Archive
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Boom on the high street dents hopes of rates cut
HOPES of a new year rate cut have taken a knock after figures showed shoppers were out in droves on the high street. According to data by the Office for National Statistics, retail sales volumes were 1.3 per cent above the level seen in October - the
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The farmer who travelled 2,000 miles to say: He died for me
IN the 1850s, moorland farmer William Wass made an astonishing journey. Carrying an engraved stone what a burden he travelled some 2,000 miles to the Crimea. There, he set his stone on the grave of a fellow dalesman who had given his life for him through
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Officer uncovers £20,000 drug haul
A VILLAGE police officer single-handedly seized more than £20,000 worth of drugs and equipment when he uncovered a cottage cannabis-growing business. The loft and back bedroom of a County Durham house had been converted into a cannabis cultivation area
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Somewhere old, something new
STILL trying to find something a bit different among all the crowded High Street shelves? Why not go to a gallery or museum? Not just for the pleasure of it - though it's probably a good idea to give yourself a nice de-stressing half-hour in the middle
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Schools learn by bonding
OUR school has a special bond with Villa Real School, in Consett. Our upper junior children visit Villa Real School on a rota basis joining in with the lessons in one of their junior classes. On alternate weeks, four Villa Real pupils visit one of the
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Appeal for witnesses as inquest opened
AN inquest opened yesterday into the death of a pedestrian who was knocked down while walking on the A1(M) after dark. David Joseph Smith, 29, of Irthing Avenue, Walker, Newcastle, was confirmed dead at the University Hospital of North Durham, Durham
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'Why I have no faith in these schools'
Tony Blair may want to encourage the creation of more faith schools, but backbench Labour MP Ashok Kumar argues they could undermine our multi-cultural society. IN the last decade there has been an increase of interest in Britain in the possibility of
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Village green celebrations
CELEBRATIONS are taking place to mark the completion of improvements to a village green. The Helmington Row and Wheatbottom Action Group, near Crook, has helped to improve the village's Watergate Green with a £6,500 grant from the Barclays Bank Sitesavers
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Jewel thief aims shotgun at staff in shop raid
AN ARMED gang snatched jewellery worth tens of thousands of pounds in a daring raid on a Darlington shop on Wednesday. Three masked men burst into D and H Jewellers in Houndgate at about 4.20 while customers were in the shop. Two of the men were armed
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Council tax rise of 10pc on cards
HOMEOWNERS in North Yorkshire look increasingly likely to face a council tax hike of more than 10pc next year. Members of North Yorkshire County Council's executive are recommending an above-inflation council tax increase of 10.25pc, equivalent to £1.31
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The Northern Echo Darlington Sunday Invitation League
Darlington Spraire extended their lead at the top of the table, whilst champions Coundon Forresters moved back into the title hunt. Spraire RA defeated second placed Nestfield Club 3-0 in the game between the two sides, and that allowed Coundon to move
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Report highlights speeding tensions
CLEVELAND Police's relationship with the public is being damaged by its hard-line approach to speeding, according to a Government police watchdog. In a report published yesterday, Dan Crompton, HM Inspector of Constabulary, said the force's crackdown
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Angling News
Newman Scott Blue made no mistakes during the 6th and final round of the North-East Winter League winning on the day to guarantee the prestigious local team title and now go forward to the Northern Semi-Final on the River Wear, writes JEFF HERBERT. The
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School fire damages classroom
A classroom was left with smoke damage after a fire broke out at a school in Middlesbrough this morning. Fire fighters were called out to the blaze, in an art room at Acklam Grange School, Lodore Grove, Middlesbrough, at 7.36am. The flames were quickly
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Gazza weighs in with £10,000 lifeline for Gateshead
FOOTBALL legend Paul Gascoigne has pledged £10,000 to his struggling home town football club. The Everton and former England star offered the huge sum to help save Gateshead FC and urged Premiership stars Alan Shearer and Kieron Dyer to follow his lead
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Potto millennium capsule buried
POTTO residents have buried a time capsule which will be unearthed by future residents in 100 years. The capsule was buried in a recent ceremony which was the conclusion to the various millennium projects. It contains memorabilia and documents relating
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Dales chapel to be refurbished
A dales community was today celebrating a £50,000 windfall which will help give a major facelift to its town hall. The Newcastle-based Northern Rock Foundation has offered the money for the refurbishment of the hall at St John's Chapel in Weardale. Last
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Hotel lights up to help celebrate A garden transformation
A HOTEL in Scarborough has turned on its floodlights to coincide with a new lighting scheme in the transformed St Nicholas Gardens. The Mayor, Councillor Lucy Haycock, turned on the lights at the Royal Hotel, opposite the gardens which have been renovated
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Rallycross event attracts quality field to Croft
BIG time rallycross returned to the region in a recent two-day event at Croft circuit near Darlington when Irishman John Haffey won the inaugural European SuperPrix driving a Ford Escort Cosworth. Despite a number of top international runners failing
