Archive
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Mother tells of son's kill claims
THE mother of a teenager accused of murder gave evidence against her son yesterday. Deborah Evans told a jury at Teesside Crown Court that Kevin Littlewood phoned her and said he had fought with John Paul Robert Jeffries, whose body was found last January
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Ramble has stamina to cope with heavy going
ADRIAN MAGUIRE'S steely determination finally carried the brilliant Irishman past the 1,000- winner mark last week and more of the same will be required at Market Rasen today, where conditions promise to be nothing less than desperate. Maguire picks up
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Rules imposed on North-East doctor
A NORTH-EAST doctor accused of misconduct must notify the General Medical Council (GMC) of any intention to work, it was ruled yesterday. Conditions have been placed in the registration of Dr Usha Shyam Narendra Singh, of Pelham Court, Kingston Park Estate
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Eastenders bad boy nicks legal role in windy city musical
EASTENDERS bad boy Nick Cotton is treading the boards in the North-East but not in his usual infamous role. Actor John Altman is swapping Albert Square and his Nasty Nick screen character for the world of American speakeasies and dance halls. For he is
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Sage scents an aroma of success as profits rise
ACCOUNTANCY software firm Sage has hit the acquisition trail after seeing full year profits rise 12 per cent. The Newcastle firm, which has acquired a number of businesses over recent months, said it would continue to grow through deals. The pledge came
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Residents making light work of bid to cheer village
CHRISTMAS spirit has gripped a village which has put up festive lights for the first time. There are just three sets of lights in the village square of Carlin How, East Cleveland. But residents group Change - Carlin How Against Neglected General Environments
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Early warning of annual meeting
ALARM bells were ringing at a county council when it was mistakenly suggested that members would be meeting in the pub. The legal notice appeared in a local newspaper giving details of North Yorkshire County Council's annual meeting today - in the town's
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Hear All Sides
Letters from The Northern Echo AIR GUNS AFTER the recent air gun attack on Nicola Distin (Echo, Nov 20), who lost an eye in the attack in Gateshead, and the recent shooting of two ponies with a crossbow, also in the same area, I am very pleased that Gateshead
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Fair is a tasty way to benefit child charities
A Christmas fair will be held this weekend in Teesdale to raise money for children's cancer funds. Staff at Thorpe Farm Peel House, at Greta Bridge, near Barnard Castle, have organised the event to raise cash for the charities Starbright and Candlelighter's
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A year in the lives of villages goes on show
COMMUNITIES who recorded a snapshot of their lives on CD Rom last year, can view the results next week. People in Cotherstone, Stanhope, Waldridge, Craghead, Bowburn and Fishburn helped to create the County Durham Milllennium Project CD for Durham Rural
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Surf's up on film
THE North-East has taken a starring role in an the first all-British surf film. London production company Dreaming Fish Productions, in association with the British Surfing Association and Black Diamond Films, this week released Made In Britain. The crew
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Council urges disease inquiry
COUNCILLORS who have seen their communities ravaged by the effects of foot-and-mouth disease are backing calls for a public inquiry. Hambleton District Council, which has launched a £100,000 fighting fund to help rural recovery, is supporting the Yorkshire
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MP's fears over faith schools
ATTEMPTS to force through the introduction of faith schools could prove a recipe for disaster, according to a North-East MP. Ashok Kumar, who represents Middlesbrough South and east Cleveland, used a House of Commons debate to warn education ministers
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Jobs boost as WH Smith expands
RETAILER WH Smith is to create 3,000 jobs and open 120 stores during the next three years. The newsagent group, which employs more than 20,100 people, will open the stores across the UK, and will move into Northern Ireland for the first time. A spokeswoman
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the right time for a packet of crisps
THE imagination and innovation of budding young entrepreneurs was on display at a Christmas fair with a difference. Pupils from more than 20 schools across County Durham and the Tees Valley area have been honing their business skills by running mini-companies
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A step back in time at the Victorian market
A CITY centre turns the clock back tonight with a Victorian evening. Shopkeepers, charity stall-holders and Tourist Information Centre staff will get in the spirit by wearing period costume for the event, in Sunderland. In Sunderland Minster, from 6pm
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Youth hostels facing crisis
Hard-hit youth hostels in the region could be forced to close due to devastating losses caused by the foot-and-mouth crisis. The Youth Hostel Association (YHA) has reported £5m losses from its expected £30m income this year, and admitted it will have
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Over fifties offered a return to school and work
OVER-FIFTIES are being offered the chance to work alongside primary school children as part of a pilot project launched in east Cleveland this week. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council wants to recruit a class of 15 fifty-somethings to train as technology
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Grandmother plunges on to M-way
MYSTERY surrounds the final hours of a North-East grandmother who plunged from a bridge to her death on the side of the A1M yesterday. Jean Rees, 61, went missing from her home in Fulthorpe Avenue, Darlington, between Monday night and Tuesday morning.
