Archive
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Community marks Queen's Golden Jubilee by planting oak trees
THE planting of six oak trees launched the Queen's golden jubilee celebrations in east Cleveland this week. On Wednesday, Councillor Vilma Collins, Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland, planted one of the trees, provided by the Tees Forest, in Redcar's Locke
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Young boys need protecting, too
IS it just because I am the mother of four young boys that I find the muffled national snigger over the 26-year-old female teacher accused of having sex with two brothers, aged 14 and 15, this week so nauseating? Although found not guilty of indecent
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Red tape ties up moves to re-start marts
BUREAUCRATIC delays are hampering efforts to re-open auction marts after the foot-and-mouth crisis, it was claimed this week. Defra has declared that markets can start re-opening from February 11. But the application forms for the licence to hold the
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Wellock's World
WHAT a rich and frantic whirl our sporting life is at the moment.It's just as well that last weekend's football was free of controversy by recent standards, so we can spare a thought for the Six Nations, the Super Bowl, the Winter Olympics and the Davis
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Watson doubt is no great worry for Turner
TOP-SCORER Gordon Watson remains a doubt for Hartlepool United's clash with Torquay United tomorrow. But Pool boss Chris Turner is not too concerned and he is confident of goals whoever plays up front against the Gulls. Should 13-goal Watson fail to make
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Wear Valley - Council lifeline to 'academy'
THE building that offered a ray of hope to redundant miners in the Thirties has been saved from closure after a town council stepped in with a grant of more than £13,000. A leaking roof threatened to bring an untimely end to The Spennymoor Settlement,
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Taxi row couple attacked over taxi
A MAN celebrating his 26th birthday was knocked out and his wife had a leg broken in an unprovoked attack. A thug in a taxi queue launched what police called a "nasty and vicious" assault after the pair remonstrated with him. He dragged the man from a
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Darlington - History mapped out in new partnership
MAPS dating back hundreds of years can be viewed on computer thanks to a new venture. Pictures in Print, a joint project between Durham University, Durham County Council and Durham Cathedral, brings the collections of the three together on the internet
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Inquiry into plan to end free buses
COUNCILLORS are to investigate the background to a controversial decision to end free transport for 150 schoolchildren. A Durham County Council working group is being set up to examine how officials came up with the proposal - approved by the cabinet
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Letters: Wind is no answer
Sir, - Your leading article (D&S, Jan 25) supports renewable power initiatives in Teesdale, saying it could mean no need for overhead power lines. Some kinds of renewable power could help reduce the need for power lines, but wind power can only make
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Rising stars show their true passions
THEY may not be budding David Beckhams, but a group of soccer-mad youngsters are showing they have just as much passion for the game. What started as a kickabout on the local recreation field has developed into the launch of the Wolsingham Football Academy
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Carbone joins after all
BENITO CARBONE last night performed a dramatic u-turn and agreed to join Middlesbrough on loan until the end of the season. The Italian striker, who recently returned to First Division Bradford City after three months on loan at Derby County, had initially
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Finally sleeping like a baby... at the age of 21
BE careful what you wish for, goes the old saying, because it might just come true. Finally it has. When Senior Son was a baby he never slept. Oh, he was brilliant at night, out like a light. But from the age of six months, he rarely had a daytime nap
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First dales emergency HQ hangs on partnership deal
A RURAL emergency services centre could be built in Wensleydale if a partnership deal can be struck. The development would include a 24-hour-manned ambulance station, with facilities for other services, such as fell rescue, tacked on. The centre, the
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It shouldn't happen to a police chief
CLEVELAND Police chief constable Barry Shaw could surely write a book along the lines of It Shouldn't Happen to a Chief Constable, such is the number of calamities which his force has had to deal with. But after the furore over the latest incident involving
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Help for farm fund
NORTHERN farmers battling to overcome the foot-and-mouth crisis have received support from the parent company of the Darlington & Stockton Times. The Gannett Foundation has presented £2,000 to the Yorkshire Agricultural Society's Farmers' Fund. The
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Once upon a time there was a story day
MOTHER Bear, Aladdin and a host of children's literary favourites helped make storytime come alive for youngsters at an east Cleveland school last week. The Traditional Stories Day at Harry Dack Infant School, in Loftus, was a continuation of a story
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Dales footpath repair stone will be delivered by air
HELICOPTERS are to be drafted in to drop stones to repair footpaths in the Yorkshire Dales in time for the new tourist season. A total of 420 tonnes of stone flags and aggregate is due to be airlifted in to three areas of the national park in the coming
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Attacker who bit ear warned to expect jail
A MAN who attacked his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend by biting his ear, leaving it hanging by a flap of skin, was warned to expect a jail sentence yesterday. Neil Plews, 27, of Dale Park Road, Hemlington, near Middlesbrough, was found guilty of wounding Paul
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The Northern Echo Darlington Sunday Invitation League
Only five games survived the weekend's weather in The Northern Echo Darlington Sunday Invitation League, with Coundon Forresters picking up the biggest victory of the day against a struggling Springfield side. Coundon caught them with a quick breakaway
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Managers agree to Acas meeting
UNION officials are to meet managers of a strike-hit dump truck factory at the conciliation and arbitration service Acas in a bid to resolve the dispute. News of the Acas talks emerged yesterday, as industrial action was stepped up by the 500 production
