Archive
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Town poised to cement French ties
A DALES town has been swept with French fever as it strengthens links with its continental counterpart. Wolsingham has found a soulmate in the French town of Poix de Picardie, as preparations are made for visits between the two towns. Bastille Day celebrations
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Woman admits club glass attack
A MOTHER-of-two has admitted using a glass when she attacked a fellow nightclubber during a night out. Angela Mulchay, 29, yesterday pleaded guilty to unlawfully wounding Sharon Bell in a fight at Crocadilo's Nightclub, in Chester-le-Street. Newcastle
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Refuge for men who face violence at home
WHAT is believed to be Britain's first drop-in centre for male victims of domestic violence has been set up in the North-East. Although wife-beating has long been taken seriously as a problem affecting thousands of women, the issue of violence in the
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Leniency for teenage late night intruder
A TEENAGER sought retribution with the man he blamed for losing his job, a court heard. Neighbours rang police when they saw 17-year-old Dean Weepers breaking a front window to gain access to a house in The Grove, Consett, County Durham, late on a Saturday
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Information scheme proves a success
A POPULAR scheme to help tourists make the most of their trip to an historic city is celebrating its tenth anniversary. York's Visitor Information Patrol (VIP) is nearing the end of another nine-week stint, which has run from July 2 to September 2. York
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Drivers pay the toll for using the tunnel
DRIVERS are facing higher tolls to use the Tyne Tunnel. The tolls, effective from Tuesday, will be £1 for cars, up from 80p, and £1.20 for lorries, previously £1. The motorcycle toll remains at 20p. The increases follow an inquiry into toll prices in
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Economy grows at anticipated rate
THE economy grew by an as-expected 0.3 per cent in the last quarter, official figures have shown. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed GDP in the second quarter of 2001 grew 0.3 per cent, a drop from the 0.5 per cent recorded in the
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Nissan to make savings from new oil delivery system
CAR-MAKER Nissan has become the first vehicle manufacturer in the UK to fully implement a new high-tech system aimed at improving deliveries of oil to its giant Sunderland plant. Under the system, Texaco remotely monitors the oil levels in Nissan's bulk
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Sexy North and glamorous South
PEOPLE in the North-East are perceived as the most promiscuous in the country, a survey of young adults showed yesterday. Those in the North-East were thought to be most sexually promiscuous, according to 28 per cent of those questioned. Newcastle, famed
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How one small potato saved a dog's life
PENNY the black labrador is absolutely "chipper" after a potato treat saved her life. The pet was given a new potato by her owners, Nicholas and Sue Middleton, after the family had finished Sunday lunch at their County Durham home. But after swallowing
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£3.3m bid to support children
A £3.3m National Lottery grant will be used to boost the confidence of thousands of youngsters across the region. The cash, announced today, has come from the New Opportunities Fund and includes a grant of £500,000 to help almost 12,000 pupils in County
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Infection led to patient's death
A PENSIONER died after she caught the treatment-resistant bug MRSA following an operation, an inquest was told yesterday. Vera Day, 76, from Middlesbrough, died from broncho pneumonia in South Cleveland General Hospital after she caught the infection,
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Can we find the will to win?
WHEN the England football team meets their old adversary Germany next month they must do so with one clear aim - to win. To the modest British, it's an all-too-alien concept because to have any confidence in this country is considered over-confidence.
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Boys will be boys
SQUADRON Leader Henry Cochrane Smith, initially known at Bishop Auckland Grammar School as Hot and Cold and remembered more for his ability at marbles than for the two humble O levels with which he left at 16, was the man in charge of Sidewinder missiles
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Hunt for killer as Leanne's body identified
A MURDER inquiry is under way after police confirmed that a body found in isolated woodland was that of missing teenager Leanne Tiernan. Detectives said Leanne, 16, of Bramley, Leeds, who has been missing since November last year, had been strangled.