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Working towards reducing unemployment
A SCHEME aimed at recruiting the unemployed in Newcastle is well ahead of schedule. Getting Newcastle Working, which started in April with the aim of creating 40 jobs by March next year, has already secured employment for 30 people. Run by Tomorrow's
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Windass remains in Boro plans despite Owls loan deal
MIDDLESBROUGH last night revealed they have no wish to lose midfielder Dean Windass on a permanent basis. The 32-year-old is expected to sign for Sheffield Wednesday today on a one-month loan, but Boro have indicated a temporary switch is the only move
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Buoyant water firm ponders its future
WATER company Kelda has played down speculation it was set to announce fresh restructuring proposals as it reported a 13 per cent jump in first-half profits. The firm behind Yorkshire Water said it was keeping "all options under review" but said more
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Expert advice under one roof
MANUFACTURERS in the region are to benefit from the establishment of a centre for excellence. Regional development agency One NorthEast revealed plans to open the centre at Hylton Park, in Sunderland, yesterday. It will provide an advisory service for
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Water firm served summons in worker's death
A water company is being prosecuted over the death of one of its workers. David Mason, 42, was crushed to death between a crane he was operating and a bus in east Cleveland last December. Following an inquest which returned a verdict of misadventure last
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Switched on for charity fundraiser
IT took a week-and-a-half to transform this family home into an illuminated spectacular that is delighting children and raising money for charity. So far, more than 300 youngsters have visited Santa in his grotto at the home of Brian and Margaret Lauder
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Modern tale has traditional meaning
MORE than 100 pupils from a Darlington school took to the stage yesterday, for the first public performance of their Christmas play. The nativity show, Miracle Child, was performed in front of parents, friends and staff at Heathfield Primary School. Many
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Star faces on stage
A HOST of stars will be taking to the stage for a glittering afternoon of songs and showbiz magic in Hartlepool next week. The array of famous faces, including Diana Ross, Tina Turner and the Beverley Sisters, will be played by Hartlepool Borough Council's
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Residents may face fees to park outside their homes
RESIDENTS in Darlington may be charged to park outside their houses. A report is to be considered by Darlington Borough Council's Cabinet members next week to decide whether residents should pay for parking permits. At present, 1,115 residents' parking
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Comment from The Northern Echo - Doubts over a new blue line
THERE is much to be welcomed in the police reforms proposed by the Home Secretary. The creation of community support officers will increase the uniformed presence on our streets. It is a means to bring back the 'bobby on the beat' as a deterrent to crime
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Consultants shop around for residents' ideas on dale cash
MARKET shoppers will help shape the future of scattered dales communities over the next few days, by giving their views on how cash grants should be spent. People in Weardale are being given a key role in new strategies to improve their lives through
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Torture probe
POLICE were questioning two youths yesterday 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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Exploiting the exploited
ON his Century FM radio show on Monday morning, Paul "Goffy" Gough likened Ulrika Jonsson to a by-product of the steel-making process. I got the impression that Goffy was a little embarrassed that the four-letter word slipped out, so I won't dwell on
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Investigation into house fire
AN investigation is under way after a man had to be rescued from a burning house. Fire crews were called to the house, in Aire Street, South Bank, Middlesbrough, by a man aged about 25 to 30, who had managed to escape. Another man of about the same age
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£3m project to give schools new buildings
PUPILS at two village schools will move into new buildings next summer. Sunderland City Council plans to start work soon on Dubmire Primary School, in Fencehouses. The £3m project will replace the ageing buildings of Dubmire Infants and Primary schools
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Children as young as six among region's runaways
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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Civilians to boost the thin blue line
A NEW breed of civilian patrol officer with the power to detain suspects is to be introduced as part of a radical shake-up of policing. The new community support officers (CSOs) are at the forefront of proposals unveiled last night by Home Secretary David
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Scandal of the prefab classes
THOUSANDS of the region's school children could end up taking lessons in temporary classrooms throughout their entire education, it was revealed yesterday. The multi-million pound cost of replacing hundreds of temporary classrooms now in use is likely
