Archive
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Fast work by award-seeking employers
A COMPANY is celebrating winning the Investor in People award in only six weeks. Information technology and business consultants Waterstons easily beat the average time for clinching IIP status, 74 weeks. The Durham firm applied for the award, which recognises
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Your name could be up in lights
YOUNGSTERS who want their name in lights still have time to enter a competition to design Darlington's Christmas decorations. The Northern Echo has joined forces with Orange to give children in the region the chance to design Darlington Borough Council's
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Car drove wrong way up A19
SUSPECTED car thieves who drove the wrong way up the A19 "miraculously" avoided hitting other vehicles. The Vauxhall Nova containing four young people sped north on the southbound carriageway of the trunk road after ignoring police requests to stop. A
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Epilepsy caused teacher's death
A POPULAR young history teacher, whose body was found at her Darlington home last November, died from epilepsy, a pathologist told an inquest yesterday. Scots-born Lynne Brannan, who worked at Teesdale School, in Barnard Castle, and lived at Outram Street
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Bus service aids visitors to hospital
PATIENTS and visitors will have easy access to a hospital with a new bus route. Bus operator Arriva is to divert its 62 service along Marton Road, Middlesbrough, providing a new link to the James Cook University Hospital. The service runs through Loftus
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Sporting mission for aikido star Abi
MATHS lecturer Abi Bown is a woman on a mission, seeking to end eight years of frustration, when she takes part in the Aikido World Championships this month. The event only comes round every four years and last time Abi, 31, from Harrogate, where her
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Alert over bogus callers
TRADING standards officers in Hartlepool are warning residents to be on their guard against bogus callers. Officers say the callers knock on people's doors to sell them something they don't want, or carry out repairs that are not necessary. Senior trading
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Coroner'swarning to bikers
A CORONER issued a warning to bikers after hearing how a freak accident killed a teenage rider in the grounds of a North-East college. Kevin Wright died hours after smashing head-first into a tree at Bishop Auckland College in July last year, an inquest
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Traders on buses-ban route angered by 'promises failure'
AN organisation given the task of regenerating a town is being accused of letting shops die. Two firms in Newport Road, Middlesbrough, have closed with the loss of passing trade following the introduction of a ban on buses and the partial blocking off
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Far cry from Boer War as brown ale marks centenary
EDWARDIAN brewers toasted the safe return of North-East troops from the Boer War by producing a commemorative beer. One hundred years later, Double Maxim, the region's oldest surviving brown ale, is still going strong. To mark the milestone, the Double
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Tribunal told affair an excuse for sack
A WOMAN football chief accused her club chairman yesterday of using her relationship with a married club director as a smokescreen to cover her unfair dismissal. Helen Coverdale is claiming Darlington Football Club's chairman George Reynolds had not renewed
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Getting the wrong end of the stick
AT the height of the foot-and-mouth crisis, a widespread view in the countryside was that the outbreak was a fiendish Government plot. The motive, according to the earliest theory, was revenge for the Tory bashing of the miners. This gave way to a conviction
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The stuff that inspired a generation
HARRY Watson's e-mail address is hairoil 'Put some Brylcreem on it, Denis'. I believe he preferred Elastoplast." SPORT has always played a big part in advertising, as Rule Britannia - Robert Opie's 1985 book on the British advertising industry - richly
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Queen Mary enjoys healthy Sedgefield double success
MARY REVELEY maintained her brilliant course record at Sedgefield yesterday with a 20-1 double via Terdad and What A Tale. Mrs Reveley was away in London lending support to her grandson, who had qualified for the Wembley Horse Show, but that didn't stop
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Magician's son grew cannabis plants at home
