Archive
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Soccer star aids school celebrations
former England and Liverpool footballer Emlyn Hughes is to help a North-East school celebrate its diamond jubilee. The soccer star will be the guest of honour at St Peter's RC Comprehensive School, at South Bank, Middlesbrough, for a special prize-giving
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Indecency charges
A PRIMARY school teacher has appeared in court charged with a string of indecent assaults against young girls. Timothy Dobson, 43, of Claxton Avenue, Darlington, is charged with seven counts of indecently assaulting seven different victims, all under
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Plea after boy, 15 hit with golf club
A TEENAGE boy was beaten with a golf club after he refused to hand over money. The attack happened at about 5.15pm on Thursday, at Walpole Street, Middlesbrough, near the junction with Warren Street. When his male assailant demanded money, the 15-year-old
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Exciting times for genetics research in the North-East
THE future is bright for medical genetics in the North-East, according to an expert. Professor John Burn delivered an upbeat message as his team moved into impressive new premises in the International Centre for Life in Newcastle. In the past few days
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Vintage bike trial taking a new route
A SCENE from the vintage motorcycle era will be recreated on rural roads in County Durham this weekend. But the 30th Beamish Trophy Trial has been slightly curtailed because of the return of the foot-and-mouth epidemic. Late amendments were made to the
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Inch looks Perfect
INCH PERFECT may well have the measure of his rivals on an excellent supporting card to the Group One St Leger at Doncaster today. Richard Fahey's gelding is on a retrieval mission in the £25,000 Torne Valley Handicap, having flopped when 7-2 favourite
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Suffocation fears over out-of-date equipment
SURGICAL patients are being put at risk of suffocation because of out-of-date equipment, according to a study by North-Eastern anaesthetists. A research project involving a random sample of 51 hospitals in the UK found that about one in three anaesthetic
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Classes to brighten up Friday nights
A SERIES of evening arts classes starts in Saltburn at the end of September. The Community and Arts Association is running a series of ten sessions on Fridays called Insight Evenings. Each of the ten classes has a different theme, with the purpose of
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Police launch hunt to find pub attackers
A MAN suffered a fractured eye socket in an unprovoked attack in a North-East pub. The incident happened at about 8pm last Saturday, when the 26-year-old was drinking in Huxter's pub, in Corporation Road, Middlesbrough. He was approached by two men, who
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Kimberly ends boys' dominance at Chorister School
A TWELVE-YEAR-old girl has broken 600 years of tradition at a North-East school by becoming its first head girl. Kimberly Forrest, 12, from Shotley Bridge, near Consett, joined The Chorister School, in Durham City, in 1997 and has impressed all her teachers
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Green council has it in the bag
HUNDREDS of people living in Stockton and Thornaby are being urged to recycle their old newspapers with the delivery of blue bags. Stockton Borough Council is expanding its blue bag recycling scheme for waste paper, a joint programme with partners Roseberry
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Organ ready to renew acquaintance with worshippers in new home
THE installation of a 63-year-old organ in a newly-constructed church is complete. It was carefully moved piece by piece from the old Baptist Tabernacle, which stood in Wellington Street, Stockton. It was first built in 1938, and provided the music for
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'Hijacked jet came at me on the 91st floor'
A NORTH-EAST born naval architect has spoken of his escape from the 91st storey of the World Trade Centre. George Sleight, 63, was at his desk in the North tower when he heard the American Airlines Boeing 767 heading towards the building. The plane ploughed
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Hysteria as students looked on
A NEW York academic who should have been in the North-East yesterday has spoken of the carnage left by Tuesday's terrorist strike. Perry Bard was due to address yesterday's conference organised by Teesside University's Community Informatics Research and
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Hear all sides
WAR ON AMERICA YOUR two line heading and the full front page picture (Echo, Sept 12), of the burning World Trade Building in New York with the hijacked airliner about to be crashed into the second building, conveys a very stark message. Over many years
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Survivor faces new struggle - to leave America
A 21-YEAR-old Durham student was desperately trying to find a way back home from New York last night after embassy officials advised her to leave. Katie-Jane Bailey left her home in Crook, County Durham, in July to take up a six-month posting in Manhattan
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Helicopter goes to aid of injured biker
AN air ambulance made an impromptu landing to aid a motorcyclist hurt in an accident on the A1(M). The North-East Air Ambulance helicopter made the unscheduled stop on the south-bound carriageway of the motorway after the pilot saw the turmoil surrounding
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Referendum rejection row
A POLITICAL row has broken out over a decision by Newcastle city councillors to keep their cabinet system and not hold a referendum over whether or not to have an elected mayor. Members voted narrowly to endorse council leader Tony Flynn's proposal that
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New Tory leader completes his team
New Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith revealed the bulk of his shadow cabinet yesterday, with aides insisting it represented "a broad spectrum" of the party. Only three front line posts remained unfilled after the announcements, because, according to officials
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Exciting times for genetics research in the North-East
THE future is bright for medical genetics in the North-East, according to an expert. Professor John Burn delivered an upbeat message as his team moved into impressive new premises in the International Centre for Life in Newcastle. In the past few days
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Police chief backs forgetful officer over speed ticket
A POLICEMAN who avoided a speeding ticket by claiming he couldn't remember who was driving his car has received the backing of his Chief Constable. Barry Shaw, chief constable of Cleveland Police, said he was satisfied nothing untoward happened when the
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Tough stance is beating disease
Tough bio-security measures introduced to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth in North Yorkshire have succeeded, Government officials claimed last night. The Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the threat of disease in the
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Byers holds up franchise verdict
THE race for the Trans Pennine Express franchise looks to have been delayed following an intervention by Stephen Byers. The Transport Secretary had been asked to consider Connex as the preferred bidder for the railway line by the Strategic Rail Authority
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Sunny start for top dogs' competition
BRILLIANT sunshine helped the region's biggest dog show get under way with none of the problems which dampened spirits at last year's event. The three-day 33rd Darlington Championship Show continues today and tomorrow following yesterday's glorious opening
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Holiday jet
SCHOOLBOY James Tomkinson ended his summer holidays helping a jet land at a fighter base. The 11-year-old is a pupil at Allertonshire School, in Northallerton, and is son of RAF Chief Technician Steve Tomkinson of the Visiting Aircraft Squadron at Leeming
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Wildlife area to get facelift
A WILDLIFE area is to be improved, thanks to a number of workshops involving members of the public. The scheme, being carried out by the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, will involve participants in every aspect of the project, from planning and calculating
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'It is as if they had been murdered in the heart of Britain'
Prime Minister Tony Blair vowed yesterday that Britain would join America in hunting down those responsible for the "hideous and foul" terror strikes on the US. He told a hushed emergency session of the Commons that the UK had "not just an interest but
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Arthritis defeats Jake
JAKE the dog has missed out on the chance of national honours because of a bout of arthritis. The eight-year-old Labra-dor-Staffordshire bull terrier cross was due to compete in the RSPCA Dog of the Year Show after winning the North Yorkshire regional
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Plastic bottle banks to put squeeze on landfill waste
THE recycling revolution is being taken even further following the success of green initiatives in the Hambleton area. Glass, paper, cans and clothing in the district is already being recycled through a wide network of collection points. Now plastic bottles
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Church scheme agreed by court
A THEOLOGICAL college has won approval to alter the historic church where ancestors of the Queen Mother are buried. St John's College, part of Durham University, ran into opposition when it announced the £230,000 scheme for St Mary-the-Less, in the shadow
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Ducklings killed in chicken theft
POLICE are looking for vandals who killed a family of ducklings and stole a group of chickens. The incident happened in a market garden in Guisborough last Friday when 15 chickens were stolen and nine ducklings were killed. The animals had been housed
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Hutchison's 'route-one' jibe dismissed by Quinn
SUNDERLAND club captain Niall Quinn dismissed disparaging remarks by former team-mate Don Hutchison last night as "mischief making". But the Republic of Ireland striker added: "We won't need a team talk the next time we play West Ham." Hutchison, transferred
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Marking time for council service
HUNDREDS of years of service has been honoured by Durham County Council. The Labour authority recognised the contribution of 12 former councillors by making them honorary aldermen. The honour was bestowed on nine of them by council chairman Charlie Magee
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Wainwright and Convery give Bennett selection headache
Darlington's attempt to get back to winning ways has been hit by the news that key wideman Neil Wainwright and replacement Mark Convery are missing from today's game at Torquay. Both were absent from the team coach which left Darlington yesterday morning
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The desperate plea as rain hampers search
Rescuers racing against the clock in a desperate attempt to find survivors in the World Trade Centre's rubble faced a new obstacle yesterday - rain. Three days after hijacked passenger jets ploughed into the twin 110-storey skyscrapers, thunder and lightning
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Sisters' swim success
TWO Darlington sisters have been making a splash in the swimming world. Hannah and Sarah Fay, both pupils at Haughton Community School, are achieving great success in the sport. Hannah won a gold medal and is the North-East Counties Amateur Swimming Association
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Halloween horseplay