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Quality care recognition
THE quality of care given by the community health team at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton has been officially recognised. The elderly patients' team has been recognised as a practice development unit by the Institute of Nursing at Leeds University
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Survivor still getting over shock
FATHER-OF-TWO John Dunwell opened his curtains on the morning of February 28 and saw the first flurries of early morning snow. He decided to leave his car behind at York and boarded the GNER train to London because he thought it would be safer. Just minutes
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Parish pump restoration planned
A RELIC of country life is to be restored to its former glory in a North Yorkshire village. Terrington parish council is hoping to renovate the parish pump in the village, near Malton. The pump has been on the village green for years but has fallen into
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Doncaster dent Mowden's promotion hopes
WHILE Mowden Park's promotion hopes suffered a severe setback on Saturday, Darlington's received a surprisingly healthy lift as all the results in North Division One went in their favour. They have lost four times, while Mowden's 21-7 home defeat by Doncaster
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Environment Minister had final say on former Ripon college
A £50M redevelopment scheme for a former college site in Ripon has won planners' backing. But the final say on whether the scheme for 188 homes, 40 care units for the elderly, sporting facilities, a residential training centre and educational use, will
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Pool News
Peter Merner of Henknowle Manor House became the League Singles Champion when he beat Stephen Liddle of Crook Olde Horse Shoe in both frames of the Final played at Bishop Auckland Derby. In the semi-final Merner disposed of Warren Stamp of the Bishop
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Jobs lost as dairy is set to close
EXPRESS Dairies plans to close its dairy at Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, on Teesside with the loss of 118 jobs. The closure is a result of on-going rationalistion of supply in the retail sector of the milk market. Only last month, Express announced the loss
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Dominoes News
Lanchester King's Head landed the Captain's League title by a single point with Rob Day being the chief point scorer with 11 of the 15 accrued by the team. In his absence Graeme Thompson, Ronnie Minto and Tom Bailey contributed points. Final positions
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Boats will be broken up
THE owners of three boats from a North-East fishing fleet have been awarded Government grants to break up the vessels and hand back their licences. It is part of a scheme to address over-capacity in the industry. The boats, from North Shields, are among
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Selby victims seeking compensation
Survivors of the Selby rail disaster will be making a series of compensation claims running into millions of pounds, it has been revealed. The first civil action against builder Gary Hart, who was found guilty on Thursday of causing ten deaths by dangerous
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Family's appetite for rugby looms Large
THE Large family of Darlington live and breathe rugby with mum, Helen, very much to the fore. A teacher at King James's School, Bishop Auckland, Helen is captain of the Darlington Rugby Club ladies team and also coaches two new under 16 girls teams at
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Bringing a smile to the 'outdoor housework'
GOOD in a Bed is a collection of writings by Ursula Buchan that have appeared in The Spectator over the last 17 years (John Murray £16.99). Buchan is thoughtful and observant and brings a smile to the business of gardening. Though generally enthusiastic
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Those who pay the piper see the value of the countryside
CALLS for a greater share of government agriculture subsidies to go to environmentally friendly farming, including organics, are to be stepped up by the Yorkshire dales national park authority. The authority's announcement on Monday comes as the government
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Late rally not enough to save Thirsk
Thirsk 3 Wibsey 10 THIRSK hoped to use home advantage last Saturday to end a poor run of late in Yorkshire VI against a team who were looking to move into second position with a good win. The visitors had the best of the opening ten minutes, playing most
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It's luxury for today's student softies
YOU know in the queue at the checkout there's always an old lady who traps you with her trolley and tells you that when she was young she could feed a family of ten on fourpence three farthings a week on scrag end and potato peelings? Well, I'm turning
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Green campaigners call for rural fringe to be protected
GREEN campaigners claim a Labour-run council is grabbing green fields near Marske for a business park rather than reclaiming old industrial sites. And they say Redcar and Cleveland council is going against the recommendations of a government panel which
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Praise for staff in raid terror
SHOP staff who were threatened with a gun while tackling an armed robber have been praised for their bravery. Three masked men, armed with sawn-off shotguns and a handgun, burst into D&H Jewellers, in Darlington, terrifying staff and customers before
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Closure of homes reviewed
PLANS to close old people's homes in the Durham area have been changed. Durham County Council had originally proposed to replace 17 of its 25 homes with six new special units and four facilities for the mentally ill, resulting in 350 job losses. But a
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Mum elected to housing committee
