Archive
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£1.2m a year extra needed for ambulance service
AMBULANCE chiefs have been accused of concealing the true costs of a merger after a report highlighted the need to spend £1.2m a year to bring the service up to standard. The Durham and Northumbria ambulance services merged into the North-East Ambulance
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Worker in clear over death of student
A THEME park worker arrested over the death of a student in a rollercoaster accident will not face any criminal charges, police confirmed yesterday. The man was arrested just days after 20-year-old Gemma Savage was involved in an incident on the Treetop
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Army back as virus spreads
The Army was last night called back in to help fight the spread of the latest outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease as a Government minister said he feared there could be more devastation for North-East farmers. From daybreak today, ten teams of soldiers
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Booze and pizzas in bumper session
GIN, beer and pizza will be among the items on investors' minds next week, in a bumper session for corporate results, which will include updates from the likes of Diageo, Pizza Express and JD Wetherspoon. Pizza Express is expected to deliver a tasty 25
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'Take care' plea follows cliffs rescue
FOUR adults who became trapped by a rising tide were rescued yesterday. The incident happened at Huntcliff, at Saltburn, on the east Cleveland coast, when the Redcar lifeboat was alerted by Tyne Tees Coastguard. The boat was unable to get to the stranded
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Rider hurt in woodland fall
CLEVELAND Search and Rescue was called to the aid of a rider who had fallen off her horse. The incident happened on Thursday afternoon, in Errington Woods, at Marske, east Cleveland. The woman rider, from Redcar, was thrown backwards when her horse reared
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Free day for Pool
AFTER two defeats in a row Chris Turner would rather have had his Hartlepool United players in action today. Darlington and Leyton Orient both recorded wins over Pool last weekend, but instead of enjoying time off Turner would rather be leading his troops
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Europe gets off lightly as Hitachi axes 14,700 jobs
THE high-tech slowdown has claimed another victim as Japanese electronics giant Hitachi announced plans to cut 14,700 jobs. Nearly all of the losses, 14,650, will be in Asia and the company has not disclosed where the remaining cuts will be. But a spokeswoman
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Hotels group profits dip as US slowdown hits home
HOTELS group Millennium and Copthorne said the US slowdown and foot-and-mouth had hit home, after revealing a dip in half-year profits. The group, based in Horley, Surrey, owns hotels in Europe, Asia and the US, including a 50 per cent stake in The Plaza
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Grandparents due reduction
Q Our joint weekly income from state and occupational pensions works out at £170.35. Our grandson of 21 lives with us but he is on Jobseeker's Allowance. Could we have a reduction of our council tax of £676.60 a year? AIf your grandson gets income based
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Festival aiming to lift spirit of dale
A FESTIVAL is aiming to lift the depression in a community badly affected by the foot-and-mouth epidemic. Today marks the tenth anniversary of the Friends of Killhope's annual Grand Mineralogical Exhibition, which is usually held at the lead mining centre
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Bard staff's labours
THE Royal Shakespeare Company hopes to avert a strike that could hit productions in the North-East. Backstage technicians have voted to take action in protest at job losses that could result from a "restructuring" of the famous company. Any action could
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Farmer in foot-and-mouth clean-up advice dispute
A farmer is at the centre of a row following what he says is a second dose of conflicting advice about how he can keep foot-and-mouth disease at bay. Recently, Peter Hutchinson was told by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
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Fisherman nets costs of £200
A MAN was given 200 hours of community service and ordered to pay costs of £200 for fishing without a licence. Gavin Cook, of Hylton Castle, Sunderland, pleaded guilty to fishing with a net in the River Wear, contrary to the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries
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Guisborough hoping to step up title claims
Guisborough will take another step on the long road towards the championship if they defeat Marske at Fountains Garth this afternoon. Monday's defeat of third-placed Middlesbrough and Blackhall's inability to see off the challenge of Marske has let Guisborough