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Debate up for war of words
NUCLEAR DEBATE is fancied to get the better of the argument with the hot-favourite Mozart in the Group 1 Victor Chandler Nunthorpe Stakes at York today. Most of the leading layers have Mozart calling the tune at ludicrously short odds of around 4-11,
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Fun day for the elderly
PREPARATIONS are well under way for a celebration of older people in a County Durham market town. Fifteen pensioner groups and professional artists are putting the finishing touches to costumes, float decoration and dance steps for a parade through the
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Jury sent home in robbery trial
THE jury in the trial of two men accused of robbing a man who had just collected his benefit money was discharged yesterday. Judge Peter Fox QC discharged the jury at Teesside Crown Court after a doctor told the court one of the defendants was too unwell
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Chin Up Appeal boosts hospice funds
THE dream of an independent children's hospice for the North-East has moved a step closer to reality, thanks to staff and clients at the Stanley Day Centre. More than £600 was raised for the Chin Up Appeal by people at the centre in events such as a barbecue
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Landmark ale goes into production
GEORDIES will be able to raise a glass to region's latest landmark with an ale which was brewed for the first time yesterday. Fermentation of the ale made to celebrate the £22m Millennium Bridge began at the Mordue Brewery in North Shields. The beer will
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Police sniffer dogs praised
SLEUTHS with a nose for the job have won praise after collaring record hauls of drugs. Since the beginning of the year, Cleveland Police's eight drugs dogs - which include Jack, above, with his handler, PC Andy Hunter - have carried out 270 searches and
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Top marks for students of citizenship
STUDENTS have received top results in a new qualification designed to promote citizenship. Bishop Auckland College introduced an AS qualification in Social Science, Citizenship last year, which teaches students about the role of the public in voluntary
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Ticket excuse compared to "insider dealing"
THE case of a crime boss who escaped a ticket after claiming he "couldn't remember" whether he was driving has been described as the police equivalent of insider dealing. Lord McKenzie, former head of the Police Superintendents' Association, said the
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New job for council chief executive
THE chief executive of a North-East council has resigned. Kevin Lavery is to leave Newcastle City Council to take up a post with a York company. At 37 years old, Mr Lavery was the youngest chief executive of a local authority in the country when he joined
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Parents abandon claim
THE family of a severely disabled youngster have had to abandon a nine-year legal fight for compensation. Ken and Eveline Waring, had battled to sue the doctor's surgery, which they claimed failed to spot their daughter's symptoms soon enough. They have
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Sports group for disabled on move
AN organisation that provides sports and leisure activities for disabled County Durham youngsters is on the move. Durham Area Disability Leisure Group is moving from Sacriston Community Centre to the Riverside South development at Chester-le-Street, which
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Fire claims life as two jump clear
A father died in his blazing home as his girlfriend leapt to safety from a bedroom window clutching their two-year-old daughter in her arms. Richie Gorman, 27, was found slumped on the floor of the wrecked house by the time firefighters managed to reach
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Saltburn lifeguard saves Kosovan refugee
A LIFEGUARD has been praised for his "textbook" actions in saving a refugee from drowning. Ben Campion, 22, rushed to the aid of the Kosovan refugee after he got into difficulties off the coast of Saltburn, at around 2pm today. He plunged into the water
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Villages get cash for spy cameras
TWO village communities are celebrating a breakthrough in a lengthy battle against vandals after plans to install closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) were approved. The Home Office has awarded a grant of more than £250,000 to help the parishes of
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Ellis in training for the big one
A MOUNTAINEER from the North-East is aiming to become the youngest man to climb the sixth-highest mountain in the world. As well as the 8,201-metre high Cho Oyu, Ellis Stewart, 28, has another ambition - to reach the summit of Everest. Many climbers tackle
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Ghostly gardener keeps baskets in trim
A FRIENDLY spirit is lending a pub landlord a hand to create the spectacular hanging baskets outside his premises. Frank O'Neill, landlord of the Forester's Arms, in Coatham Mundeville, near Darlington, has been tending hanging baskets at the pub since
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French connection for mobile phone workers
THOUSANDS of North-East call centre workers are being sent back to school to learn French. Employees of the French-owned mobile phone firm Orange are going back to the classroom to help them deal with customers across the Channel. All 1,500 staff in the
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Festival offers theatre on the streets
THEATRE is coming to the people this weekend when actors and performers take to the streets of Darlington. As part of the Orange Darlington Festival, various street theatre acts are coming to the town. To get people in the mood for the festival, which