Tenants in East Cleveland have voted a local mum on to the board of a not-for-profit organisation being set up to manage council houses in the area. Susan Taylor, from New Skelton, takes the place of Peter Baldwin, who died earlier this year. She polled
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£3m payout to improve state of town's roads
DARLINGTON Borough Council is to receive £3m to improve the state of the town's roads, which have been criticised by a Government inspector. Details of Darlington's local transport plan settlement were announced today by the Government as part of a five
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Sunderland Catholic Club Over-40s League
Killingworth Arms' match against Usworth was off as the ground was water-logged and Billingham Wanderers' win over Owton Manor puts them top of the Premier. Billingham settled well and Charlie Bell set up a chance for Keith Corner which he struck home
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Dedication earns talented youngster top ten place
NORTH Yorkshire schoolgirl Laura Gilbert has come a long way since her tennis talents were spotted as she hit rapid-fire volleys against the garage door. She was just seven years old when taking to the racket, inspired by her Wimbledon hero Tim Henman
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Where tragedy is still waiting to strike
TEN months after the Selby train crash, railway bridges throughout the region remain in a scandalous condition - and fears are growing that a similar disaster could happen at any time. Despite widespread demands for immediate improvements to roadside
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Shopper needed surgery after market place fall
AN elderly woman tripped and fell heavily on the new paving stones being laid in Ripon market place. On Tuesday, Mrs Lilian Hannam, aged 75, was taken by ambulance to Ripon hospital but later transferred to Harrogate, where she underwent an operation
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Turner hat-trick boosts Falcons
THIRSK Falcons returned to winning ways with a 5-3 victory at Masham last Saturday. They got off to an amazing start, with Richie Turner and Cahill Cook playing a one-two before Cook lobbed the home keeper to give Falcons the lead after only 13 seconds
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Bedale traders want their place in the sun
ALL the market stalls in Bedale should be on the sunny side of the street, according to a local stallholder. Mr Tony Pelton, of Catterick, said changes should be made because shoppers and visitors did not necessarily use both sides of a Tuesday market
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The farmer who travelled 2,000 miles to say: He died for me
IN the 1850s, moorland farmer William Wass made an astonishing journey. Carrying an engraved stone - what a burden - he travelled some 2,000 miles to the Crimea. There, he set his stone on the grave of a fellow dalesman who had given his life for him
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Burglars steal gifts donated to women's refuge
CHILDREN at a Teesside refuge may have to go without Christmas presents this year after they were stolen by burglars . The presents had been donated to the Women's Refuge, in Middlesbrough, so that children spending Christmas there and former residents
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Wide-eyed, legless
ONE of the features of night times in our town and city centres is the increasing prevalence of drunk young women. Fifteen or more years ago, it was almost unheard of for young women to indulge in alcohol to excess. Young men certainly, but not women.
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Mowden trio key in crushing Northumbria
THE Durham County Girls Under-16s beat their Northumberland counterparts 34-5 at Northumbria University's Bullocksteads ground on Saturday. Darlington Mowden Park players Ashleigh Wright, Jenna Breakingberry and Abby Blackburn won their first county caps
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RAF specialist passes on her skills
A FORMER RAF cabin crew specialist has been passing on her skills to Darlington College of Technology students. Cara Smith has been at the college formalising skills from her experiences, including attending the Queen and prime ministers on RAF flights
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Care homes closure plans are revised
PLANS to close homes for the elderly in the Durham area have been changed. Durham County Council had proposed to replace 17 of its 25 homes with six units and four for the mentally ill, resulting in 350 job losses. But a new proposal would keep an extra
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Ding dong, I said, not dung
CHILDREN at Barnard Castle prep school gave the traditional nativity play a slightly different slant this year. The Smelly Donkey, written by teacher Mrs Jane Tulip and produced by her and another teacher, Mrs Louise Rowlandson, featured the antics of
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The past is woven into the present
TWO men who once worked at the largest wool manufacturing centre in Europe attended the launch of a multi-million pound revitalisation for the Darlington factory site. Mr Tommy Jenkinson, aged 71, and Mr George Grindley, aged 74, started work at the Paton
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Northallerton lose more ground in promotion race
NORTHALLERTON Town's promotion hopes were dealt another blow when they were beaten 2-0 at mid-table Horden last Saturday. They have now dropped to seventh place in division two with 33 points from 19 games, 13 behind leaders Shildon, who have played a
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Wages donated to charity in festive spirit
A town's Santa Claus is spreading festive cheer for charity this year. Gary Houlden, 51, who is spending December as Santa in Thornaby's Asda store, has decided to donate all his wages to a Stockton stroke charity. The full-time carer, whose wife, Dorothy
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Lee calls for festive fight from Magpies
NEWCASTLE United midfielder Robert Lee has urged his teammates to continue to show their battling qualities in a bid to maintain their place near the top of the Premiership. The Magpies currently occupy a Champions League place and are three points clear
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£3m injection set to ease hospital bed blocking crisis
