Archive
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Tragedy of man ordered to work
Heart patient Anthony Embleton died three weeks after doctors ordered him back to work. The 38-year-old had been on sickness benefit after undergoing surgery following a heart attack two years ago. But last month benefits chiefs called him in for an examination
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Foods at tempting prices
SHOPPERS stocking up on food before Christmas benefited from lower prices last month, a survey has shown. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said prices of a basket of 200 diverse food and non-food items, such as orange juice, tights and bread, fell
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Housing market bounces back
HOUSE prices surged ahead by two per cent during November as consumers regained their confidence following the September 11 atrocities, Britain's biggest mortgage lender has said. Halifax said property prices rose by their largest amount since September
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Please believe me officer, the parrot ate my tax disc . . .
Motorist John Lomax almost landed before the beak until his pet parrot proved he was innocent. John, 55, faced a fine for not having a tax disc until he explained how Jake, a two-year-old African Grey, had eaten it. He took his pet to the police station
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Hear All Sides
Letters from The Northern Echo WAR AGAINST TERROR ACTS of unimaginable violence against civilians have, regrettably, long become "normal": Dresden, Hamburg, Tokyo, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Cambodia, Rwanda, Srebenica, Iraq, New York, and just lately Afghanistan
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Software lets electors vote with their fingers
An electronics firm has developed a system which will allow voters to choose the next Prime Minister by text message. The "Council flow" mobile phone software allows users to select options using secure codes. It was set up by Mediaprom Ltd, of Sunderland
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Stagecoach reins in its troubled US operations
TRANSPORT operator Stagecoach plans to shake up its troubled US coach division after first-half profits across the group fell by 18 per cent. Stagecoach, which has also been hit by disruption on the UK rail network, and by a bus strike over pay in the
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Boyd warns Pool pals
WHIZZ-KID Adam Boyd last night warned his Hartlepool United teammates that he wants a first team shirt. Boyd, who recently signed a contract keeping him at Victoria Park until 2003, has not started a game since the 1-0 defeat to Oxford on October 27.
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Surgeon cleared over the death of 3 and a half stone patient
A surgeon accused of killing a patient 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 Bridge Hospital
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Consett & Stanley - Views of Christmas from young
CHRISTMAS past and Christmas present is the talk of children and older people at a Derwentside primary school participating in a special scheme. Age Concern County Durham have teamed up with Benfieldside Primary School in Moorlands, Consett, to examine
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Comment from The Northern Echo - Three more months please
YESTERDAY'S announcement by Alan Milburn that as from July anyone waiting six months for a heart operation will have that operation performed free, be it in a state hospital elsewhere in the country or in a private hospital or in a foreign hospital, is
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Rugby fans meet the stars
KEEN young rugby fans from Chester-le-Street have joined rugby stars for the launch of the Newcastle Falcons Rugby Re-start Scheme with Chester-le-Street Rugby Club. The scheme involves the Hermitage, Pelton Roseberry, Fyndoune and Park View secondary
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Shop was at centre of fraud racket
A SECOND-HAND shop was at the centre of an international fraud conspiracy involving £500,000, a court was told yesterday. Sonia Latchford, 33, ran the shop, Finders Keepers, in Redcar, which was a front for a gang from Manchester and London involved in
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Pony dates
BCTG. - Dec 17: Dressage clinic with Patsy Bartram. Open to non-members. Dec 17: Christmas meal. Details from Connie, 01325 332685. Bedale Hunt. - Dec 10: Fun day, Richmond EC, 11am. Contact 01677 450229. Dec 13: Carol singing, Kiplin Hall, 7.30pm. Cost
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Festive fundraising may set the stage for theatre's restoration
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, North Yorkshire, is regarded as the best-preserved working example of a playhouse
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Conlon double blast silences the boo boys
DARLINGTON striker Barry Conlon rammed the jeers of his former fans back down their throats with a decisive double strike at Feethams last Saturday. The visiting York City supporters taunted the ex-Minstermen forward mercilessly from the start, but the
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Sharing Christmas past and present
CHRISTMAS past and present was the subject for children and older people at a Derwentside primary school participating in a special scheme. Volunteers from Age Concern County Durham have teamed up with Benfieldside Primary School in Moorlands, Consett
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Cab fares increase is approved
HACKNEY carriage fares in Redcar and Cleveland are to go up despite objections from local taxi drivers. The borough council had been asked to put up the fares by people in the trade to reflect increasing costs of fuel and insurance. Despite a petition
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Looking Back
FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. For some months past, the familiar figure of Mr John Rudd has been missed from Barnard Castle railway station. Passengers have always remarked well on his manly bearing and courteous demeanour. It will therefore be a
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Enron domino effect leads to lay-offs
A STOKESLEY firm laid off 140 highly-skilled engineers and designers this week. Managers at Nepco Europe announced the lay-offs on Wednesday before holding talks about the future of the firm, which designs and builds power stations from its base on Stokesley
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Durham - Hospital cancer delays criticised
PROBLEMS at a new £97m hospital could lead to 'unacceptable' delays in treating patients with cancer, according to a new report. This week members of North Durham Health Care NHS Trust considered a highly critical report from district auditors. And at
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Darlington - A special day out for a special boy
A YOUNG cancer victim's wish came true at the weekend with a special day out and present organised by a charity for sick children. Nine-year-old Jack Pedleham was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma two-and-a-half years ago and a consultant at the Royal
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Lights shine out charity cheer for hospice
Brian Hughes has covered the front of his home with lights for the past two years. Now he has created a Christmas grotto in the back garden. And the Laburnum Crescent house, in Trimdon Station, County Durham, has attracted so many comments from admiring
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Murder in a country town - could this be Thirsk?