The son of millionaire magician Paul Daniels was today sentenced for creating a cannabis farm at his home. Paul Newton Daniels, 41, was given a 12 months community rehabilitation order after confessing to growing 89 cannabis plants in the cellar and bedroom
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Seize this moment for justice, says Blair
TONY Blair yesterday issued a rallying call to the world to fight injustice in the wake of the terrorist attacks on America. The Prime Minister told a sombre Labour conference in Brighton that the world stood at a turning point in history. "This is a
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Driver hurt in A1(M) crash
A MOTORIST was taken to hospital suffering injuries, described as "not serious", following a two-car collision on the A1(M) in County Durham yesterday. The woman, from Fenham, Newcastle, was driving a Honda Civic car which was in collision with a Rover
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Boxers head to sport's homeland
A GROUP of Thai boxing hopefuls are heading to their martial art's homeland in training for a major event. The members of Darlington Boxing and Martial Arts Academy will leave for Thailand on Tuesday, next week, for 17 days. There, some will fight while
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Royal date for award winners
YOUNG people from the region will be visiting London next month to collect their gold Duke of Edinburgh awards. The youngsters will be among 800 from across the UK who will meet Prince Philip at St James's Palace. Each gold award winner has spent 18 months
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Hockey pay arrives
WAGES owed to this season's squad at Newcastle Jesters Ice Hockey Club have arrived, although last season's squad are still owed about £150,000. Concerns that the pay crisis, which dates back to February, would deepen arose after cash due from the club's
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Builder's affordable homes plan opposed
A CONSTRUCTION firm's plans to provide extra affordable housing in a market town look set to be thrown out by planners. Barratt York has submitted proposals to Hambleton District Council to build 68 houses and flats on land at Ryebeck Farm, off Stockton
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Detective gave me hi-fi in bin liner, ex-wife tells trial
THE former wife of a high-flying police officer told how he gave her a stolen hi-fi unit in a bin liner and covered in fingerprint dust for her birthday. Kim O'Byrne-Leonard, herself a former police officer, said she still regarded it as a romantic present
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Herriot town date for Gerry Adams
SINN Fein president Gerry Adams is to make a public appearance in a North Yorkshire market town. It is believed to be the first time he has made a speech outside London on mainland Britain. The controversial republican politician will give the annual
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Hear All Sides
Letters from The Northern Echo IDENTITY CARDS THE debate on the pros and cons of compulsory identity cards is really missing the point. Like other legal documents, the majority of law-abiding citizens acquire those required - driving licence, passport
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Minister reviews secure unit
A GOVERNMENT minister has inspected the region's only privately-run secure unit for children following a critical report. Chief whip Hilary Armstrong paid her second visit to Hassockfield Secure Training and Detention Centre near Consett, County Durham
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Report condemns medics over man's death
A scathing report into the death of a man on a hospital trolley has blamed medical staff and managers. Hospital staff have been criticised in a public inquiry report into the death of 74-year-old Thomas Rogers, who spent nine hours on a trolley in a casualty
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Hospice is adopted
A HOSPICE in Darlington has been adopted by the Cornmill Shopping Centre. The shopping centre has decided that St Teresa's Hospice will be its chosen charity for this year. A number of shops from the centre have donated gifts and vouchers to the charity
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Village display stirs memories
VILLAGERS in East Durham are being invited to take a step down memory lane at a one- day exhibition, next week. The event, being held at Shotton Colliery Library next Thursday, will feature old photographs of the village, a video and slide shows. There
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Racing is under starter's orders
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. Punters will be able to enjoy racing in the Northumberland countryside when the first meeting of the year gets under
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Bobby to move for Taylor?
