Archive
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Conversion will offer good start for young
EFFORTS to give children in the north of Hartlepool the best possible start in life have reached a new milestone. Work is under way to convert a shop in Northgate on the Headland into the first Sure Start centre. It is expected to open its doors to parents
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Patient waiting times falling
THE number of NHS patients waiting more than 12 months for treatment has fallen dramatically across the region, new figures showed yesterday. The news, which was welcomed by health chiefs, represents a major improvement on statistics published just over
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Hospice shop gets VIP visitor
A HOSPICE shop received a visit from former Conservative leader William Hague MP to mark three years of successful trading. Since it opened, St Teresa's Hospice shop in Leyburn, North Yorkshire has raised nearly £50,000 for the hospice in Darlington,
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Quakers stumble in seven-goal thriller
Darlington kicked off a month of very tough fixtures with a defeat at Luton Town last night, and although it will be of no consolation to Gary Bennett or the hundreds of Quakers fans who made the trip, the match was a hugely entertaining affair. Seven
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Country home's owners' pledge
A FORMER Liberal candidate at two past general elections has returned to the North Yorkshire town he vied to represent in Parliament as the new owner of a country home. Keith Schellenberg and his wife Jilly may be remembered by some for their purchase
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Bitter cold on long road to Afghanistan
TODAY sees the final leg of a 450-kilometre mercy mission into Afghanistan led by a North-East woman. Grandmother Hermione Youngs, 58, of Guisborough, east Cleveland, is already planning a repeat convoy next year - even if coalition forces go to war with
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Shop just the job for NHS
HEALTH teams from across the region joined forces to open a job shop yesterday. Six NHS Trusts across Durham and Teesside have taken part in a national recruitment drive for the health service. Jill Kay, NHS recruitment and retention advisor, said: "This
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Watchdog hits out at staffing levels in trust
A NATIONAL NHS watchdog has criticised low staffing levels at a North-East health trust. Following an inspection by the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) the organisation's chief executive, Peter Homa, said he was concerned at Gateshead Health NHS
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No fun in Foxing the bookmakers
It's not just horse racing where investigations are launched after gambles. Last Sunday, Huntingdon staged a Charity Fun Even involving 100 contestants from around the UK and overseas, all dressed in mascot outfits. Bookies took bets on 55 of the runners
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Tree planting initiatives to boost dales woodland
FRESH impetus has been given to initiatives in the Yorkshire Dales which encourage the restoration of native woodlands. The national park authority is urging farmers to make the most of the many funding sources currently available - timing the appeal
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Disused cinema approved to be turned into pub
A PLANNING inspector has approved plans for a disused cinema to be turned into a new-style theme pub. The Palladium, in Claypath, Durham, has stood empty for many years but the inspector's decision paves the way for it to become a Chicago Rock Caf watering
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Condolence book defaced
Vandals have defaced a book of condolence for the victims of the American terror attacks. Civic chiefs in Newcastle were stunned when they saw the message in the city's condolence book, which read: "It was a long time coming. They got what they deserved
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Convicted rapist cleared of indecent video charge
A convicted rapist who was caught with a video of himself engaging in sex acts with young girls has been cleared of possessing a indecent video of a child with a view to it being distributed or shown. Dean Desilva, 45, was convicted in 1993 of rape and
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All eyes on retail sector, including M & S
THE calendar for corporate reporting again appears light next week, although the City will be on its toes as firms report developments in the wake of the US crisis. Interest will also focus on the retail sector with trading statements from Marks &
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Port reclaims lost treasure, thanks to secret benefactor
A MYSTERY benefactor has provided a sea port with hundreds of historic objects dating back to the days when its Anglo-Saxon abbey was built. For the past 75 years, the rare collection of about 700 items relating to Whitby, North Yorkshire, has been preserved
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Williams in the frame to face champions
VERSATILE former England B international Darren Williams could find himself getting the nod ahead of two current full internationals if Brazilian central defender Emerson Thome is not ready for a return in Sunderland's biggest game of the season against
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Schools share £1.75m sport and art boost
SCHOOLS in east Cleveland are to benefit from more than £1.75m of Government investment. The cash is part of a Space for Sport and Art Scheme, which aims to boost facilities and provide more opportunities for children. A new sports hall and changing rooms
