Archive
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Arc crisis a blow for musician
TICKETS were being sold at the Teesside's troubled Arc venue just 20 minutes before it closed, it was revealed last night. Stockton musician Jimmy Gatenby, who was due to perform with the "fifth" Beatle, Pete Best, tonight, bought £50 worth of tickets
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Priory site reveals its secrets
THE history of a former priory is to be revealed at an archaeology open day at the weekend. Excavations are being carried out on part of the former Gilbertine priory of St Andrew, in York, by experts based at the city's university. The work is being undertaken
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Goalkeeper shocked at body discovery
A professional football star has spoken of his shock at the discovery of the body of a pensioner found beaten to death in his home. Bradford City goalkeeper, Aidan Davison owns the home in Close House where his tenant, 77-year-old Bill Pyle, lived and
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Desert must discover his fighting spirit
DESERT FIGHTER will take some beating in the opener at Ludlow, provided he is in the mood for a scrap. Mary Reveley's ten-year-old doesn't always relish the heat of the battle and for that reason he is now mainly confined to competing in selling company
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Magical day for Durham
THE award of Test match status to Durham truly is the realisation of a dream, and it is remarkable that it has taken only 12 years to achieve. It was in 1989 that Durham made a promotional video to attract sponsorship in their bid for first-class status
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Former Vaux brewery site to be compulsorily bought
A PROMINENT North-East city centre location is to be bought by a council more than two years after a brewery closure on the site. The former Vaux site, in Sunderland, has remained derelict since the demise of the city's long-established brewery in July
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Murder trial husband may return to UK
THE wife of a man being held in a Swiss prison on suspicion of murder has been told her husband could be home - a free man, for Christmas. A solicitor has told Alison El Hamri that husband Majid, 40, could be on his way back to Britain, and his Teesside
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Fire service gets call to awards ceremony
A FIRE service is in line for a customer service award. Cleveland Fire Brigade has been named among the final four contenders for The Daily Telegraph/Energis Customer Service Public Sector and Utilities award. More than 240 organisations entered the competition
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Knowing your enemy
'MY enemy's enemy is my friend." It is an old saying, but it has never been truer than in today's war in Afghanistan. Once fighters who are now with the Taliban were America's friends because, in the 1980s, they were fighting against the Russians who
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Bubble boy bounces back with a smile
ALEX Herbert finishes his meal of fishfingers and announces he's still hungry. One chocolate biscuit later and the four-year-old pads off to the lounge and expertly loads a Disney cartoon into the video. Fast-forwarding the adverts, he promptly ignores
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Action pledged over sex offenders threat
THE murder of an 11-year-old North-East boy is likely to spark a thorough overhaul of the treatment of sex offenders, the Government pledged last night. Home Office officials said they would act after an inquiry into the death of Wesley Neailey, who was
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Police take message into the classroom
EFFORTS to rid the streets of youths indulging in anti-social behaviour has seen one police officer return to school. Sergeant Phil Kell, from Bishop Auckland police, has visited the town's schools to advise teenagers how to keep out of trouble. He has
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Homes for the elderly proposed
A HOUSING association is planning to build bungalows for the elderly in Newton Aycliffe. The Home Housing Association has submitted an application for 16 bungalows on land off Pease Way, including one disabled unit and 16 car parking spaces. No objections
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Lasers and lanterns show planned
A LASER show is being planned to illuminate the skies over Barnard Castle this Christmas. Organisers are hoping to attract hundreds of visitors to the town for the Christmas Festival. Members of the town council's Christmas lights committee are well on
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Drink drive safety message
EMPLOYERS in Darlington are being urged to encourage staff not to drink and drive over the festive period. Big companies in the area have received a letter from Darlington Borough Council asking bosses to do all they can to stop their workers putting
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Inspectors put social services under scrutiny
Darlington Borough Council's social services department will be under the scrutiny of a team of independent inspectors over the next few months. The team, from the Audit Commission and the Department of Health's Social Services Inspectorate, will assess
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Women hurt in serious road crashes
TWO women were taken to hospital after separate serious road crashes yesterday. One woman who had been driving a horse box suffered leg injuries after a crash at about noon near Muggleswick, near Consett and was taken to Hexham General Hospital. Consett
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100 GCSE papers to be marked again
MORE than 100 former GCSE students at a County Durham school are to have their exams marked again. Examiners agreed to re-mark 116 GCSE English Language papers after staff at St Bede's RC Comprehensive School at Lanchester queried the results. Examination