BOBBY ROBSON was last night being tipped to offer sacked Leicester City manager Peter Taylor a quick route back into coaching with Newcastle United. Former England manager Robson, who almost teamed up with Taylor to lead the country on a short-term basis
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Revamp at gallery boosts city's stores
AN art gallery has revamped its shop to better cater for crafty customers. The Laing gallery, in Newcastle, refurbished its shop during the summer to enable it to stock a wider range of arts and crafts. The new-look store will offer an extended range
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Believing in Blair's brave new world
NEVER in the field of party conferences can one leader have embraced so many and so much before an audience of so few. There were only a couple of thousand in the hall in the English seaside resort yesterday, but Tony Blair tried to bring billions of
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Airports in night flights warning
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
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Woman in hospital after road collision
A WOMAN was taken to hospital after a road accident near Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, yesterday. The Fire and Rescue Service was called to the A689 at Rushyford just after 8.30am following a collision between a heavy goods vehicle and a van. Appliances
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Getting the wrong end of the stick
AT the height of the foot-and-mouth crisis, a widespread view in the countryside was that the outbreak was a fiendish Government plot. The motive, according to the earliest theory, was revenge for the Tory bashing of the miners. This gave way to a conviction
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Why life must go on as normal
NO, I haven't rushed out to buy a gas mask. Or stocked up on baked beans, long-life milk and a pack of cards to while away the time until Armageddon. But I have bought a bag of daffodil bulbs. Not immediately practical really, but infinitely more cheering
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Five year battle for justice finally won
A WOMAN who has almost single-handedly championed the cause of sick and dying miners has finally won her own personal battle for justice. Pat Daglish was spurred into action after witnessing the slow death of her father Thomas whose lungs were wrecked
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Healy gets chance to impress at Pool
BRIAN Healy will this afternoon be handed a chance to impress at Hartlepool United. The former Spennymoor midfielder is available on a free transfer from Torquay and has joined up for a trial with Pool. He will start this afternoon's reserve game with
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Opportunity to net skills in basketball
YOUNG people can net themselves some basketball skills in a new course in Hartlepool. The ten-week course will pave the way for a new junior basketball league, which starts in the town next month. The course starts on October 12 and will take place every
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Library offers feast of opportunity
NEW library facilities are being launched with a series of events to tie in with a town's annual community festival. A multi-million pound library and learning centre opened its doors to the people of Houghton-le-Spring, Wearside, yesterday. It is situated
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Facing prison: The 'wheelchair user' who went jogging three times a week
A MAN who went jogging three times a week despite claiming to need a wheelchair is facing prison after he and his wife were found guilty of falsely claiming more than £80,000 of benefits. A jury at Teesside Crown Court found John Moses guilty of eight
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Rock confident lending will stay strong
MORTGAGE bank Northern Rock said its strong mortgage lending looked set to continue for the rest of the year despite consumer confidence being dented by events in the US. The former building society said it had maintained its buoyant performance in the
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BE takes over Gill air routes
BRITISH European (BE) Airlines has outlined its plans for the routes formerly operated by Gill Airways, which went out of business earlier this month. The Exeter airline, part of Walker Aviation, has taken over the Belfast City and Paris Charles de Gaulle
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Man 'hid in hedge' as attack took place
A MAN accused of joining three others in wielding a poker and coal shovel during an attack, yesterday told a court he had hidden behind a hedge and not attacked anyone. Paul Robinson, 27, is accused of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Thomas
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Dog charity chips in to help owners keep tabs on rovers
SUNDERLAND dog lovers are being given the chance to have their pets electronically tagged for free or at reduced cost. The National Canine Defence League (NCDL) and Sunderland City Council are running a two-month campaign to promote responsible dog ownership
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Steward attacked in raid on club
A STEWARD was left badly shaken when two robbers made off with his club's weekend takings. The raiders took a large sum of cash from Blackhall Working Men's Club, in east Durham, on Monday morning. The pair, wearing black balaclavas, went into the club
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Star at curtain-up of charity campaign
A NORTH-EAST shopping centre is backing Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Impressionist Faith Brown has also added her support to the campaign, which will run throughout this month. She took a break from her role as Norma Desmond, in Sunset Boulevard, at
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Comment from The Northern Echo - Rhetorically correct