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Extra freedom for school's disabled pupils
A PIONEERING school has included a wheelchair-friendly minibus in the extra services it provides for disabled students. More than £3m has been spent improving facilities at King James I Community College, Bishop Auckland, so that students with physical
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Gold star for school's art work
CELEBRATIONS take place later this month at a Wear Valley school that has been awarded a gold star from a major arts body. Peases West Primary School, in Billy Row, near Crook, was the first in County Durham to be awarded an Artsmark Gold Award from the
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Hospital radio's marathon airing
HOSPITAL radio volunteers embarked on a marathon broadcasting challenge yesterday, as they bid to stay live on the air for 48 hours. The team at Bishop Auckland Hospital Radio were inundated with hundreds of requests from patients as they launched the
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Fire school rebuilding work starts
WORK has started on rebuilding a Sedgefield primary school which was destroyed in an arson attack. The £832,000 scheme to redevelop Hardwick Primary School got under way this week. The school was wrecked by fire in January and children had to be sent
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History students win essay prizes
FIVE students from a Darlington college have won prizes for their history essay writing skills. The James Barningham competition is organised by Darlington Education Authority and is open to all GCSE and A-Level students in the town. The aim of the competition
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Jukebox voice for performance poets
BUDDING performance poets in Darlington are being given the chance to showcase their work. The Hydrogen Jukebox is an initiative aimed at a non-traditional poetry audience, with a focus on young people. Performers on the opening night next Tuesday will
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Artist keeps promise to primary pupils
AN artist has kept his promise to work again with Ferryhill youngsters after they moved on to secondary school. Keith Alexander, of Barnard Castle, worked with 175 children from five primary schools - Chilton, Dean Bank, Ferryhill Station, Broom Cottages
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Appeal denied to sex assault case consultant
A consultant psychiatrist who was placed on the sex offenders' register despite being found unfit to stand trial, has failed in an attempt to clear his name. William Kerr, 75, of Haigh End, Alne, near York, suffers from a brain-wasting disease and, because
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Air rage passenger loses plea against jail sentence
A PASSENGER who threatened to open the doors of a packed plane at 30,000ft has lost his appeal against a one-year jail sentence. Holidaymaker David McCallum, 29, was flying from Newcastle to Tenerife, in November 1999, when he had a violent row with his
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TV horse woman wins plea over ban
AN award-winning equestrian who was banned from keeping animals for ten years after she admitted neglecting a horse, has had her sentence halved on appeal. Joanne Eleanor, 30, who appeared on the Horse of the Year Show as a youngster, had admitted failing
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Minimum income for over-60s
QYou frequently refer to Minimum Income Guarantee. What precisely is it and could we qualify? Our income is £131.16 a week. AMinimum Income Guarantee for couples ensures that, where at least one of the partners is 60 or over, they have at least £140.55
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Safety fear over housing scheme
CONCERN has been voiced about the safety implications of landscaping as part of a big housing development in Darlington. Yuill Homes' controversial plan for a development of 67 houses on the Mowden Rugby Club site will also involve some landscaping to
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On the march again at 91, as statue pays tribute to comrades
THE last surviving member of the Jarrow March looked on as a statue was unveiled in his and his comrades' honour yesterday. Cornelius Whalen, 91, said: "It makes me proud to see it." The bronze statue, named the Spirit of Jarrow, depicts two of the protestors
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Time to protect your plants
ALTHOUGH the weather is very open at the moment, winter is not far away. Preparations should be undertaken now as the damp summer has resulted in many plants making green sappy growth. This will be very susceptible to winter die back. Where the over-winter
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Arts and crafts on offer for families
A SERIES of craft workshops are being launched at a Durham museum this weekend. Sunday Fundays will be held until Christmas at the dli - formerly the DLI Museum and Durham Art Gallery - at Aykley Heads. The arts and crafts afternoons for all the family
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Sanyo hopes to sign off by selling its factory and land
After closing its North-East operations at Newton Aycliffe and Thornaby, Sanyo has put a factory on the market. The Newton Aycliffe site was acquired by Sanyo in 1988 and comprises two main production buildings of 5,567 sq m and 4,373 sq m respectively
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Fishmonger wins battle of farmers' market stall
A SEAFOOD market trader has thanked the public for helping him to win a dispute with local councillors who had wanted to stop him trading at a market set up to help farmers. A row erupted earlier this year when members of Barnard Castle Town Council tried