SHE may be slight in stature, middle-class and live in a cottage on a village green where she enjoys flower arranging, but this superficial stereotype is deceptive. For behind the conventional countrywoman image there lurks a murderous mind. Meg Elizabeth
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A minute of amazing deja vu
TIME stood still for Mr Graham Tebbs when he saw the picture on the wall. For there, 13,000 miles from home, was an aerial shot of his own town of Yarm. It was a golden moment for the man who winds up Yarm town hall clock, made doubly amazing when he
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New FWAG chief looks at the long game
THE newly appointed chairman of the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group in North Yorkshire, Mrs Pauline Nicholson, is out to persuade farmers of the benefits of changing their outlook. Mrs Nicholson, the first woman to hold the post, said: "In the past
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Basketball News
Durham League - After last weeks defeat, Middlesbrough College Academy got back to winning ways this week with a 81-63 success over Nissan in a pool game of the Durham Division One League Cup at Washington. Nissan have been without a game for a number
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Letters: Harmless Mel
Sir, - Good on you, Mrs Braithwaite. Its not the gates of the Leyburn market place shelter that should be locked up, but the town council who authorised the locking in the first place with the consequence that Mel now sits on a bench near the phone boxes
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Cyclists celebrate 75 years on two wheels
The Ferryhill Wheelers cycling club are 75 years old this year and tonight hold a special dinner to celebrate their birthday. Taking place at the Cumby Arms in Heighington, Ferryhill have invited past and present members to attend the anniversary which
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Drinks licence bid to start again for theme pub chain
A PUB chain trying to open an Australian-themed nightspot in Durham will have to restart its bid for licences next year. Licensing justices in the city decided yesterday that there was not enough time to hear Regent Inns' applications for a drinks licence
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Holy Vengeance, it's a better Batman
Reviews: Batman Vengeance. Published by: Ubisoft. Format: PS2 DVD RoM. Price: £39.99. THE year 2001 will go down as a good one for superheroes on games consoles. Now, as Christmas fast approaches, the Bat signal once again shines over a PlayStation. Batman
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Maguire joins exalted company
THE best National Hunt jockey never to have won the championship joined the elite band of those who have ridden 1,000 winners on Thursday last week after we went to press. Adrian Maguire became the seventh jumps pilot to reach the landmark only months
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Letters: Money question
Sir, - Who dropped the Middleham Jewel and where does all the Middleham Town Council's money go? History shows us that Middleham was a wealthy town with past residents responsible for the efficient administration of the North of England. How things have
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Body was 'forced' between sea rocks
A MAN'S body had been "physically forced" into a space between sea defence rocks and could not have ended up there naturally, a murder trial heard yesterday. A statement by forensic scientist Peter Grant was read to a jury at Teesside Crown Court, in
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After all the trauma it's time for some joy
CHRISTMAS can herald isolation and loneliness for families escaping domestic violence, but staff at a North-East refuge hope to make it a day to remember. At Women's Aid Wear Valley, in Bishop Auckland, some of the children have never received a present
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Wear Valley - Plans to promote Heritage Line
RAIL enthusiasts aiming to develop the Heritage Line between Bishop Auckland and Darlington are calling community groups together next week. The Association of Community-Rail Partnerships (ACoRP) is leading a conference at Shildon's Sunnydale Leisure
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And not a Barbie in Sight
FED up with queues and the traffic at town centres and shopping malls? Then head for the country instead. Southolme Farm Adventure Toys must be unique, even in the recent annals of farm diversification. It's a 250-acre working arable farm with a lot of
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Years of selfless service rewarded with good neighbour award
FOR years Stella Black has helped her 96-year-old neighbour with the shopping, cleaning and meals, and has never wanted any reward. But her selfless devotion had not gone unnoticed, and yesterday she picked up the region's Good Neighbour of the Year Award
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The Northern Echo Darlington Sunday Invitation League
This week's action saw no change at the top of Division One, even though leaders Spraire RA's game against The Northern Echo was postponed. The reason that they remained sitting on top of the league, however, was due to the fact that second-placed Nestfield
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Balaclava raiders strike
TWO thieves wielding a hammer and an axe burst into a North-East shop and demanded money. The men, both wearing balaclavas, were caught on CCTV as they threatened staff at Bells Stores, Thornaby, on Teesside, and left with cash and mobile phone cards.
