Archive
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Families demand deaths inquiry
PARENTS of autistic youngsters across the region were last night calling for an investigation into why a mother killed herself and her son by leaping 180ft from a viaduct. The bodies of 38-year-old Helen Rogan and autistic 11-year-old Mark Owen Young
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Open day helps independence
A NEW centre that is helping hundreds of people with disabilities to live a better and more independent life is planning an open day for carers next week. Gateshead Borough Council's Valley Centre opened recently to meet an increased need for equipment
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Council foots the bill for historic steps
A LOCAL authority has announced plans to repair an historic set of steps which collapsed during heavy rain last year. Harrogate Borough Council will finance the work on steps leading to properties at the lower end of Briggate, in Knaresborough. Although
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Youngsters wins a taste of army training
A TEENAGER who won a national Army competition, got the VIP treatment yesterday when he took part in an adventure activities day inBarnard Castle. Robert Hough, 15, from Stockton, Teesside, won the prize through Camouflage, the Army's online club for
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In-form Atko's early warning
Brian Atkinson was one of the star performers in Darlington's impressive win over Leyton Orient on Tuesday evening but he admits to being wary of Quakers' next opponents, rock bottom Exeter City. Quakers put in a fine display against promotion-chasers
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A great job, Mr President
IT seems to have been open season on President George W Bush during the last week. He's been accused of flying scared when the attacks began. He's been accused of making a hash of his speeches with words like 'folks'. He's been accused of not reaching
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The darkest of days
AS the world now knows, it only takes one. At 11am last Friday, as London stopped and multitudes around St Paul's stood solemnly to observe a thousand word silence, a single motorist hammered his horn, in order more swiftly to be about his infinitesimal
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Teenager in used drugs needle scare
A TEENAGER and his mother face an agonising wait for the results of medical tests after he fell near syringes discarded by drug users. There are fears that the youngster, who lives on the Woodhouse Close Estate, in Bishop Auckland, might have pricked
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Cash incentive for tree planting
PEOPLE in County Durham can get funding to help make the county a greener place. Durham County Council is offering grants of up to £150 to schools, community groups and parish councils to plant trees during National Tree Week, from November 21 to December
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Companies' export hope
TWO companies are hoping to break into an export market by taking part in an overseas visit. CIA Training, of Sunderland and Newcastle, and Ford Component Manufacturing, of Tyne Dock, are visiting the Netherlands as part of the Export Explorer programme
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Project partners aim to encourage more entrepreneurial spirit
A scheme to help people set up businesses while regenerating their communities has been launched in the region. Teesside has one of the lowest rates in the country for people setting up in business and it is hoped the scheme, for Redcar, east Cleveland
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Dancing in the streets at workshop
YOUNG drama students have been dancing in the streets during a theatre workshop. Members of the newly titled Jackass Theatre Group, run by Jack Drum Arts, have been learning street dancing with Davie Rae, from Dance City in Newcastle. The youth theatre
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Church debates fate of paintings
WITH hours to go before the Church of England considers the future of its most valuable collection of paintings, campaigners stepped up their fight to keep them in the North castle where they have hung for 250 years. The Northern Echo and Bishop Auckland
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Chemical worker's legal bid over ill health
A FORMER chemical worker has been left with kidney problems and requiring dialysis after working with "toxic" chemicals in the region, a court heard yesterday. Jeffrey Lamb has taken ICI and BASF to court after working for both companies for more than
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Governor condemns 'unfair' jail report
PRISON governor Martin Ward yesterday labelled as unjust a report that claimed cells in his jail were in breach of human rights. Chief Inspector of Prisons Sir David Ramsbotham said tiny cells holding two prisoners in the c-wing of Northallerton Young
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Ormerod boost for Hartlepool
HARTLEPOOL United manager Chris Turner last night secured the services of Middlesbrough winger Anthony Ormerod in a month's loan deal. After a disappointing start to the season, made worse by Tuesday's 1-0 defeat at home to Cheltenham, second-bottom Pool
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In need of a boost? Then try ants drink
FORGET caffeine and chocolate - the latest energy boost comes in the form of a drink made from ants. Unpalatable as it may seem, Asian mountain ants are ground up to make Ant, produced by InterContinental Brands, in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, and bottled