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Concert opens bandstand
BRASS band music lovers are in for a treat tomorrow when a concert will be held in a restored bandstand. The concert by the Dunston Silver Band has been organised to celebrate the reopening of the bandstand, in Saltwell Park, Gateshead. The bandstand,
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Johnston hopeful of breaking duck
ALBUHERA has an outstanding chance of landing a first ever Cambridgeshire Handicap for Middleham handler Mark Johnston. Not too many of the mile plus major handicaps have slipped through Johnston's fingers over the past 13 seasons, but the £120,000 Newmarket
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Black Cats boost support
UP to half a million youngsters across the region are to benefit from the expansion of Sunderland AFC's community programme. The club has unveiled plans for an expanded education and community centre called The Centre for Life. The Black Cats this week
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Rushden pile the agony on
HARTLEPOOL United last night suffered away defeat number five as they fell to a harsh 2-1 reverse at Rushden & Diamonds. Despite another expert finish from the ever-willing and ever-impressive Gordon Watson, Pool's first visit to the plush surroundings
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Doors close to open on new life for centre
A MUCH-LOVED community centre is to close its doors for the first time in almost 100 years. The Dean Bank and Ferryhill Literary Institute in County Durham, built in 1908 with funds donated by local mineworkers, is to undergo a facelift to secure its
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Comment from The Northern Echo - Sport - a national joke
BRITAIN is the fourth biggest economic power in the world. Britain is a sports-mad nation. Despite these two factors, we do not have a national football stadium, nor a track capable of hosting a World Athletics Championships. In the eyes of the sporting
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Blow for boxing fans
DOUBT has been cast over an appearance in the North-East by Roberto Duran after the boxing legend was seriously injured in a car crash. Duran, who won world titles at four different weights in the 1970s and 1980s, was due to be guest of honour at a sportsman's
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Who's who for Greece?
GREECE'S best known stars are taking early retirement, players are predicting an England win and their German manager is struggling to rally his squad. Today's match looks a tough task for boss Otto Rehhagel, who is hoping to gain a better result than
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Dabizas determined to show England his striking power
IT is said that deep within every centre-half beats the heart of a frustrated centre-forward. Many defenders may argue otherwise, and a certain number of their union - who shall remain nameless - regularly suffer anxiety attacks when crossing the halfway
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Plans for take-away likely to be rejected
PLANS for a hot food take-away on a busy shopping street in Billingham look set to be refused over concerns from residents. Stockton Borough Council has received a planning application to create a take-away in Station Road. A number of objections have
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Sony kicks off the console war
Reviews: This Is Football 2002. Format: PS2. Publisher: SCEE. Price: £39.99 SONY has fired the first shot in this year's console war by dropping the price of a PlayStation 2 down to a palatable £199. But kicking hardware is nothing without software to
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Taliban relents on message to Yvonne
THE parents of captured journalist Yvonne Ridley were given a ray of hope last night when they were told they could send their daughter a letter and aid parcel. Joyce and Allan Ridley have also been told the Taliban has yet to charge their daughter, who
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Murderer fails in exclusion zone plea
A CONVICTED murderer has lost his campaign to overturn a ban which prevents him returning to his old haunts and watching his favourite football team play at home. A judge ruled that a chance encounter with released Newcastle killer Stephen Craven could
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It takes years to look this good
JANET Moore stripped off and stood naked in front of the mirror, gazing at the flabby sight before her. The book on body building for women by Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger had advised her to tear off her clothes and pinpoint exactly which areas
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Sports centre a tribute to soccer legend
A SPORTS centre named after one of the North-East's soccer legends has been officially opened by another football great. Trevor Brooking, the former West Ham and England midfielder, conducted the ceremony at the Raich Carter Sports Centre, in Hendon,
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Electorate asked to decide future of council
A CITY'S electorate is being asked to decide if an all-powerful mayor should have political control of the council. Voters go to the polls in Sunderland on Thursday, next week, for a referendum about whether the city should have a directly-elected mayor
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Home comfort for Boksic
STAR striker Alen Boksic last night revealed the importance of turning around Middlesbrough's dreadful home form. Since the Croatian was signed by former manager Bryan Robson last summer, Boro have won just six from 23 Premiership fixtures on their own