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Perchancer looks good
MAKE sure you put Perchancer (3.50) on your hit list for this afternoon's Betabet-sponsored nine furlong City of Ripon Handicap. Some professionals feel Patrick Haslam's five-year-old is not totally in love with the game, but I'm of the opinion that provided
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Comment from The Northern Echo - Sporting aspirations
THE nation will be glued to its TV sets tonight, hoping against hope that England will beat Germany, ahead of booking a place in next year's World Cup Finals. England face a daunting task in Munich, trying to beat a German side which has had the better
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Mowden welcome back Mitchell at Tynedale
DARLINGTON Mowden Park player-coach Dave Mitchell makes his comeback at Tynedale today after missing last season following treatment for cancer. It was against Tynedale that Mitchell made his Mowden debut three years ago in a narrow defeat in the club's
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Firefighter intends to save lives in venture
A FIREFIGHTER who helped to save the life of a window cleaner impaled on a spike has launched his own first aid business. Rob Jones, 40, gave first aid to Norman Johnston, who was skewered when he fell 15ft from a ladder in Sunderland in July. Mr Johnston
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Languages push about to take off
A partnership to help businesses in the Tees Valley improve their language skills is about to take off. Teesside International Airport and the University of Teesside have teamed up to mark the European Year of Languages by promoting part-time evening
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Mental health unit opens
A residential mental health unit has opened in Darlington. The £650,000 Earlston House project will provide a home for up to 12 people who need long-term mental health care, but who can live safely in the community. There will also be three respite care
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Couple chase burglar after raid on house
A COUPLE returned home to find a burglar climbing out of their kitchen window. The owners heard noises coming from their kitchen when they returned to their home in Falmer Road, Darlington, at about 3.30pm, on Wednesday. One of the owners chased the youth
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University to offer flavour of law courses
ASPIRING legal eagles are invited to attend an open evening to learn about university courses. The University of Teesside is staging the event to provide information on its full and part-time law courses. It is free, and will be held from 6pm to 7.30pm
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Students do their bit to save sparrows
STUDENTS embarked on a mission to help save the common house sparrow by designing them a little community of their own. The project by students from Spennymoor Day Centre was part of an environmental course at Bishop Auckland College. After hearing of
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Street still favourites for the Championship
Despite losing for the first time last Saturday, Chester-le-Street remain firm favourites to win the championship even though they have celebrated victory only twice during the second half of the season. "We won five of our first ten games but we have
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Risking your neck, virtual style
REVIEWS: ATV Offroad Fury. Publisher: SCEE. Format: PlayStation 2 CD-ROM. Price: £39.99. Describing snowboarding and ATV racing as extreme sports is just another way of saying: "Risking one's neck in pursuit of fun." Anyone who has tried racing an ATV
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Eagle has landed lots of fans
THE demanding job of transforming a huge block of wood into an 8ft eagle has proved a real crowd puller for sculptor Phil Townsend. He has spent endless hours carefully chipping away at the specially imported cedarwood to create a magnificent sculpture
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Mercy for mum who beat up girls' rapist
A MOTHER who attacked a paedophile convicted of raping her two daughters last night spoke of her relief after walking free from court. Jacqueline Wilson said she "just snapped" when she tracked Cameron McIvor to his Darlington home after he was bailed
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MP backs bid to increase killer's term
HEALTH Secretary Alan Milburn has backed a family's fight to increase a killer's jail sentence. The Darlington MP met the family of Paul Simpson, who died when he was punched in the street and fell and hit his head on a kerb. Mr Simpson's attacker, Alfred
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Concern as cost of heroin plummets
THE cost of heroin has plummeted so much in North Yorkshire, users are claiming they can buy wraps of the narcotic for less than Class B drugs such as cannabis. Police in York say their hard line on drugs continues, with dealers and users targeted and
