Archive
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Retired headteacher dies aged 77
TRIBUTES have been paid to a retired headteacher who has died at the age of 77. Jessie Dowson's lifelong connection with Escomb Primary School, near Bishop Auckland, started in her childhood when she was a pupil. The link continued when she took up a
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Student in quest to help needy children of India
A COLLEGE student is preparing to help under-privileged children in India as part of her gap year. Chloe Campbell, of Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, Darlington, has chosen to spend her year off doing voluntary work in North-West India. The 17-year-old
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Trust lines up ambitious plans for Friarage
A PROJECT to redevelop 60-year-old wards at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton could be expanded to a multi-million pound overhaul of the entire site. Health chiefs at the Northallerton NHS Trust have been in talks over a £3.5m extension to the hospital
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Gym boss's shame over drugs boast
A FORMER body-building champion broke down in court yesterday, saying he despised himself for bragging that he could supply ten kilos of cocaine. Martin Yates-Brown was recruited by a drug gang and was secretly taped boasting about the £250,000 drug deal
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The 'attack poodle' bites back
As Government Chief Whip, it's up to Hilary Armstrong to keep MPs in check. She talks to Women's Editor Christen Pears about her work and why she's not the sinister figure she's sometimes made out to be. SHE'S been accused of bullying and intimidating
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Scrap wood funds green idea
THE region has taken a step closer to becoming the recycling capital of the UK, following the commissioning of a £300,000 plant to turn unwanted wood into green fuel pellets. The plant, at Premier Waste management's Coxhoe Recycling Centre in County Durham
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Hobby venture hits the mark
A FORMER soldier turned bus driver is on target for success, after turning his hobby into a viable business. Keen archer Dennis Brown, has established Castle Longbows, with help from the North-East of England Business and Innovation Centre's (BIC) Business
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Praise for crime reducing partnership
EASINGTON'S MP has praised a partnership which is helping cut crime and reduce anti-social behaviour. John Cummings applauded the Easington District Community Safety Partnership after attending a preview of the group's base due to open in Peterlee next
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Win Internet access for your whole family
GIZMO OF THE WEEK COULD we be on the verge of a hardware price war before a shot has even been fired? Retailers are in a spin at the thought someone somewhere is preparing to sell Nintendo's eagerly awaited Game Cube for £149. When it goes on sale in
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Five crew plucked from sinking boat
FIVE crew had to be rescued from a fishing boat off Northumberland yesterday. The crew members, from Seahouses, Northumberland, were on the Stornoway-registered Golden Boy 2 when it started sinking, 22 miles out to sea. The boat Radiant Morn, which was
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Fair hopes to direct people into transport
A HOLIDAY firm hopes to brighten 50 people's prospects by offering them jobs at a fair. Freedom Direct, which has offices in Newcastle, Sunderland and Durham City, is looking for travel consultants to help customers book holidays advertised on Teletext
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Wear Valley - International cuisine on menu
TEENAGERS from Russia, Slovakia, Hungary, France and Germany showed off their culinary skills when they visited Bishop Auckland College. The 36 students are visiting County Durham on an educational trip with Durham County Council. As part of the trip
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Cuts fear if cement workers move out
A CEMENT plant closure could lead to cuts in council services if workers move with their families to take up their company's offer of new jobs out of the area. Bosses at Lafarge UK's Blue Circle works at isolated Eastgate, County Durham, do not want to
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Council move 'a nail in coffin' for town
TRADERS in Richmond fear plans by the district council to move its offices out of the town would be another nail in the coffin of the local economy. There was angry reaction to last week's news that Richmondshire District Council was looking to relocate
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Book sales aid FMD fund
A BOOK on hill farming written by a Teesdale vet has given a £5,000 boost to a fund to help families hit by foot-and-mouth disease. Hill Farmer: A Working Year in the Fells by Neville Turner was published last autumn by Dalesman Publishing of Skipton.