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Cash boost for united action on drug abuse
AN anti-drugs partnership is celebrating a major cash boost to fund the first dedicated Drugs Squad in part of the North-East. Crime reduction officers in east Cleveland have joined forces with Langbaurgh Drugs Action Team, Redcar and Cleveland Borough
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Knowing your enemy
'MY enemy's enemy is my friend." It is an old saying, but it has never been truer than in today's war in Afghanistan. Once fighters who are now with the Taliban were America's friends because, in the 1980s, they were fighting against the Russians who
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This Was Their Life
SOME 54 years after he took over Cockfield Methodist Male Voice Choir as a "temporary measure", 87-year-old Edwin Coates leads its swansong on January 26. They have given almost 2,000 performances throughout the region and beyond, appeared on This Is
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Civilian back-up for police op
CIVILIAN crime fighters are backing a police campaign against burglaries and drug offences. Operation Darc is being run in east Durham with the aim of catching burglars, reducing crime levels, and encouraging residents to take crime prevention measures
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Leading artists prepare for show
A SELECTION of paintings by North-East and North Yorkshire artists will go on display later this month. The exhibition will feature works by some of the region's most celebrated artists, such as John Falconer Slater and William Boyce. The works will feature
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Gate provides finishing touch to park revamp
THE restoration of a Victorian park has been completed with the installation of a two-tonne entrance gate. Mowbray Park, in Sunderland, has been given a £13m makeover designed to restore it to its former glory. The gate, designed by local artist and jewellery
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Walkers urged to tread carefully as virus laws eased
WALKERS are being warned that not all footpaths are open following the lifting of foot-and-mouth restrictions. The "blue box'' zone restrictions around Hexham, Northumberland, and into parts of north-west County Durham, were lifted last week. The move
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Walking into the Iron Age
IT was a hot July morning and the bracken was chest high. Among the handful of ramblers and dog walkers out for their early morning stroll, one particular figure was wading purposefully through the ferns, completing a circuit of the hill. Less than an
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Houses decision blocks mill restoration
A COUPLE who hoped that a small housing development would raise money to allow them to restore a water mill have had their plans rejected by a Government inspector. David Clark spoke of his frustration yesterday after the latest setback for him and his
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UK 'to avoid recession'
THE UK is on track to avoid recession next year, according to the Bank of England. The bank said recession would be avoided despite heightened uncertainty globally following the New York attacks on September 11. While growth in the UK is likely to drop
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Playboy TV seeks host
WOMEN from across the region will be bidding to become a Playboy TV star at a North-East nightclub tonight. They will be competing in the regional final of the competition to find a new Playboy presenter, at the Mardi Gras club, in Darlington. The competition
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250 power firm jobs go
POWER company Innogy has announced plans to axe 250 jobs from its North-East workforce. The jobs will go at the supply operations it bought from Northern Electric in September. At the time, Innogy announced that there were likely to be job losses, but
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Neale victims' lawyers to lead fight for inquiry
Lawyers who represent the victims of mass murderer Harold Shipman have confirmed that they are to act for campaigners fighting for a public inquiry into Richard Neale. Ann Alexander, a partner in the Manchester-based legal firm of Alexander Harris, said
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Visiting sailors scrum down . . . but end up getting mauled
SAILORS from Richmond's adopted ship failed to find find their land legs in time to beat the town's rugby side at a friendly match organised to coincide with Poppy Day. HMS Richmond sent a contingent, including captain Alistair Adams, to honour the community's
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Curtain goes up on Society's support for arts
DARLINGTON Building Society has announced a three-year sponsorship of the arts in the town. Darlington Arts Centre and the Civic Theatre can expect to benefit from about £75,000 of sponsorship, including anticipated Government match-funding. The society
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Collingwood plans a home Test party
ALL-rounder Paul Collingwood plans to be part of sporting history when Test match cricket comes to the Riverside in 18 months time. He hopes to have progressed through to the Test arena by the time England meet Zimbabwe at Chester-le-Street in May 2003
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Gipsy family faces up to second loss
A GIPSY community united for the second time this year yesterday to mourn the death of another family member. Mother-of-two Rose Ann Price, 20, died in a car accident last week. She was on her way to Ferryhill, County Durham, from her home in Doncaster
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Child to be lights celebrity
ORGANISERS of a town's Christmas festival are looking for a special child to switch on its lights. In a departure from the tradition of asking a celebrity to perform the function, those behind this year's Christmas Ice Magic event, in Middlesbrough, are