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More gloomy skies as BA combines two subsidiaries
BRITISH Airways is combining its two UK regional subsidiaries, leading to the loss of 200 jobs. British Airways Regional (BAR) is to become part of the newly-formed British Airways CitiExpress, creating a single business for its short haul regional domestic
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Councillor dies aged 72
A WELL-KNOWN councillor who gave unstinting work for the community has lost his fight against cancer. Derwentside District Council Labour member William Golightly who represented Consett South after previously representing Castleside for four years, died
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Backing for £120m revamp
DARLINGTON Borough Council is showing its backing for the redevelopment of the Lingfield Point complex by installing road signs around the town. Lingfield Point, centred on the former Patons and Baldwins factory, is being redeveloped as a premier business
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Boss is 'jailed' to help raise funds
A SHOPPING centre manager was behind bars this week - but it was all in a good cause. David Ward, manager of the Cleveland Centre, Middlesbrough, was locked up in a mock cell while his staff collected £100 to buy his release. He followed the likes of
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Family firm buys part of axed shipyard
BOAT Building and repair business, Tyne Slipway Engineering, has struck a deal to buy part of the troubled Cammell Laird group. The South Shields business hopes to create more than 120 jobs at the Wear Dockyard, part of Cammell Laird, which went into
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Second chance for teenager
A TEENAGER who was given a supervision order after sparking a street brawl has walked free from court again after failing to comply with it. Kevin Warburton, 16, was sentenced to a two-year supervision order in May, after causing a violent affray on February
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Pensioners receive bar as gift
PENSIONERS in a residential home are raising their glasses to police who have helped improve their life with the gift of a bar. The residents, who live at the Hylton View care home, in Sunderland, will soon be enjoying their new facility, thanks to Northumbria
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Man fined over images of girls
A MAN who used the Internet to download sickening images of children on to his home computer has walked free from court. Desmond Stenner also filmed a "teaching" video of girls dancing at a community centre in Hebburn, South Tyneside, but used the camera
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Doctor to treat fashion fans with model show
A HOSPITAL'S dedicated followers of fashion are taking to the catwalk later this month to raise funds for a much-needed facility. Staff at Northallerton's Friarage Hospital are joining together with residents to put on a fashion show to boost an appeal
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Hear All Sides
Letters from The Northern Echo WAR ON TERRORISM IN your otherwise good and informative editorial (Echo, Sept 26) I was concerned at the sentence: "If military action is less precise and incurs serious loss of life among innocent Afghan people, then the
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Sony kicks off the console war
Reviews: This Is Football 2002. Format: PS2. Publisher: SCEE. Price: £39.99 SONY has fired the first shot in this year's console war by dropping the price of a PlayStation 2 down to a palatable £199. But kicking hardware is nothing without software to
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Glassmakers hope to help keep shipbuilding history afloat
GLASSMAKERS have made their own tribute to an important piece of Sunderland's shipbuilding past. Wearside Glass Sculptures, based in the city's National Glass Centre, has produced a sculpture of the Sunderland-built clipper City of Adelaide. The ship,
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£900,000 rural cash aid agreed
REGENERATION efforts in two rural communities have been given a £900,000 cash boost. The Craghead Area Partnership, near Stanley, and the Coundon and Leeholme Community Project, near Bishop Auckland, will share the money after being awarded Settlement
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Driver killed in crash
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a 64-year-old man was killed when his car left the road and ploughed through a fence. Victor Frederick Fletcher, of William Street, Auckland Park, near Bishop Auckland, was pronounced dead at the accident scene
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G'day to the flying vicar
IN Peter Davis's last parish there were ten successive days where the mercury topped 40 degrees Centigrade. He was chaplain to a vineyard, familiar with a multi-cultural city centre and had to watch out for kangaroos and great white sharks. Kangaroos
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Stage set for hospice's charity fundraiser
PREPARATIONS are nearing completion for the annual St Teresa's Hospice Ball in Darlington tonight. This year's ball will be held at the Beehive Ballroom, at Lingfield Point, which has been redecorated by the 1st Battalion Queen's Lancashire Regiment for
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Repeat offender gets jail warning
A PERSISTENT offender with more than 150 convictions has been warned he could face jail. Sedgefield Magistrates' Court was told yesterday how 49-year-old John Rientoul has repeatedly been arrested for drunken and disorderly behaviour in the Crook and