MORE than £3.2m is being pumped into a scheme to free hospital beds in North Yorkshire. The cash, from the county council's social services department, aims to bring an end to bed blocking, where hospitals are unable to discharge elderly patients because
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Rivalry truce for football bosses at hospice ceremony
sporting rivals Bobby Robson and Peter Reid buried the hatchet to lay a hospice foundation stone yesterday. The respective managers of Newcastle United and Sunderland football clubs joined in with work on the new St Oswald's Children's Hospice, in Gosforth
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The UniBond League
Jamie Burt, whose goals helped to fire Whitby into the first round of the FA Cup, has joined Second Division Chesterfield. Burt, who was signed by Whitby from neighbours Scarborough, has signed an 18 month contract with Chesterfield, who haven't paid
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Scheme to achieve goals
A FOOTBALL club is to help young, unemployed people reach new goals. Middlesbrough Football Club has joined forces with BT and Stockton and Billingham College for a 15-week course aimed at improving the literacy, numeracy, computer and employability skills
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New year aim for Schwarzer
MIDDLESBROUGH goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer has undergone an operation on the hernia problem which has plagued him since returning from international duty. Earlier this week it was thought the Aussie would be fit to face Manchester United at the Riverside
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Cyril the squirrel proves a difficult guest
A GREY squirrel named Cyril has made a Yarm flower shop his winter home. The ravenous rodent is particularly fond of roses and sunflowers. It has munched hundreds of pounds worth of blooms - much to the concern of staff at Diana Kaye florists on the High
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Benbyas good for hat-trick
TRY backing braveheart Benbyas (2.20) if you're hoping for an early Christmas bonus at Cheltenham today. Few four-year-olds have demonstrated the sort of courage shown by Benbyas on his latest two starts, both times making every yard of the running to
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Darts News
Hamilton Row Black Horse shocked the visiting Championship contenders from Esh Stag's Head with an odd point home win. After the trebles were shared the Horse had singles wins from Alan Brown, Paul Elliott, Tom Liddle and Steve Wilkie with the Stag's
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Put the future back into farming, but not the red tape
NEWLY elected NFU Northumberland county chairman, Mr Stoker Frater, has pledged to fight for a profitable future for Britain's farming industry. A beef, sheep and arable farmer, from Abberwick, Alnwick, he has called on the government to shore up the
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Early decision on bypass scheme
A decision on the preferred route for a long-awaited bypass scheme is expected early next year, the Highways Agency has announced. Plans to re-route the notorious A64 away from Rillington will result in a substantial reduction in traffic passing through
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Gentlemen, say it with flowers to enjoy a calm Christmas
THE cheeseboard is on the landing bookcase, all my everyday reference books are in a box somewhere in the spare bedroom and I hate to think of the state of the bananas when I do find the fruit bowl. The cat is AWOL and has probably fled next door; she
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Enjoying college taster sessions
SCHOOLCHILDREN in East Cleveland are being offered the chance to sample college life. Pupils from Saltburn's Huntcliffe School were among the first to sample taster sessions at Redcar and Cleveland college. The workshops, which include learning digital
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Stars in the techno Olympics
ROBOTS designed and built by pupils at Yarm school took part in a television contest this week. The three machines were built by Philip Newbould, Gareth Thomas, Jack Steadman, Ben McGriskin, and Alexander Edwards, with the help of Mr David Dunn, the head
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JokeVote makes business a laughing matter
WINNING new business is no laughing matter for Internet development company Spacestore Creative. The firm, based at ezone in the Team Valley, Gateshead, is winning lots of new business thanks to the launch of the JokeVote comedy service assessed through
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Horrendous day unlike any other
IT was a morning routine so many were used to - boarding the early train and grabbing a quick cup of coffee from the buffet car ahead of a day's work. But February 28, 2001, was to be a day unlike any other for 100 passengers on board the 4.45am from
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It's time to ban this supermarket drivel, says music-loving vicar
A vicar has called for a ban on "musical drivel" being played in supermarkets over Christmas. The Reverend Philip Greenhalgh, an accomplished pianist and folk guitarist, says the recorded music being played in North-East stores could drive shoppers up
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Throwing a spanner in Christmas shopping
HAVE the makers of the Lord of the Rings film no heart? Just a few weeks ago, most of the nation's children were Harry Potter mad, writing begging letters to Santa Claus and pestering their parents to rush out and buy up all the expensive Potter merchandise
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Christmas trees festival marks church milestone
A CHURCH is marking a milestone with a glittering festival of Christmas trees. To celebrate its 160th birthday, Holy Trinity Church, Win-gate, east Durham, is staging an ecclesiastical exhibition with a difference and has issued an open invitation to
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Minister rules out upgrade for A64
THE Government has ruled out upgrading a North Yorkshire road, despite pleas from safety campaigners. Transport Minister David Jamieson has announced that there are no proposals for an overhaul of the A64 between the A1 and the North Yorkshire coast.
