Archive
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Jesters win more breathing space
The parent company of Newcastle Jesters Ltd, the ice hockey team which has been stripped of its North-East ice hockey franchise, yesterday won more breathing space in its battle against High Court moves to have it wound up. However, Mr Registrar Simmonds
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Young volunteers achieve care home garden transformation in a fortnight
A GROUP of young volunteers has taken just two weeks to transform a garden at County Durham's Cheshire Home. The team of ten from the Prince's Trust first raised money and collected materials for the project at Bradbury House, in Crook. They created a
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Christmas candles caution issued
A SEASONAL safety warning has been issued to householders by trading standards officials in Hartlepool. They are concerned some people do not take adequate precautions when burning candles in their homes. Michael Welsh, Hartlepool Borough Council's trading
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University engineers in partnership
MANUFACTURING businesses in Sedgefield borough will soon benefit from access to the latest simulated engineering technology thanks to a new consultancy project. Durham University's School of Engineering is basing two engineers at Sedgefield Business Centre
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New faces, familiar teaching skills, improving results
TEACHERS at Wavell Community Junior School, at Catterick Garrison, in North Yorkshire, are used to having a high turnover in pupil numbers. Only last spring, before the SAT tests were taken, two regiments left the garrison and two arrived, which meant
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N-E music legends to appear in TV series
TOP singing stars from the North-East will highlight the region's contribution to the music scene in a new Tyne Tees Television series. The six-part Northstars, part of the winter programme line-up, features exclusive interviews with stars including Bryan
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Town calls time on lager louts
A NORTH-EAST town is calling time on lager louts. Councillors in Middlesbrough voted yesterday to designate areas of streets in the town as alcohol free zones. "We have no intention of being labelled killjoys, but in certain areas of the town drastic
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'Fishburn International' is home to PC
FISHBURN'S beat bobby has a new office, thanks to a local developer. PC Keith Todd plans to hold police surgeries three times a week in his new office at Alexander House. The building is the old Fishburn Primary School, which was due for demolition until
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Garden tribute to terror victims
A PERMANENT tribute to victims of terrorism was unveiled in Middlesbrough yesterday. The mayor, Councillor Pat Walker, joined Prince's Trust Volunteers to open a memorial garden in Acklam Cemetery for victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the
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Shoppers warned to watch out for gang of pickpockets
POLICE believe an organised gang of pickpockets and shoplifters is targeting elderly people in Consett and Stanley. A number of thefts have occurred in the towns' shopping areas, particularly near charity shops, in recent weeks. Detective constable Shaun
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Preview performance by the stars of junior pantomime
YOUNGSTERS have brought some early Christmas cheer to local pensioners by inviting them to a preview of their pantomime. Senior citizens from the Newton Hall area of Durham were treated to music and dance when upper school pupils at the city's Blue Coat
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Youngsters go mining for Santa
CHILDREN waiting impatiently for Father Christmas to drop down their chimneys can meet him in an underground grotto this weekend. Killhope, the North of England Lead Mining Museum, near Wearhead, has arranged two days of festive activities for families
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Shake-up working, says S&N boss
PUBS and brewing group Scottish & Newcastle has reported a dip in turnover but insisted its restructuring was paying dividends. The Edinburgh firm, which owns Newcastle Brown, has been overhauled recently, with leisure operations scaled back in favour
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130 years and still the band plays on
EVER since Cockerton Band was formed in 1863, it has been short of both money and instruments. In 2001, it finds itself in need of £40,000 worth of instruments and so is putting a bid together for National Lottery funding. Part of the bid has involved
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Rotten Romans are young fans' hit
NORTH-EAST writer Terry Deary is celebrating after his book Rotten Romans, part of the Horrible Histories series, was voted Best Factbook of All Time by a BBC1 children's programme. The author, who lives near Stanley, received his award during a broadcast
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Thanks for the praise - but let's celebrate all of the hard work
STAFF at Kirklevington Primary, at Kirklevington, near Yarm, Teesside, are celebrating after being named one of the region's best performing schools. Last year, 82 per cent of 11-year-olds achieved at least standard level four in their tests in English
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Children as young as six flee their homes
The shocking number of child runaways in the region is laid bare today in a report by a leading children's charity. Children as young as six are among 575 youngsters aged under 11 in the North-East and North Yorkshire who flee their homes every year.