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Hospital radio on lookout for presenters
ANYONE interested in becoming a radio presenter for a few hours a week is being urged to contact a Teesside hospital. Radio North Tees, which broadcasts from the University Hospital of North Tees, in Stockton, is appealing for people to help present broadcasts
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Durham - Review into school walk welcomed
COUNCILLORS are to investigate the background to the controversial decision to take free transport from 150 schoolchildren. A special Durham County Council working group is being set up to examine how officials came up with the proposal - approved by
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Ayton childhood made funny man what he is today
GROWING up in Great Ayton could have been the key factor behind Warren Speed's desire to be a comedian. The 33-year-old father-of-two is host to a monthly comedy club in Hartlepool, has performed at numerous Teesside venues and appears in Stockton later
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FWAG forum told British farms already manage nitrates well: Jill Neill reports
THE European nitrates directive placed an unnecessary burden on British farmers, who already managed their use of chemicals better than the regulations dictated, an expert told a gathering in North Yorkshire. Jonathan Birnie, a policy adviser with the
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Swimming News
Northallerton ASC - Despite some encouraging individual performances, Northallerton finished a disappointing fourth behind Guisborough, Saltburn and Marske and Bedale in the opening Moors League Swimming Gala of the season at Bedale on Saturday. The best
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Consett & Stanley - Review into school walk welcomed
COUNCILLORS are to investigate the background to the controversial decision to take free transport from 150 schoolchildren. A special Durham County Council working group is being set up to examine how officials came up with the proposal - approved by
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Maltby book delves back far into history
RESIDENTS of Maltby were delighted to receive their own copy of the newly-published History of the Village of Maltby this month. The idea of having a village book emerged among a host of suggestions at the inaugural meeting of the Maltby Millennium Celebration
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Lineker in 'quit the booze' call
FOOTBALL'S Mr Nice Guy, Gary Lineker, has stepped into the row over the Newcastle players off-the-field behaviour - calling on footballers to "think before they drink". Lineker, who had a squeaky clean image during his playing days, urged today's stars
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Police seek witness to offices attack
POLICE are appealing to a woman who saw a man damage Age Concern offices, in Darlington. The woman went to a fish and chip shop, in Cockerton Green, on Wednesday at about 6.15pm and asked the owner to contact the police. She said she had just seen a man
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Blacks signs up for Famous Army Stores
SPORTS and outdoor clothing group Blacks Leisure has expanded its nationwide presence by snapping up 47 Famous Army Stores. Blacks, which has its headquarters on Peterlee's North West Industrial Estate, has picked the best outlets from the 200-store chain
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Dale WI folds after 86 years
A WOMEN'S Institute, which is joint oldest in the county, has been suspended in its 86th year. Cotherstone WI was formed on March 14 1916, as was the one at Witton le Wear. But with current membership down to eight those remaining, most of whom are pensioners
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Pub's Exclusive ale will be given away at tenth anniversary celebration
A REAL ale pub is rolling out the barrel to celebrate a special birthday - of a beer. For ten years drinkers at the Beamish Mary, No Place, near Stanley, have enjoyed the taste of Back Shift Bitter (BSB), which is brewed exclusively for the pub by Tyneside's
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Whom can we trust?
THE Mallon business drags on and on. The events of this week have left us no clearer either about the probity of the man who would be mayor of Middlesbrough or the extent of collusion and disregard for justice within the Cleveland police force. What is
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Crash victim dies
A MAN badly injured in a car crash last week has lost his fight for life. Edward Sharp, 23, was critically injured when the Peugeot 306 he was driving collided with a pick-up truck on Long Lane, between Todhills and Binchester on Thursday February 7.