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Safety fear over housing scheme
CONCERN has been voiced about the safety implications of landscaping as part of a big housing development in Darlington. Yuill Homes' controversial plan for a development of 67 houses on the Mowden Rugby Club site will also involve some landscaping to
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Homes plan turned down
A plan to build 50 houses at an east Cleveland riding school has been turned down. Officers from Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council had recommended its planning committee approve the plan to develop the site of the former Cleveland Riding Centre, at
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Recreation land sold to partnership
LAND earmarked for east Cleveland's first sports facility has been sold to a community partnership. Skelton and Gilling Estates sold the recreational ground at Station Road, Skelton, for a token amount so it can be used for community recreational. The
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MP backs villagers in fight against opencast mining
DURHAM'S MP is backing villagers in their fight against the opencast mining of fields near their homes. Gerry Steinberg has lodged an objection to the Eco Energy Group's plan to extract 755,000 tonnes from a 157-acre area between Bowburn, Coxhoe and Old
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Singer's anniversary concert
A top contemporary Christian artist is to give a concert in Redcar to mark her 15th anniversary in broadcasting. Nia began her professional career in 1986 at the same time as United Christian Broadcasters - Europe's leading Christian radio network - was
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Police restrict movements of troublesome teenagers
UP to ten teenage troublemakers could soon face law enforced restrictions on their movements around a Teesside town. Police officers will be gathering evidence against ringleaders this weekend before applying to magistrates for anti-social behaviour orders
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Babysitting review call after fire horror
A charity last night urged the Government to tighten up its advice to parents about leaving their children with young babysitters following an horrific house fire in the North-East. The appeal, from the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
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Carolina on its mind, firm makes leap across Atlantic
ADVANCED imaging company e-comeleon has begun its international expansion with a step into the US. The business, from Tanfield Lea, Stanley, County Durham, has opened a new technical and production centre in Cary, Wake County, North Carolina. The operation
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The curtain rises on fundraising shows
THE curtain goes up tonight on a season of shows to pump cash into the restoration of one of the region's architectural treasures. A Lottery grant of almost £600,000, and £200,000 in donations, have given new hope to the Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond
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Hospital radio's marathon airing
HOSPITAL radio volunteers embarked on a marathon broadcasting challenge yesterday, as they bid to stay live on the air for 48 hours. The team at Bishop Auckland Hospital Radio were inundated with hundreds of requests from patients as they launched the
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Pilot exercise aims to help vulnerable groups
A COUNCIL is one of 40 local authorities which are pilotting an exercise to find out more about local people's special requirements. The exercise, which comes under Stockton Borough Council's Supporting People programme, is part of the Government's plan
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Seaside firm begins to surf
A SEASIDE stationery company is coming in from the cold to start surfing the web. AA Sotheran, which has been in Redcar for more than 100 years, has launched its 16,000-product online shopping facility so customers can order stationery straight from their
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G'day to the flying vicar
IN Peter Davis's last parish there were ten successive days where the mercury topped 40 degrees Centigrade. He was chaplain to a vineyard, familiar with a multi-cultural city centre and had to watch out for kangaroos and great white sharks. Kangaroos
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No fun in Foxing the bookmakers
It's not just horse racing where investigations are launched after gambles. Last Sunday, Huntingdon staged a Charity Fun Even involving 100 contestants from around the UK and overseas, all dressed in mascot outfits. Bookies took bets on 55 of the runners
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Driver locked up for ban defiance
A MAN caught defying a driving ban within three months of release from prison for a trio of similar offences was locked up again yesterday. Harrogate magistrates remanded Colin Stewart in custody until October 26 so probation reports can be prepared before
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Fanning set for payout
JOE FANNING could be all set for his biggest pay day of the season aboard Resplendent Cee (4.15) in the £150,000 Betabet-sponsored two-year-old Trophy at Redcar today. Fanning's sublime skill-in-saddle is a much-admired amongst the professional ranks,
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Communities to share windfall
TWO rural County Durham communities are sharing a £900,000 windfall to help stimulate economic regeneration. Craghead Area Partnership, near Stanley, and the Coundon and Leeholme Community Project have been declared Settlement Renewal Initiatives through