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Santa thrills Norton tots
Christmas came early for youngsters at a Norton day nursery when Santa Claus made a fleeting visit to their festive party. More than 85 children from The Rainbow Day Nursery received gifts as part of the festive treat organised by owners Northumbrian
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Work finally begins on £4.5m swimming pool
AFTER more than five years, four multi-million pound Lottery bids, drastic cost cutting and major planning changes work finally began on Stanley's £4.5m swimming pool yesterday. Local hero Glenn McCrory cut the first sod while taking a trip down memory
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Mr Kumar's death was somewhat un-Timely
FEW of them would admit it, but politicians are the most fervent of strivers for a place in posterity. And what better start can you make towards that goal, as you take your first steps into the after-life, than to have your name in large type above a
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The farmer who travelled 2,000 miles to say: He died for me
IN the 1850s, moorland farmer William Wass made an astonishing journey. Carrying an engraved stone what a burden he travelled some 2,000 miles to the Crimea. There, he set his stone on the grave of a fellow dalesman who had given his life for him through
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Letters to the Editor
Sir, - The new scheme to replace the error-ridden 1992 Yarm flood defence scheme is now reported to be halfway through, yet the Environment Agency has not yet addressed three fundamental issues. A case of eyes wide shut! We, and the Riverside residents
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Brace yourself for the impact
Reviews: Rally Trophy. Format: PC CD-ROM. Publisher: JoWooD Productions. Price: £29.99. IT'S NEARLY Christmas and the shelves of electrical stores are positively groaning with driving sims. Unfortunately, for every Gran Turismo, there are dozens of Carmageddons
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Applause and anger as bypass rejected
THE Government's decision to refuse a bypass for Teesside has received a mixed reaction. Middlesbrough Council was seeking Government cash for an East Middlesbrough Transport Corridor, but it was announced that the scheme would not get the go-ahead. The
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Ivex plans expansion and jobs boost
AN innovative new packaging material could lead to the creation of dozens of jobs in County Durham. Packaging group Ivex is planning to create about 45 jobs at a new manufacturing facility at South Church Enterprise Park, in Bishop Auckland, County Durham
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Comfort at heating award fo community centre
A CASH-strapped community centre has won more than £14,000 worth of heating equipment to help keep its elderly users warm this winter. The Grange community centre in Hurworth, near Darlington, has for years relied on the vagaries of an old oil-fired heating
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Business support community pride
Businesses in Hartlepool have been praised for supporting a major clean-up campaign. More than 40 have applied for awards through the Tidy Business Charter, a joint venture between Hartlepool Borough Council's Pride in Hartlepool team and the Tidy Britain
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Traffic-clogged city is awarded £9m for park-and-ride scheme
A park-and-ride scheme to ease traffic congestion in Durham's city centre has won nearly £9m of Government funding. The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR) is giving £106m - £3.2m more than last year - in the 2002-03 financial
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Early years centre is up and running
A PIONEERING education centre for nursery age children on a Sunderland estate has been opened. Sunderland City Council leader Colin Anderson opened the £250,000 Early Years Centre in Pennywell. He said: "I'm delighted to open the centre. The area's regeneration
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Frost pockets can crop up even in our milder winters
MRS Martha Macdonald has had the same garden for almost 40 years and can't recall having ever had much serious trouble with spring frosts - until three or four years ago. First it hit the trees at what she calls the bottom end of her garden where the
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Snooker News
WILLINGTON produced their best result of the season when they beat Old Shildon. Stan Bennett and Gordon Parkin put the home side two up but then saw Charlie Blake with a 36 break and Michael Pratt level the match. In the decider Jeremy Martin of Willington
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Motorists get free lights check
Dozens of motorists have taken advantage of the chance to ensure they do not dazzle too much this Christmas. Road safety experts from Scarborough Borough Council set up headlight testing equipment at Morrisons and Safeway supermarkets to give drivers
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Calls for pilot drug treatment centre scheme
A NORTH-EAST Police Authority said yesterday it wanted to be the first in the country to pioneer treatment centres for addicts where they can be prescribed hard drugs. Cleveland Police Authority said the war on drugs in Britain was not being won and that
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Toys donated as part of 30 years of collecting
CHARITY begins at home and for 30 years ex-serviceman Dave Parry has been tirelessly collecting for local charities. The 59-year-old Guisborough man says he has been staggered by the number of donated toys he has been able to collect this year. He said