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Crane death firm in the dock
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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Students get their skates on to raise charity cash
COLOURFUL pantomime characters took to the ice to help the community yesterday. A group of 35 students from Teesside Tertiary College dressed as fairies, toy soldiers and other pantomime characters for a spin around Middlesbrough's outdoor ice rink. Their
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Where are the beds?
THE Health Secretary and Darlington MP Mr Alan Milburn is a realist and a pragmatic politician. He will shrug off the predictable outcry from health service unions and some members of his party after his announcements this week about the role private
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The UniBond League
Bishop Auckland centre half Sam Kitchen has returned to his former club Gateshead. Kitchen, who signed for Bishops at the start of the season, has been unable to settle at Kingsway, and decided to return to the International Stadium. Bishops agreed to
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Wellock's World
WELL you could have floored me with a feather. Following the week of the F-word - Ferguson, Fabien, Fowler and the Phoenix League - England were drawn in Group F in the World Cup, along with our former Falklands foes. Then we'll face the other favourites
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Wellock's World
WELL you could have floored me with a feather. Following the week of the F-word - Ferguson, Fabien, Fowler and the Phoenix League - England were drawn in Group F in the World Cup, along with our former Falklands foes. Then we'll face the other favourites
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East Riding haven for fish and fowl
A TRIP into the East Riding of Yorkshire took us to Hornsea, along with a walk round the town and a visit to the famous Hornsea Mere. This is the largest freshwater lake in Yorkshire, being a mile wide and some two miles long; a walk round the privately-owned
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Concern as infirm man goes missing
A POLICE search and rescue team was scouring the north Durham countryside yesterday for an infirm 80-year-old who disappeared from home in the middle of the night. Jacob Elliot, of Coronation Avenue, Sunniside, near Gateshead, was spotted wandering down
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Epidemic leaves hostels facing closure
HARD-HIT youth hostels in the region could be forced to close because of 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 to close
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Friendly way to learn English
AN appeal has gone out to find Internet pen friends for people who are learning English from abroad. Ruth Harnish, of Hartlepool, has set up a website for people around the world to learn English as a second language. Her site has attracted 200 members
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Technical help for farmers
FARMERS planning a change in direction after being hit by the foot-and-mouth crisis are being offered some technical help. The Yorkshire Agricultural Society is organising a series of free seminars for livestock farmers who are planning to switch to cereals
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Dream trip is the best Christmas present
A NORTHALLERTON youngster struck down by a deadly mystery illness is winging her way to the North Pole this weekend for the trip of her dreams. Rosie Henry, aged four, of Grassington Avenue, Romanby, won't have to post her Christmas list this year - she
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Exploring the topic of toys
THE children in year one have explored the topic of toys by visiting Preston Hall Museum, near Stockton. Chantelle Bell from class three said: "We went to see old-fashioned toys. We saw lots of toys from the past. Most of them were made from wood. "Most
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Warning amid the anger as Mowden homes are backed
AN ANGRY pensioner told Darlington councillors they had condemned the people of Mowden to a slow death following their support for a new housing estate. A detailed planning application by Yuill Homes to build 67 detached homes - some three-storey - at
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Cock-a-hoop champions
JUBILANT youngsters at Thirsk school are celebrating the year ten basketball team's success. The team now holds the Harrogate and Ripon area schools trophy after winning 18-5 in a final against Sir Francis Xavier school, Richmond. Thirsk beat Bedale,
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Games News
CIU League - The League's Annual Presentation Evening was held at Willington Club with Jack Amos, the Durham Branch secretary, presenting the awards. The overall League Championship Trophy went to Ferryhill with Crook Belle Vue the runners-up. The Darts
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Another blow to car parts workers
THE crisis gripping the North-East car components sector deepened last night with the closure of a seat belt manufacturing plant and the loss of up to 150 jobs. TRW's Cook Way plant in Peterlee, County Durham, is to merge with the company's other factory
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Posties save boss's in-law
TWO postmen dashed into a blazing house to save a pensioner - who turned out to be their boss's mother-in-law. Andrew Smith, 31, and Robbie Hair, 35, from Washington, Wearside, were walking past the 74-year-old woman's home when they noticed the fire.