IT would have been easy for Tony Blair to stick strictly to a single issue agenda in his address to the Labour Party Conference. Support for the United States and the tension which continues to grip the world would have made such a speech perfectly acceptable
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Why life must go on as normal
NO, I haven't rushed out to buy a gas mask. Or stocked up on baked beans, long-life milk and a pack of cards to while away the time until Armageddon. But I have bought a bag of daffodil bulbs. Not immediately practical really, but infinitely more cheering
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Georgian course seeks an owner
A NEW owner or a Lottery grant could be the best long-term bet for a decaying 18th Century racecourse in North Yorkshire. It is thought more than £1m needs to be invested in the restoration of the best surviving example of a Georgian grandstand in the
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Typhoon Ginger should go storming home
GIVEN all of the wet and windy weather we've experienced in the region lately, Typhoon Ginger (5.00) is something of a topical tip in the one mile Cantor Handicap at Newcastle. Tony Mulholland's six-year-old mare deserves a bit of luck after cruelly denied
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Aussie bar a step closer as court backs licence appeal
A PUB chain's controversial plans to turn Durham City's cinema into an Australian theme bar have moved closer to fruition. Magistrates have overturned a refusal by Durham City Council's licensing panel to grant Regent Inns an entertainment licence for
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Shepherd hopes Magpies can replay the good times
TYNESIDE businessman Freddie Shepherd's dreams of taking Newcastle United off the Stock Exchange and shedding its plc status could lead to a return to better times at the club. Mr Shepherd, who owns 7.6 per cent of the club's shares through his company
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The council of 'poison and feuds'
AN investigation into a North-East council chief's controversial land deal has uncovered an atmosphere of "poison, feuding and ill-feeling" in the corridors of power. Tiny Snowdrop Cottage, in the exclusive County Durham village of Castle Eden, was transformed
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Cathedral floor to be replaced
YEARS of wear and tear from the pounding feet of countless visitors and worshippers has take its toll on Ripon Cathedral's stone-flagged floor. But replacing the uneven surface to avoid trips and falls in an era of insurance claims is no simple task for
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Soldier is on track to help campaign
A SOLDIER is due to arrive in Geneva tomorrow after cycling 600m from Catterick Garrison to raise money for the breast cancer campaign. Lieutenant Joe McMahon, of the 1st Battalion the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, left his North Yorkshire base last Friday
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Appeal to couple who aided victim
POLICE want to contact two good samaritans who stopped to help a man after he had been knifed. The 26-year-old victim was walking near the Plough pub, in Byker Bank, Newcastle, yesterday, at about 9am, when the attack happened. He was approached from
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Amanda meets challenge head-on
A MARATHON fundraising campaign has raised more than £4,500 in memory of a devoted family man. In August, friends and family of Joe Hesp, of Crook, embarked on a challenge to raise money for the British Heart Foundation in his memory. In the latest effort
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Village hopeful of speed limit
VILLAGERS campaigning for speed restrictions on a main road near their homes are hopeful they can share the success of a neighbouring community. For years, residents of Redworth, between Darlington and Shildon, have battled to have a 30mph limit enforced
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Detective work finds sporting stars of yesteryear
A BID to find the footballers whose fancy footwork helped put their club in the history books, has proved successful. Housing developer Bett Homes has been searching the region for three Crook Town Football Club players - Ray Snowball, Eddie Appleby and
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Plans for three dumping sites are scrapped
THREE sites earmarked for dumping household waste and recycling centres have been ditched by North Yorkshire County Council. But protests have failed to halt a new site in northern Harrogate. The sites dropped from the revised plan are Brickyard Road,
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Jail for £30,000 scam man
Erol Flyn's swashbuckling days came to an end yesterday when he was jailed for 15 months after swindling £30,000 from his work. The 39-year-old storeman shares his name with the wartime screen idol, but, unlike Hollywood hero Errol Flynn's best-known
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Roll up for flu jabs, staff urged
DURHAM County Council is offering free flu jabs to social services staff who care for old people. The council is keen to ensure that services are not disrupted during the busy winter months because of staff sickness. So it is encouraging more than 1,200
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Koi Katie is a burger fan
KATIE the koi carp likes nothing better than a burger. With her price tag of £10,000 she might be expect her to prefer a dish of caviar. Three-year-old Katie, who measures in at 30in, lords it in a 4,000-gallon indoor pond with ten other Koi. She takes
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Teen pregnancies in the spotlight
A YOUTH drama group is tackling teenage pregnancy with the launch of a theatre production. Students at King James I Community College, in Bishop Auckland, were shocked to discover they lived in one of the worst areas for teenage pregnancies. With the