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Junior Football
Darlington Spraire Lads and Lasses - At Under-11 Spraire played Hartlepool St Aidans. A corner by Ashton resulted in a goal mouth scramble and Hastie poked the ball home for the first. The second half saw Spraire applying pressure but excellent defending
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Vandals attacking public buildings
Mindless vandals are attacking public buildings in Willington, near Crook, causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage. The latest incident saw windows smashed at the Health Centre in Chapel Street between Wednesday and Thursday night. In recent months
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Wensleydale Show must go on
THERE will be a Wensleydale Show in 2002 whatever happens regarding foot-and-mouth restrictions, it was agreed at the annual meeting of the agricultural society. The society is to meet on January 17 to select judges and prepare a schedule for the August
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Wellock's World
S ix years ago the Newcastle Sporting Club was going to be bigger than Barcelona. In the light of Sir John Hall's ambitions it is sad to note that the reality has been somewhat different, with Gateshead Football Club the latest to be left in the lurch
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Wellock's World
Six years ago the Newcastle Sporting Club was going to be bigger than Barcelona. In the light of Sir John Hall's ambitions it is sad to note that the reality has been somewhat different, with Gateshead Football Club the latest to be left in the lurch
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Sports centre is to go ahead after Lottery cash injection
A scheme to create a purpose-built sports centre has won a huge cash injection from the National Lottery. Sport England has given a Lottery award of £832,000 towards the construction of the multi-purpose sports centre in Colburn, near Catterick Garrison
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Nursery children are recording stars
NURSERY school pupils have had their first taste of stardom after releasing a sell-out compact disc. The children, aged between two and four, have compiled a collection of songs including Jingle Bells and The Wheels on the Bus, with the help of music
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Research staff celebrate gradings
TWO of the region's universities have been recognised as among the country's best for research. Research staff in six subjects at Durham University gained a maximum five-star grade for excellence in an assessment by the Higher Education Funding Council
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New Year's Eve opening hours debated
REVELLERS will be able to party for longer on New Year's Eve if Darlington Borough Council allows pubs to extend their hours. A special meeting of the council's licensing committee has been called to discuss plans for New Year's Eve opening hours. Pubs
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Wearside League
Paul Bryson, who played 19 consecutive seasons in the Northern League, is enjoying his time so much in the Wearside League that he aims to turn out until he is 40! A couple of months ago Bryson stood down as player manager of Chester-le-Street because
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One man's guilt
The Land Rover driver who caused the Selby rail disaster was facing jail last night - as The Northern Echo discovered that virtually nothing has been done to prevent a repeat tragedy. Builder Gary Hart, who fell asleep at the wheel before plunging down
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Palace party accolade for nurse
A NURSE was treated like royalty for a day when she was invited to join Prince Charles and palace staff at a Christmas party. Sister Barbara Hodgson travelled to St James' Palace, in London, on Tuesday, after she was invited to a reception in the state
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Plea for talks after bypass scheme is thrown out
A CALL for "constructive" talks was made yesterday after government ministers threw out plans for a controversial Cleveland bypass scheme. The leader of Redcar and Cleveland council urged counterparts at Middlesbrough to sit and down and consider alternatives
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Football cards most definitely worth a packet
IN the formative fifties, it is to be feared, we short trousered termagants of Timothy Hackworth Junior Mixed bought more Chix bubble gum than was medically or economically advisable. The attraction wasn't the gum, it has to be said - some of us were
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Football cards most definitely worth a packet
IN the formative fifties, it is to be feared, we short trousered termagants of Timothy Hackworth Junior Mixed bought more Chix bubble gum than was medically or economically advisable. The attraction wasn't the gum, it has to be said - some of us were
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Athletics News
On Saturday, December 8 the club competed at the North-Eastern Counties cross country championships held at Berry Edge, Consett. One of the club's best performances came in the Under-13 boys race with Andrew Thompson winning gold in 10.58 with clubmate
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Poppy appeal collectors celebrate funds raised
VILLAGE poppy appeal organisers are celebrating a bumper total from this year's collection. Pittington Royal British Legion's (RBC) appeal covers neighbouring Sherburn and the communities of Belmont, Carrville and Gilesgate, on the outskirts of Durham