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Youngsters win praise for community effort
TEENAGERS have been given a pat on the back for their community spirit. Young people in Newfield, near Bishop Auckland, were frustrated with the lack of things for older teenagers to do in their village, so arranged a meeting with their local community
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Residents -trapped at home' as lights fail
ELDERLY residents fear leaving their homes at night after their streets have been plunged into darkness. Ralph Robinson, 81, from Auckland Walk, Willington, claims street lights on a path passing through his estate have not been working for the past three
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Jobs at risk after Enron collapse
MANAGERS were last night fighting to save 140 jobs at an engineering company hit by the collapse of power firm Enron. Nepco Europe, of Stokesley, North Yorkshire, has been forced to lay off all its staff after parent company Enron Europe went into administration
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Project to fight crime wins accolade
A PROJECT which aims to help young people deal more positively with life's difficult issues has won an award. The Teesside Justice Support Project has been chosen as one of five winners in the Securior British Community Safety Awards, organised by Crime
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Ford out but Conlon still fighting Scunthorpe red card
DARLINGTON will today find out whether or not Barry Conlon will be able to play at Altrincham on Saturday - but Mark Ford is definitely out of the FA Cup tie. The Quakers appealed against the red cards received by both players in the 7-1 defeat at Scunthorpe
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Jesters get more time in court battle
THE parent company of Newcastle Jesters Ltd, the ice hockey team which has been stripped of its North-East franchise, yesterday won more breathing space in its battle against High Court moves to have it wound up. However, Mr Registrar Simmonds asked why
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Attempted rape charge man appears in court
A MAN alleged to have carried out an attempted rape attack on an elderly woman after breaking into her home, appeared in court yesterday. Michael Rochester, 26, is accused of trying to rape the 87-year-old woman in the break-in at her home in Sunderland
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Students encouraged to 'do the drink, not the drunk'
STUDENTS received sobering advice at an alcohol-free Christmas party yesterday. The event, based on the theme Do the Drink, Not the Drunk, was hosted by Teesside University's student services department. Staff and students were invited to sample drinks
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GP goes from doctor's surgery to the operating theatre
DOCTORS, nurses and students have taken up acting in a bid to improve health care in the region. Newcastle University has joined the city's Live Theatre company to explore the ways in which drama can help modern doctors. The project, known as Operating
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Housing group applies to sell disused bedsits
A HOUSING group has applied for permission to sell its share of a building used for single homeless people. In 1987, Three Rivers Housing Association used a Local Authority Housing Association Grant (LAHAG) to convert a disused office in Church Street
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Crash prompts new curbs call
A WOMAN and her seven-year-old daughter were taken to hospital after an accident on a road where campaigners have been battling for parking restrictions for almost a decade . The collision, between a Mitsubishi estate and a Hyundai Coupe, was in Staindrop
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Mother gives evidence against son
The mother of a teenager accused of murder gave evidence against her son today. Deborah Evans told a jury at Teesside Crown Court that Kevin Littlewood phoned her and said he had fought with John Paul Robert Jeffries, whose body was found last January
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Payouts warning over move to build three-storey housing
A VETERAN Darlington councillor has warned colleagues that they could face another costly payout over plans to replace Mowden Park Rugby Club's ground with housing. Bill Stenson, ward councillor for Mowden, spoke out as Darlington Borough Council referred
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Jokes with serious aim
A BID to raise funds for a leading North-East charity has been kicked off by two of the region's football stars. Newcastle United's Steve Harper and Alan Shearer took time off from playing to read a book - aimed at raising funds for the Clarke Lister
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David is kitted out for success
TALENTED hockey player David Clarkson is so chuffed with his new kit that he has started wearing it around the house. The 16-year-old goalie was presented with his new kit at Firthmoor Community Centre, in Darlington, which agreed to sponsor him after
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Army's plan advances
PLANS for a barrack block at Catterick Garrison have cleared the first hurdle. Planners at Richmondshire District Council decided they would not object to Ministry of Defence proposals to improve facilities for junior ranks at Vimy Barracks. A two-storey
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University to honour designer
FASHION designer Bruce Oldfield is to return to his North-East roots to collect an honorary degree. Northumbria University will present the designer with an honorary doctorate of civil law during a ceremony on Monday. A Barnardo's child, Mr Oldfield grew