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Life-saver PC risked own life
A POLICE officer narrowly escaped plunging to his death during a rescue on a North-East bridge. PC Christopher Bell risked his life to stop a teenage girl throwing herself from a road bridge between Sadberge and Middleton St George, near Darlington. Yesterday
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Rambler willed not to cross busy road
TWO motorists have told how they willed a veteran rambler not to continue with his "fatal'' decision to cross a busy road. Van driver Ian Halliday was travelling behind the red Ford Escort which hit 72-year-old Arthur Firth who had appeared to hesitate
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Darlington hoping Lee fit for battle
DARLINGTON are hoping player-coach Craig Lee will be fit as they return to the reality of a tough away match in North Division One tomorrow. Lee left the field with a shoulder injury towards the end of last week's 123-10 home win against Wigton, which
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Darlington - Residents face parking fees
RESIDENTS in Darlington may be charged to park outside their houses in the future. A report is to be considered by Darlington Borough Council's Cabinet members next week to decide whether residents should pay for parking permit schemes. At present 1,115
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Creative talents rewarded with double art honours
THE school's artistic talent has shone through to win Artworks Awards for two years running. Spennymoor School is the only school in Great Britain to have achieved this so far. The National Children's Art Awards were conceived by the Vivian Duffield Foundation
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Heart disease may link to Norwegian ancestry
A SPECIALIST who is searching for a rogue gene which may cause heart attacks is to carry out additional studies to discover whether a Norwegian Viking gene is responsible. Professor Alistair Hall, joint leader of the world's biggest genetic survey of
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Keep your records and your head with yields
GOOD records are a vital management tool for any arable farmer. Dr Paul Wilson of the university of Nottingham, told a Home Grown Cereals Authority road show at York that they were essential. "If you want to get somewhere you need to know how to get there
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MP to visit store for ward surgeries
A SUPERMARKET will provide the venue for Darlington MP Alan Milburn and a group of local councillors for their surgeries today. The councillors from Haughton East and Haughton West will be meeting their constituents alongside Mr Milburn, at Asda, from
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Two of the best for Northallerton
TWO promising young athletes from Northallerton have both been placed among the cream of British talent in their age group in the latest UK national rankings. Anna Kirby and Tyrone Crow, who both run for Middlesbrough club Mandale Harriers, produced excellent
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Marathon effort for diabetics
TWO Darlington men completed the Dublin Marathon and raised £1,792 for diabetic children in the town. Chris Causer and Ian Robinson, who work at Cleveland Bridge, presented the cheque to Dr Nita Ontin, a paediatric consultant at Darlington Memorial Hospital
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I did not sleep at wheel of vehicle
The motorist accused of causing the deaths of ten people in the Selby train crash repeatedly denied falling asleep at the wheel of his Land Rover. Gary Hart, 37, said yesterday he could remember everything about the accident as his vehicle and trailer
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Charity night thank you
THE Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland, Councillor Vilma Collins has delivered a vote of thanks after her sell-out Christmas ceilidh and cabaret night at Redcar Bowl raised almost £4,000 for her charity fund. The civic fund will be shared out between the Redcar
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Terror attacks cost hotels group £17.9m
LEISURE and hotel group Six Continents has revealed the cost of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US, to its business. The group, which owns hotels in New York and Washington, said the atrocities had sliced £17.9m off profits in the last three
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UK chiefs more upbeat than on Continent
BRITISH bosses are bucking the European trend by remaining upbeat in the wake of the September 11 attacks, new research shows. According to a survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers, 45 per cent of senior executives in mainland Europe downgraded financial projections
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Competition beckons for trainee photographers
A PARTNERSHIP between trainees from the Kirk-leatham Special Project and Redcar and Cleveland College's Digital Imaging department is starting to develop. The 15 trainees, who are aged between 16 and 25, are helped by college tutor Mike Boland and support
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Ideas to revive town's flagging fortunes
MORE ideas for the economic regeneration of Bedale were being put to Hambleton councillors yesterday. The environment and economy scrutiny committee was continuing its series of meetings examining the economic viability of Hambleton market towns with
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Work order for youth who shot boy, 11
A TEENAGER who shot an 11-year-old in the chest with an air rifle while hunting rabbits was ordered to do 80 hours of unpaid community work by a court yesterday. Prosecutor Caroline Midgley told Harrogate magistrates how Christopher Marshall, 18, had
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Changing the face of the NHS
As radical changes to the National Health Service are announced, Health Secretary Alan Milburn explains how these proposals will affect people in the North-East and how they come close to answering The Northern Echo's longstanding A Chance To Live Campaign
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And they call it puppy love ...