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Mentmore faces tough times with confidence
READY-MADE offices company Mentmore Abbey is confident that the feared recession will not dent its operations. The company, which operates 33 Imex serviced business spaces in the North-East, accounting for 800,000sq ft of space, and a personal storage
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Lucy and Ruth walk tall in Lingford history
ECHO Memories was delighted a couple of weeks ago to be able to name Lucy Hood (ne Proud) as the face of Lingford's. Her picture, tripping merrily over some stepping stones carrying a basket of heather, was on millions of baking powder packets and magazines
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Abortion link to cancer
Women who have had an abortion are up to twice as likely to suffer from breast cancer, scientists claimed yesterday. In the first study of its kind in Britain, researchers said the risk of breast cancer is significantly increased if a woman has undergone
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Biker seeks extra power to succeed
A MOTORCYCLIST is looking for sponsorship to help him move up a gear. Trainee teacher Richard Harrison, 23, of Darlington, has been riding his CB500 Honda in competitions this year and has won three titles, including a national accolade. He has been awarded
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Sales rally boosts retail confidence
HIGH street retailers gearing up for Christmas saw a confidence-boosting rise in sales growth in November, new figures have shown. The CBI's survey of the retail sector revealed that sales volumes rallied last month after a slowdown in October. It showed
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Woman badly scarred after brutal attack
A pretty 23-year-old has been left scarred for life after she was attacked my a knife wielding maniac in an unprovoked doorstep attack. Tracey Wanley needed 50 stitches and spent a week in hospital after the she was attacked which has left her two daughters
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Caravan was laden with contraband
A NORTH-EAST couple have been jailed for tobacco smuggling after they were stopped by customs officers at the entrance to the Channel Tunnel in France. David Nary, 50, and Sarah Garbutt, 26, both of Church Lane, Eston, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to
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Village shops are targeted by thieves
POLICE are launching a crackdown on travelling thieves who are targeting village shops in the run-up to Christmas. Stores in Blackhall and Horden, which are on the Coast Road, are attracting gangs of shoplifters from outside east Durham. One shop in Middle
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Do the right thing at Christmas
IF YOU saw a drunk man on the loose with a loaded gun, what would you do? I guess it would be a case of just how quickly you could dial 999. But if that drunk man didn't have a gun but was about to get behind the wheel of a car, then what? Thames Valley
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A kick up the status Quo
A CORRESPONDENT to this newspaper observed the other day that "young people have always believed that the 'status quo' and the 'Establishment' need drastic change if the world is to become a fairer and happier place''. Very true. But it's my experience
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Forest turns to Pulp
TOP British band Pulp are to give an open-air concert in the region next June, it was announced yesterday. The event, in Dalby Forest, near Pickering, North Yorkshire, is part of the band's five-date tour of beauty spots across the country. The Forestry
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Youths questioned in torture case
Police are currently questioning two youths in connection with the two-hour torture of an 11-year-old boy. The Sunderland boy was bound by his wrists and burnt with a cigarette or lighter as part of his ordeal at the hands of two other children at The
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Profits mark ScS's sweet success
NATIONAL sofa retailer ScS has announced a boardroom reshuffle as it revealed a 42 per cent rise in pre-tax profits. Sunderland-based ScS, which has 41 stores nationwide, has promoted managing director David Knight to the post of chief executive, with
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Falcons' ground plan 'vital for future'
NEWCASTLE Falcons hope to convert council backing into planning approval as the North-East's premier rugby union side bids to extend its home ground. Director of rugby Rob Andrew, the former England skipper, gave evidence yesterday on the first day of
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Cabbie rescues girl from men
A TAXI driver rescued a teenage girl from the clutches of two strangers. Two men allegedly carried out an indecent assault on the 18-year-old, but a Cleveland Police spokesman said it could have been worse if the driver had not intervened. The cabbie
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In the running to carry jubilee baton
THE search is on in Darlington to find runners to take part in the Queen's jubilee baton relay next year. The baton will reach Darlington on July 10 after starting its journey at Buckingham Palace on Commonwealth Day, March 11, travelling to 20 Commonwealth
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£10.8m health services boost
A RECORD £10.8m is being invested this year in equipment and facilities to improve hospital and community health services in south Durham. The figure has more than doubled last year's Government allocations, in which NHS trusts are invited to bid for
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Star rating for service
INSPECTORS have given a council's planning department a glowing report. Darlington Borough Council has come under the keen eye of inspectors from the Audit Commission's Best Value team. Government assessors looked at how the council's development control
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Payout after man's stomach needlessly removed
A MAN whose stomach was removed after he was misdiagnosed as having cancer has received a substantial payout in an out-of-court settlement. The unnamed patient underwent a total gastrectomy at York District Hospital after internal examination raised suspicions
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Band strikes up recruitment campaign
A MILITARY band will be in the region later this week in a campaign to recruit more young musicians. The Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines Scotland will be offering young musicians aged 16 to 28 the chance to join. The band is not only a military one
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More fishing cuts planned by EU
PLANS for a new round of fishing cuts in the North Sea were last night labelled "another black day" for fishermen. The European Commission is urging cuts in cod fishing in the North Sea and haddock fishing in the Irish Sea, all affecting UK fishermen.