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Strike-threat bus drivers accept offer
A THREATENED bus strike has been averted at the 11th hour. First York drivers voted to accept a pay deal and avoid industrial action in the city. The deal followed a strike vote in protest at an earlier offer. The company's managing director, Brian Asquith
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Three times the fun in comedy show
A DRAMA group is hoping to entertain audiences with a triad of comedies in one night next month. Shildon's theatre and drama group, Centre Stage, is well into rehearsals for 3 x The Laughter, which will be staged at the town's Civic Centre, on September
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Waiting for Lily
Mission: To crack the mystery of the Lumley ghost at Chester-le-Street's Lumley Castle, by spending the night on 'ghost watch' duty. Ghostbusters: Four sceptical reporters with a 'believer' among them. 7pm: There's no whisker of a restless spirit in sight
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The Show must go on
FOR the country folk of St John's Chapel, it was the weekend that the Show had to go on; for Granville Gibson, the admirable Archdeacon of Auckland, it was a final curtain. Weardale Agricultural Society's annual show had run at Chapel (as locals know
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Reward for 100 per cent attendance records
FIFTEEN teenagers have proved they are top of the class in attendance. The youngsters, all pupils at schools in County Durham, logged 100 per cent attendance records at secondary school. As a reward, they will be given a tour of Sunderland AFC's Stadium
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Bookshop bids for new town centre site
BOOKSHOP firm Ottakars is poised to complete a deal for a key town centre site. The Northern Echo understands the chain will take over the former Dressers store, in High Row, Darlington. Dressers, which had been in the town for more than 100 years, closed
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Risking your neck, virtual style
REVIEWS: ATV Offroad Fury. Publisher: SCEE. Format: PlayStation 2 CD-ROM. Price: £39.99. Describing snowboarding and ATV racing as extreme sports is just another way of saying: "Risking one's neck in pursuit of fun." Anyone who has tried racing an ATV
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Bannatyne in good shape for expansion
BANNATYNE Fitness, the UK's largest independent health club operator, has appointed a new commercial director to mastermind its expansion across the UK. Nigel Armstrong, 30, from Darlington, will play an instrumental role in the development of the Bannatyne
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Church marks 125th anniversary
St James the Great Church, in Albert Hill, Darlington, became 125 years old yesterday. A series of events have been held throughout the year to celebrate the 125th anniversary of its dedication. Last night, a Mass of thanksgiving was led by The Right
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Ten-year ban for horse neglect
THE owner of a former Horse of the Year has been banned from keeping animals for ten years after she neglected a chestnut mare. Joanne Eleanor, 30, of Red House Farm, on Stockton's Moorhouse Estate, Teesside, was also given a two month prison sentence
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So what is the right time?
TIME is out of step for a town centre's clocks. There are two clocks in Redcar - the traditional town clock at the bus stop end of the High Street, and Redcar Rotary Club's Millennium Clock at the end of the pedestrianised section of the main road. They
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Reynolds pleased to watch grass grow
JUST hours after 500 kilos of grass seed were sown at Darlington Football Club's new stadium it was revealed that the turf will be ready for its first cut in just eight days time. Giant water tankers were moved in to ensure there was constant moisture
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It was the ostriches' fault - crash driver
A MOTORIST, prosecuted for going the wrong way on a motorway slip road, blamed bonking ostriches for his dangerous driving. Sam Bibb, 20, hit another car head-on after his blunder on the A1(M), York Crown Court heard. But his barrister, Jeremy Lindsay
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German lager is given the red card
As England's footballers put the finishing touches to their preparations for tonight's crucial World Cup qualifier against Germany, fans are stocking up their fridges ahead of the big game. Supermarkets across the country have recorded huge rises in the
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Shame of sales crooks who preyed on elderly
A TEAM of crooked salesmen preyed on the elderly and infirm after being ordered to target "coffin dodgers". The company boss and employees of Global Seal Home Improvements conned more than £30,000 from vulnerable customers by persuading them that they