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On your marks, get set, now slither
SNAILS in Hambleton are being trained in preparation for a snail derby to be held at Falconry UK, Kirkby Wiske, near Thirsk. Ian Ashton from the centre collected a load of snails on Monday so that they can have time to get into shape for the race on Friday
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Council offices set to move out of Richmond centre
RICHMONDSHIRE District Council could quit its Richmond offices for a purpose-built base on the new Colburn Business Park. Although proposals are in the early stages, and any move is likely to be two years away, the general idea has already won the backing
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Pulling together
Winners of 72 events at regattas throughout the country, Park View students are preparing to undertake their next challenge. It is a 24-hour sponsored row to raise money for the purchase of two new rowing boats needed because of the growing numbers of
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Ripon stars close in on England caps
FOUR members of an up and coming women's rugby team have moved a step closer to playing for their country. The players, all from Ripon Ladies RUFC, have been selected for the Northern regional side - a tried and tested route to the England squad. The
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Consett & Stanley - Robson attacker faces court
AN APPRENTICE plasterer head-butted the daughter of former Middlesbrough football manager Bryan Robson after insulting her father, a court heard last week. Drunken Mark Bregazzi, 20, attacked Claire Robson after a boozy night out in Durham City during
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Police hunt student's muggers
POLICE are hunting a man and a woman who tried to mug a Durham University student. The student was punched in the face as the pair attempted to wrestle away her bag. The incident happened on Monday, at 4.45pm, as the student and a friend crossed Prebends
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Arriva willing to negotiate despite strike call
UNDER-PRESSURE Arriva Trains Northern boss Ray Price last night said the company was still prepared to continue talks with the Rail Maritine and Transport union (RMT) - despite further strikes by conductors being called. Managing director Mr Price said
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Bridge evenings
SOCIAL rubber bridge takes place on Tuesday and Friday evenings, 7-10pm, at Durham Road Community Centre, Redcar.
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Another 15 minutes of fame for stars in their eyes pioneer
TWO years after losing his sight, an entertainer is back in the spotlight through his musical tribute to one of the North-East's best-loved footballers. Joe Robinson, from North Terrace, Crook, County Durham, once delighted audiences with his performances
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Table Tennis News
Sunderland and District - In the first round of the Alex Brook Trophy late changes had to be made to the team representing Sunderland, which consisted of Bernie Morris, Bob Read of Silksworth CC 'A' and Allan Thompson of Seaburn Dene NC. In these competitions
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Drinker cleared of river death
A MAN accused of causing the death of a 36-year-old foundry worker after drinking heavily walked free from court yesterday. Michael Reeves, 25, declined to comment after being cleared of the manslaughter of Michael Burrup, who drowned in the River Wear
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Snooker News
Worthington C.I.U. Winter League - Meadowfield moved to the top of the Second Division for the first time in many years with a maximum home win over the visiting Wheatley Hill B. The Meadowfield points came from Ian Hodgson, Stephen Hughes, Malcolm Hughes
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Wellock's World
WHAT a rich and frantic whirl our sporting life is at the moment.It's just as well that last weekend's football was free of controversy by recent standards, so we can spare a thought for the Six Nations, the Super Bowl, the Winter Olympics and the Davis
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Young boys need protecting, too
IS it just because I am the mother of four young boys that I find the muffled national snigger over the 26-year-old female teacher accused of having sex with two brothers, aged 14 and 15, this week so nauseating? Although found not guilty of indecent
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Succeeding at something truly special
HAPPY Birthday Endeavour! Endeavour is ten years old next week. It's a workers' co-operative that has survived splendidly when many others have long since gone to the wall. But it's a workers- co-operative with a difference - most of the workers have
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Website used to identify Newcastle striker
A young girl student who claims she was punched and kicked by Newcastle United player Craig Bellamy identified her attacker on his club's website. After 21-year-old Charlotte Smith was attacked by the Welsh international, she and her girlfriends went
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Budget hits the dregs as free tea is cut
DARLINGTON'S cabinet members were yesterday relishing what could be one of their few remaining free cups of tea and coffee. The traditional perk - plus biscuits - was just one of the cost cutting measures as departments try to balance their budgets for
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North Yorkshire - New blow for farmers
GOVERNMENT officials in London have closed a livestock collection point in Thirsk. On Friday, senior vets at the headquarters of the Department of Envronment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) overruled local Defra vets in Leeds who had said that sheep in
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Name change outrage at doomed cement factory
FRENCH conglomerate Lafarge has been accused of rubbing salt in the wounds of workers it is making redundant at its North-East plant. The firm has removed Blue Circle Industries signs from outside its cement works at Eastgate in Weardale, County Durham
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Concierge scheme launch celebrated
A project geared at improving the quality of life and safety of residents in Newcastle opens officially today. Newcastle Central MP Jim Cousins will perform the honours at the Blakelaw Concierge Scheme and Community Room. He will meet representatives
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Celebration over flats refusal
RESIDENTS in Middleton St George are celebrating after winning a long-running battle against plans to build blocks of flats in their village. At a meeting on Wednesday, Darlington Borough Council planning committee turned down Mandale Properties' application
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Blowing a gale - but dry