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Force targets anti-social behaviour
POLICE presence in Stockton is being increased up until Christmas, to crack down on anti-social behaviour. High visibility patrols using specialist departments, mounted sections and district licensing will be used in the Fairfield and Hartburn areas.
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Leaflets offered in Braille
THE Pioneering Care Centre, in Newton Aycliffe, now has copies of its information leaflets in Braille format. Jane Hartley, development director of the Pioneering Care Partnership, which manages the centre, said: "We hope to be able to promote our broad
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Tenants get a say on £1.4m makeover
COUNCIL tenants whose homes are due for a £1.4m makeover are being given a say on how their estate will look. Mown Meadows, Crook, is the first in the Wear Valley district to benefit from a £1.9m a year grant from the Government's Major Repairs Allowance
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Internet social life plan wins cash boost
A DISABLED teenager has won £5,253 to help others develop their social lives through the Internet. Jennifer Gallacher, 18, of Nunthorpe, in Middlesbrough, is one of 20 winners of a Whizz-Kidz No Limits Millennium award, funded by the National Lottery.
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Council tax payers 'facing increase in double figures'
COUNCIL chiefs and politicians across the region last night expressed disappointment and concern at local authority spending levels unveiled by the Government. The Tories claimed that council tax payers face increases in double figures after Local Government
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Casting around for glass flower gates
RESIDENTS are making their mark on a town's park as part of a restoration project. The scheme is under way at Middlesbrough's Albert Park, and includes replacing some of the perimeter gates with new ones designed by local artist Sue Woolhouse. She has
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Christine shows the true price
THE face of a grieving little girl showed the true cost of bullying yesterday. Christine Swift was at the Church of St Oswald in Hartlepool to say goodbye to her 15-year-old sister Elaine, a victim of school tormentors, who died after taking more than
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Christine shows the true price of bullying
THE face of a grieving little girl showed the true cost of bullying yesterday. Christine Swift was at the Church of St Oswald in Hartlepool to say goodbye to her 15-year-old sister Elaine, a victim of school tormentors, who died after taking more than
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Pedersen finds a father figure in Southgate
MIDDLESBROUGH'S England defender Gareth Southgate has taken Norwegian trialist Morten-Gamst Pedersen under his wing as the Tromso midfielder looks to carve out a career in England. Under-21 international Pedersen is training with Boro for ten days and
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Unions protest at private hospital link-up
THE Government has reignited the row over "creeping privatisation" of public services after revealing controversial plans to treat NHS patients in a private hospital. The move was strongly criticised at rallies and lobbies across the country during a
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The conjurer of a cartoon empire
Exactly 100 years after the birth of Walt Disney, Nick Morrison looks at the creator of a cartoon empire - and his contribution to the world of animation. IT could all so easily have been a rabbit. When a young animator, hoping to carve a name for himself
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Lifeguard ignored pleas, inquest told
A LIFEGUARD ignored the pleas of a teacher to rescue a drowning boy from the bottom of a pool, an inquest was told yesterday. Seven-year-old Anthony Armstrong died after lying unconscious for three minutes in full view of lifeguard Julie Blayney. An inquest
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Body-in-suitcase police seek man spotted in lane
DETECTIVES yesterday released an e-fit picture of a man they want to question over the murder of a woman, whose body was found in a dumped suitcase. They are anxious to talk to the man, who was seen standing in a country lane outside the village of Askham
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Quesion over drug distribution raises concerns
Victims of the so-called "postcode lottery" of health funding have reacted angrily after health authority bosses criticised moves to ensure all patients have access to the same drugs. The Government has announced that drugs recommended by the body which
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Extended run lined-up for exercise scheme
AN initiative aimed at improving the health of people in Hartlepool is to be expanded after proving to be a huge success. Councillors have approved the appointment of a co-ordinator to further develop the Hartlepool Exercise for Life scheme. This follows
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Musician died of rare infection, inquest told
A YOUNG musician died after he contracted the rare infection toxic shock syndrome from a tiny cut on his finger. Family and friends of aspiring musician Paul Matthews, were devastated when the 30-year-old died within a week of contracting the illness.