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Wall defence had point
VISITORS to a North-East Roman fort will discover Hadrian's Wall was not necessarily the first line of defence - it might have been barbed wire. Following a find during excavations at Byker and Wallsend, Tyneside, last year, Segedunum Roman Fort, Wallsend
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Rope bridge idea is subject to serious consideration
AN idea to span a 500ft steel rope bridge across the River Tees to attract people to Teesdale and boost the local economy is being given serious consideration. The idea for a new £500,000 bridge, crossing at the old railway viaduct near Barnard Castle
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Wearside League
Redcar Town manager David Tait firmly believes his side can clinch the championship - especially after their outstanding victory over arch-rivals North Shields in the semi final of the Monkwearmouth Charity Cup last week. The Seasiders are sixth from
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From car park to shops (and car park) in three years
A MAJOR new shopping centre earmarked for Darlington town centre could be open in less than three years. The scheme, which will transform Commercial Street car park into 12,000 square metres of retail floor space, will also include a large multi-storey
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Locals pack meeting to protest at phone mast plan for church tower
AN APPLICATION for a mobile phone mast on the tower of Hawes parish church attracted 11 letters of objection and about 40 local people to the meeting last week. Vodafone wants to put two masts in the area, one on an isolated fell near Thwaite Bridge,
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North Yorkshire - Playgroup still on the brink
THE future of a long-established playgroup is still hanging in the balance after church leaders announced plans to sell off a community hall. A major restoration of the 120-year-old Church of St James, in Romanby, near Northallerton, is expected to go
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Crash victim dies
A MAN badly injured in a car crash last week has lost his fight for life. Edward Sharp, 23, was critically injured when the Peugeot 306 he was driving collided with a pick-up truck on Long Lane, between Todhills and Binchester on Thursday February 7.
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Sporting chances after swathe of lottery grants
THOUSANDS of pounds of lottery funding has been given to sporting and community organisations in Darlington by Awards For All. The Cockerton area fared particularly well and netted a total of £11,666. Cockerton and Branksome Living Enterprise was given
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A sound decision when visuals are a turn-off
MORE of us are listening to more radio. The latest audience figures suggest we're turning back to sound only. Some of us have never been away, owing to the quality of the pictures being so much better on radio. All the characters in a play are exactly
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Plea to parents on MMR jab
AN expert last night issued an urgent appeal to North-East parents who are planning to defy Government advice over the MMR jab this weekend to think again. Dr Vivien Hollyoak fears that with three cases of measles newly confirmed in the region, parents
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A171 road changes prompt safety fears
MOORLAND parish councillors say changes to a steep road system are fraught with danger. They are questioning Redcar and Cleveland council plans for the Birk Brow road down from the A171 across the North York Moors. Danby parish councillors claim a scheme
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Investment pays off again
SOUTH West Durham Training has continued to live up to its reputation as a high quality deliverer of learning and development in the engineering sector. The company has achieved Investors in People (IIP) status for the second time, following a review
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Away success earns Middleham a semi-final spot
A TWO-GOAL blast at the start of the second half helped propel Middleham Town into the semi-finals of the North Riding Saturday Challenge Cup with a 3-2 victory at Dormans FC last Saturday. In a hard-fought, but goalless, first half, Middleham keeper
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Parents' anger over treatment of toddler
THE parents of a toddler have complained about the treatment of their son after a fall. Three-year-old Lewis Madison's parents Paul and Debra, of Stanhope, County Durham, rushed him to Bishop Auckland Hospital when he fell from playing equipment in a
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Wellock's World
MRS Ferguson obviously doesn't want Sir Alex getting under her feet. How else do we interpret her suggestion that he should carry on managing for three years? She knows he'd be like a bear with a sore head hanging round the house instead of organising
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Countryman's Diary
THERE is an old rural tradition that the crocus first blooms on St Valentine's Day which was yesterday.. The flower in question will be the purple or spring crocus (which can have either purple of white petals) and it may be found either in the wild or
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Council staff parking row
COUNCILLORS in Cleveland have been warned against inflaming resentment over staff parking. When a member of a Redcar and Cleveland scrutiny committee questioned whether parking passes could be used while workers were on holiday, a colleague said such
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National Grid men retreat in the face of vocal opposition from 20 protesters
FARMERS campaigning against a controversial overhead power line are celebrating after forcing pylon workers off their land. National Grid Company workers and Balfour Beatty surveyors were scheduled to carry out a survey on Wednesday at Station Farm, Alne