JANUARY started dry, cold and frosty but soon turned very mild, wet and windy - but on this side of the Pennines, we weren't soaked too much. Air frosts occurred widely on each of the first seven days but then only once more during the rest of the month
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Finally sleeping like a baby... at the age of 21
BE careful what you wish for, goes the old saying, because it might just come true. Finally it has. When Senior Son was a baby he never slept. Oh, he was brilliant at night, out like a light. But from the age of six months, he rarely had a daytime nap
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Citizen Honour hoping to reward City with success
Durham City FC, known as the Citizens and a couple of them distinctly senior, tomorrow play one of their biggest games since being summarily ejected 74 years ago from the Third Division (North). One of three Albany Northern League teams in the last 16
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Cycling News
Bishop Auckland Club has started 2002 with two new officials, chairman Julian Happien-Smith and secretary Nikki Willis. Steve Raine continues as treasurer. Former secretary Les Buist was named clubman of the year at the club's annual presentation evening
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Wear Valley - Last match at ground
ONE of the country's most famous non-league football grounds is staging one last big match before bulldozers move in after the end of the season. Historic Kingsway, home to Bishop Auckland FC for 115 years, is due to be sold to developers so that the
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Basketball News
Durham League - Norton A bounced back from last week's shock County Cup defeat in the best possible way this week by beating close neighbours and rivals Teesside Huskies 76-74 in their Durham League first division derby. Huskies started like a house on
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Nine Harriers look the part
Thirsk and Sowerby Harriers - Nine Harriers took part in the Knavesmire Brass Monkey Half Marathon last Sunday on a pleasant morning for running. The course was mostly fairly flat, assisting good times. The winner of the event was Ian Fisher of Otley
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Letters: Do we need this?
Sir, - I recently saw advertised a post with the Richmondshire Community Safety Partnership. It was for a community safety co-ordinator with a salary of about £22,000 depending on experience.. I have two degrees and a couple of diplomas and about 50 years
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Hill farmer uses IT skills as an 'extra tool to help out'
AN Esk Valley farmer is sowing the seeds for a hi-tech future. Neil Harland says technology helps him no end with the running of his 60-acre hill sheep farm near Danby and he is keen to spread the word among the rural community - especially as farms and
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Protest over lap dancing sessions
A SUNDAY afternoon lap dancing club could tarnish the reputation of Crook, it is claimed. From this weekend, The Circuit pub, in Hope Street, will stage the events, despite complaints from people living nearby. For £5 or £10, customers can have a lap
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Chester le Street - Pension for Pearl man
THE man 'from the Pearl' has proved a real diamond to clients he has become familiar with in more than three decades working his home patch. Marshall Deveaux has called it a day 33-years after he began selling Pearl Insurance policies to the people of
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Arson fear as amusement arcade is gutted by blaze
A MARKET town high street was brought to a standstill as firefighters tackled a blaze that gutted an amusement arcade yesterday. Rush-hour traffic was diverted as 25 firefighters braved intense heat and acrid smoke to put out the fire at J Noble and Sons
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Pub group to expand with rival purchase
PUB group Pubmaster has clinched a £523m deal to buy rival Inn Partnership and increase in size by almost two thirds. The deal, with Japanese bank Nomura, will give the Hartlepool firm 1,200 more outlets, bringing its total estate to 3,200 across the
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Greater than the sum of his parts
WHERE better to test a "theory of navigation" than on a river some 25 miles from the sea? And who better to test it than the village schoolmaster? So William Emerson launched some kind of vessel, bearing himself and a number of his pupils, into the Tees
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Schoolteacher cleared
A TEACHER accused of groping a schoolboy was cleared by a jury after only 20 minutes yesterday. David McPhearson-Smith, 41, was accused of indecently asaulting the youngster at his home. Mr McPhearson-Smith admitted taking the 15-year-old to his house
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RSPCA plea after dog dumped in skip
RSPCA officers have renewed their appeal for help in tracking down the owner of a dog left to suffocate in a rubbish skip. They hope to prick the conscience of the person who let the border collie die in horrific circumstances - or to encourage people
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Villages hang on to know public lavatories' fate
CAMPAIGNERS in Moors villages are still on a knife-edge over plans to close public toilets. In a surprise move, councillors in Scarborough seem to have backed away from axing lavatories in three Esk Valley beauty spots. At a meeting last Friday, members
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Durham - Police warn pensioners of bogus callers
PENSIONERS are being urged to be on guard after bogus officials stole substantial sums of cash from two women. Two men posing as water company workers preyed on women living alone at Croxdale and at Coxhoe last Thursday afternoon. They escaped with £600
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Team 'did not distort evidence'
A REVIEW team honestly and morally concluded that two former nursery workers had sexually abused children in their care, the team leader has told a High Court judge. Professor Richard Barker said the team did not prejudge what had happened at Newcastle's
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The Albany Northern League
Billingham Town are celebrating their first Durham Challenge Cup final appearance for over twelve years, after they pulled off a big shock on Tuesday night. Town defeated Gateshead, two rungs above them in the pyramid ladder thanks to a Richie Storr goal
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Recruitment drive offers fast route to transport jobs
A recruitment drive to tackle the crippling manpower shortage in the transport industry is to be launched in the region on Saturday. Jobseekers across the North-East are being invited to a special event at Gateshead's job centre, where more than 350 vacancies
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Topping view 'would be ruined by extension'
