Archive
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Stepsister recalls brave Anne's war diary
THE stepsister of Anne Frank is giving a talk in the region at the end of this month, to tie in with a new exhibition. Eva Schloss - herself a Holocaust survivor - will speak on October 23 about her experiences. The talk ties in with the internationally-acclaimed
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Firefighters' aid climbs to new heights
MORE than £15,000 has been raised to help the families of the hundreds of New York firefighters killed in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre, in New York. The money was raised in sponsored ladder climbs by members of Cleveland Fire Brigade
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Obesity threat to health
INCREASING obesity is threatening to derail plans to improve public health, a survey has revealed. The lifestyle survey by Tees Health Authority has revealed a steep increase in the number of severely overweight people. It runs completely against Government
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Former school cook dies at 105
A WOMAN, who received birthday cards from the Queen, Prince Charles and Prime Minister Tony Blair, has died aged 105. Hilda Tinsley, who lived in Hurworth near Darlington, died on Monday. She was born in Redcar in 1896, and although doctors thought she
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Sedgefield appeal
SEDGEFIELD is the place to be this afternoon if you want to help with an extremely worthy cause in aid of the Hartlepool Hospice Appeal. A special raceday has been organised by the course executive to assist in raising funds towards the £2,500,000 required
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Profits leap as recruitment booms
A BOOM in business for a County Durham recruitment consultancy has seen it triple the size of its offices. Contract Human Resource Services, based in Durham City, has seen profits increase 15-fold in the past two years. As a result, it has acquired an
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Tanni hands out awards to schools for sporting achievement
NORTH-EAST schools who achieve sporting excellence for their pupils celebrated their success with Britain's most successful wheelchair racer. Winner of five London Marathons and four gold medals at the Sydney Paralympics, Tanni Grey-Thompson had an inspirational
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Group's busy month ahead
A NORTH-East support group for autistic people and their families has announced its activities for this month. Autism Northumberland and Tyneside's next meeting is at The Parks Sports Centre, Howdon Road, North Shields, on Wednesday, October 10, when
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New hospital falls short of target
DESPITE the large-scale use of private hospitals to reduce waiting lists, the region's newest NHS hospital is still failing to meet targets. Bosses at the £97m University Hospital of North Durham will be given the bad news at a meeting of North Durham
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The colours of mourning
MOURNERS paid tribute yesterday to a popular teenager, who died after an incident outside a club, by sporting his favourite football team's colours for his funeral. Many friends and relatives of 18-year-old Paul Smith complied with his family's request
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Appointments - Leo switches from cash to classes
A PROMINENT businessman has moved back to education, following his appointment as chairman of the governors at the region's largest college. LEO FINN, who retired as chief executive of Northern Rock earlier this year, succeeds Laurie Caple as chairman
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Cash appeal for church windows
A TINY community is fighting back after vandals damaged stained glass windows in its Methodist chapel. Four windows at Woolley Terrace Methodist Chapel, Stanley, Crook, near Bishop Auckland, were badly damaged. It is estimated they will cost more than
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Council backs Adoption Week
STOCKTON Borough Council is to take part in National Adoption Week, next week, in an attempt to help combat the shortage of families coming forward to be adoptive parents. There are about twelve children in Stockton waiting for a suitable adoptive family
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Lifting the blame from the Americans
They might as well change the name of BBC Radio Four to BBC Radio Taliban. The same goes for BBC Television. The Corporation's first response to the attack on the US was to stuff Question Time with virulent lefties and a group of very aggressive Muslims
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Soul bars and the wonder of stratocelle
As they say with other addictions, and since one or two readers have complained, we are trying - one day at a time - to stop listening to other people's dinner table conversations in restaurants. It makes sense. For one thing they're usually either boring
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MP hopes to make a splash
AN MP is hoping to report good news on a swimming pool appeal at a public meeting. Vera Baird, the MP for Redcar, will attend the meeting by Get Redcar a Swimming Pool (Grasp), on Saturday, from 1pm, in The Coatham Memorial Hall. Prior to the event, she
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Police describe attack trio
POLICE investigating the beating of animal rights campaigner John Gill have released more detailed description of his attackers. Mr Gill, 53, suffered cuts and severe bruising when three men burst into his home and punched, kicked and struck him with
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Soldiers return to encourage recruits
TWO members of one of the Army's most prestigious corps are returning to Teesside to talk about their exploits. Privates Susan Rutley and Ryan Wall will spend next week at the Middlesbrough Army Careers Information Office, in Borough Road, where they
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Job shops offered for people seeking careers in NHS
PEOPLE wanting a career in the health service are invited to meet the professionals who already do the job. A series of job shops have been set up by the six NHS Trusts across Durham and Teesside on Thursday. The shops are being held in hospitals and
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We're coming to get you, Taliban warned
TONY Blair will today tell the Taliban in Afghanistan: "We are coming to get you". The Prime Minister will announce military strikes are to be made not only against terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden, but also the Taliban regime itself. He will use