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'Crystal tsar' with an eye for glass
A North-East 'crystal tsar' has been appointed to oversee development and funding opportunities for the region's glass artists and businesses. Anne Tye has been named the first glass cluster development officer to provide a direct link between funding
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Sweet incentive for ice cream cone firm
A GOVERNMENT grant has gone down a treat with a sweet maker. The cash will pay half the cost of a facelift to Greco Brothers ice cream cone manufacturing factory in Greta Street, Middlesbrough. Managing director, Peter Rovardi, said: "It was always our
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Exhibition celebrates the wonder of winter
WINTER wonderlands are among the subjects in a new exhibition. Tomorrow, an exhibition by about 20 North-East artists on the theme of winter will open at the Discovery Centre, in Bishop Auckland. James Lowther, of Groundwork West Durham said: "Anyone
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Former dire straits front man opens university music studio
STUDENTS learned from the best when Geordie guitar legend Mark Knopfler opened a £500,000 music studio yesterday. The former Dire Straits frontman, now pursuing a solo career, visited Newcastle University's music department to open its sound studio. Equipped
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Families offered wall of tributes
BEREAVED families have been given two new ways to pay their respects to their loved ones. A memorial wall and a series of planters have been created in the West Cemetery in Darlington for people to commemorate relatives who have died. Until now, people
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Work begins on restoring park's glory
WORK on an £800,000 project to recreate a park's pre-war heyday has begun. The cash boost for Hackworth Park in Shildon should give the Victorian grounds a new lease of life. As part of the project, the fountain, Timothy Hackworth memorial and bandstand
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Readers just potty about our memories
IN only its first week, the new Echo Memories book sold well over 500 copies. This made it the best-selling book in Ottakar's in Darlington's Cornmill Centre, outstripping JK Rowling's Harry Potter. It is now being hailed as a publishing sensation, although
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Christmas world opens in Bishop Auckland
A magical world for children has opened up in the basement of Bishop Auckland Town Hall as Christmas celebrations get under way in the town centre. Youngsters can walk through sparkling snow white woodland to post their letters to Father Christmas. Tiny
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Month of markets captures German spirit of Christmas
MARKET traders are adding a continental touch to a town's Christmas celebrations this weekend. Germany's traditional and popular Christmas markets inspired traders and councillors in Spennymoor, County Durham, to set up a month-long open air shoppers'
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Groups share council cash
IT will be eyes down and curtain up for three voluntary organisations in Darlington which have been given a share of £500 by the borough council. The latest council payout brings the total given to voluntary groups and individuals this year to almost
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First-class win for stamp-buying secretary
A first-clas secretary in Tyneside popped out to buy her boss a stamp and returned to work a millionaire. Carol Mitchell, formerly of Darlington, landing the Royal Mail's Christmas stamp promotion top prize. Mrs Mitchell, a council planning department
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Mother gives evidence against her son
The mother of a teenager accused of murder gave evidence against her own son today. Deborah Evans, the mother of Kevin Littlewood, told a jury at Teesside Crown Court, that her son had rung her to say he had fought with 18-year-old John Paul Robert Jeffries
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Internet social life plan wins cash boost
A DISABLED teenager has won £5,253 to help others develop their social lives through the Internet. Jennifer Gallacher, 18, of Nunthorpe, in Middlesbrough, is one of 20 winners of a Whizz-Kidz No Limits Millennium award, funded by the National Lottery.