GREAT Ayton residents at Low Green fear two planned extensions to a listed cottage would cut light to their properties and spoil a famous scene which is regularly reproduced on postcards and in magazines. A number of Low Green residents have formally
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Lorry is impounded under new legislation
A SCAFFOLDER from the North-East has become the first man in Britain to have his goods vehicle impounded under new legislation to crack down on unlicensed lorries. Vehicle Inspectorate staff swooped on a County Durham road yesterday morning where Roy
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Teenager to sue over economy class syndrome
A teenager was 48 hours from death after suffering deep vein thrombosis on a flight of just two hours and 40 minutes. David Turner is planning to sue Britannia Airways over the cramped conditions he had to endure. Mr Turner, a professional club singer
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Dismay greets interest rate decision
THE region's manufacturers reacted with dismay to yesterday's decision by the Bank of England to leave interest rates on hold. The Engineering Employers' Federation (EEF) said a further cut would have provided much-needed support for hard-pressed businesses
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Community sports centre is taking shape
A MULTI-MILLION pound community sports complex is taking shape at a Hartlepool school. The £2.6m centre is being built at Brierton School. When it is finished, in June, it will provide top-class training and competition facilities for the school and the
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Dales echo again to the sound of hunting horns
WENSLEYDALE Foxhounds are up and running over the fells after a year of foot-and-mouth restrictions. Huntsman Maurice Bell, from Hawes, his hounds and the rest of the foot followers are celebrating their newly gained freedom, although gales and torrential
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Ex-pupils invited to 60th bash
FORMERS pupils are being invited to join their old school's 60th birthday celebrations. An invitation has been issued to anyone who has attended the Joseph Rowntree School at New Earswick, near York. The first pupils started there in January 1942 and
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Trainer aims to breathe new life into famous yard
HORSES have returned to what is believed to be the country's most successful stables, Whitewall Yard at Norton on Derwent. After standing unused for several years, the complex, which dates back more than 200 years, has been bought by Mark Campion, a trainer
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Councillors throw in towel over pool closure
COUNCILLORS in Egglescliffe have given up the fight to save a school swimming pool. With "great sadness", members of the parish council accepted the pool at Durham Lane Primary "has had its day". The pool building will now be demolished and the land reinstated
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Wait goes on for frustrated Mallon
SUSPENDED detective Ray Mallon will have to wait until at least Monday to discover whether he is to be dismissed from his force for misconduct. Detective Superintendent Mallon yesterday expressed his frustration at the ongoing disciplinary saga that is
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Winter Olympics? They're snow fun at all
Reviews: Salt Lake 2002. Format: PS2. Publisher: Eidos. Price: £39.99. 1-4 players. HAVE you seen the TV adverts for the Winter Olympics yet? Dazzling and imaginative, they make the idea of grown men hurtling down a tunnel of ice on a fancy toboggan seem
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Angling News
Memories of last winter's floods returned and recent gales and rain back to back along with the dreaded foot and mouth have certainly made for a depressing time. The Ouse, Ure, Swale, Tyne and Eden all burst their banks, resulting in fixtures galore being
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Look and book on centre's web site
AN OUTDOOR training centre in North Yorkshire has gone on line with the help of the North East Chamber of Commerce. Peat Rigg, near Pickering, now has its own web site to tell everybody about the 90 acres of land it sits in and what they can expect from
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123 jobs to go in factory closure
A NORTH-EAST town has suffered another jobs blow with the news that 123 jobs are to go at a furniture factory. Blenheim Furniture has confirmed that it is to close its operation in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, in May. The company, which makes upholstered
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Chester le Street - Activity centre plans include ski slope
AFTER a three trout fisheries, a mini-dam, an airstrip and a 'Wild West' water wheel, the people of a remote area of County Durham could have a new feature on their landscape - a 70-metre ski slope. Dentist and businessman Les Smith has bought the ski
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Comment from The Northern Echo - A force to be reckoned with
IT is hard to get away from the fact that controversy seems to follow Cleveland Police around. As we stated yesterday, the catalogue of embarrassments is hard to believe. At best, it is an accident-prone force. But, as Chief Superintendent Kevin Pitt
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Town centre's spy cameras help to make 3,000 arrests
DARLINGTON town centre's television security system has helped police make 3,000 arrests since it started operating in 1994. The closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) system was installed by Darlington Borough Council in 1994. The 40 cameras initially
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Assault rap for Magpies striker
NEWCASTLE United star Craig Bellamy has been cautioned by police after a female student claimed she was assaulted, it was revealed last night. The announcement by Northumbria Police is the latest blow to the tarnished image of football, still reeling
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Pensioner's life made misery by garden vandals
A PENSIONER has condemned young vandals who are repeatedly damaging her front garden. Emma Watson, 82, who lives in the Fairfield area of Stockton, said she was "absolutely devastated" after the youngsters pushed down a section of wall and ruined her
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Police issue warning over cannabis
Police have sent out a message to those who think cannabis is already legal. Officers in Tyne and Wear have reported youngsters using joints, convinced that marijuana is no longer illegal. Chief Insp Nick Eley, of South Tyneside police, said: "Officers
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Squash News
North Yorkshire starlet Neil Cordell led Yorkshire to a 4-1 victory over Surrey as they retained the Inter County under-13 squash championship at Doncaster. Cordell, who plays for York side Wigginton, produced another polished performance in defeating
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Hags galore, but what does it mean?
