they were discovered hanging on to the legs of a seaside pier. The drama began just after 7.30pm last night, when the Redcar relief Atlantic lifeboat was launched when it received a report that a small boat
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Jail did not halt rake's progress
SOME very nice parts of London have unsavoury connections, I was reminded when reading a piece about historic puttings-to-death, pegged to the Timothy McVeigh execution. Marble Arch, for instance, stands grandly near where, in 1783, the last of nearly
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Dryden to make freedom bid
KILLER Albert Dryden is to go before a parole board review this month and could be released within the next three years. Supporters of Dryden, who has served ten years for shooting dead chief planning officer Harry Collinson in 1991, say the review follows
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'Phone callers can boost charity'
A FORMER bricklayer has decided to down tools in order to build a better future for charities. Rhett St James, from Darlington, has launched a communications company which he says will give customers the chance to help their favourite charities, while
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Join league offer
FOOTBALL teams are being invited to join an East Cleveland league. The Wilton four-a-side football league starts on Monday, September 3 and organisers are inviting teams to join. The games are played on Monday or Tuesday evenings at the Mannion Park Sporting
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Why punishment doesn't fit the crime
THE glamour and glitz of Cracker is a world away from the real job facing today's forensic psychologists. Television glosses over a difficult and demanding job and paints a glamorous picture of knife-edge drama and sensational murder. The reality, says
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Time to be Prepared
THERE is a certain inevitability about it, isn't there - you're just setting off on hols, having a day out at the seaside, a picnic in the park, an outing on a Greek island where no one speaks English and the chemist is closed because it's a Saint's Day
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Staff face abuse as park holds the moorland line
NATIONAL park staff are facing more and more aggression from the public as tension mounts over the foot-and-mouth crisis. Angry people are bombarding North York Moors national park staff with questions about when paths and routes are to be re-opened.
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Army band serenades a Victorian girl
HILDA Tinsley was only expected to live for an hour after her birth. Thankfully, she proved the medical profession wrong and yesterday celebrated her 105th birthday being serenaded by the King's Division Waterloo Band in her home at Hurworth. Telegrams
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£60,000 benefits fraud man locked up
FRAUDSTER Peter Bakewell conned his way to £60,000 in disability benefits while moving animal carcasses in his butcher's shop. Bakewell told the benefits agency he needed constant care for a back problem, but was spotted carrying carcasses and cutting
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The 70-hour farm week for less than £5 an hour
FARMERS are putting in an average working week of some 70 hours for as little as £4.70 an hour. This finding is the result of a new study from chartered accountants Deloitte and Touche and the Royal Agricultural Society of England. Cost of your Time -
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Red Rose glory for Green Barrow stud
A COUNTY Durham stud, thwarted by the lack of shows in its home area, brought back trophies from West Yorkshire at the weekend. Mrs Christine Duke and her husband Chris of the Green Barrow Pony Stud at Staindrop travelled to the Red Rose county show at
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Atlantic Viking ready to take home Gosforth Park honour
MAKE sure Atlantic Viking (7.00) is on your short list for this evening's £30,000 Northern Rock Gosforth Park Cup at Newcastle. Getting the maximum amount of oxygen into the lungs is a vital prerequisite of a being successful racehorse, and it seems Atlantic
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Stadium's steel structure is three-quarters complete
FOURTEEN months before the first league match is scheduled to kick off at Darlington FC chairman George Reynolds' dream stadium, the ground already has the feel of a first class venue. By mid-September, much of the structure will be in place and work
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Bridge blinks its magic for the boats
See the pictures here. THE cheer went up as the bridge finally blinked, allowing two cruisers crammed with schoolchildren to glide underneath. Yesterday was the first time the £22m Gateshead Millennium Bridge swung into action to allow ships to pass.
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Woman on the go - who leaves the rest of us standing
DONNA James set herself two conditions before making a decision about going to university. One was it had to be a long way from her home in Kent - the other that it had to be fun. She finally settled on Leeds, and signed up for a BA honours degree in
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Darlington - Potholes blight private estate
HOUSE builders have been accused of 'simply shocking' after-care service after residents and councillors claimed a quarter of an estate's roads had been left unfinished. People started moving into Whinfield Park estate in Darlington five years ago. They
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Victim's video attack on bullies
A VICTIM of bullying has drawn on his experiences to produce a video he hopes will hit back at the bullies. Barry Bingham, who was picked on while a pupil in Darlington, has launched a campaign to stamp out bullying in schools by producing a video inspired
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Unexpected fortune favours Wildcats
Junior round-up - Billingham Wildcats have been promoted to the women's premier league for next season which gets under way in September. Winners of Division One North, Wildcats were to have been involved in a three-way play-off league alongside Romford
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This infernal age of the committee
SURELY a sign of the times. At Middleton in Teesdale the search is on for people to take over the organising of the town's Christmas lights display following the retirement of Audrey Docherty. Audrey has been a stalwart for many years, arranging fundraising
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Junior Football News
Seaham Boys Under-12s Football team have been celebrating the end of an enviable season in which they won all 20 of their league fixtures and, ultimately, Division Three of Russell Foster League. They were presented with their well-deserved trophy at
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Art brought to life for youngsters
CHILDREN at St Mary's School, Whitehead Street, South Shields, have been taking part in a visual arts project at the town's Customs House art venue, under the guidance of professional artists Melanie Todd and Janie Banks. The children were asked to design
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Golf News
Harrogate and District Union - Keighley Golf Club hosted this away match for Harrogate team against one of the strongest Union teams. The morning foursomes were very closely fought, but the Bradford team secured a comfortable win. Although four matches
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Right approach to market town traffic
IT WAS all so very familiar. Two magpies were harassing some swallows whose nest was deep inside a farm building while in the distance a cuckoo was calling and a pair of pheasants were shouting from the depths of a field of barley. Dragonflies zoomed
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Giving NASA a hand with space robots
THE sky is definitely the limit for a Darlington firm which will supply a revolutionary new material to US space organisation NASA. Peratech, of Morton Park, signed a contract to provide NASA with a special touch-sensitive coating for human-like robotic
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Old machinery could help fight to save farm
NEARLY 200 people packed into a Guisborough school this week in a massive show of support for a farmer threatened by development. A new weapon has been unveiled in the battle to save Home Farm from a bid to develop houses at the site. The Home Farm action