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Yobs 'are putting rail museum plan in peril'
A £7M museum development, which could attract thousands of visitors to the North-East, has been placed in jeopardy by young vandals. Shildon in County Durham is pinning its hopes for future prosperity on attracting the first offshoot of York's National
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Chief executive to retire from chamber in spring
THE chief executive of the York and North Yorkshire chamber of commerce is to retire next spring, it was revealed yesterday. Roland Harris, 57, has been at the helm of the organisation for five years. The chamber's management board has set up a small
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Landlords link up in security network
REVELLERS who indulge in a little too much Christmas spirit can expect an abrupt end to their celebrations in one North Yorkshire market town. Advances in technology mean an informal pub watch network run by Richmond's landlords for a number of years
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Green appeal once festivities are over
CHRISTMAS may not be here yet but thoughts are already turning to what to do with the tree once the festivities have finished. Residents across the borough of Stockton are being urged to go green and recycle. Stockton Borough Council, in partnership with
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Ex-miners' compensation offers reach monthly high
A RECORD number of final compensation offers were made to former miners during November, the Government announced last night. Figures released by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) show that almost 7,000 offers, worth £47.7m, were made under the
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Pensioner is victim of bogus team
ELDERLY householders were urged to beware of doorstep conmen after a three-man gang escaped with a large amount of cash from a pensioner's home. They struck at the home of a 79-year-old man in Seaham, east Durham, on Saturday. Posing as water board officials
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Man took own life in woods
A MAN who was depressed after a split from his wife in Wales returned to the North-East to take his own life, an inquest was told. Police searched woods, near South Stanley, County Durham, after Gary Sides' car was found abandoned near the entrance, in
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Jury told of youth's 22 head injuries
A TEENAGER found battered to death in a North-East town had 22 wounds to his face and head, a court heard yesterday. Kevin Littlewood, 18, is standing trial at Teesside Crown Court accused of the murder of John Paul Jeffries, also 18. He denies the charge
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Pilot rescue attempt trio honoured
THE bravery of three people who risked their lives to try to save the pilot of a crashed Army helicopter, is to be recognised. Three soldiers from RAF Dishforth, in North Yorkshire, were killed when their Lynx helicopter came down near the village of
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Cancer fears over hospital delays
PROBLEMS at a new £97m hospital could lead to unacceptable delays in treating patients with cancer, according to a new report. Today, members of North Durham Health Care NHS Trust will consider a highly critical report from district auditors. As part
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Joanne's distinct winning smile
JOANNE Trotter has a lot to smile about after beating off competition from trainees in three countries to gain a distinction in her National Certificate in Dental Nursing. To be awarded a distinction, Joanne had to gain 100 per cent in all five parts
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Byers slams bus service
Transport Secretary Stephen Byers last night cranked up the pressure on troubled Arriva Trains Northern by slamming its poor performance. Mr Byers said the driver shortages suffered by the company were "simply not good enough". Arriva has cut more than
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Suicide verdict on chemist who hid his gambling debts
A RESEARCH chemist who concealed his gambling debts from his wife, asphyxiated himself at work, an inquest heard. A jury at Teesside Coroner's Court was told yesterday that Ian Robert Moran, 35, of Studley Road, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, died on April
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Denise sets drink-drive campaign on the right road
THE battle against drink-driving is being won, with more than 20,000 lives saved in 25 years of Government campaigning against the scourge, a Government official claimed yesterday. But he said accident statistics continued to fluctuate, providing no let-up
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Mystery over woman's bridge plunge
Mystery surrounds the final hours of a North-East grandmother who plunged from a bridge to her death on the side of the A1M this morning. Jean Rees, 61, went missing from her Darlington home between Monday night and Tuesday morning and was eventually
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Catholic primary schools merger likely to be agreed
A PLAN to amalgamate two primary schools in Stockton looks likely to go ahead despite concerns from parents. English Martyrs RC Primary School and St Peter and St Paul RC Primary School provide education for Roman Catholic pupils aged three to 11, mainly
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A touch of christmas magic
A MAGICAL world for children has opened up in the basement of Bishop Auckland Town Hall, as Christmas celebrations get under way in the town centre. Youngsters can walk through sparkling snow white woodland to post their letters to Father Christmas. Children
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Artist draws on skills for peach of a prize