AT various places around our moors, there appears the name Hagg (with two Gs) or Hag (with one G). Examples include Ness Hag Wood near Loftus, several Hagg Houses, Hagg Farms, Hagg Halls, Hag Ends or Haggit Hill, Oswaldkirk Hag, Haggersgate and Haggerlythe
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Coping with pregnancy - and diabetes
HAVING a baby is a huge event in any woman's life. But if you are diabetic, it can raise a whole host of potential problems. That's why many major hospitals around the region have set up multi-disciplinary teams of midwives and doctors to help diabetic
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Sporting pleas for council support
YOUNG sports players in Darlington have appealed to the council to help them achieve their goals. The junior section of Darlington Cricket Club has applied for £200 to buy equipment. The club holds winter coaching from September to April at Carmel RC
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Farmer faces shock rates bill demand
A HAMBLETON farmer who did some contracting work for a neighbour has been hit with a £10,000 rates bill for a shed. And hundreds of other farmers in North Yorkshire trying to diversify could face the same penalties. Mr Peter Ashbridge, 48, of Bridge House
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'Walking bus' needs helpers
A SCHEME is being set up at a Scarborough primary school to encourage more pupils to walk to school. Volunteers are being sought to help with the "walking bus" idea at Overdale primary school on the town's Eastfield estate. Helen Dixon, home-to-schools
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Darlington - Volunteers clear up wrecked site
A HABITAT of national importance for wildlife has been cleaned up by volunteers after being badly vandalised. Ferryhill Carrs is one of the biggest wetland areas in the North-East, supporting a large number of rare birds and other wildlife and is a designated
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Healthy pupils 'boosts exam success'
BOOSTING children's health pushes up exam scores, the North-East's first health inequalities summit was told yesterday. Professor Richard Parish, chief executive of the Health Development Agency, told delegates that a pilot scheme designed to promote
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Market research is key to designer's awards
A FAMILY firm has won two top industry awards for an innovative piece of farm machinery. Mr John Walton, 47, of JDW design, at East Cowton, near Northallerton, came up with a new take on bale stackers last year. His Walton Eclipse stacker is capable of
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Men survive plunge over cliff
Rescuers spoke of their amazement today after two men escaped with only minor injuries when their car plunged over a 400-foot cliff. The driver of the BMW, which went over the cliff top at Cayton Bay, near Scarborough, North Yorkshire, had to be lifted
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Quakers shake off the away day blues
DARLINGTON finally overcame their dreadful away record to chalk up a battling win at in-form Carlisle United on Tuesday night. The 3-1 success condemned the home side to their first defeat of the year and gave Quakers a glimpse of the promotion play-off
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Mother outraged by road report
THE mother of one of the victims of the notorious A66 yesterday reacted with anger to a claim by environmentalists that the road should not be dualled. The route is one of the most dangerous in Britain and has claimed the lives of 70 people in the past
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Ice Hockey News
Junior review - Sunderland Arrows gave themselves a chance of avoiding the promotions/relegation play-offs of English junior (U16) North League with a 4-1 win over Whitley Tomahawks. The bottom two from North A League are joined by top two from B league
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What's black and white and nowhere near St James' park?
A ZEBRA that isn't crossing is turning the heads of drivers passing through a North-East village. Six-year-old Rebecca, the exotic pet of coal merchant Colin Mairs and his wife Heather, needs to get out more, but puts her pretty foot down in fright when
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Thirty-year plan for Fountains
A £10m management plan for the World Heritage site at Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal was launched on Tuesday. The plan will ensure that the site is protected for future generations. It identifies maintenance and conservation work and endorses the commitment
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Shopping trip to Cologne
Forty-five hardy shoppers set off from Chester-le-Street one late November evening to go to the Christmas markets in Cologne for the weekend. The group was made up of staff, students, parents and friends of Park View, all keen to find unusual gifts. Set
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Durham - Club celebrates first birthday
THE Durham MG Club 2001, formed on Valentine's Day last year, celebrates its first birthday at February's club night on Wednesday, at 8pm in the Travellers' Rest, Witton Gilbert. In the first year membership has increased from the dozen founder members
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Europa can make class count at Kempton
YORKSHIRE-TRAINED Europa (2.25) has the class to beat the southern boys on their own patch at Kempton this afternoon. Thomas Tate has always thought highly of Europa, who has vindicated his handler's opinion with a brace of victories over fences at Hexham
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Health trust wins training role
A NORTH-East health trust has been chosen by the Government to provide training services. Health Minister John Hutton announced last night that the North Tees Primary Care Trust (PCT) is one of just eight primary care organisations being granted teaching
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Artistic accolades for students
TWO students have won first prize in a competition combining art and business. The competition, run by the Lingfield Point business park and Darlington College of Technology, focused on the theme of structures. Forty five A-level students from the college's
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Diamond celebration for couple
WHEN war veteran Reg Smith first saw his future wife he knew she was the one. As the couple celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary, he says he cannot believe how lucky he has been. Mr Smith, 81, said: "The night I met her she was in purple with a
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Reid to smash transfer record to land Mpenza
Sunderland boss Peter Reid may be about to smash the clubs transfer record by making a bid for Belgian striker Emile Mpenza. The Schalke forward has made no secret of his desire to play in the Premiership and he could well sign in time for next weekend's
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Looking Back
FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. The North Riding of Yorkshire and Teesside Football Association have passed a judgment on Brompton Football Club, in regard to their treatment of a referee after a match with Northallerton. The association have suspended
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Soccer boss presents health awards