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Somewhere old, something new
STILL trying to find something a bit different among all the crowded High Street shelves? Why not go to a gallery or museum? Not just for the pleasure of it - though it's probably a good idea to give yourself a nice de-stressing half-hour in the middle
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Crawler lanes plan for A66
CRAWLER lanes for slow vehicles could be introduced on the A66 trans-Pennine route and other trunk roads in the North-East and North Yorkshire. While the Highways Agency stressed that no decisions had been taken, a spokesman confirmed that no-car lanes
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Comment from The Northern Echo - Prevention is the key
THE strength of the human spirit is sometimes amazing. It would have been easier - and certainly understandable - for the relatives of the victims of the Selby rail disaster to go to pieces yesterday when Gary Hart was found guilty of causing death by
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School centenary marked with Nativity performance
CHILDREN at a Darlington infant school took a step back in time as part of the school's centenary celebrations. Pupils at Harrowgate Hill Infant School dressed in traditional costume to reflect the era when the building opened in 1902, when they performed
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Mandy flies the flag for region's female entrepreneurs
THE flags were flying at Durham Castle last night as Mandy Scott was named North-East Woman Entrepreneur of the Year. Mandy, a single parent, established AA flags in 1992 with a little financial help from her father and Derwentside Industrial Development
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Campaigners close roads between England and Scotland
Militant countryside campaigners caused chaos today as they blockaded every major route between Scotland and England. The Rural Rebels drove tractors, trucks, vans and cars at snail's pace, leading to huge tailbacks. The action was a protest at the Government's
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High Court D-day for Neale victims
VICTIMS of disgraced surgeon Richard Neale face an important day in the High Court in London today. Leaders of the victims of the gynaecologist, formerly at the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, are campaigning for a public inquiry after
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New machine keeps watchful eye on drivers
A NEW traffic speed machine will leave motorists with no excuses if they go over the limit. The SpeedVISOR device flashes up the exact speed of an approaching vehicle on an electronic display screen. Police and Darlington councillors hope the equipment
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News girl returns to hear of school's high
ITN reporter Shiulie Ghosh returned to her old school on Monday to present prizes at the annual speech day. Miss Ghosh left Teesside High School for girls in Eaglescliffe in 1992 after taking her A-levels and began a career in broadcasting immediately
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Motor Racing News
A DARLINGTON man has raced his way to success in the Porsche 924 Championship, writes ALISON LEWIS. Keith Penman, 35, has competed in the championship for the last four seasons, but bad luck meant the title remained out of his grasp until this year. Driving
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Woodgate and Bowyer found guilty
Leeds United soccer star Jonathan Woodgate was today found guilty of affray but cleared of causing grievous bodily harm with intent over a brutal street attack on an Asian student. His team-mate Lee Bowyer was cleared of causing GBH with intent and affray
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Harrier nosedived into Staindrop field
AN RAF pilot whose Harrier jump jet nosedived into a field near Staindrop may have become disorientated. Gp Capt David Haward was pulling up from a mock bombing raid and barrel-rolled the plane to try to emerge underneath clouds. Instead, the jet flew
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Reprieve for Mel as alcohol ban fails
EFFORTS to rid Leyburn town centre of a vagrant were thwarted when Richmondshire District Council overturned the decision of one of its committees. The resources committee agreed two weeks ago to make an order on the town council's behalf to ban alcohol
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Free soft drinks for nightclub drivers
DURHAM nightclub bosses are backing the festive campaign against drinking and driving by offering drivers free soft drinks. Revellers who take the wheel during the Christmas period to drive their drinking friends around will not have to pay for their
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Still hope for missing war veteran
The family of missing war veteran Robert English has refused to give up hope of finding him alive, almost three weeks after he disappeared from his home. The former prisoner of war, who spent three years in a German camp after being shot down over France
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Patients' care review ordered
HUNDREDS of elderly and disabled people may have received the wrong care during the past decade, because the Government failed to reassess them. Darlington Borough Council now faces re-assessing 212 people living in care homes and nursing homes in the
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Five-year scheme breathes new life into national park