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MP hails life of painter who captured industry
AN MP has paid tribute to one of Teesside's best loved amateur artists, who has died. Self-taught painter in watercolours, Denis Alexander Smith, has died at the age of 73, following a long illness. His working life in the factories, workshops - and a
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A Gray outlook for Martin
Former Darlington captain Martin Gray is facing an uncertain future after struggling to overcome a nagging back injury. The Stockton-born midfielder hasn't pulled on a Quakers shirt since the 3-0 defeat at home to Chesterfield in January. Gray, a former
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Breaking down the barriers
WHILE everyone was still enjoying the last heady days of the summer holidays, one teenager was already in school. The visually-impaired youngster was beginning the process of familiarising herself with every nook and cranny of the alien building, tentatively
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Durham's Daley stars with a final flourish
END OF SEASON flourishes have become an unfortunate habit of Jimmy Daley's. A casual glance at the record books would suggest that when contract time comes around he's good at saving his skin. His first 50 of the season in his 12th championship innings
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Margaret scoops flower awards for pub
LANDLADY Margaret Rose Mackenzie was celebrating after scoring a colourful hat-trick in her town's floral competition. She has been the licensee of the Angel Inn, in Easingwold's market square, for only a year - but the pub won three awards in the contest
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Youngsters join ponds clean-up
LOCAL people and British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) members are carrying out a clean-up operation at a wildlife area in Darlington. Work on the Firthmoor grasslands, next to the Firthmoor estate, is part of a long-term project to raise awareness
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Concern growing as third cat shot dead
POLICE are urging parents to hand over their children's air rifles after a third cat was shot dead in two months. Julie Hughes, from Trimdon Village, County Durham, found her cat, Pepper, dying under a hedge. It had been shot at point blank range in a
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Former soccer star to give charity talk
FORMER soccer star Frank McAvennie will give a talk about his colourful life to raise money for charity. The former Celtic and West Ham star of the 1980s, who now lives on Tyneside, will give a "no-holds barred account'' of his career at Sunderland restaurant
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Plea for public support at revamp community centre
NEW life is being breathed into a community centre which is rising from the ashes of a suspected arson attack earlier this year. The local community is being urged to get behind the venture and make use of the refurbished centre, on Durham's Newton Hall
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Better deal for diabetics planned
DIABETICS in County Durham are to get a better service in hospital thanks to a new plan drawn up by health officials. The scheme for South Durham Health Care NHS Trust aims to ensure that provision for diabetic patients is the same standard throughout
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Gladiators prepare for battle with Maximus
TWO teenagers are preparing to go into battle with some of the country's most fearsome robots. While most school pupils are out enjoying the remaining days of their summer holidays, Karl Warren, 13, Andrew Newby, 14 and school technician Andy Bannerman
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Plea for public support at revamp community centre
NEW life is being breathed into a community centre which is rising from the ashes of a suspected arson attack earlier this year. The local community is being urged to get behind the venture and make use of the refurbished centre, on Durham's Newton Hall
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Boys will be boys
SQUADRON Leader Henry Cochrane Smith, initially known at Bishop Auckland Grammar School as Hot and Cold and remembered more for his ability at marbles than for the two humble O levels with which he left at 16, was the man in charge of Sidewinder missiles
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Clearing up dales confusion
NATIONAL Park bosses are attempting to clear up any remaining confusion about access to the Yorkshire Dales during the foot-and-mouth crisis. They have produced a new leaflet with a map to show where the public can use the reopened footpaths and bridleways
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Durham's Daley stars with a final flourish
END OF SEASON flourishes have become an unfortunate habit of Jimmy Daley's. A casual glance at the record books would suggest that when contract time comes around he's good at saving his skin. His first 50 of the season in his 12th championship innings
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£2,000 council grants payout
GROUPS throughout the Darlington area are to receive a total of more than £2,000 in grant aid from the borough council. The organisations all applied for financial assistance from Darlington Borough Council to help with the running of their groups. The
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Members sought for council allowances panel
TEESDALE District Council is seeking three people to form an independent remuneration panel to consider councillors' allowances. The panel is part of an increased level of public scrutiny required by the Local Government Act 2000. The panel will make
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Tanks order boost for domnick
FILTRATION firm domnick hunter is celebrating winning its first order for its Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC) protection systems. The Birtley, County Durham-based business, has signed a £3.6m deal with Tyneside tank builder Vickers to equip a range