HARTLEPOOL United Football Club boss Chris Turner has backed a health drive involving schools in the town. Thirteen schools have been acknowledged by the Government for their commitment to promoting health initiatives within the curriculum. Mr Turner,
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School rises from the ashes
A PRIMARY school which was badly damaged by fire three-and-a-half years ago has been praised by Government inspectors following a recent visit. In July 1998, Grange Primary School, Hartlepool, lost several of its classrooms as a result of the blaze. It
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Sweet success for pub couple
IF pub puddings tickle your taste buds, then North Yorkshire is the place to be. The Arden Arms, at South Cowton, near Northallerton, has won top prize in the Pub Food Awards' Dessert Pub of the Year, a competition to find the best in the UK. Licensees
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Inquests into drug-related deaths open
INQUESTS have been opened into the drug-related deaths of two young men. Paul Firth, 19, of Vicarage Road, Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, and Darren Mills, 28, of Fenby Avenue, Darlington, were found dead at the weekend. The inquest heard that Mr
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Arson fear as amusement arcade is gutted by blaze
A MARKET town high street was brought to a standstill as firefighters tackled a blaze that gutted an amusement arcade yesterday. Rush-hour traffic was diverted as 25 firefighters braved intense heat and acrid smoke to put out the fire at J Noble and Sons
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Time for farmers to have some fun
A SERIES of fun events has been planned to raise morale among farmers. The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution in North Yorkshire is organising the events and the first is a social evening in Masham Town Hall on Saturday, February 23, at 8pm. It
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New passport dash follows country call-up
A FORMER Bedale High School pupil faced a last-minute dash to get a new passport so that he could play in his first international football match. Michael Duff, who plays for Cheltenham Town in the Nationwide Football League, has been called up by Northern
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Consett & Stanley - New look for Empire is planned
PLANS for a £350,000 refurbishment of the Consett Empire have been unveiled. Owners at the workers' co-operative Leisure Services Ltd are pinning their hopes on a £50,000 Lottery grant and on Derwentside District Council approving a £300,000 hand-out.
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Future of old rail routes discussed at conference
DELEGATES from all over North Yorkshire and the North-East were attending a major conference on the future of the railways in York yesterday. Leading figures from the industry, the media and the North-East rail passengers' committee were addressing the
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Council crisis looms as chairman shuns 'insulting' new code
PARISH councils have been urged not to panic over Government reforms which for the first time include a register of members' interests available to the public. One parish council chairman has already revealed that he is refusing to sign up to a new code
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Police investigate death at Teesside flats
Police are investigating the death of a man whose body was found at the foot of a tower block of flats on Teesside, early today. The 43-year-old man, who has not been identified, had apparently fallen from an eighth floor window at Thorntree House, in
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Concert to help lift spirits of sick children
A CONCERT in aid of a charity that helps sick children through music therapy takes place in Durham next month. The renowned Fitzwilliam String Quartet will perform The Seven Last Words by Haydn on Tuesday, March 26, in St Oswald's Church. This performance
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Police pay deal attacked by chief
Durham Chief Constable George Hedges has attacked a pay deal for officers proposed under the new police reform bill. The deal, put forward by Home Secretary David Blunkett, was "divisive" and would set officer against officer, said Mr Hedges. Among the
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Succeeding at something truly special
HAPPY Birthday Endeavour! Endeavour is ten years old next week. It's a workers' co-operative that has survived splendidly when many others have long since gone to the wall. But it's a workers- co-operative with a difference - most of the workers have
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Letters: Coffee table tome
Sir, - Responding to the letters about his book on Northallerton Grammar School (D&S, Jan 25), Mr Riordan failed to comment on Mr Artley's assertion that the book seems to be an attempt to present "a smooth progression to ever higher standards by
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Citizen Honour hoping to reward City with success
Durham City FC, known as the Citizens and a couple of them distinctly senior, tomorrow play one of their biggest games since being summarily ejected 74 years ago from the Third Division (North). One of three Albany Northern League teams in the last 16
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Primary bids for a new partner
A NORTH Yorkshire primary school's bid to be aligned with a different secondary partner looks set for a bumpy ride next week. St Mary's, in Bolton-on-Swale, is linked with Risedale Community College, Catterick Garrison, and is supposed to send most of
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Payne denied Riponian hat-trick on last stage
ALTHOUGH the weather didn't play its usual part in last weekend's Riponian Stages Rally, the event proved no less dramatic as Leominster driver Mark Perrott claimed victory on the last stage after local ace Charlie Payne crashed and damaged his Mitsubishi
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Lowther stars for Cestrians
Chester-le-Street Town - The Under 17s warmed up for next week's tough Durham County Cup quarter final tie against Gateshead Redheugh Boys with a priceless 2-1 league victory over Lambton Street. The Cestrians were a goal down when David Snowdon scored
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Teenagers tune up for pop stardom bid
WITH Pop Idol captivating millions of young TV viewers across the country, four students have set out on their own road to music stardom. The teenagers, from Lady Lumley's School, in Pickering, have been working with the Connecting Youth Culture arts
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Police seek help in phone theft mugging
A teenage boy was left terrified after two youths dragged him into a side street and threatened him with a makeshift weapon before making off with his mobile phone. One of the youths grabbed his victim and pushed him away from the main road to an alleyway
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Pony dates
Bedale & West of Yore PC. - Tomorrow: Ceilidh, 7-11pm, Bedale Hall, anyone over 15 welcome, £10 per ticket, supper included, bar available, ring 01677 427216 for tickets. Bedale Hunt Supporters Club. - Feb 10: Rummage sale, Golden Fleece hotel, Thirsk