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Curtain comes down early on summer shows
Two summer season shows are ending early at a North Yorkshire town. The Krankies' run at Scarborough's Spa Theatre has closed a month early and is to be replaced by a 1940s-style variety show called We'll Meet Again, while The Good Old Days has been dropped
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Hear All Sides
Letters from The Northern Echo COUNTRY SPORTS TONY Kelly claims country sports enthusiasts don't care about the countryside (HAS, Aug 21). Country pursuits such as fishing, hunting and shooting make a significant and important contribution to the biodiversity
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'N-E rain tests may have caused flood'
SECRET military tests blamed for a flood which killed 35 people may have been conducted in remote parts of the North-East, it has emerged. One of the worst flash floods in the UK swept through Lynmouth, Devon, on August 15, 1952. A wall of water, reportedly
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Dispute over teaching vacancies as new term looms
TEACHING unions are at loggerheads with North-East education bosses over staff vacancies. As some estimates put the national shortage at close to 5,000, two North-East education authorities said they are fully staffed, just days before youngsters return
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Five years jail for gunman in pub terror
A GUNMAN who terrified staff and customers at a pub was sentenced to a total of five years in jail yesterday. Shaun Conroy, also known as Shaun Porritt, had denied bursting into the Netherfields pub in Middlesbrough, threatening staff and customers with
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Pulling together for megan
CROWDS gathered in Bishop Auckland town centre to cheer on bus drivers, rugby players and supermarket staff as they towed a 59-seat bus in a charity effort. The sponsored event in Newgate Street involved staff from Garnett Coaches, the local Asda supermarket
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Mother may sue over boy's school bus death
THERE are to be no charges over the death of a 12-year-old boy who fell under the wheels of a bus. Kevin Bulman, of Langley Street, Sunderland, was killed in March when he got off a school bus at the city's Philadelphia Lane junction. There had been reports
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Blow for seamer Brinkley
DURHAM will be without seamer James Brinkley for the final week of the season because of the side injury he suffered at Cardiff on Monday. Either Marc Symington or Nicky Hatch will step in for tomorrow's Norwich Union League match against Essex at the
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The Show must go on
FOR the country folk of St John's Chapel, it was the weekend that the Show had to go on; for Granville Gibson, the admirable Archdeacon of Auckland, it was a final curtain. Weardale Agricultural Society's annual show had run at Chapel (as locals know
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Attempt to avert strike at airport
A LAST-ditch bid to prevent an airport baggage handlers strike over pay will continue today. Talks between directors and union negotiators, which for the first time included shop stewards, lasted most of yesterday at Newcastle Airport. If the first of
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Cameron to the rescue for Imps
Darlington were held to a 1-1 draw at Lincoln City on Saturday after conceding a deserved equaliser late in the second half. The Quakers took the lead with a Mark Ford penalty in the first half and Gary Bennett's side managed to contain the Imps as Alan
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Agency chief opts for early retirement
THE Environment Agency's North-East regional director left his post yesterday to take early retirement. Roger Hyde, 57, of Malton, North Yorkshire, has been regional director since 1996. Mr Hyde said: "I am proud of what we have achieved, but I feel I
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Row over change of name plan
AN MP has hit out at plans to remove the name of a town from from one of its schools. Stockton South MP Dari Taylor claims Thornaby's identity is under threat, particularly after it was revealed a college of further education being built in Teesdale would
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Tommy takes centre stage for chipping campaign
A PANTOMIME cat was enlisted to help launch a new microchipping service for felines. Dick Whittington's cat Tommy, from this year's pantomime at Middlesbrough Theatre, joined Middlesbrough Borough Council's commissioner for the environment, Councillor
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Seeking new views on urban living
EXPERTS from all over the world descended on the North-East yesterday to try to work out ways to improve city life. About 100 delegates from Australia, Africa, Canada, Europe and the Middle East attended a two-day conference at Northumbria University.