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Delays could aid killer's legal action
AN AUTHOR being sued by child killer Shaun Armstrong claims he could lose his case because of delays by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Bernard O'Mahoney says he needs copies of the letters paedophile Armstrong sent to him in order to defend himself
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Shop attack dog to be destroyed
A BULL terrier faces a death sentence after it attacked four people in a takeaway. The dog forced its way into the Pei Myn chop suey house in Thornaby, Teesside, on Sunday night. A 14-year-old girl was rushed to the University Hospital of North Tees,
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Horse racing resumes in foot-and-mouth area
Horse racing is to resume in an area badly affected by foot-and-mouth disease despite the course being in a restricted "blue box" area, a Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs spokesman said today. Punters will be able to enjoy racing
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Quakers' walking wounded set to return
The Feethams treatment room is becoming a little less congested as Darlington's walking wounded recover from a bruising start to the season. Adam Reed, Neil Maddison, David Brightwell, Frank van der Geest, Phil Brumwell, Paul Campbell, Paul Heckingbottom
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Pupils lead by example in Walk to School Week
PARENTS are being urged to leave the car at home this week and walk their children to school. Nineteen primary schools across Middlesbrough have signed up to support Walk to School Week. Middlesbrough Council is hoping more than 5,000 youngsters will
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Mother's mission for 'lost' children
A MOTHER, who was reunited with her daughter after 35 years, is setting up an agency to help other adoptive families. Freda McGrath, of Darlington, reluctantly gave up her daughter for adoption in the 1960s. In 1998, she decided to try to trace her daughter
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Manufacturing crisis summit
The Government is to convene a summit next month to discuss the crisis facing manufacturing firms because of the global economic slowdown and the aftermath of the US terrorist attacks. Business and trade union leaders will join ministers and officials
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Soul bars and the wonder of stratocelle
AS they say with other addictions, and since one or two readers have complained, we are trying - one day at a time - to stop listening to other people's dinner table conversations in restaurants. It makes sense. For one thing they're usually either boring
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Exhibition puts work of carers in the spotlight
AN exhibition for County Durham carers will be opened by TV agony aunt and writer Denise Robertson. The event is being staged by Durham County Council at County Hall, Durham City, next Thursday, from 10am to 4pm. It will feature displays, presentations
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Saved - by 'Queen of the donkeys'
A FEARLESS North-East grandmother has supervised the first aid convoy into Afghanistan since America declared war on terrorism. Hermione Youngs, from Guisborough, east Cleveland, spent her 58th birthday in tense, last minute negotiations to ensure safe
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Curbs on animal movements to be lifted
RESTRICTIONS to animal movements due to the foot-and-mouth crisis are to be eased, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced. But, although they welcome the lifting of some restrictions, farmers still claim the prices
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Mully "pleased" as wages arrive
WAGES owed to this season's squad at Newcastle Jesters Ice Hockey Club have arrived, although last season's squad are still owed approximately £150,000. Concerns that the pay crisis, which dates back to February, would deepen arose after cash due from
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Driver bailed over shelter tragedy
A DRIVER has been released on police bail as investigations continue into the deaths of two men crushed under a collapsed bus shelter after it was hit by her car. The 26-year-old driver, who suffered minor injuries and shock, has been interviewed by police
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'Please listen to a mother's fears'
JOYCE Ridley remembers the conversation with her daughter vividly. Yvonne simply refused to tell her mother where she was going. It was typical of any exchange between a worried mother and headstrong daughter. Only in this case, Yvonne was not being cautioned
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Birthday milestone for former nurse
FORMER nurse Bertha Edwards has celebrated her 102nd birthday with her family at her home in Willington. Mrs Edwards was born and grew up in the town where she paid tuppence to go to school in a private house. She left her home during the First World
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Introduction to reading
TODDLERS were introduced to books at their local library yesterday. A family fun event was being held at Owton Manor Library and Community Centre, in Hartlepool's Wynyard Road, to celebrate National Bookstart Day. Based on the theme of animal antics,
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Sell-off paintings are subject of ex-curator's talk
A FORMER museum curator will talk tonight about the historic and artistic significance of a castle's valuable paintings, which are due to be sold. The Church Commissioners voted last month to sell 13 portraits of Jacob and his Twelve Sons, by 17th Century
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Magpies may quit Stock Market
NEWCASTLE United could quit the Stock Market and go private. Its two largest shareholders, Douglas Hall and Freddie Shepherd, who control 50 per cent of the club's equity, are thought to have grown frustrated at the club's poor share price. Newcastle,
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Store meets rugby team's tall order
A DARLINGTON retailer has equipped the Newcastle Falcons rugby union club with clothing for official appearances this season. The club had to travel to the Geoffrey Gillow menswear shop, in Grange Road, Darlington, to find a store that could not only
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Early start for shopping centre hoped to revive town
A NEW £43m shopping complex promises to help turn the fortune of a town centre and bring changes for its residents. Although not due to open until later this month, some of the shops at the Wellington Square development in Stockton have begun trading.