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Bank plans to cut 500 jobs
FORMER building society Bradford & Bingley (B&B) is to cut staff numbers by about 500 as it strives to reduce costs. But North-East workers are expected to escape the axe as the cuts are aimed at operational centres, rather than branches, of which
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Beaver Furniture takes trip back in time
BEAVER Furniture has brought the past back to life with the discovery of a unique piece of furniture originally handcrafted by the company 40 years ago. David Glegg, owner of the family-run company, based in Sutton-Under-Whitestonecliff, near Thirsk,
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Residents snub humps
PLANS to install road humps to slow down speeding cars have been abandoned because people do not want them. Sunderland City Council proposed putting more than 100 of the traffic-calming devices on roads in the Millfield area of the city. However, the
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Fortune teller to gala rescue
ORGANISERS of a North Yorkshire gala are banking on fine weather for Sunday's event - it has been forecast by their newly-appointed fortune teller. Officials of Masham Gala, near Ripon, had to put out an SOS for a fortune teller in an effort to maintain
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Burger trip youth died crossing motorway
A STUDENT died instantly when he was struck by a car as he crossed a motorway on a late-night trip to buy burgers for his friends, an inquest heard. Andrew Emmerson was hit several times by cars travelling along the busy A1(M) close to a pedestrian footbridge
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Airport ground staff to consider revised pay offer
THERE was fresh hope that a strike which could disrupt thousands of holidays might be averted last night. Newcastle Airport ground staff bosses came up with a revised pay offer after lengthy negotiations with the Transport and General Workers' Union (
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Hear All Sides
Letters from The Northern Echo PROSTITUTION YET another city (this time Edinburgh) has introduced an official tolerance zone for prostitutes, which means that they will be kept away from residential areas. They will be safer as police will check on the
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Sorensen's slip-up proves costly affair
A DREADFUL mistake by Sunderland goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen gifted Fulham their opening Premiership victory in their first game back in the top flight at Craven Cottage for 33 years. The game looked to be heading for a goalless stalemate when the Danish
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Planning survey praises council
PLANNING officials in Teesdale hope the results of a survey will silence some critics. The survey, carried out among planning applicants in the dale, has revealed that the vast majority are pleased with the service provided by their local authority. The
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Backing given to mining proposal
PLANS by the country's biggest coal producer to mine a 104-hectare site in County Durham have received backing from local councillors. Members of Teesdale District Council's development control committee have approved a revised application by RJB Mining
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Fun fair to perk up soldiers after crisis
SOLDIERS involved in the foot-and-mouth cull are to get their own fun fair to boost morale. Part of Catterick Garrison is to be turned into a theme park by a travelling fair group. The owners of the fair hope it will give both the soldiers and the travellers
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Team set on the straight and narrow
GENTLE giants of the horse world were put through their paces yesterday in the run-up to an annual ploughing match. Heavy horses from across the country will take part in the ploughing match at Beamish Museum, County Durham, this Saturday. And the museum's
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Wraps stripped off next season's undies
LESS IS more as far as lingerie goes next season. Bikinis and diminutive drawers adorned the circular catwalk at the bi-annual Harrogate Lingerie and Swimwear Exhibition, North Yorkshire, promising a racier line of underwear designs for spring and summer
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Summer of fun goes marching on for play scheme youngsters
ABOUT 1,000 youngsters took to the streets yesterday - to celebrate the success of summer play schemes in Middlesbrough. Children who have attended 25 play schemes, paraded through the town centre in a mini mardi gras costume procession on the theme of
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Children battle for child care honours
MORE than 130 children took part in a mini-olympics at a fun day organised by six child care groups yesterday. The event, for four to 14-year-olds at Carmel RC Technology College in Darlington, involved a variety of activities in which youngsters competed
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Pair remanded over card plot
A STOLEN credit card was used to fund a spending spree by a group of young people, a court heard. Goods worth £1,981, all selected for their easy re-sale value, were bought with the card at Gateshead's MetroCentre and Team Valley, and at Chester-le-Street
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Record GCSE results for region's students
THE anxious wait for thousands of students was over yesterday as celebrations were underway for the record number of GCSE passes. Many schools across the region reported vast improvements on the previous year's pass rates and spoke of dozens students
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Parents advised to book for schools