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Anxious wait for blood test results
PARENTS of a girl who was pricked with a hypodermic needle were last night facing an anxious wait to see if she had contracted anything from it. Stephanie Salter, ten, was playing with her four-year-old cousin when the boy found five used syringes in
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Paris Pike heads Murphy's National hopefuls
THE Grand National weights were published on Tuesday for all 144 entries for the 40 places at Aintree on April 6. Ferdy Murphy has seven of those entries, while a certain Martin Pipe's name is beside 16. The Irish horse Florida Pearl has top weight of
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Jenas inherits No 7 shirt as Lee signs for Derby
NEWCASTLE United new boy Jermaine Jenas will pull on Robert Lee's No 7 shirt after the former England midfielder swapped a title assault for a relegation battle at Derby County. Lee yesterday ended nearly ten years with United when he quickly followed
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Chance to become lifesavers
YOUNGSTERS across North Yorkshire are being given the chance to become junior lifesavers. The ambulance service plans to issue primary school youngsters with free first-aid educational handbooks compiled for six to 11-year-olds. Local businesses are being
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Pressure mounts on officer in fresh scandal to hit force
PRESSURE was last night mounting on the senior policeman at the centre of the latest scandal to engulf Cleveland Police. Later today, Chief Superintendent Kevin Pitt will have to explain to Chief Constable Barry Shaw how it happened that he relieved himself
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Councillors ward surgeries
COUNCILLORS are holding surgeries in the following Redcar and Cleveland wards: Today: Guisborough, Guisborough Library, 6-7pm. Tomorrow: Belmont, Anchor Inn, Belmongate, 9.30-10.30am; Brotton, Brotton Library, 10.30-11.30am; Guisborough, Chapel Beck Community
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Richmond's loss ...
THE proposed move of Richmondshire District Council away from Richmond centre will not be popular in the town. The loss of 150 people from the centre's shops and businesses will be keenly felt in a town which is struggling to maintain its economic vitality
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Real hub of the community
"I'M NIPPING down to the pub" will not mean quite what it did in the past at a pub in Kirklington, near Thirsk. For the new landlords at the Black Horse Inn, John Haigh and Jacqui Turner, are taking Prince Charles' advice to heart, and intend to make
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Darlington boss is full of praise for Finch
DARLINGTON boss Tommy Taylor last night praised stand-in keeper Keith Finch for his impressive displays. The 19-year-old, who has started the last two games, has had to adjust to life in the Third Division quickly after Andy Collett suffered a stomach
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Bramham gets season under way
THE point-to-point season in Yorkshire gets underway on Sunday with the Bramham Moor point-to-point at Wetherby. The seven-race card starts at 11.30 and the feature race, the mixed open, looks to lie between For Cathal, Concerto Collonges and Weak Moment
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Sex guidance for parents
PARENTS can find out how to talk to their children about sexual matters at an event next week. Durham and Chester-le-Street Health Promotion and Durham County Council's community education initiative are holding the event at Bowburn Youth Centre on Tuesday
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Golfing duo inspired by a place in the sun
A PAIR of North Yorkshire golfers have been celebrating after teaming up to take an outstanding third place in the finals of The Daily Telegraph national matchplay competition in Portugal. Julian Beer and Roger Parry, both members of Bedale Golf Club,
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Protest over lap dancing sessions
A SUNDAY afternoon lap dancing club could tarnish the reputation of Crook, it is claimed. From this weekend, The Circuit pub, in Hope Street, will stage the events, despite complaints from people living nearby. For £5 or £10, customers can have a lap
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Lucky wants a new owner
A DOG called Lucky is seeking a new home after being abandoned in a yard when her owners moved house. The five-year-old Jack Russell-cross was found by the people who moved into the house. They contacted the National Animal Sanctuary Support League, near
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Name change fury at factory
FRENCH conglomerate Lafarge has been accused of rubbing salt in the wounds of workers it is making redundant at its North-East plant. The firm has removed Blue Circle Industries signs from outside its cement works at Eastgate in Weardale, County Durham
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Settlement for yachting trip tragedy widow
A WIDOW whose husband died when a yacht capsized during a hospitality event has reached an undisclosed out-of-court settlement with the firm that organised the event. Businessman Peter Curry, 44, and a friend, Alan Barwick, died on a trip on the Lone
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Couple see car snatched
A FARMING couple have been left without off-road transport after their Land Rover was stolen in Darlington. James and Louise Rowlandson, who farm near Barnard Castle, were returning from a shopping trip on Wednesday when they saw their Land Rover Defender
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Dancing and poetry on offer
A DAY of dancing, poetry and learning is being planned for families at a Newton Aycliffe school. Greenfield Community and Arts Centre is offering a host of activities and entertainment for all ages at the Family Learning Event, being held on March 16,
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Man killed by blood clot after fall
A 43-year-old man died from a blood clot after falling down stairs at his home, an inquest heard. Philip O'Neil, of Faulkner Road, Newton Aycliffe, broke his left leg in the fall. An inquest in Darlington was told that the injury had caused deep vein
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Orchid society hopes for first show success
FLOWER lovers are being urged to help make an orchid society's first annual show a success. The Darlington and District Orchid Society is holding the event in the Dunelm Suite at the White Horse Hotel, North Road, Darlington, on Sunday, March 3, from
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Stagecoach forces up price of bus passes
PENSIONERS have reacted angrily to news that concessionary bus passes are set to soar in Darlington. The cost of prepaid bus basses giving unlimited travel throughout the borough will rise by £15 a year from April. On Tuesday, the cabinet is expected
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Family's despair as heart-op delayed
Ray Wheatland says he has given up on life after being told his heart operation must be delayed because of health spending restrictions. Mr Wheatland, 50, fears he could die before he gets the angioplasty he needs. He has been told the operation will
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Can you take an exam to be British?