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Ambulance times improve
AMBULANCE response times across the Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service have improved by 20 per cent, thanks to a major campaign. The service was achieving 55 per cent of Category A life-threatening calls in eight minutes before June, but
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Entertainment line-up
A FUN programme of family entertainment is planned at the Witham, Barnard Castle. Productions include Radio Sheep Dip, a comedy about local radio, and Get Up and Tie your Fingers, about the lives of North-East fisher-women. For children there will be
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Pensioners' achievements celebrated
ACHIEVEMENTS in art, poetry and computing, by the over-65s, were celebrated at an awards ceremony yesterday. About 50 County Durham Care residential home residents were presented with certificates to mark their accomplishments in interests ranging from
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Report raps hospital
A scathing report into the death of a family man on a hospital trolley has blamed medical staff and managers. Hospital staff have been slammed in a public inquiry report into the tragic death of 74-year-old forgotton patient, Thomas Rogers, who spent
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Youngsters wade in to spruce up their riverside
YOUNGSTERS gave up their free time to give a riverside area a makeover. A group from Pennywell and South Hylton, in Sunderland, worked through the school summer holidays to improve the banks of the River Wear, at South Hylton. The youngsters, part of
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Closure threat to 'risky' play sites
COUNCIL bosses may order the closure of more than a third of its equipped play areas because many of them have been declared high risk. A report by Chester-le-Street District Council's leisure services manager says the authority is looking to close as
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Approach to building plans praised
A COUNCIL'S radical change in the way it tackles major building and civil engineering schemes has won national recognition. Durham County Council has spent the last two years establishing partnerships with private sector companies to help avoid the sort
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University hails its media millennium man Keith
A PRESS officer who oversees a university's media relations is making the news himself. Senior figures at Durham University paid tribute to its head of public relations, Keith Seacroft, to mark the issuing of the department's 1,000th press release. Mr
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Inquiry into car crash death
ACCIDENT investigators are making inquiries into the death of a man who died while being followed by police. The victim was identified as Mark Collins, 22, of Stanley Gardens, Consett, County Durham. Police said he was at the wheel of a Vauxhall Nova
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Call for ban on outdoor drinking
A COUNCIL is seeking support in calling time on outdoor drinking. Councillor Ken Walker, the leader of Middlesbrough Council, has written to all 53 council members asking them to let him know which areas they think would benefit from a ban on drinking
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Mother avoids jail term
A MOTHER-of-three who pulled a knife on a store detective after being caught shoplifting avoided a jail sentence yesterday. Mandy Massey, 33, was confronted by the guard after she was seen stealing items from the Co-Op in Normanby, near Middlesbrough.