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Charities get access to police records
CHARITIES and voluntary groups in Stockton can now access police records to ensure they are not employing criminals to look after children and vulnerable adults. Under the new scheme, national police information can be checked to help voluntary groups
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Win Internet access for your whole family
GIZMO OF THE WEEK: COULD we be on the verge of a hardware price war before a shot has even been fired? Retailers are in a spin at the thought someone somewhere is preparing to sell Nintendo's eagerly awaited Game Cube for £149. When it goes on sale in
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Pledge to bring jobs to the town
JOB creation scheme organisers in Darlington have pledged to produce 160 new posts in the town during the next two years. The Darlington Into Work project was launched in January last year and has so far created 40 jobs. Now, it has received a boost from
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North Yorkshire - Punters to shell out at snail race
RACEGOERS will be digging deep into their pockets, bookies shouting the odds and trainers dreaming of a big winner as they come under starters' orders - it bears all the classic hallmarks of a day at the races. But enthusiasts heading to Thirsk racecourse
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Scheme gears up to get more youngsters on road to work
MORE youngsters in rural North Yorkshire are being helped to find jobs and training thanks to an innovative transport scheme. The Wheels 2 Work project, based in Northallerton, lends out mopeds to young people to help them get into work and further education
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Street party aims to be a world-beater
RESIDENTS in the North Yorkshire market town of Pickering are out to create a new world record - for the biggest street party. Behind the idea is deputy mayor Councillor Natalie Warriner, who says the organisers believe they can break the existing entry
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Basketball News
Durham League - After a number of delays, the four teams which will contest the semi-finals of the Durham Division One Cup were finally decided this week. Despite losing their last qualifying game, Middlesbrough Mavericks topped the table with five wins
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Tradition rules with good humour for the Sedgefield ball game
AN INCIDENT-free Shrove Tuesday Ball Game except for bruises, torn clothing and the occasional naughty word, marked the spirit in which Sedgefield residents like to remember the 1,000 year old tradition. It even pleased the Police! The only black mark
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Countryside needs State aid
THE Government has been urged not to overlook rural communities when it considers pouring State aid into disadvantaged areas. The Country Land and Business Association in Yorkshire claimed that rural poverty and deprivation were all too often sidelined
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Wellock's World
MRS Ferguson obviously doesn't want Sir Alex getting under her feet. How else do we interpret her suggestion that he should carry on managing for three years? She knows he'd be like a bear with a sore head hanging round the house instead of organising
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Taking comfort from a helping of stodge
Healthy food or comfort food? That's often the choice at this time of year when the New Year, New You diet has worn thin (worn fat, actually) and yet, as the dreary weather continues, we yearn for a bit of comforting stodge. We all know the answer is
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Roy of the Rovers heroics, but eight is not a record
IT is 11.50pm, a little before his normal witching hour, when the Midnight Cowboy rings in a state of liquid euphoria. West Auckland have beaten Ashington 9-2, striker Roy Allen has scored eight, missed a penalty but gone home to Hartlepool a very happy
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Pay freeze is new blow to Corus workers
WORKERS at beleaguered steel company Corus will not get a pay rise because the company needs to save cash. Last February, the Anglo-Dutch company shed 6,000 jobs across the country - including 1,100 on Teesside - blaming over-capacity in the market and
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Izzet going to be Muzzy for Boro?
MUZZY Izzet was locked in talks with Middlesbrough last night over a move to the North-East club. The 27-year-old Leicester City midfielder and his agent, Jonathan Barnett, were believed to have been shown around the Teesside area yesterday before holding
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A bit of a puzzle for Postman Pat
CONSIGNIA'S plan - more of a suggestion as yet, perhaps - to restrict breakfast-time deliveries to business addresses and to make children wait for their birthday cards is throwing up some funny questions. What about the corner shop (they do still exist
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The Will of the people
MEN never grow up - at least that's what women like to think. That's why we still play with train sets and Scalextrics. But sometimes it strikes me that women don't grow up either. Take Pop Idol for example. Like millions of other families, we've been
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Family punch-up puts five in court
FIVE members of a family appeared in court yesterday after a christening party erupted in violence. Trouble flared after the child's parents started arguing at Thornley Working Men's Club, in County Durham, last April. The row resulted in the child's
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Snooker News
Worthington CIU Winter League - The highest break for this season in both the First and Third Divisions was lifted last week. In the top bracket Michael Pratt of Old Shildon put in an 81 break to lift the mark up from Spennymoor A's Paul Biddle's 71.