HEADLESS horsemen and galloping ghouls will be riding through a Halloween woodland next month. Members of the Hamsterley Riding Association are appealing for riders to take part in a Halloween ride through Hamsterley Forest on October 28, to raise money
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Hospital facing tricky op
A HOSPITAL is preparing for one of its trickiest operations to date as it prepares to switch services to a new hospital building. Bishop Auckland General Hospital's old and new sites, in the town's Escomb Road, will be operating simultaneously over the
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Farmers' markets backed
MONTHLY farmers' markets are to become a regular fixture in Wear Valley and provide a much-needed income for the district's battered farming industry. Producers' markets will now take place on the second Friday of every month in Bishop Auckland Market
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Wetlands boosted
AN award-winning conservation project will soon become even more accessible after permission was given to extend a path which runs around it. School Aycliffe Wetland, which gained a merit award in the best conservation project section of the recent round
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Warning over television offer in mailshot
CONSUMER watchdogs are urging people to think very carefully before responding to offers in mailshots. The advice comes after a resident in Hartlepool received a mailshot from a home shopping company. It said that, in return for £33.49, customers would
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Grants for a warmer front
MORE than 15,000 householders are being urged to help guarantee themselves a warmer winter by applying for heating and insulation grants. The Government-funded initiative Warm Front provides grants of up to £2,000 to anyone receiving an income or disability-related
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Survivor faces new struggle - to leave America
A 21-YEAR-old Durham student was desperately trying to find a way back home from New York last night after embassy officials advised her to leave. Katie-Jane Bailey left her home in Crook, County Durham, in July to take up a six-month posting in Manhattan
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They intended to bring the joy of American music to Britain, instead their voices were raised in sor
The simple act a woman placing flowers at the feet of a visiting American musical group was enough to reduce the band to tears. As they sang in Thornaby, Teesside, bunches of flowers, each with touching messages of sympathy and goodwill, were placed gently
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Move to honour club's old stars
A SEARCH has begun for three football players who hung up their boots in the 1960s. The achievements of Crook Town Football Club players Ray Snowball, Jimmy McMillan and Eddie Appleby are to be celebrated after 40 years on a Bett Homes housing development
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£43m centre shops open their doors
FIFTEEN shops in Stockton's new £43m shopping parade will open on Monday. The remainder of the shops at Wellington Square will open in the run-up to the official launch, which is planned for October 25, with Century FM and an appearance by Georgia Taylor
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Spreading the training gospel
A NORTH-East woman will be drawing on her own experience when she spreads the word about training to youngsters across the region. Victoria Jackson, 24, has been appointed schools and colleges co-ordinator with Durham-based Zodiac Training, only three
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Pool campaign looks to finance feasibility study
PROGRESS on a new pool for Guisborough is going swimmingly, according to the local MP. The campaign to get new swimming facilities in the town began after Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, commented on the run-down state of the
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Survival experts in medical venture
A NORTH-EAST safety and survival centre has joined forces with a medical team to provide a one-stop shop. The Nutec Centre for Safety at Haverton Hill, Billingham, is working with medical organisation Aberdeen Industrial Doctors (AID) on an initiative
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Youngsters' talent appeals to the senses
VISITORS to an exhibition will be encouraged to see art in a new light through a range of alternative works. Expanding the Edges will run from today until November 10 at Cleveland Crafts Centre, in Middlesbrough. It includes pieces by five artists, who
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Stop unkind pension cuts, urges charity
A LEADING charity is calling on the Government to abolish pension cuts for old people enduring long stays in hospital. Age Concern says thousands of elderly people leave hospital in a vulnerable state, only to be faced with worries about paying household
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Workshop opens
A FAMILY-RUN engineering company is continuing to expand with the opening of its new fabrication workshop. North View Engineering on Darlington's Cleveland Industrial Estate was established in 1953 by businessman Harold Boggon. The company is now run
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Leo could be the sport minister
PREACHERS have two favourite jokes, possibly only two in total, the more familiar about a boring old bishop who finds himself addressing an almost empty church. "Did you tell them I was coming?" he demands of the embarrassed parish priest. "Well, my lord
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Tribute in bronze to cardinal
A BRONZE sculpture of one of Newcastle's most famous sons is to become one of the city's tourist attractions. Sculptor Nigel Boonham has just completed a 3ft scale model of the late Cardinal Basil Hume, which will act as a template for the final version
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Fire chief weeps for fallen comrade
A CHIEF fire officer broke down into tears yesterday as he remembered his New York counterpart and personal friend. Cleveland Chief Fire Officer John Doyle was among the crowds who attended Stockton's memorial service outside the Town Hall. He was overcome