A DARLINGTON student has a new love in her life to help her celebrate her 17th birthday today. Laura Jenkins, of Hutton Avenue, was chosen this week from 120 callers who wanted to adopt an eight-week-old shar pei puppy being offered to a good home by
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Five-year-old boy attacked
A five-year-old boy was taken to hospital after two older boys threw a stone at his head. Little Christopher Smith had to have 11 stitches in a facial wound after the attack at around 3.30pm on Monday. (Dec 3) The youngster was playing in the back lane
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Chester le Street - Digging in together for a fresh start
A GROUP of youngsters have been rewarded for their gardening skills and acting abilities. Youngsters involved in the Chester-le-Street Impact Project are described as at risk of being expelled from their schools. But, with the help of Community Education
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Leukaemia sufferer's dream comes true
FEARLESS Rhys Grundy's dream came true yesterday as he powered through the mud on a motocross bike. The nine-year-old leukae-mia sufferer has been struck by the disease for the third time. But his troubles were momentarily forgotten as he lived out his
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Library staff celebrate national titles
STAFF at Darlington library have been celebrating their success in a national competition. The library was rewarded in the Library Association and Emerald Public Relation and Publicity Awards at the British Library, in London. Darlington Library won a
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Is this the image we want now?
AGAINST all odds, Rik Waller, the 20-something stone 20-year-old with the voice of an angel, was voted by viewers into the finals of the Pop Idol TV programme. This was after a panel of experts had pointed out, some more bluntly than others, that Rik
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Durham - Drinkers bring warm glow to hospice
DRINKERS are urged to toast the festive season and help to bring a warm glow to the spirits of hospice fundraisers into the process. A special yuletide offer has been made at the Nevilles Cross free house on the outskirts of Durham. Bar manager Lucy Caddel
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Campbell bidding to get Boro career back on track
MIDDLESBROUGH striker Andy Campbell is bidding to revive his career on Teesside after having his request to be removed from the transfer list granted by Boro boss Steve McClaren. The 22-year-old is determined to put a nightmare few months behind him and
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Signs of hope replace despair as dale begins post-FMD recovery
THE spectacular beauty spot of Farndale may boast some of North Yorkshire's finest scenery, but this year has seen major worries for its businesses because tourists have given it the cold shoulder owing to foot-and-mouth disease. Now, however, there are
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'Flood' children are top class
CHILDREN at a rural primary school are celebrating a place in the country's most improved schools. The news is extra special for youngsters at Whitecliffe Primary School, Carlin How, east Cleveland, who have spent the past year having to cope following
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Row over business park on green site
ORGANISERS of a public meeting in Marske have been criticised for misleading the public with innacurate claims by the leader of the local authority. A leaflet advertising a public meeting in the town, called by the Green Party and the Council for the
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Store reopens after speedy refurbishment
ONE of the region's largest superstores reopened this week after a rapid refurbishment which has added an extra 14,000sq ft of retail space. The Sainsbury's store, on Durham's Arnison Centre, closed on November 26 for the £7.5m refit. Invited guests were
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Tackle 'medieval' streets
A MAJOR plan to improve Cleveland's roads and streets has been issued with a priority. An Independent councillor is urging the authority to start with unadopted streets that are in such a state that he has described them as "medieval". Coun Steve Kay
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More cars dumped in street
A DRAMATIC increase in abandoned cars is forcing Darlington Borough Council to look at streamlining their disposal. Last year, 601 cars were dumped and, based on the past, the council expects that to rise to more than 900 for 2001-02. A report to next
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Council staff on care course
MORE than 50 members of staff from Wear Valley District Council's housing department, including brick- layers, receptionists and managers, are taking part in customer care training by following an NVQ level 2. Their course is part of a broader training
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Chester le Street - Post office is saved
A RURAL post office threatened with closure has had a reprieve. Villagers at Grange Villa, near Chester-le-Street, were resigned to losing the service on December 13 when the local sub-postmaster, John Wilde, retires. With the nearest branches in St Paul's
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Funding to help partnership tackle deprivation in valley
A REGENERATION group has been set up to tackle deprivation in Wear Valley and attract hundreds of thousands of pounds of investment. Government funding worth £854,000 is to be pumped into the district over the next year, which will be spent on everything
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Exciting new era for area's long-serving free newspaper
EAST Cleveland's longest-established free newspaper is relaunched today with a new name, new offices and a brighter future. The Clarion - serving Redcar, Guisborough, Saltburn, Marske, New Markse, Skelton and Brotton - was founded 17 years ago. Today,
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North Yorkshire - Schools' crisis needs £47m
THE cost of replacing the temporary classrooms with permanent accommodation at schools across North Yorkshire would be a staggering £47m, a new report reveals. Some of the hundreds of such classrooms in the county have been in place since as far back
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Building toy is a source of inspiration
MECCANO has helped create some of today's most ingenious designs, and designers, and this weekend, fans of the toy will be hoping to inspire future inventors. The designer of the famous Mini car, Sir Alec Issigoni and Nobel prize-winning chemist Sir Harry
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Annual Dover Prize art show is 'better than ever'
A SIMPLE drawing of peaches was named the best entry in this year's impressive Dover Prize art competition. Judges at Crown Street gallery in Darlington said they could almost smell the ripe fruit. The winning drawing, Peaches in a Blue Bowl, was the
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Watery grave for hundreds of golf balls
THE resting place of many a golfer's bad shots has been discovered in the grounds of a North-East hotel. The mystery of where mis-hit balls end up was solved when lakes on the golf course at the Hall Garth Hotel, in Coatham Munderville, near Darlington
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Glow of pride after cable hiccup
CHRISTMAS lights are shining in Stokesley after an electrical problem threatened to cast an embarrassing gloom over the festive season. A technical hitch meant the cable from the refurbished town hall seemed inadequate to carry the extra power needed
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Who's slinging the mud?