PARENTS of young children in the Darlington borough are being urged to book a place for their under-fives at the school of their choice. Parents need to contact their preferred primary school before December 7 to register children whose date of birth
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Dancer puts best foot forward
A YOUNG dancer is hoping to put her best foot forward at a talent competition this weekend. Eleven-year-old Lauren Rafferty has signed up to take part in the Orange Darlington Festival with other youngsters from the Born to Dance troop. Two talent competitions
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Triple jump hero Edwards provides lift off for sporting challenge
IN a graphic illustration of just why Jonathan Edwards is the world's number one triple jumper, the gold medallist leapt the distance of three cars yesterday. The Newcastle-based triple jump champion launched this year's Rover Dream Team Challenge on
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Comment from The Northern Echo - By a common cause divided
THE course taken by the Conservative leadership contest illustrates why the party is in such poor electoral health. With Labour in such a dominant parliamentary position, for democracy's sake the country needs a forward-looking opposition capable of mounting
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Tireless fan Terry's daily pilgrimage
IT has taken less than a year for football fanatic Terry Soley to wear out six sets of tyres on his wheelchair. The 42-year-old has burnt so much rubber through his tireless devotion to Darlington Football Club. For months, Terry has made a daily pilgrimage
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Kidney girl's Cinderella dream realised
IT HAS not been much of a fairytale start in life for brave Tayla-Jane Cookson. Diagnosed with a kidney tumour at the age of two, she has endured a major operation and months of chemo-therapy without complaint. But the five-year-old was able to forget
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Rivals unite for worthy cause in pre-derby match game
THERE'S even more at stake than usual for supporters of Newcastle and Sunderland at a County Durham store this week. Not only will Monday morning's mood be dictated by the derby result between the great rivals on Sunday, but a day earlier, 22 staff will
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Museum's 'diamonds' draws crowds
GLITTERING artwork created from lead miners' 'diamonds' has drawn crowds to a remote museum. An exhibition of crystal grottos created by Weardale lead miners a century ago has proved a hit at Killhope, the North of England Lead Mining Museum, in Weardale
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Tristram steers into the world championships
A LIFE of glamour in the world of Formula One racing could be beckoning for a master of the humble kart. Professional karter Tristram Oman has qualified for the World Karting Championships next year which could be a ticket to Formula One. The 20-year-old
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Two PCs quit over police van sex romp
TWO policemen have been forced to quit following a force inquiry into a sex romp with a sixth-form schoolgirl in the back of their police van while they were on duty. Durham Police confirmed last night that two Barnard Castle police constables had been
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Boss Reid defends his keeper
DISAPPOINTED Sunderland manager Peter Reid admitted last night that it was a crucial mistake by goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen which cost his side the game at Fulham - but added quickly: "I would not swap him for anyone." Reid thought that the Wearsiders
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Safeway selling tactics protest
SHOPPERS and stallholders have accused supermarket giant Safeway of threatening the future of smaller retailers. People who live and shop in the Cockerton area of Darlington are worried that their local Safeway store is attempting to monopolize trade
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Can we find the will to win?
WHEN the England football team meets their old adversary Germany next month they must do so with one clear aim - to win. To the modest British, it's an all-too-alien concept because to have any confidence in this country is considered over-confidence.
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Burial site beck pollution scare
WATER quality tests on samples from a stream near a foot-and-mouth mass burial site have revealed high levels of pollution. Four samples taken earlier this month from Hedleyhope Beck, which runs below the site at Tow Law, County Durham, were passed to
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Group to help gay men from former pit village
IMAGINE growing up in a tough ex-pit village with no money, no prospects and low self-esteem born out of fortnightly dole queues - not the kind of environment designed to encourage hope. Now imagine that you are gay. Statistics suggest there are likely
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Key solution to vandalism
A SCHEME has been launched to provide people with keys to disabled lavatories, to prevent them being vandalised. Wear Valley Disability Access Forum is selling Radar keys from its headquarters at the Crook Business Centre, which allows people to unlock
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Boys start to close exam gap with girls
RECORD GCSE results today will show that boys are finally beginning to close the gap on girls. Thousands of youngsters across the region will learn the results of their exams after two years hard work. And it is hoped the results will mark an end to the
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Swan Hunter lines up 500-job contract
THE River Tyne could be in line for a major jobs boost, if Swan Hunter wins a new order for a North Sea oil platform. The Wallsend shipyard is understood to be close to completing a deal with US oil company Kerr McGee to build a 500-tonne floating oil