MOORLAND magic - that is how the North York Moors national park authority hailed its regeneration plan on Monday. A major report published at the park's meeting shows how jobs and the environment can both gain from integrated rural programmes. Long-term
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Betting shop plan pulled up at first fence
A BOOKMAKER'S bid to open a new betting office in Barnard Castle has fallen at the first hurdle. Mr John Joyce, who already owns two smaller shops in the town, had applied to convert the former Motor World premises at 41 Market Place. He has 34 betting
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Quakers look to extend Caldwell loan deal
Darlington are today hoping to secure the services of Gary Caldwell for another month. The centre-half has been an impressive acquisition since arriving in a temporary transfer from Newcastle a month ago, but the loan expires after tomorrow's match at
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Lucky escape for passengers
A STAGECOACH driver who forgot he was driving a double decker bus when he smashed into a low level rail bridge has caused the company to review route changes. A police report has been sent to the crown prosecution service for a decision on whether charges
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Venue launch draws boy bands Westlife and A1
boy bands Westlife and A1 will appear in concerts to mark the opening of a new performance venue. The bands, which attract huge teenage followings and have notched up a string of number ones, will perform in concerts to mark the launch of 510-seat Gala
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Hung council result of Hartlepool by-election
The fortunes of a North-East town's Labour party were looking brighter today as it gained an extra seat in a by-election, creating a hung council. Hartlepool's opposition Labour group now holds 22 seats - the same amount as the leading Liberal Democrat-Conservative
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Positive signs in Consigniatalks
POST Office union chiefs were locked in talks with Consignia last night over the future of the work force. Senior members of the Communications Workers' Union, including deputy general secretary John Keggie, met with the Consignia board to discuss possible
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Firefighters use infra-red equipment to tackle blaze
FIFTY firefighters, who spent almost four hours tackling a Middlesbrough packaging factory blaze, used an unusual method to target the flames. The fire, at HSG Packing Cases, Nelson Street Industrial Estate, South Bank, was so fierce Cleveland Fire Brigade
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History of the project to build swimming pool
August 1993 - Major structural problems emerge at the former Burns Pool, in Stanley, as brickwork comes loose. September 1996 - Derwentside District Council makes a £7m bid to National Lottery agents Sport England to build a pool at the town's Louisa
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The mart is closed, but the butcher gets a star
A BUTCHER is determined the cancellation of this year's Darlington mart's Christmas prime stock show will not cause a beef with his customers. Mr Paul Taylor, of butchers H Taylor and Son, usually buys the show winner to sell at his Skinnergate shop.
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Hear All Sides
Letters from The Northern Echo THE BEATLES VERY seldom do I disagree with the viewpoint of Peter Mullen's column. In fact, I take great delight in the days that follow publication, in looking out for the regular critical correspondents of his column.
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Runners must shy away from deer park
ORGANISERS of a six-mile run, which attracts competitors from across the North, have changed the route to protect a 500-strong herd of deer from foot-and-mouth disease. The animals roam free in Studley Royal Park at the World Heritage Site, which leads
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Warnings on impact of French ban on sheep spinal cords
A PROPOSAL by the French Food Standards Agency could have major implications for British sheep exports. The agency wants to ban spinal cords from all sheep aged over six months. Mr Duncan Sinclair, of the Meat and Livestock Commission, spoke about the
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The Albany Northern League
West Auckland general manager Stuart Alderson is hoping that a benefactor will come forward to help them with their travel costs to Taunton for the next round of the FA Carlsberg Vase. West must go to the south west on January 19, and after going to Tiverton
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Decline in passengers slows
THE decline in passengers passing through the UK's major airports is slowing with low-cost airlines continuing to shine, BAA has revealed. The airports operator said 8.1 million passengers passed through its seven UK locations in November, 10.6 per cent
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Regional fears as NTL announces 4,000 job cuts
THE NTL telecommunications company, which employs 400 staff near Yarm, is searching for 4,000 redundancies across the UK. However, the debt-ridden American firm has stressed that some staff will be retained at its Preston Farm business park office. There
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MP's son in court over theft
THE son of a senior North-East Labour MP accused of stealing money from a leading politician made a brief appearance in court yesterday. Malcolm Bell, 19, son of Middlesbrough MP Stuart Bell, is charged with the theft of £850 from George Galloway, MP