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Chester le Street - Youth workers needed
A NEW course is being launched to help to train the youth workers and volunteers of the future. Durham County Council's education in the community initiative is running the six introductory sessions in an attempt to meet the high demand for adult helpers
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Blunkett is given 'the facts' on Lancet
CLEVELAND Police Authority last night said it had given Home Secretary David Blunkett the "full facts" over the Operation Lancet affair. Chairman Ken Walker confirmed it had written to Mr Blunkett to detail its version of events surrounding anti-corruption
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Computer links to aid policing
A PROJECT to install computer links and video conferencing facilities to four police stations in South Tyneside has been given financial backing by Northumbria Police. Police authority members have approved a grant of £12,116 to fund a scheme to link
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Tax fears confirmed for home-owners
THOUSANDS of North-East families will have to pay more than £70 extra for council services as a result of the financial crisis facing local authorities. Durham County Council, whose budget claims the lion's share of council tax bills in the county, is
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Roy of the Rovers heroics, but eight is not a record
IT is 11.50pm, a little before his normal witching hour, when the Midnight Cowboy rings in a state of liquid euphoria. West Auckland have beaten Ashington 9-2, striker Roy Allen has scored eight, missed a penalty but gone home to Hartlepool a very happy
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Gipsy camp clean-up deadline
A GIPSY site at the centre of complaints by neighbours has been given six months to "clean up its act''. Durham County Council has approved the Gipsy Council taking over the management of the East Howle site, near Ferryhill, from Sedgefield Borough Council
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Darlington boss delighted with keeper Finch
TOMMY Taylor has paid tribute to rookie goalkeeper Keith Finch as the 19-year-old prepares for two tough matches in four days. Finch started the season third in the Darlington pecking order behind Andy Collett and Frank van der Geest but has quickly been
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Durham - It's panto time again, oh yes it is
IT may be almost spring but pantomime time is arriving in a former pit village. Witton Gilbert Drama Group is staging its own version of the old favourite Sleeping Beauty at Fyndoune Community College, Sacriston, during this week's half-term holiday.
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Lost your voice? Finding it again may open the way to self esteem
MOST young children are completely spontaneous they scream, cry and sing as the mood takes them. Adults are more inhibited, and for many, singing can become an ordeal. They may squeak or merely mouth the words instead of releasing the full power of their
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Comment from The Northern Echo - An ordinary family mourns
WHATEVER you may feel about the royal family, only the most cold-hearted of republicans would not have the greatest sympathy for them today. They are, again, a family in crisis, only this time it is not of their own making, and not of the media's hyping
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Builder starts work on old Ayton theatre
A GREAT Ayton builder has finally received permission to convert part of the old Rosehill Theatre into flats, despite parish council opposition. Chris Scarff, of Newton Road, attacked Great Ayton Parish Council last month for opposing his amended plan
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Bridge safety guide adopted
A method of assessing bridge safety which was pioneered in the North-East has been adopted nationally. Durham and North Yorkshire county councils were among the organisations that developed the system for categorising road bridges over railways, in the
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Asylum seekers forced to flee
A CHRISTIAN family who fled the Lebanon have gone into hiding after being attacked in the North-East. Albert and Sue Melky and their four children were subjected to daily abuse in their home country and, just five months after arriving in Newcastle, they
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Councillor pledges that new home will be found for art
A DARLINGTON Cabinet member has pledged to find a town centre alternative to Darlington's Crown Street art gallery as an exhibition centre. Campaigners will be out on High Row on Saturday, February 23, collecting signatures for a petition against the
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Howe irresistable as Darlington march on
DARLINGTON Mowden Park will be grateful for the chance to get back to winning ways at home to West Hartlepool tomorrow after their third successive defeat was followed by news of a third defection to Blaydon. While Mowden were losing 31-24 at home to