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Top class tennis served
LEADING wheelchair tennis players from around the world will be serving up some top class sport in the North-East during the next three days. The North-East Wheelchair Tennis Tournament, at Sunderland's Puma Tennis Centre, is one of only three world ranking
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Youngsters' snapshots to help regeneration aid bid
SNAPshots of life on a Bishop Auckland estate taken by young people may help to secure European funding for the area. Youngsters from the Henknowle estate have been set the challenge of photographing the positive and negative aspects of life in their
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Addict stole hours after bail
HEROIN addict Stuart Singleton went shoplifting less than two hours after being released by police, a court heard yesterday. Peter Scott, prosecuting, told Harrogate magistrates how Singleton, 20, had been charged and bailed at 2.45pm over the theft of
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Bear on a mission to passport control
PUDSEY Bear was up with the lark today at the beginning of a Children in Need challenge that starts and finishes in the North-East. The official mascot of the BBC charity was setting off on a whistle- stop tour of the country's seven passport offices,
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Heat is rising in mayoral contests
THE battle to become the North-East's first directly-elected mayors will hot up in the New Year as the political parties announce their candidates. Labour is hoping to have its candidates in place by Christmas for the three areas which have so far opted
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Co-operation has begun to reduce risks
The big question on everybody's lips following yesterday's publication of Childhood Lost is whether or not we can prevent such a tragedy happening again. Although some of the messages it contained are depressingly familiar - those concerning poor communication
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Defence contract won by Loebl
DEFENCE and transport electronics company Joyce-Loebl is on the right wavelength for a multi-million pound communications contract. The Gateshead company will supply more than £2m worth of communications computers for the Army, with the prospect of several
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Widow pins claim hopes on appeal
THE widow of a man who died of an asbestos-related disease has renewed hope in her £200,000 insurance claim. Brian Edwards, 59, died six months after being diagnosed with the asbestos-related condition, mesothelioma, in January 1999. His widow, Gillian
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Bank to hold information days
THE Halifax bank in Darlington is holding three information days for the over- 50s. Volunteers from Help the Aged, solicitors and staff from the bank will be available to offer advice to people on a wide-range of subjects. A spokeswoman for the branch
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Move to protect innovation in NHS
AN initiative to make the most of technological advances made in the region's hospitals has been launched by RTC North. RTC, of Sunderland, has launched the Intellectual Property (IP) Hub, to provide the resources and expertise to identify, protect, manage
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Headteacher's anguish as gym collapses in blaze
A HEADteacher has describ-ed seeing his school's gym collapse after it was torched by arsonists. Eddie Brady, head of Hermitage School, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, said that it will cost at least £1m to make good the damage done. The blaze ripped
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Plan wins parental support
PARENTS in east Cleveland have shown overwhelming support for a new £15m City Academy. In the summer, parents of youngsters at Freebrough Community College, an amalgamation of the area's three secondary schools - Warsett, in Brotton, Rosecroft, in Loftus
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More tests after woman's death
A SECOND post-mortem examination was carried out yesterday after a young woman died in suspicious circumstances. Police believe the death of Stacey Sharp, 25, of Belle Vue, in Hartlepool, could be linked to drugs. Toxicology tests are being carried out
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Brother's plea over gas blast death
THE brother of a woman who died following an explosion that wrecked her home has joined police in a renewed appeal for witnesses to track down those responsible for the blast. Norma Sinclair was badly burned in the blaze that swept through her home, in
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Ban for motorcyclist clocked at 124.5mph
A RACING motorcyclist was banned from the roads yesterday after being caught riding his Honda Blackbird at 124.5mph. Magistrates at Harrogate heard how Graham Salter, 47, a design engineer who had built up his own company, had been travelling on the A1
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University block gets Bill's name
A UNIVERSITY has paid tribute to one of the most eminent figures in its past by naming a building after him. In a ceremony at Teesside University yesterday, the computer and mathematical sciences building was renamed The Greig Building, after Bill Greig
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McClaren sets sights on Italy
MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren is looking to Italy in his search for new blood. Northern Echo Sport last week exclusively revealed Boro's interest in Brazilian striker Adailton, who duly arrived on Teesside for a five-day trial. The 24-year-old has
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Hogg family still waits for justice
Twelve years to the day since she went missing, the parents of murder victim Julie Hogg are still waiting for justice. Julie, a pizza delivery girl and mother of one, was reported missing from her Billingham home on November 16 1989. Despite police searching