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Bullet hits freight train
AN investigation is under way after a bullet was fired through the cab of a freight train. The incident happened sometime after 6.40pm on Tuesday, when the train left Thornaby Depot, Teesside, en route to Boulby Potash Mine, in east Cleveland. It was
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Call for chemical summit backed
THE chairman of the Tees Valley Development Company (TVDC) has backed the call for a summit to discuss the future of the chemical industry in the area. The suggestion - by Redcar MP Vera Baird - came on Tuesday after chemical company Basell Polypropylene
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Hear All Sides
Letters from The Northern Echo WAR ON AMERICA FEW people can avoid being disturbed and moved by the terrible and tragic events in the US - events that will effect our way of life, awareness of danger and international attitudes. Many reports from America
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Dip in sales drives Ford further down
Ford's UK operation plunged deeper into the red last year after being hit by huge restructuring costs, while new car sales slid by more than three per cent, it emerged yesterday. The Brentwood firm said it sold 374,342 new cars last year - 13,643 less
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Comment from The Northern Echo - Defending free speech
THERE is a worrying element to the Department of Health's "concession" to campaigners calling for an independent public inquiry into the Richard Neale affair. Government officials have now offered the prospect of an inquiry chaired by a senior barrister
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Radio station helps book sale in aid of children
A MASSIVE book sale is taking place at the weekend to raise money for needy children in the Teesside area. Listeners to Magic 1170 have donated thousands of books to raise funds for the charity, Make A Child Smile. The response has so far exceeded expectations
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A great job, Mr President
IT seems to have been open season on President George W Bush during the last week. He's been accused of flying scared when the attacks began. He's been accused of making a hash of his speeches with words like 'folks'. He's been accused of not reaching
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Triple honours for professor
A NORTH-EAST professor is due to be conferred with three honours. Professor Phil Barker, a much-published author on psychiatry and psychotherapy, works in the Department of Psychiatry at Newcastle University. On Friday, he will receive an Honorary Doctorate
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Flexible study still popular
THE Terminus Project in Saltburn is poised to further cement its place at the heart of community learning in east Cleveland next week. On Monday, an influx of part-time students from across the borough of Redcar and Cleveland will start a flexible study
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Sisters are in the Army now
TWO teenage sisters have made history by becoming probably the first in the country to join the Army together. Emma Willis, 17, and 16-year-old Andrea, from Billy Row, near Crook, County Durham, enlisted for their new careers yesterday at Bishop Auckland's
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Riding back to his academic roots
PRECONCEPTIONS can be a good thing sometimes. With a distinguished electrical engineering background, a string of posts in education and a top-class reputation in research, you could be forgiven for thinking Professor Kel Fidler would be a little lacking
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Man cleared of prostitute rape charge
A MAN accused of raping a prostitute was cleared yesterday of one of the charges against him. A jury found Peter Thompson, 20, not guilty of one of the two charges of rape he faced at Teesside Crown Court. After more than five hours of deliberation, the
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MP pledges support in fight against plans for nightspot
DURHAM MP Gerry Steinberg has added his weight to the opposition of plans for an Australian-themed nightspot in the city centre. The Labour MP is urging magistrates to refuse a drinks licence for the Walkabout bar planned for the Robins Cinema, in North
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Police probe blaze attack on doctor and his family
A DOCTOR and his family were lucky to escape with their lives following an arson attack on their home. Police and fire officers have described the incident, in which burning material was pushed through the letterbox of the family's house in Peterlee,
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Former model settles claim over car crash
A FORMER model, who fought for compensation for 17 years after a car accident ended her catwalk dreams, yesterday accepted an undisclosed sum for her injuries. Maria Ruddy, 32, was in hospital for three months and needed ten plastic surgery operations
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Health projects are boosted by £5.6m of Lottery funding
DOZENS of projects designed to improve the health and well-being of people in the region have got the go-ahead after a £5.6m injection of National Lottery cash. From teaching belly dancing to tackling teenage pregnancy with the help of robot babies, the
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Barking mad - Fen, the TV watchdog