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Scheme aims to reduce truancy
A SCHEME to cut truancy and permanent exclusions from County Durham schools has been recognised by a European award. Durham County Council's Impact Project was chosen by Peter Hain, Minister for Europe, for a European Award 2002. He singled it out for
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Park will engage in talks to keep lavatories open
NEGOTIATIONS are to be held to ensure four moorland public lavatories remain open. "People come to the North York Moors National Park for a view, a brew, and a loo. This is what we should remember," the park authority was told yesterday by member Pat
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'Horrible' lessons can be fun
YOUNGSTERS at a Redcar school are being given the opportunity to meet some of the most horrible and murderous authors in the country. Murderous Maths author Kjartan Poskitt will visit Rye Hills School on Monday to give a series of talks to year 11 GCSE
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Warm up run for parents
PARENTS entering the Yuill Homes 20th Redcar Half Marathon next month are being offered the chance of a warm-up run - with their children. So far, 300 runners have entered the half marathon, which sets off from Redcar Leisure Centre on Sunday, March 17
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Choir tunes up for jubilee date
A WIDE range of song styles will be performed at jubilee celebrations later this year by a teenage choir. Nearly 40 youngsters rehearse at Skelton Youth Centre, receiving tuition from Bex Mather, a professional singer from Tyneside. The project, which
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U-turn over proposal to build medical centre
PLANS to build a medical centre in a Teesdale village have been given the go-ahead - just days after councillors rejected the proposal. During a full meeting of Teesdale District Council on Wednesday, members overturned a decision last week by the development
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Humphreys earns praise from Turner
Ritchie Humphreys has been praised by his Hartlepool United manager, Chris Turner, for his impressive displays in a number of positions this season. Turner is convinced Humphreys still has a lot more to offer and the boss has tipped his player to finish
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Building to be abandoned after £250,000 upgrading
A COUNCIL building, which has seen £250,000 worth of improvements carried out in recent years, is to be abandoned because the authority cannot afford to pay for repairs. Derwentside District Council will now ask for permission to sub-let the Tommy Armstrong
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Junior Football
Chester-le-Street Town - THE Under-18s are through to the semi-finals of the Durham County Cup after an excellent performance and 3-0 victory over rivals Jarrow St. Bedes at Moor Park. Bedes who, with the same players, are top of both their respective
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Lucky guess brings an ice surprise
A STUDENT had a Valentine's Day to remember when he won a diamond ring worth £600. Newcastle University student James Dods, 20, won the prize in a Valentine's Day contest at the Cornmill Centre in Darlington, by guessing how long an ice sculpture holding
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Fears for up to 4,000 jobs as BT cuts call centres
BT is to close a number of its call centres, with the loss of hundreds of jobs, as part of a reorganisation. Union officials fear that up to 4,000 jobs will be lost under the plans, which could face opposition. BT has refused to give details of the exact
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Rearguard action keeps Dale in touch
AN excellent defensive performance by Wensleydale was not enough to take two points from last Saturday's trip to Ponteland. With a car breaking down on the way to the game, the preparation was poor and kicking off 15 minutes late on a rain sodden pitch
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Hear All Sides
Letters from The Northern Echo MMR WE have been bombarded with the case for and against giving children the MMR jab. Tony Blair, hiding behind the "right of privacy", will invade the privacy of every family in the UK if he feels like it, and insists that
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Booming Barclays looks to expansion
HIGH Street bank Barclays has hailed strong results as pre-tax profits for last year rose nine per cent to £3.61bn. The FTSE 100 company said its performance reflected the benefits of having a diversified business, although it added that charges for bad
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Plan paves way to new markets
PAVING specialists Sharcon have invested £100,000 in new products, as it looks to expand into new markets. The Shildon-based business has worked with experts from Sedgefield Borough Business Service (SBBS) on developing an action plan to boost the development