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Disney dream realised for dancer Andrea
A NORTH-EAST teenager beat off competition from 500 other youngsters to be given a place as a backing dancer at a TV awards ceremony. Andrea Clifford, 15, was one of only 20 dancers chosen to appear at the Disney Channel Kids Awards ceremony in London
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Reaping rewards from farming's woes
IN EARLY February, senior European Commission official Geoffrey Martin gave an exclusive interview to The Northern Echo during a visit to Newcastle. Speaking bluntly, he signalled reform of the controversial Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which has
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Epsom stewards talked rubbish after sprinting farce
IT is Epsom's proud boast that it hosts the fastest five furlongs in the world. So how could the stewards allow the result of Monday's Tote Exacta Sprint to stand after some of the starting gates opened later than others? The stewards deemed that although
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Pavilion fund seeks lots of aid
VILLAGERS are turning to some of the country's top football clubs in their efforts to build a sports pavilion. The sports pavilion association at Thornton-le-Dale, near Pickering, North Yorkshire, has seen its long-running campaign for the facility put
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Roadside body riddle for police
POLICE were trying last night to identify a man whose body was discovered by a roadside. The body was found at about 1.30am yesterday beside the A172 between Poole Roundabout, in Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough, and Stokesley, North Yorkshire. A post-mortem
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Consultants 'paid extra' to clear backlogs
CONSULTANTS are being paid private rates to clear waiting list backlogs at the North-East's newest hospital, it has been claimed. Bill Ryder, chairman of the Northern Region Consultants' and Specialists' Committee, said that surgeons at the University
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Tory leader candidate's vow over party fortunes
TORY leadership hopeful Iain Duncan Smith has pledged to use his own background to restore his party's fortunes in the North-East. The former soldier, who was in Newcastle yesterday to address Conservative activists from across the region, admitted that
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Measures to make road safe meet with local opposition
People want to overturn plans for traffic-calming measures on a dangerous road des- pite the high number of accidents. Between 1995 and 1999, there were 22 accidents in Trimdon Avenue, Acklam, Middlesbrough. Last December, mother-of-three Sue Nellist,
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Gardening - Time to tackle those bald bits
DURING the next two or three weeks, the lawn should be prepared for the winter. Scarify the turf with a spring tine rake or electrical scarifier and drag out all the moss and thatch or dead grass. Where the soil beneath has become compacted, use a garden
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Neighbourhood wardens scheme wins national praise
A NEIGHBOURHOOD warden scheme is being put forward as a national model after helping to reduce crime dramatically in Darlington. Uniformed wardens have been patrolling the town alongside police officers since May last year. Since then, the number of burglaries
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Mr Consistent sets his sights
ULTRA-CONSISTENT Sunderland centre-half Jody Craddock has set himself the target of playing in every Premiership game this season. The 26-year-old Midlander has been the Wearsiders' outstanding defender in their opening three games and after periods of
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Mature students shine in French A-level
MOTHERS across the country have been waiting nervously for their children's exam results, but a few actually sat the examinations themselves. Two mature French language students at Bishop Auckland College were delighted when they received their A-level
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Princess Anne boosts world canoeing championships
A ROYAL visitor saw the River Tees in all its glory last night at the opening of the World Canoe Marathon championships. The Princess Royal, patron of the International Canoe Federation, along with hundreds of spectators, watched as the 33 participating
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Ammonia leak scare at GPs' surgery
A DOCTORS' surgery in Ferryhill had to be evacuated when toxic liquid leaked from a refrigerator. The drama happened yesterday at the Ferryhill and Chilton Surgery, in Durham Road. The treatment room refrigerator, which normally contains samples but was
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Zac's back after doing a flier . . .
MISSING macaw Zac has been reunited with its owners after flying 12 miles away last Saturday. On Wednesday, The Northern Echo carried an appeal from Lee Forster, of Great Lumley, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, for help in tracking down the six-year-old
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Disabled aim for triathlon cash windfall
INTREPID members and volunteers at a Newton Aycliffe charity are about to prove that disability is no barrier to physical challenges. The three groups run by the Options Disability Initiative, which has its headquarters in the Pioneering Care Centre,
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Epsom stewards talked rubbish after sprinting farce
It is Epsom's proud boast that it hosts the fastest five furlongs in the world. So how could the stewards allow the result of Monday's Tote Exacta Sprint to stand after some of the starting gates opened later than others? The stewards deemed that although