A CHANNEL-hopping dog is driving his owner mad with his telly addiction. Fen, the ten-year-old working sheep dog, loves watching TV so much he even knows how to change the channel. His owner, Aileen Clarke, from Romaldkirk, near Barnard Castle, has to
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Oz and the boys hug the limelight
THERE was a crisis on the set of the new series of Auf Wiedersehen Pet in Middlesbrough. Whitley Bay-born writer Ian La Frenais found himself with a suitcase of women's clothes and needed to go shopping for more suitable attire. After the flight from
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Sunderland falter in race for top spot
SUNDERLAND'S hopes of hoisting themselves to the top of the table with a hat-trick of home victories were dashed when they went down to a slicker Spurs side in front of the television cameras at a rain-swept Stadium of Light. The Londoners, two goals
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Sailing years frozen in time
MEDALS and mementoes of an Antarctic explorer who worked in Teesside, are expected to fetch more than £30,000 when they are auctioned in London on Tuesday. The collection, which includes medals, manuscripts and photographs, belonged to Lewis Raphael Rickinson
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Inquiry patients are met half way
HEALTH bosses have offered important concessions to campaigners pressing for a public inquiry into the Richard Neale affair. The group, which represents victims of the former North Yorkshire surgeon, said its members were dismayed when the Department
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The darkest of days
AS the world now knows, it only takes one. At 11am last Friday, as London stopped and multitudes around St Paul's stood solemnly to observe a thousand word silence, a single motorist hammered his horn, in order more swiftly to be about his infinitesimal
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Rural transport scheme offers easy access to minibuses
RURAL community groups have been given a boost with the launch of a scheme to provide them with easy access to transport. The Wheels 4 All minibus brokerage project encourages vehicle sharing among groups in the Hambleton and Richmondshire districts.
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Youngsters wins a taste of army training
A TEENAGER who won a national Army competition, got the VIP treatment yesterday when he took part in an adventure activities day in Barnard Castle. Robert Hough, 15, from Stockton, Teesside, won the prize through Camouflage, the Army's online club for
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£6m plan for extra mental health beds
A SHAKE up of mental health services for South Durham's elderly people could mean extra beds provided in a £6m development. The health trust responsible for Durham and Darlington's psychiatric services is putting together plans to centralise facilities
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Aerospace jobs at risk after terrorist attacks in the US
FEARS have arisen that North-East aerospace workers could face redundancy as the airline industry cuts jobs in the wake of last week's terrorist attacks in the US. American plane maker Boeing yesterday announced plans to lay off 30,000 workers in response
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Plea after accident
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a motorcyclist was in collision with a car and needed emergency surgery. The 28-year-old man, from Seaton Carew, near Hartlepool, was riding his Honda bike along Station Lane, Seaton Carew, at about 7.20am yesterday
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Bush ready for battle as warplanes fly out
PRESIDENT Bush last night ordered more than 100 warplanes to the Gulf in the first indication of imminent action against Afghanistan. F15 and F16 fighters - among the most advanced in the world - and B52 bombers, which can carry cruise missiles, are being
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Psychiatric nurse had relationship with patient
A MALE community psychiatric nurse has been struck off after admitting having a sexual relationship with a suicidal patient. At a Nurses Conduct Committee yesterday, Alan Gary Lidbetter, 45, admitted conducting a relationship between November 1994 and
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Hospitals in region under the microscope
AFTER another critical report by a new NHS watchdog, hospitals in the region are under scrutiny as never before. The Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) is inspecting five NHS trusts in the North-East or North Yorkshire. Teams from CHI have been inspecting
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Domain name scam warning
BUSINESSES are being warned of a scam using .uk.co domain names. A telesales team is calling companies and advising them that they need to register the domain name as a .uk.co name. They are warning that the .co.uk name will expire before long. Alex Shiel
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Francport promises to be walking on Ayr
BACK-TO-FORM Francport (3.35) is entitled to serious consideration as the curtain rises on Ayr's star-studded three-day Western meeting. Kevin Ryan's speedster has a tough task in the cavalry charge for the 27-runner Glenfairn House Handicap, but the
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Body mystery plea to coastline fishermen
DETECTIVES investigating the death of a woman whose body was found on a popular stretch of North-East coastline have appealed to local fishermen for help. Police are baffled by the discovery of the body of former teacher Debra McNicholas, 44, near the
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Troublemaker is brought to book