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Torrential rain brings flood fear
THE Environment Agency last night issued a Flood Watch warning on the River Swale at Brompton-on-Swale, near Richmond, North Yorkshire. Flooding was reported at the village's caravan park. Torrential rain also brought heavy flooding to Weardale, in County
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Youth admits savage attack on car owner
A car owner was attacked and savagely beaten in his home after he refused to hand over his keys. Thomas Brown, 29, needed 52 stitches to his head, and had a broken nose, cracked cheekbone, bruising and swelling to his head, and bruising to his back, shoulders
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Stretching the long arm of the law
For the first time, civillians are to be given the same power of arrest as police officers. Is this a step forward in the fight against crime, or a threat to civil liberties? Nick Morrison reports. AT first they were the eyes and ears of the police. Looking
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Store robbery
POLICE are hunting two armed robbers who terrified off-licence staff when they burst in wearing ski masks. The thugs brandished a knife and a spray bottle when they raided the Wine Cellar in Station Road North, in Forest Hall, Newcastle, on Friday, November
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Hotel plan follows rail proposal
EMPTY buildings, close to a railway line, which could soon be given a new lease of life, seem set to be redeveloped as an American-style motel. The old single-track line through Wensleydale is still in place at Harmby, near Leyburn, although it has been
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Hauliers' joy over stowaways ruling
HAULIERS across the region have welcomed a court ruling which declared the Government's policy of fining drivers £2,000 for illegal stowaways "legislative overkill" and unlawful. The policy, introduced two years ago under the Immigration and Asylum Act
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Changing times at country house hotel
THE owners of a popular hotel and restaurant have sold the property and retired. Kenny and Lynn Beagle ran the Newbus Arms Country House Hotel and Restaurant, near Neasham, Darlington, for more than ten years, having previously owned and run other businesses
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'Today's violent sexual soap opera isn't wrestling'
One of wrestling's biggest stars arrives in Newcastle on Sunday for a grappling extravaganza. Paul White talks to Bret "The Hitman" Hart. FIVE-time World Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Champion Bret Hart is widely recognised as the greatest ever technical
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Anglers to splash out on crime prevention
ANGLING enthusiasts are being invited to an evening to raise money for a community lake being planned for Darlington. As part of the national Get Hooked On Fishing project, which is aimed at getting young people to take up the sport to give them an active
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Expert tips of a football hero
ENGLAND soccer hero Michael Owen has been passing on the art of goal-scoring to two County Durham hopefuls this week. Scott Young and Sam Johnson got their chance to train with Owen after entering a competition run by new breakfast cereal Sporties. The
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Health chiefs provoke anger over drugs access comments
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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Children draw on skills for Komatsu
SCHOOLCHILDREN from Sunningdale School, in Sunderland, have designed this year's corporate Christmas card for excavator manufacturer Komatsu. And so popular have the cards proved that workers at the plant, in Birtley, County Durham, have been asking to
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Go-ahead likely for club's therapy centre
PLANNERS are ready to set aside their own policies to allow a health club to branch out into yoga. Tangerine Health Club, set up 20 years ago in part of a former raincoat factory, in Beech Avenue, Harrogate, wants to expand into complementary therapies
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Mum's doorstep knife horror
A YOUNG mother has been scarred for life in an unprovoked doorstep knife attack by a man. Tracey Wanley, 23, needed 50 stitches and spent a week in hospital after the assault. She answered a knock on the door to a man with a scarf wrapped around his face
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Hotels group reports rise in turnover but adds warning
HOTELS group De Vere warned of uncertain times ahead despite reporting a resilient performance in recent weeks. In the past nine weeks, group turnover was up 12.1 per cent with a 2.7 per cent like-for-like increase in revenue per available room across
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Skills passed on to TV pupils
PRIMARY school pupils became stars for a day yesterday when a cable TV programme was broadcast from their school. Former Middlesbrough striker and Irish international, Bernie Slaven, passed on football skills to the youngsters at Bowesfield School, Stockton
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Mother gives evidence against son
One last push in the run up to Christmas could be enough to secure the future of one of the north of England's theatrical gems. The Georgian Theatre Royal in Richmond is unique in that it is the best-preserved working example of a playhouse from the late
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Cinema pub plan hearing told of door staff concerns