THE winners of an art competition have been awarded their prizes. The Dover Prize 2001 is run by Darlington Borough Council and Darlington Society of Arts. The winner of this year's award was Elizabeth Smith, of Ingleby Arncliffe, near Great Ayton, in
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Accused man returns to site of rail crash
THE man accused of causing the deaths of ten people in the Selby train crash returned to the scene of the disaster yesterday during a jury site visit. Gary Hart, 37, stood on the parapet of a bridge on the M62 as an express train sped along the East Coast
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Parade of stars in seaside show
YOUNGSTERS from an east Cleveland school turned themselves into their musical idols as part of al search for a star event. The Stars by the Sea show is an annual feature at Bydales School, in Marske, and the school believes the event, which took place
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Minister recognises school report errors
A GOVERNMENT minister has acknowledged there were "unacceptable delays" in dealing with complaints about an Ofsted report on a North-East school. Education Minister Stephen Timms said procedures had been changed after a 13-month delay in dealing with
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Charity for elderly seeks volunteers
A CHARITY for the elderly is appealing for volunteer trustees to come forward to help shape its future. Age Concern, in Darlington, is looking for volunteers to represent the charity on a regional and national level through regular meetings, to discuss
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Generous residents aid tree appeal
THE Giving Tree Appeal, in Darlington, has been given a boost by a residents' group. Cockerton Residents' Community Association has given £250 from its Christmas Fair to the appeal run by Darlington Social Services. The appeal aims to provide Christmas
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Casting around for glass flower gates
RESIDENTS are making their mark on a town's park as part of a restoration project. The scheme is under way at Middlesbrough's Albert Park, and includes replacing some of the perimeter gates with new ones designed by local artist Sue Woolhouse. She has
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"I'm no prowler' - Sarah suspect
The man accused of killing schoolgirl Sarah Payne went into the witness box for the first time yesterday and denied "prowling" parks and a funfair in the hunt for children. Roy Whiting told the jury he spent the day eight-year-old Sarah was snatched drifting
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Caring role on board for bears
TEDDY bears to help make a child's ambulance trip to hospital easier have been presented to a local ambulance station by one of east Cleveland's WI branches. Brotton WI celebrates its 75th anniversary this year and presented 25 of the cuddly bears to
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Boy tortured by youngsters
DETAILS have emerged of the torture of an 11-year-old child at the hands of two other children for more than two hours. The Sunderland boy, who has not been identified, was taken to hospital with leg, face and leg injuries and minor burns. He was later
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Metric men hailed for campaign
BRITAIN'S Metric Martyrs beat debt relief campaigners and pop stars to be named Campaigners of the Year last night, in a glittering ceremony in the heart of the European Parliament. Sunderland trader Steve Thoburn, and Neil Herron, coordinator of the
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Charity drive bags sackfuls of presents to light up the festive season
GENEROUS shoppers have donated sackfuls of presents already this year in a Christmas charity drive at the MetroCentre. The Salvation Army's "Light Up a Child's Life" Christmas appeal was launched last month at the Gateshead shopping complex. Visitors
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Lost Lady who is looking for love
PET Watch is a new campaign run by The Northern Echo, which is aimed at helping to rehome unwanted and abandoned animals. The newspaper has teamed up with the National Animal Sanctuary Support League, in Darlington, to highlight the plight of unwanted
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Fans following Dyer on road to recovery
BOLTON Wanderers are bracing themselves for a possible Geordie invasion tonight when Kieron Dyer makes his long-awaited Newcastle United comeback in the Premier Reserve League clash at the Reebok Stadium. Dyer is due to kick a ball in competitive action
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Cap that for a gym deal
A FORMER Green Howard has made a special offer to everyone in his regiment - cut price membership of his new gym in Guisborough. Craig Bayliss, who was a physical training instructor in the Green Howards from 1982 to 1986, now owns Body Zone, in Park
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More cuts take BT job losses to 13,000
BT is to lose a further 4,000 workers by 2003. The telecoms group has cut staff numbers in its retail division by 9,000 during the past two years. The total 13,000 staff cuts are part of the group's effort to cut costs by £850m in the division during
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Happy Craddock on comeback trail
CONSISTENT Sunderland central defender Jody Craddock aims to prove his fitness in a reserve game tomorrow night to stake his claim for a return in the televised home clash against in-form Chelsea on Sunday. Craddock has missed three games since receiving
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American tests hold hope of a cure for Sophia
A NORTH-EAST toddler is flying to the United States today for specialist tests which will determine her future. Two-year-old Sophia Carter, from New Marske, in east Cleveland, has hundreds of epileptic fits every day and is unable to walk, talk, sit or
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Hear all sides