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Man cleared of rape might face retrial
A MAN accused of raping a prostitute, who was cleared of one of the allegations against him, could face a retrial on a second charge. Earlier this week, a jury found Peter Thompson, 20, not guilty of one of the two charges of rape he faced at Teesside
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Traffic concerns block plans for village bistro
CONCERN about lack of parking and potential traffic problems have blocked another development in Sedgefield. Members of Sedgefield Borough Council's development control committee yesterday rejected an application to convert a kitchen and bathroom showroom
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Speed dodge cop 'should be fined'
A DRIVER who tried to use the same defence as a speeding policeman, has called for the officer to be fined. Howard Thomas's car was caught speeding on Ormesby Top, in Middlesbrough, on January 31, three months before Detective Superintendent Adrian Roberts
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Hear All Sides - Letters
WAR ON TERRORISM WE should all be very thankful that President Bush has taken time to consider what response the US should make to the September 11 outrage. Had he reacted like a child in a temper tantrum, hitting out immediately in all directions, he
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Call-up for Boro striker
Middlesbrough striker Szilard Nemeth was yesterday named in the Slovakia squad for the final World Cup qualifier against Macedonia on Sunday. Nemeth, who caught the eye when he came on as a second-half substitute in Boro's dreadful 3-1 home defeat by
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Brightest entries will light up the town this Christmas
THERE is still time for youngsters around the region to enter a competition to design Darlington's Christmas lights. The Northern Echo has joined forces with Orange to give children a chance to design Darlington's Borough Council's Christmas lights. There
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Comment from The Northern Echo - The mote in our own eye
WHILE we wait on the brink of we know not what, which we know might trigger something of which we dare not think, the wider world has continued to revolve in its own sweet way. Today, for instance, brings us round to the traditional highlight of the Labour
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'I can do job on hero Heskey' - Dabizas
NIKOS DABIZAS is hoping to maintain his hold over Emile Heskey when they square up for a rapid rematch in England's World Cup qualifying decider against Greece on Saturday. Newcastle centre-back Dabizas is the linchpin in a Greek defence which must attempt
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Land review competition
THE future of an area of land in the heart of Northallerton could be decided by an architectural competition. Hambleton councillors have suggested the competition to their counterparts at North Yorkshire County Council, who are looking at the land in
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House prices go up 2.8% in month
BRITAIN'S biggest building society claims it is too early to predict what impact the US terrorist attacks will have on the property market despite sharp increases in house prices during September. Nationwide said house prices rose by 2.8 per cent last
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Bogus cabbie blamed for rape
HUNDREDS of cab drivers are under suspicion following the rape of a teenager at the weekend. The 19-year-old was attacked after getting into a taxi following a night out with a friend. But as women were warned to take extra care in hailing taxis from
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Councillors rap decision to sell 17th Century art
COUNCILLORS have condemned a Church of England decision to sell off millions of pounds worth of paintings which have hung in the Bishop of Durham's official residence for 250 years. Thirteen portraits by 17th Century Spanish artist Francisco de Zurburan
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Police seek churchyard vandals
POLICE are appealing for help to track down vandals who damaged headstones in a series of attacks on a West Cornforth churchyard. In the past two weeks, more than a dozen crosses and headstones have been pushed over in the St Trinity Church graveyard,
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Car thief's 142 convictions
A CAR thief with more than 142 previous convictions was jailed for three-and-a-half years yesterday. Teesside Crown Court heard that Kirk Lawrence, 23, of Beaumont Road, Middlesbrough, had been in custody "almost continuously" since 1995, mainly for car
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'Free' flights holiday firm is shut down
A HOLIDAY firm which tricked people into paying for "free" flights and trips away is to be closed down. Holidays Direct Travel Limited, trading as Holidays Direct and UK Consumer Competitions, targeted people throughout the North-East with the offer of
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Anniversary for rural stewards
A SCHEME encouraging farmers to embrace traditional methods of agriculture celebrated its tenth birthday yesterday. The Countryside Stewardship Scheme, subsidised by the Europen Union, pays farmers to follow established farming methods with the aim of
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School builders 'exposed to asbestos'
BUILDERS working on a school were exposed to asbestos, a court heard yesterday. Durham County Council denied it breached health and safety regulations, at Bishop Auckland Magistrates' Court. Builders working on a science block at Wolsingham School and
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Diamond wedding celebrated
IT WAS love at first sight for a couple who are celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary. Eric Wilson and his friend were in Ward Jackson Park, Hartlepool, when they spotted two girls. Mr Wilson, now 86, persuaded his friend to go and ask them out
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Family's environmental efforts rewarded
THE winners of a competition organised by The Northern Echo were presented with their environmentally-friendly prizes yesterday. The Mortimer family, from Darlington, entered the Doing Your Bit competition and won a host of green prizes for their efforts
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Projects to entice visitors to city
A campaign to boost a city's profile as a tourist destination has been launched with a series of initiatives. Community leaders have approved four projects - at a total cost of £334,000 - to encourage visitors into Ripon. Cash from the regional development
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Night flight ruling threatens air industry jobs
A EUROPEAN Court of Human Rights ruling on night flights could prove a disaster if implemented by the Government, the region's airports have warned. The ruling yesterday found that the rights of residents living near London's Heathrow Airport had been