Compulsory English tests, exams on the British way of life, and an oath of allegiance - all part of proposals to reform our immigration system. Nick Morrison asks if this will benefit our multi-cultural society. WHEN Tahir Khan first arrived in Britain
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Games copier locked up
A MAN who made £15,000 by copying top-of-the range computer games was jailed for six months yesterday - and had his illegal earnings confiscated. Detectives, accompanied by investigators representing the computer games industry, seized an array of compact
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Death crash driver's sentence appeal fails
A MOTORIST on heroin who caused a pedestrian's death while hurrying home to meet a police curfew yesterday failed to win a cut in his nine-year sentence at London's Appeal Court. Darren Vout, 26, was on bail for two suspected burglaries at the time of
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Pigeon cree drug dealers face prison
TWO men were facing jail yesterday for dealing in heroin from a pigeon cree after police kept watch on allotments. Two officers told a court that they saw hands reaching across a hedge to exchange something, and they later found a dumped film cassette
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Man cleared of raping teenager
A MAN who took advantage of a drunken teenager after she staggered to his house to use the toilet has been cleared of rape. But Dennis Coleman, 19, was found guilty of attempted sexual intercourse with a girl under 16. The jury at Newcastle Crown Court
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Fitness centre has new owner
AN ailing Middlesbrough fitness centre has been given a new lease of life after being taken over by a hairdresser. Kingsway Leisure Club, in Linthorpe Road, is now called Yorke Fitness, the first go-it-alone venture from Bishop Auckland hairdresser Sarah
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Pool News
Willington Pool League - Sunnybrow Brown Trout caused the major upset of the season when they beat the visiting title challengers from the Prospect Club. The visitors started well with wins from Shaun Blyth, Steven Britton and Adrian Peacock. However
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Near-misses on region's main rail line
North-East rail passengers have come perilously close to being involved in a major disaster on numerous occasions in the last year, it has emerged. Since ten people were killed in the Selby train crash last February, no less than 13 similar accidents
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High price of police chief's gaffe
A HIGH-RANKING police officer returned to Britain in shame late last night after it emerged his embarrassing gaffe seems certain to have cost Cleveland Police £100,000 - and potentially £1m. Chief Superintendent Kevin Pitt, 49, has been accused of tarnishing
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Wearside League
Jarrow chairman Jimmy Kane was "over the moon" at his side's performance against Redcar Town at the week-end which he described as the best of the season. "Make no mistake, it was a super effort and a credit to every player who took part. Without doubt
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Workers may face months of uncertainty
POWER station workers could face months of uncertainty before a buyer is found for Enron's plant on Teesside. The collapsed US energy giant has almost a 50 per cent stake in the Teesside Power Plant at Wilton, near Redcar, and that is thought to be worth
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Praise for £10,000 restoration of historic iron gate
A STOKESLEY heritage group has completed the £10,000 restoration of a little-known yet historic wrought-iron gate. The ornate Kent Gate is situated in a passageway behind the High Street and dates from the mid-eighteenth century. It had become badly corroded
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Flood scheme's rising costs mean village must wait
A FLOOD-HIT village has heard it will have to wait another year for a £600,000 scheme aimed at solving its problems. Neasham has been knocked out of this year's Environment Agency programme by the £4m earth dam needed to stem the flow of the River Gaunless
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Politicians back worried residents over sewage scheme at beauty spot
POLITICIANS at national and local level are backing residents furious about an East Cleveland sewage scheme. A campaign to stop storage tanks being built near a beauty spot received a boost on two fronts this week. Councillors and an MP told Northumbrian
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Hear All Sides
Letters from The Northern Echo HEALTH SERVICE I SUPPOSE it was inevitable that, sooner or later, Peter Mullen (Echo, Jan 29) would join the "bash the NHS" brigade. I can only hope that he does not need, within the foreseeable future, the ministrations