IT has been clear to me for quite some time that women think there's something wrong with us men. And it was the usual story at the schoolgates on the morning the village mums went off on their annual "get-away-from-it-all" weekend. The mud-slinging was
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Ice-cream becomes a hot line for Leeming firm
RICHMOND Foods, which is forging ahead with a £4m extension at its Leeming Bar plant, has reported strong growth in turnover and profits in the year which ended on September 30. Preliminary results show that the UK's largest independent manufacturer of
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'Go private for free' to cut heart op queues
THOUSANDS of patients who have had to wait six months for surgery will soon be offered a choice of treatment at an NHS hospital, in a private clinic or even abroad, the Government announced yesterday. Health Secretary Alan Milburn said the radical scheme
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Quality flag flies at Morton Palms
A NEW Darlington business park is being earmarked for high quality office, hotel and leisure facilities. Developers hope 2,000 jobs will be created at Morton Palms, a 28-acre site on the eastern edge of the town. The land was set aside for employment
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Letters: Beach priority
Sir, - A group of councillors and the MEP Mr Martin Callanan were photographed in July inspecting the sewage debris on the beach at Marske. A fortnight ago the Environment Agency stated that all the east coast beaches were safe and could fly a blue flag
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It's time Mel was sorted out for Christmas
The doings of Mel, Leyburn's resident oddball, have occupied the minds of townsfolk recently. It's fair to say Mel's presence has split the town down the middle. Put simply, Mel is what is commonly known as a bit of a character, who at one time whiled
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North plans rock pool attraction
THE world's first giant artificial rock pool is to be built in the North-East. The tourist attraction, at Hartlepool, will allow visitors to explore specially-designed rock formations for creatures in the North Sea. Yesterday, Hartlepool Borough Council's
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The Albany Northern League
Durham City manager Brian Honour thinks that former Sunderland star Gary Bennett will make a big difference to his side. Bennett, who celebrated his 40th birthday earlier this week, made his debut for City in their win over Ashington last Saturday. "Gary
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Angling News
Competitors turned out in force on the Lower Tees and Yarm AA's Simpson Trophy attracted 73 anglers eager to practise for this Sunday's final Winter League fixture on the venue, writes JEFF HERBERT. Recent form suggested a draw in the low 180's opposite
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Quality line-up expected for Wetherby race
THE second running of the Cumbrian Challenge Handicap Chase, held to celebrate the achievements of Wetherby specialist Cumbrian Challenge, is the feature race at the course tomorrow. Contested over the extended two and a half miles and with prize money
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Pool News
Bishop Auckland League - The second qualifying stages of the League Singles and Doubles Championships were held at Bishop Auckland Derby with the winners moving forward to Finals Night at Bishop Auckland Football Club. Quarter finals results: Stephen
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Black Cats seal Reyna deal
SUNDERLAND have completed the £4.5million signing of Rangers midfielder Claudio Reyna in a five-year deal. The United States captain, who rushed to Wearside after playing a part in Rangers' UEFA Cup victory over Paris St Germain last night, is expected
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And not a Barbie in Sight
FED up with queues and the traffic at town centres and shopping malls? Then head for the country instead. Southolme Farm Adventure Toys must be unique, even in the recent annals of farm diversification. It's a 250-acre working arable farm with a lot of
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North Yorkshire - Parks may fund disease probe
AN INQUIRY into the foot-and-mouth crisis across the Northern uplands could become a reality - if other organisations join one of the region's national parks seeking partners to pay for the research. The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority was considering
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Man beaten for refusing to loan out car
A car owner was badly beaten in his home after he refused to hand over his keys to two youths. Thomas Brown, 29, needed 52 stitches to his head, suffered a broken nose, a cracked cheekbone, bruising and swelling all over his head, and bruising to his
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Bedale festivities captured forever
A VIDEO of this year's celebrations marking the 750th anniversary of Bedale's market charter will be available before Christmas. The hour-long video, costing £9.95, is expected to go on sale in the town next week. Covering about 20 events, from the festival
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Trainees are hot favourites at Forge
COMPANY bosses Ian and Stuart Wallace were so impressed with the youngsters they took on as trainees that they offered them all jobs. More than half the current workforce at their business, Middleton Forge, in Middleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham, started
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Youth club threatened with closure wins year's reprieve
A YOUTH leader who helped turn a derelict shop into a thriving Derwentside youth club is celebrating a 12-month reprieve for her project. Linda Halliday was waiting for a planning appeal decision after councillors refused planning permission for her Langley
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Extra cash for hard-up care homes