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Shearer shakes champions
Newcastle United 4 Manchester United 3 Alan Shearer clinched a famous victory in a sensational seven-goal thriller at St. James' Park which saw visiting skipper Roy Keane sent off in injury time for throwing a punch at the Newcastle captain. Shearer struck
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Councils secure £60,000 to fund road safety initiative
YOUNG children on Teesside are to receive a road safety training course, thanks to a cash boost from the Government. Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland borough councils announced yesterday that they had each received £30,000 from the Government to
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Pensioner hid after 'callous' attack
AN 83-YEAR-OLD ex-miner was so badly shaken after a gang of robbers burst into his home that he hid in his bedroom for the night. A warden at the sheltered accommodation found him yesterday morning in his home at Edenfield, West Pelton, near Chester-le-Street
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'We all just want to get home'
A NORTH-EAST student who was on her way to the World Trade Centre when the terrorists struck was stranded last night. Alexia Gillen, from Hartlepool, is staying in a youth hostel near Central Park and is desperate for a flight home. The 20-year-old had
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Canoe takes to Thames
A RENOVATED canoe from Teesside will take part in an international race today. Middlesbrough's Hawaiian canoe, the Wa'elele, will be one of 300 boats competing in the 22-mile Great River Race, on the Thames in London. The authentic outrigger had been
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Regeneration project wins praise in national review
A TEESSIDE regeneration project has won Government praise. The achievements of the West Middlesbrough New Deal for Communities (NDC) partnership are highlighted in the first annual review of the national NDC scheme. A 91-page report by Neighbourhood Renewal
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Lap dance club sheds protests
A LAP dancing club has won permission to extend its opening hours, despite residents' claims it will bring street prostitution to the area. Stockton-on-Tees council yesterday gave the go-ahead to longer hours at "Angels" despite objections from residents
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Advice centre opens for asylum seekers
AN advice centre for asylum seekers has officially opened its first North-East branch. Councillor Patricia Walker, the Mayor of Middlesbrough, was among the guests at the launch of the Immigration Advisory Service (IAS) office, in Borough Road, Middlesbrough
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Police plea after boys' bikes snatch
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after two young boys had their bikes snatched. The two boys, aged 14, were cycling near the junction of the Trunk Road and Skippers Lane, South Bank, Middlesbrough, at 5pm on Friday, September 7, when they were approached
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World united in grief
ALL around the world, they paused yesterday to mourn the victims of the worst terrorist atrocity in history. From the President of the United States and the Queen of England to the ordinary man and woman in the street, they remembered those who died in
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Co-op recalls contaminated milk cartons
The Co-op is asking customers in the North-East to return six-pint plastic milk bottles because of possible contamination. The recall relates only to six-pint poly-bottles of Co-op Whole Milk with a use-by date of September 22. A Co-op spokesman: "Isolated
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Comment from The Northern Echo; Humanity at its very best
IN SCHOOLS, in offices, in homes, and on streets across Europe, the people fell silent yesterday. They stayed locked in private thought for three minutes which seemed to take an age, reflecting on the enormity of what had happened, and focusing on their
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Nervous wait for markets
THE FINANCIAL markets will be holding their breath this weekend ahead of the resumption of trading on Wall Street next Monday. Stocks across the board have continued to slide amid great uncertainty over America's response to terrorism and the very real
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Tough stance is beating disease
Tough bio-security measures introduced to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth in North Yorkshire have succeeded, Government officials claimed last night. The Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the threat of disease in the
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Warning of drawn-out conflict to come
There were grim predictions yesterday of a lengthy conflict if the US launches an all-out revenge attack for the terrorist outrages. Officials vowed to eradicate the terror group which hit New York and Washington, killing thousands, and said they would
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Online offer for armchair shoppers
DURHAM'S new £20m Tesco Extra supermarket has launched an online shopping service. The 24-hour store at Dragonville, which opened earlier this month, is offering customers the option of shopping from home through the Internet site www.tesco.com and having
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'They have no right to kill the innocents'
HEADS bowed in sorrow, faces a mixture of shock and grief, the 1,000-strong congregation listened in silence as they heard prayers for those killed in the terrorist attack on the United States, as well as for the grieving relatives. But, along with the
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Watchdog to bring jobs boost to region
A NEW healthcare watchdog is to be based in the North-East, creating hundreds of jobs. The Government has confirmed that the headquarters of the new National Care Standards Commission will be in Newcastle. Intended to enforce higher standards, the commission
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Work starts on education project