TEENAGE troublemakers in part of the region were warned yesterday that the local authority intends to continue a policy of bringing them to book. After two days of evidence at Teesside Magistrates' Court, District Judge James Proswe, agreed to an application
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Cemeteries praised in national awards
TWO East Durham cemeteries have been singled out for praise in a national annual award scheme. Thorpe Road Cemetery, in Horden, was pipped at the post for the Cemetery of the Year when it was judged runner-up in the "more than five acres" category. At
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Health fears grow over crisis aftermath
A MENTAL health group is bracing itself for an increase in mental health problems in the aftermath of the foot-and-mouth crisis. The emotional and mental toll the disease is inflicting on farmers and rural communities is still uncertain, says the mental
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Prepare for autumn floods, agency warns
THE Environment Agency has launched a campaign urging people to prepare for flooding. The agency has issued warnings to people across the country to be aware of the risk of floods as autumn and winter approaches. Research by the organisation shows that
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Objectors backed in building proposal
HUNDREDS of objectors have won backing for their opposition to plans to pull down a Knaresborough riverside rest-aurant and replace it with nine apartments. Earlier development plans on the site sparked almost 800 objection letters along with petitions
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Opening doors is a success
A SCHEME that lets people visit interesting and historic buildings has proved a success in Durham. Nineteen buildings and gardens, many of which are normally closed to the public, were opened recently for the Civic Trust's national Heritage Open Days.
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Young designers win school cash
YOUNG designers at the cutting edge of technology used Lego to win a total of £2,500 in cash for their school. The pupils at Stanley School of Technology beat off competition from six other local schools to win £1,000 by designing a virtual reality treadmill
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Boost for sport is unveiled
IMPROVING facilities for elite athletes and encouraging more grassroots participation are at the heart of the North-East's new sports strategy. The strategy, produced by the North-East Sports Board and Sport England North-East, is a five-year vision that
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Norwegian delegation to visit region
A PARTY of Norwegian councillors is making a brief stop in east Cleveland next week as part of a whistle-stop seven-day fact finding mission. The eight members of Hordaland County Council will be greeted at the Innovat-ion Centre, in Kirkleatham Business
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Brother's plea for crash witnesses
THE brother of a North hit-and-run victim joined police in a fresh appeal for witnesses yesterday. Stefan Forge, 47, from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, was cycling with a friend when they were hit by a passing vehicle on the A658 Bradford road, near North
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Skills boost reward
A COMPUTER training company has introduced a range of courses which carry Government grants. Darlington's "This Government initiative will give people the incentive to further their education and will encourage employers to motivate their staff into developing
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North site for national museum
THE Army has confirmed plans for a new museum in the region. The hunt began for a base for an exhibition because space at museums around the country had become limited. Some of the machinery used by soldiers through the years takes up considerable room
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Marinelli magic leaves Boro's boss drooling
MIDDLESBROUGH wonder-kid Carlos Marinelli has been backed by both his boss and skipper to make a big impact on the Premiership this season. Marinelli's number of first-team appearances have been restricted over the past couple of years because of a series
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Youngsters can be good neighbours
YOUNG people across the North-East are being encouraged to help improve their neighbourhood. The Northumbrian Water Square Mile project encourages teenagers to get together to work on environmental, crime prevention and social awareness projects to benefit
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Driving parents to breaking point
FIVE-year-old John doesn't fall asleep when he's tired like other little boys - he falls unconscious when his body cannot take his hyperactivity any more. His mum Janice is a sister on a hospital ward, so has demands on her care and attention all day,
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Sister's good idea helps win the fight against infection
AN innovative health scheme, devised by a nursing sister, seems to have eradicated an infection affecting patients. Sylvia Wilson, the sister of ward 32 at Middlesbrough General Hospital, came up with the idea of using colour-coded aprons after completing
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Motorist questions 'favouritism' of top cop
A MOTORIST has demanded to know why he faces court for speeding when a leading police officer was let off for the same offence. Peter Jennings, 57, from Stockton, received a fixed penalty notice for £60 earlier this year after his van was caught speeding