SOCIAL service chiefs in Darlington plan to throw a lifeline to the town's struggling independent nursing homes. Over the past year, 366 private sector residential and nursing care beds have been lost across the borough with more homes earmarked for closure
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Leisure services staff make their mark by impressing judges
THE leisure service department of Darlington Borough Council has won a charter mark for its excellent customer service. The award was presented for the customer service provided at all the town's leisure facilities, including the Dolphin Centre, Stressholme
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Consett & Stanley - Council cash 'blow'
THE leader of Derwentside District Council has branded this year's council spending allowance unveiled by the Government this week as a 'hammer blow' for the area. The council will receive an increase in Government money of just under two per cent for
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Change is inevitable, says inquiry chairman
THE farmer heading the government inquiry into the future of the food and farming industry has warned that change is inevitable. Sir Donald Curry told the annual meeting of his home Northumberland County NFU that the world trade organisation talks and
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Concern over demolition
PLANS to demolish a bungalow and replace it with five detached houses would be detrimental to a conservation area, it has been warned. Darlington Borough Council's planning committee granted permission for the five-bedroom homes to be built on land at
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Boxing clever for owls
A CAMPAIGN to assist the barn owl population has been given a boost by a Teesdale company. As well as being a builders' merchant, S&A of Barnard Castle specialises in agricultural outbuildings. The company has offered to build and install 20 new barn
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Scottish raider triumphs in Stainsby Grange qualifier
ANDREW Hamilton travelled all the way from Glasgow to win the Blue Chip performance qualifier over Brian Chandler's excellent course at Stainsby Grange. He rode Mark Ashe's six-year-old Dutch bred Silvano Van Texelbos to qualify for the Blue Chip finals
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Coming soon: a gateway to Neasham
NEASHAM has been promised a traffic calming gateway scheme which could be in operation early next year. Last Christmas, the annual carol singing with Father Christmas on his sleigh was abandoned because speeding motorists caused some near misses at the
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Hectic weekend pays off in style for Johnson
SHILDON rally driver Barry Johnson had a busy and successful weekend when he contested both the Grizedale Stages and Galloway Hills rallies on successive days. Driving the Barrier Surveillance Subaru Impreza 555, with new national championship-winning
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Angie in contention for national recognition
A TEENAGE swimmer from the region has won a place in the national Young Sportsperson of the Year Awards final. Angie Winstanley-Smith, 16, was nominated for the award for her success at swimming and water polo by her former school, Woodham Community Technology
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Settling down is right move for Marjorie
INDEPENDENT retailer Marjorie Brough, is celebrating putting roots down for her business after years as a mobile clothing retailer. The owner of Classic Clothes has doubled her turnover in the past two years since she set up shop in Darlington's Imperial
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Wear Valley - Young voices given a hearing
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 activities for older teenagers to do in their rural village and decided to arrange a meeting with
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Bobby backing Cort to bounce back
CARL Cort has set his sights on resurrecting his Newcastle United career - with the full backing of Magpies boss Bobby Robson. It was feared the £7million hitman would miss the rest of the season but after undergoing knee ligament surgery in America he
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Christmas sale
WILDLIFE lovers can find mince pies and mulled wine at a County Durham nature reserve. Low Barns nature reserve in Witton-le-Wear, Bishop Auckland will be staging a weekend of Christmas celebrations on Saturday and Sunday, December 15 and 16, between
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Airport profits continueto climb
TEESSIDE International Airport has made a profit for the ninth year in a row. The airport's annual report reveals pre-tax profits of £333,685 in the year to March, compared to £209,161 in the previous year. Turnover increased to £8.427m Passenger numbers
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Blind man robbed by 'salesmen'
PENSIONERS are being put on their guard against house callers after a blind man was robbed by a bogus insurance salesman. Cleveland Police say the dark nights have brought a spate of thefts by people conning their way into pensioners' homes and stealing
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Schools chiefs say new classrooms' bill is almost £50m
EDUCATION officers in North Yorkshire have revealed that it will cost at least £47m to replace temporary classrooms with permanent accommodation at schools across the county. The authority has used government grants of £1.5m under the "new deal" scheme
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Superstars undone by drink - it's a century-old story
IN the not bad old days, Northern Echo sports writers had to hide their light beneath a pseudonym. There was Ranger and Nomad and, long dead and inexplicable, there was Chittabob and his daily jottings. These multi-faceted columns would have appeared
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Superstars undone by drink - it's a century-old story