THE firm behind controversial plans to turn Durham's only cinema into a nightspot has rejected claims about its door staff. Regent Inns, from London, is facing opposition from residents, the police and the City of Durham Trust in its attempt to convert
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Pantomime pair open charity shop
COMIC duo the Chuckle Brothers will be on hand to open a charity shop after its refurbishment. The pair, Paul and Barry, have called at St Teresa's Hospice on previous visits to Darlington, and are offering their support at tomorrow's relaunch of the
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Treat in store as youngsters take centre stage at opening of Co-op
SCHOOLBOY Matthew Noble was elevated to celebrity status in his home town this week. The eight-year-old was particularly popular among his school friends after winning a competition to launch a Co-op store in Houghton-le-Spring, on Wearside. Matthew was
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Work left home a 'bombsite', couple claims
PENSIONERS are claiming their home has been turned into a "bombsite" after council workers carried out improvement work. For more than a month, Margaret and Leonard Guy, both 77, of Blackhill, Consett, have had to abandon their comfy sofa for deckchairs
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Dance event breaks into final
A YEAR-LONG project to provide Yorkshire's first youth street and breakdance championships reaches its climax this weekend - thanks to a £30,000 National Lottery windfall. Bridlington's Spa will host the finals of Millennium Moves. The project has been
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Autistic boy's mother sues MMR jabs firm
A MOTHER who believes her son was left severely autistic by the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab is suing its manufacturers in a landmark case. Mandy Brunskill said her nine-year-old son, Liam, was born a "normal, healthy and bright little boy", but
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Routine op death sparks big alert
THE death of a woman patient during a routine operation at a North-East trust has sparked a nationwide health alert. Health officials at South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust last night confirmed that an internal inquiry had been launched into the death of the
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Lawyer joins mayor contest
A SENIOR woman politician has joined the prospective candidates for a town's first elected mayor. Councillor Sylvia Connolly, deputy leader of Middlesbrough council, has declared her wish to become the Labour Party's candidate for the town's mayoral elections
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Funding to expand IT scheme
A SCHEME that introduces people to the world of computers is being extended. The Integrated Access Via IT (information technology) project has operated in East Durham for the past two years. Now, after winning extra funding, it is expanding into towns
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A walk on the nostalgic side
A new walking scheme in Shildon aims to keep older joints well-oiled by exercise A GENTLE step back to childhood, the column was invited on Tuesday to inaugurate a "walking scheme" - around Shildon, of all the home comforting places - for Durham County
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Man's death: five arrested
DETECTIVES investigating the death of a man more than a year after he was injured in a pub fracas, arrested five people yesterday. Kevin Pharoah, 49, of Leam Lane, Gateshead, died in October after an epileptic fit. He had developed epilepsy after a disturbance
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Temporary 'chicken huts' that have lasted 25 years
THE wooden temporary classroom building in the grounds of one North-East school has become such a permanent feature that it is part of the landscape. The hut-like building has been at Bishop Barrington Comprehensive School, in Bishop Auckland, County
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Forestry know-how from Slovakia
Slovakian technology has been on show in a North-East forest. A team from Slovakia staged a demonstration in Hamsterley Forest, County Durham, to show landowners from across the region an environmentally-friendly way to extract timber from steep slopes
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Bullies use mobile phones to intimidate their victims
YOUNG bullies are using mobile phone text messages to threaten and intimidate their victims. Education officials and police concerned about the rise in high-tech harassment have issued guidelines on avoiding it. Thefts of mobile phones, which are widely
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Safety campaign -a success'
A MAJOR road safety campaign has been hailed a success after a big fall in accidents. The Dyke House School Casualty Reduction Initiative was launched in September last year in the light of statistics revealing the area to be the worst in the town for
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Surgeon cleared of manslaughter
A surgeon accused of killing a patient who died after he was given an overdose of anaesthetic has been cleared of manslaughter. Andrew Ryan died after he was injected with four times the prescribed level of drugs during a routine operation at Shotley
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Real success for pub's ale
A COUNTRY pub which re-opened less than a year ago has won an award for the quality of its beer. The White Bear, at Masham, opened for business again last Christmas after a closure of about 15 months. And its owners are now celebrating after being named