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Big gap in ambulance response times
New figures showing a large gap between ambulance response times in rural and urban areas of County Durham have been revealed. Ambulance crews are reaching eight out of ten call-outs to potentially life-threatening incidents in Darlington within eight
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Performers will walk tall at head of lantern parade
A STILT-WALKING group is honing its act in preparation for the annual Darlington lantern parade. The London group, called The Wrong Size, will be leading this year's parade. It is the group's first visit to the North-East and they will walk the half mile
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Dogs need love - and a home - for Christmas
THREE dogs are looking for new homes after being given up by their owners. The pets are all being looked after by foster owners in County Durham linked to the National Animal Sanctuary Support League. Panda, a border collie-cross, is only three-months
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Inspectors put social services under scrutiny
Darlington Borough Council's social services department will be under the scrutiny of a team of independent inspectors over the next few months. The team, from the Audit Commission and the Department of Health's Social Services Inspectorate, will assess
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Five Whys technique tackles problems
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 five whys. The Five Whys is a technique for encouraging people to address
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Autumn sale has a Royal theme
TWO Italian commodes which belonged to former Conservative statesman William Whitelaw are expected to be sold for almost £30,000 at one of the biggest auctions to be held in the region. The walnut and marquetry chests of drawers, being sold on behalf
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Failings that left predator at large
HORRIFIC in itself, the murder of Wesley Neailey caused huge controversy and highlighted the need for greater monitoring arrangements for sex offenders. Wesley's killer Dominic McKilligan, already convicted of a string of sex attacks, had been living
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University tutor steps into health hot seat
A UNIVERSITY tutor has been appointed to fill one of the hottest seats in the region's health service. Angela Ballatti, 45, who chairs a County Durham mental health trust, is to take over at the trust which runs the new University Hospital of North Durham
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Police on the move to a new station
A CENTURY of tradition has ended with the closure of Spennymoor's old police station. The imposing building in Dundas Street has been used by the police since 1901. It also served as a magistrates' court and once provided living accommodation for the
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Pubs in link-up to stop violence
LANDLORDS have created a security ring to crack down on drunken violence in the run up to Christmas. Licencees of 20 pubs in Bishop Auckland have joined forces with police to crackdown on rowdy revellers by installing a radio system that allows them warn
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Youngsters' snapshots to help regeneration aid bid
SNAPshots of life on a Bishop Auckland estate taken by young people may help to secure European funding for the area. Youngsters from the Henknowle estate have been set the challenge of photographing the positive and negative aspects of life in their
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Mother loses damages appeal after Internet quest
A mother who scoured the Internet in a quest for evidence to win compensation for her severely brain-damaged son yesterday suffered defeat at the Court of Appeal. Appeal Court judges paid tribute to Lesley Jones, 50, for the love and fighting spirit that
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BOC 'resilient' despite slump
INDUSTRIAL gases company BOC reported a "resilient" performance over the past year, despite falling manufacturing output and a slump in semiconductor demand. The group, which has operations at Teesport and Chester-le-Street, County Durham, revealed that
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Library marks its anniversary
HUNDREDS of residents had the chance to read, surf and learn as part of celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of Gateshead Central Library. The library, in Prince Consort Road, was opened in 1926, and as part of the anniversary celebrations, Gateshead
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Hospital tonic for poor children
STAFF at a new hospital hope to spread festive cheer among poor children across the world this Christmas. Nurses and support staff at the University Hospital of North Durham, in Durham City, which opened earlier this year after the closure of Dryburn
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Firms told 'put house in order'
THE region's energy companies have been warned to put their house in order after an increase in complaints from consumers. Independent gas and electricity watchdog Energywatch says it has received a flood of complaints from North-East customers over selling
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College sponsors charity envelopes
A LOCAL college has come to the aid of a North-East charity by agreeing to sponsor all 8,000 envelopes for its 2001 Christmas cards sales. Redcar and Cleveland College is helping the Katie Trust, which is based in Redcar, and was set up after six-year-old
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Taylor gets his man as Clark signs
IAN Clark's on-off transfer from Hartlepool United to rivals Darlington was finally sealed last night. The left-winger has put pen-to-paper on a two-and-a-half year deal after both clubs agreed a fee of £10,000, rising to £15,000 after 20 appearances.