IN the not bad old days, Northern Echo sports writers had to hide their light beneath a pseudonym. There was Ranger and Nomad and, long dead and inexplicable, there was Chittabob and his daily jottings. These multi-faceted columns would have appeared
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Delegates enjoy taste of Yorkshire
NORTH Yorkshire fare was on the menu last week for leading local government figures. More than 250 delegates from councils across England came to the county for the national county council network conference, held at the Royal Hotel, Scarborough. Along
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Cathedral visit illuminates
YEAR two children visited Durham Cathedral as part of their religious education. They had previously visited our local church in Peterlee, St Cuthbert's, so were able to make comparisons in size, interesting features and especially the ornate carvings
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A terrible year for our dale
ASKRIGG School is set outside the small quiet village of Askrigg. It is a lovely place in the heart of Wensleydale. Bainbridge is the closest village to Askrigg. In Askrigg there are three shops and three pubs. The 70 children at Askrigg school come mainly
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Bacchanal has the class
BACCHANAL takes another positive step towards potential Cheltenham glory at Sandown today in the feature event on the card, the Future Stars Chase. Currently quoted at 16-1 with the Tote for the 2002 Gold Cup, Bacchanal has scared away all but two of
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Richmond artist zooms into the top ten
A RICHMOND woman who has been painting for only four years has been named among the top ten artists at a national exhibition. Mrs Kate Green, of High Garth, won the accolade at the British Watercolour Society's Christmas exhibition, held at Ilkley on
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Yarm fair's mixed triumph
AN EXCEPTIONAL set of circumstances triggered problems with Yarm fair this year. Four times the usual number of travellers descended on the town causing huge difficulties for police and residents. Other factors such as car-owners not heeding notices to
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Shock as heroin kills a friend
FRIENDS have spoken of their shock after a man died apparently following just one experiment with heroin. Unemployed butcher Tony Watson was found dead at his Middlesbrough home, autopsy tests showing high levels of heroin in his blood. Close friend Raymond
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Junior Football
Rohm and Haas JOC Hetton Youth League - Herrington, who have won all ten games in the league suffered their first defeat of the season when they lost 3-2 to Willington in the Durham County Youth Cup. The visitors led 3-0 at the interval with goals by
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Rider off to a flier with new partner
SECRETARY Alison Dover reported excellent entries for the BSPS Area 3A show at Northallerton equestrian centre, where her daughter Sarah won the Heritage large section novice working hunter in her first outing on her new mount Champra. Chloe Straker,
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Turmoil hits new enterprise, but now it's all systems go for Durham NFU chairman
A DAIRY farmer who opened a shop to sell his own produce is the new chairman of the North Riding and Durham County NFU. Mr Brian Hodgson, aged 49, farms in partnership with his wife, Sheila, at Aldin Grange Farm, Bearpark, near Durham City. They opened
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Safety work gets under way at A66 blackspot junction
LONG-awaited safety work at an accident blackspot junction of the A66, near Darlington, has finally started. The scheme, at the Sadberge junction to the east of town, is the second major safety works to take place on the road in recent months, following
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Conlon's ban upheld
DARLINGTON were left furious yesterday when Barry Conlon had his suspension upheld, meaning his four game ban starts tomorrow. The Quakers had appealed against the red cards Mark Ford and striker Conlon received at Scunthorpe two week ago, and earlier
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Rugby News
Darlington Mowden Park Under-15s travelled to Stockton in search of a fourth consecutive win. After a relatively slow start, Mowden won a lineout on Stockton's 22 metre line and Jason Todd, at fly-half, put up a testing high ball for the Stockton full-back
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Village row over shared new hall is settled
A ROW that has split a village and lost residents up to £100,000 in grants for a new hall came to an end this week. Villagers in Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe, near Thirsk, have been wrangling for months over a joint project between the primary school
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Theme park beginning to cycle success
IN November 1998, Christopher Chester entered his first mountain bike race at Lightwater Valley theme park, in North Yorkshire. He finished 13th but this was the start of his competition riding. He began to compete in local cyclo-cross events, gaining
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Lottery cash to fund more computers for county libraries
LIBRARIES across North Yorkshire and the North-East are to benefit from a £3.5m cash injection for extra computers. The grants, from the national lottery's New Opportunities fund, aim to increase public access to information technology services such as
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Court tea bars in need of helpers
VOLUNTEERS are needed to help at two magistrates' courts tea bars over the Christmas period. The Women's Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS) is eager to get new volunteers to run the tea bars at Consett and Newton Aycliffe magistrates' courts. Josephine Rutherford