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Waiting list blow for new hospital
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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Sculptor spared jail after attack
A sculptor who attacked his estranged wife's boyfriend with a knife was spared a jail sentence yesterday. Moroccan Ahmed El-Haddad, 35, formerly of Darlington, admitted wounding Tony Hussain and making threats to kill in July last year. Shaun Dodds, prosecuting
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Emily finds some fungi monsters in garden
A PENSIONER'S garden has been taken over by an invasion of giant puffballs. Emily Donohue, 67, of Bishop Auckland, County Durham, could not believe her eyes last weekend when she found ten puffballs had suddenly appeared in her garden. She said: "I thought
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Hannah's mother sends a message of thanks
A GRATEFUL mother last night said thanks for an operation which will pave the way for her daughter to have a normal life. In a telephone call from the US, Allison Maxwell-Jones expressed her gratitude to readers of The Northern Echo, who helped raise
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Army man sought after death of mother-of-four
Police were trying yesterday to trace a soldier who may hold vital clues about the death of a mother-of-four. The body of former teacher Debra McNicholas was found on a beach, near a children's play area and paddling pool, in Redcar, east Cleveland, a
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The stuff that inspired a generation
HARRY Watson's e-mail address is hairoil 'Put some Brylcreem on it, Denis'. I believe he preferred Elastoplast." SPORT has always played a big part in advertising, as Rule Britannia - Robert Opie's 1985 book on the British advertising industry - richly
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Questions over death of lawyer
CLEVELAND Police were no closer last night to solving the mystery of the death of former top barrister Barry Stewart. Mr Stewart, who was facing assault charges, is reported to have died from cancer at his home in Cyprus. A judge at Teesside Crown Court
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Bennett looks to add French forward flair
DARLINGTON may give their French trialist a run-out in tonight's reserve game at home to Stockport (7pm) as Gary Bennett searches to add competition to his squad's forward line. The favoured partnership of Danny Mellanby and Barry Conlon has reaped eight
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Envoy in bid to free Yvonne
A SENIOR British diplomat yesterday met a Taliban official to press for the release of arrested British journalist Yvonne Ridley, the Foreign Office confirmed last night. The British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Hilary Synnott, met Taliban representative
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More to come, declares buoyant striker Boksic
MIDDLESBROUGH striker Alen Boksic has promised that his best is yet to come after an injury-hit start to the season. The Croatian has converted two penalties in as many games since his return from a five-week calf injury. Boksic, Boro's player of the
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Prevent defects with help of SPC
The Northern Echo and BKR Haines Watts have teamed up to give world-class manufacturing advice to companies in the Tees Valley. This week Paul Bell, of BKR Haines Watts, looks at the concept SPC. SPC, Statistical Process Control, is a means of preventing
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Rise in obesity puts health plans at risk
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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Fantasy football fiasco
FANTASY football is proving a nightmare for North-East football fans, thanks to the failure of a national newspaper to run a popular competition smoothly. The Daily Telegraph's Fantasy Football League kicked-off seven weeks ago - but many competitors
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Planning ahead for town's prosperity
A VISION to shape a town over the next ten years has been devised by a renaissance board. The issues debated at the Stockton Renaissance Board meeting ranged from the need for a confident and vibrant society for the town, to building an inspiring environment
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Concrete landmark has a history worth listening to
SOME walls really do have ears. Take for instance a venerable structure in the middle of an east Cleveland town's newest housing development. The 4.5 metre-high concrete building in Holyhead Drive, Redcar, was a crude forerunner of Fylingdales Early Warning
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Author calls for return of letters crucial to case
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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Courage on catwalk
WOMEN from the region who have beaten breast cancer were among catwalk models at a fashion show in London last night. Paula Gent, from Hartlepool, and Lorraine Linacre, from Acklam, Middlesbrough, were among 20 former breast cancer patients who became
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Van driver death 'still a mystery'
A road accident which claimed the life of a 49-year-old company director will never be explained, an inquest heard yesterday. Raymond Stones, a director of Mr Windows, in Whessoe Road, Darlington, died from multiple injuries on May 3 when his van slewed
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Indoor date for athletes
MORE than 150 athletes from County Durham Care's day centres for adults with learning difficulties are expected to take part in an indoor sports tournament in Consett. The town's Belle Vue Sports Centre will host the county-wide tournament, which will