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Father jailed for takeaway dispute
A FATHER who terrified staff at a takeaway shop by smashing a plate glass window while his young daughter looked on has been jailed. James Cram, 23, snapped after staff at Marios, in Stanhope Road, South Shields, refused to give him a refund on a packet
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Schools admission policy raises fears
Parents fear a complicated schools admissions policy may result in children living nearest to their comprehensive missing out on places. School governors have spoken out against the admissions procedure for children starting secondary schools in County
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Hear All Sides
Letters from The Northern Echo JO MOORE I DON'T know where Jim Tague (HAS, Nov 6) gets his details about the professional lives of Stephen Byers and Jo Moore. What I do know is that Stephen Byers unhesitatingly put his job, his career and his reputation
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Admirer O'Leary worried by Dyer's bad-boy image
KIERON DYER'S name is likely to be crossed off the wish-list of Leeds manager David O'Leary if the England starlet lands in any more trouble with Newcastle. One of the 'Gang of Four' sent home in disgrace from Newcastle's trip to Spain last week after
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Accident victim Toby in need of a home
IT REALLY is proving to be a dog's life for Toby, the border collie. Two weeks ago the dog was hit by a car as a result of which he will have a front leg amputated. Unwilling to face vet's bills for medication and the operation, Toby's Hartlepool owner
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This Was Their Life
SOME 54 years after he took over Cockfield Methodist Male Voice Choir as a "temporary measure", 87-year-old Edwin Coates leads its swansong on January 26. They have given almost 2,000 performances throughout the region and beyond, appeared on This Is
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Roeder's Sinclair hints alert Robson and Reid
SUNDERLAND and Newcastle are on alert after West Ham boss Glenn Roeder's admission that he has lost his battle to keep Trevor Sinclair. In the wake of his England debut against Sweden last Saturday, £10m-rated winger Sinclair hit out at the Hammers, claiming
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Chaos goes on as bus drivers vow to strike
BUS services will be severely disrupted again next week as drivers across the region continue their industrial action. Passengers will find it difficult to make a bus journey on Wednesday, as drivers go on strike over pay and managerial styles. The third
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Infant school to be closed for funeral
A SCHOOL will close tomorrow as staff join family and friends at the funeral of a long-serving teacher. Barbara Day, deputy head of Sunderland's New Silksworth Infants School, died on Monday after a short illness. She was 48. Mrs Day taught for 27 years
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Songwriter dave finds the right notes for recording contract
TALENTED songwriter Dave Paterson has a contract with a Nashville recording company, but few outside his Teesside housing estate have heard of him. Self-employed Dave, 30, said: "I've been writing and arranging songs for as long as I can remember. It's
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Town's image damaged by vandals' work
CIVIC leaders have hit out at vandals who have carried out a spate of attacks across a market town. They say the vandals are wrecking the appearance of Pickering, in North Yorkshire, and creating a poor image that could drive away much-needed tourists
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-Chicken' boy hit by minibus
A SCHOOLBOY was hit by a minibus when he played chicken on the road with his friends. The 11-year-old was detained overnight in hospital after running out in front of the vehicle on the A688 at St Helen Auckland, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, at
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Comment from The Northern Echo - Protection a child's right
TO afford guaranteed protection for young children will never be possible. We must accept that, within our society, there exist evil men and women with the cunning to escape detection and suspicion. The brutal killing of Wesley Neailey, however, was carried
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Herculean task for rescue kennels
THE owners of a ten stone dog found wandering the streets in Darlington have failed to come forward. The Newfoundland landseer dog, worth about £700, is being cared for at the NCDL kennels in Sadberge, where he has been named Hercules. Dog warden John
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Police hunt arsonists as church hall is burnt
POLICE are hunting arsonists who caused serious damage to an East Durham church. The blaze at Horden Methodist Church, in Blackhills Road, Horden, was discovered at about 8pm on Tuesday. The blaze was quickly put out, but the church hall was badly damaged