BUILDING work has started on a privately-funded school and community education centre. A turf-cutting ceremony took place at Sandhill View School, in Thorney Close, near Sunderland, yesterday. The £21m project is being built through the Government's Private
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Sale of paintings could hit region's economy
THE loss of a unique collection of paintings could deal the North-East an economic blow, a leading councillor has warned the Church of England. Durham County Council leader Ken Manton joined the fight led by The Northern Echo and Bishop Auckland Civic
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End of an era as Bainbridge loses its identity
BRITAIN'S oldest department store is to change its name as part of a multi-million re-branding programme by retail giant John Lewis. Bainbridge, in Newcastle's Eldon Square shopping centre, was founded in 1838 and is a household name throughout the North-East
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Bridge workers to share in success
STAFF at engineering firm Cleveland Bridge are basking in their success and celebrating the launch of a new share option scheme. The scheme, which will distribute eight per cent of the company's shares among its 650 staff, was launched yesterday. Selected
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Turner seeking a re-run
HARTLEPOOL United boss Chris Turner is hoping this afternoon's trip to Southend will trigger a repeat of last season. Pool's record-breaking 21-game unbeaten run started with a November win over Southend. And after a stuttering start which has reaped
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Shoulder to shoulder with the rescuers
President Bush stood shoulder-to-shoulder with rescuers in the rubble of the collapsed World Trade Centre last night as he repeated his vow to bring the terrorists to justice. Holding on to a firefighter for support, Mr Bush stood on top of debris to
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Calls for help to capture sex pest
A TELEPHONE sex pest, who resurfaced a week ago after more than two years of silence, appears to have gone quiet. But police are urging the public to continue being vigilant, as they make efforts to trace the man who targets teenagers with obscene calls
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New crossing will aid traffic flows
A £25,000 road improvement scheme in Darlington is to help both pedestrians and motorists. The puffin crossing installed in Coniscliffe Road, near Linden Avenue, which began operation yesterday, can sense when people are on the crossing. It gives pedestrians
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Drama festival line-up unveiled
Sedgefield Players Youth Section opens the 26th Sedgefield Drama Festival of One Act Plays on Tuesday, September 25, at 7.30pm, in the parish hall, with Merry Regiment of Women, by Rae Shirley. On the same evening, other members of the group, calling
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Town to host whippet racing's top meeting
THE premier event in the national whippet racing calendar is coming to Newton Aycliffe next year, it has been confirmed. Great Aycliffe Town Council has agreed that the Classic England Whippet Derby will be held in the town on the first weekend in June
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Dream return for former Quakers' player
A FORMER Darlington footballer will have his dream come true when he visits his former club for the first time in years. John Blythe, 77, is the first person to benefit from a scheme run by the Newton Aycliffe branch of Help the Aged, called "Making Dreams
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Award marks GCSE success
A sixth form student has been awarded a trophy for gaining the highest marks in her school during this year's GCSE exams. Lorena McCabe, 16, received the Lloyd's Bank Trophy, which is presented every year at Hurworth Comprehensive School, near Darlington
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Stephenson rockets back into Falcons fold
SPEEDY winger Michael Stephenson, who made his England debut in Canada during the summer, is back in the Newcastle team to entertain Harlequins tomorrow. The Durham School product takes over from Liam Botham, who broke his nose in last week's defeat at
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Toughen up to nail the Hammers
MIDDLESBROUGH manager Steve McClaren has warned his side they must get tough to stave off the growing danger of a renewed relegation struggle. McClaren today hosts West Ham, the club he turned down after Boro chairman Steve Gibson's late intervention
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Robson looks to deadly duo
TON-UP Newcastle boss Bobby Robson is looking to Alan Shearer and Laurent Robert to mastermind a memorable victory over champions Manchester United at St James' Park this afternoon. The visit of Sir Alex Ferguson's men marks Robson's 100th competitive
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Sneak thief jailed for crime spree
A SNEAK burglar who raided 11 homes in a North-East town has been put behind bars for three years. Brian Garbutt, 21, struck at three houses in one street in Guisborough, east Cleveland, during his two-month crime spree. At two of the homes in Priory
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Kitten abandoned by being forced through letterbox
AN emaciated kitten is recovering after being forced through the letterbox of a County Durham house. The stricken animal, named Derek by the vet who later treated it, was dropped onto the doormat of a house in Easington Colliery. "He is very thin and
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Blood pressure tests on offer
HEALTH officials in Hartlepool are joining forces with a national association next week to urge local people to get their blood pressure tested. The blood Pressure Association will be carrying out tests on people from Monday at locations throughout the
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BA flights to US are resumed
British Airways resumed flights to the United States last night after the Federal Aviation Administration said it was satisfied with the airline's security. The first flights from Britain to the US since the terror attacks on New York and Washington,