NEWCASTLE STRIKERS I HAVE been watching Newcastle United since the early 1950s and so I can't comment on the ability of Gallacher, McDonald or Harris (Echo, Nov 29), although my father often told me that Gallacher was the finest striker he ever saw. Of
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Man shot in Gateshead
A man is in hospital after being shot. Another man is helping police with their inquiries. Police were called to the incident in the Gateshead area at 6.25am today. A police spokesman said the man's injuries were not life-threatening but had no further
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Comment from The Northern Echo; Making policies without vision
No government would scrap the company which owns the railways without having an idea of how it was going to replace it, a vision of how the rail network would look in the future. No government would announce a massive investment in the National Health
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Racehorse Saddled with the name of Taleban in need of a victory
PUNTERS are shunning a racehorse called Taleban after a disastrous losing streak. The bay five-year-old has raced three times for owner John Wade and has been unplaced on each occasion. No one is prepared to have a flutter on him because of his dreadful
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Gospels talk bus trip
HISTORY buffs are just a bus ride away from being let in on the secrets of the Lindisfarne Gospels. Alex Nelson, who runs Chester-le-Track, Chester-le-Street's independent train station, has put on a bus to take people to a talk on the ancient manuscripts
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Firm provides festive cheer for children
Cash gifts from a kind-hearted company in Thornaby will mean young people in long-term care in children's homes in the borough of Stockton can enjoy Christmas. More than £1,000 worth of gifts, including mountain bikes, PlayStations and bar football games
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Plenty of power in reserves
Darlington's impressive reserve side will be hoping to register another win tonight when Stoke City's second-string visit Feethams. The Quakers are currently riding high in Division One of the Avon Insurance League, above some clubs whose first-teams
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Criticism over plans to axe bus services
PLANS to cut bus services in east Cleveland because of threats to staff have been criticised by local officials. Arriva North East intends to axe evening and Sunday route 27 and 8 buses serving the Overfields estate, in Ormesby, and the core 65 bus route
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17 arrests in police drug raids
SEVENTEEN people have been arrested and drugs with an estimated street value of more than £1,600 seized in a number of police raids. Heroin, amphetamines, a "significant quantity of cannabis", drugs paraphernalia and £1,000 in cash were recovered in raids
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Crackdown on arsonists
A BID to cut down on arson in North Yorkshire is to be launched this week. The county's fire and rescue service is working with police to launch its arson reduction initiative. The launch will take place on Friday at the Yorkshire Museum of Farming, at
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Town's festive extravaganza has a road safety theme
POLICE are teaming up with a garage to add safety-themed fun to North Yorkshire's Christmas celebrations. Officers will join forces with Ray Chapman Motors, of Malton, and town centre manager Mick Gains to provide an addition to the Malton and Norton
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Sad plight of dog thrown from car
A DOG is recovering from a dislocated hip, after being thrown from a moving car. The ten-year-old Jack Russell was found while wandering around a housing estate in Tow Law, County Durham, on Monday night. Residents reported seeing the animal being thrown
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Residents state objections to closure of court
SENIOR magistrates have been left in no doubt that people around Richmond will resist any move to close the town's court. Twenty people attended a public meeting to discuss the North Yorkshire Magistrates Courts Committee's streamlining proposals on Monday
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Extra teacher helps school to new level of achievement
THE headteacher of the most improved school in County Durham has praised the Government for supplying it with an extra teacher to reduce class sizes. Cassop Primary, near Durham City, now has a teaching staff of four to go with the army of retired teachers
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University road closure is approved
PLANS to close one road and partially close another have won councillors' approval. At a meeting yesterday, Middlesbrough Borough Council's cabinet agreed to close the section of Victoria Road between the entrance to Teesside University's estates office
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Boost for disabled job seekers
AN £800,000 centre aimed at improving disabled people's job prospects is to open on Teesside. The Disability Employment Centre will provide skills training for 500 people a year, serving the whole of the Tees Valley, when it is built in Middlesbrough.
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Doing it Howard's way
ACTOR and musician Howard Gay is appearing in pantomime at Harrogate Theatre this Christmas - but you won't see much more than the back of his head. As musical director of Babes In The Wood, he'll be confined to the orchestra pit, facing the performers
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Schools turn on league tables
SCHOOL league tables have come in for fierce criticism from headteachers across the region. As the primary school performance tables are published today, heads once again attack the figures for lowering staff morale and not taking into account children's