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Lloyds to axe 5,000 as profits slip
BANKING giant Lloyds TSB has revealed plans to axe 5,000 jobs as it reported an eight per cent slide in profits over the last year. The group said the jobs would go this year mainly from its central and support areas, although 2,000 jobs would be created
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Convicted paedophile back in jail
A TWICE-convicted paedophile was jailed again yesterday after he befriended a vulnerable family to target their young daughter. William Hornigold, 51, was told by the judge that he was a danger to young children and that his behaviour to them was extremely
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MP's son may face further charges
MORE charges could be brought against a Labour MP's son who faces a jail sentence for stealing more than £2,000 from a politician, a court heard yesterday. Malcolm Bell, son of Middlesbrough MP Stuart Bell, was to have been sentenced at Bow Street magistrates
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Store card details used fraudulently
A WOMAN was stunned to discover that her store credit card had been fraudulently used to buy more than £2,500 worth of goods. Joan Embleton, of Newton Hall, Durham, applied for the Sainsbury's Bank visa card as an extra credit card to take on holiday.
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Letters to the Editor
Sir, - Richard Collin raises some challenging points in his recent letter to this column. It is true that North Yorkshire County Council is currently considering a budget package for 2002/03 which involves a significant council tax increase. At each of
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Coroner's court told of retracted statements
A POLICE investigation into the death of a community figure fell apart when two key witnesses retracted their statements, an inquest heard yesterday. Paul Mann died on October 13, 1999, at the age of 29, in what police described as "an apparently drugs-related
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North-East herds among best
LOCAL dairy herds are among the best in the country according to National Milk Records' annual production report. Robin Dickson of Nunthorpe had the top Holstein herd. The 18 cows achieved 753kg of fat and protein and 11,048kg of milk in the year ending
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Pool News
Willington League - The Prospect Club's press for their first Championship since the league's re-organisation was put on hold when the visiting Willington Market made a remarkable recovery to win by the odd point. Stuart Wayman put the Market ahead but
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Job-cutting drugs company GSK sees profits leap 12%
MANAGEMENT at Pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline's (GSK) County Durham base have welcomed a 12 per cent increase in group profits, to £6.2bn, despite plans to axe jobs at the site A spokesman for the Barnard Castle factory, which is cutting 400 workers
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A view, a brew and a loo - all are vital
NEGOTIATIONS are to be held to ensure four moorland public conveniences remain open. "People come to the North York Moors Park for a view, a brew, and a loo. This is what we should remember," the park authority was told yesterday by member Mrs Pat Chandler
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Consett & Stanley - Youth workers needed training
A NEW course is being launched to help to train the youth workers and volunteers of the future. Durham County Council's education in the community initiative is running the six introductory sessions in an attempt to meet the high demand for adult helpers
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The Will of the people
MEN never grow up - at least that's what women like to think. That's why we still play with train sets and Scalextrics. But sometimes it strikes me that women don't grow up either. Take Pop Idol for example. Like millions of other families, we've been
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Armoury found in raid on Darlington home
A HOUSE in Darlington found to be full of weapons was occupied by two men with a history of stashing armoury. Raymond Fothergill, 66, and John Lambert, 54, appeared at Teesside Crown Court last Friday where they admitted 11 charges of manufacturing and
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Villagers to fly the flag for jubilee
A FLAG will fly on a village green, near Darlington, to celebrate the Queen's golden jubilee. On Tuesday, members of Hurworth Parish Council voted to place a flagpole on the green during the four-day bank holiday this summer. The Union flag will be unfurled
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Awards for the children who meet struggles with a smile
TWO brave youngsters who have battled against the odds have received Child of Achievement awards at a ceremony in London. Felicity Kitchen, aged six, weighed only 1lb 10oz when she was born and was not expected to live. Although she had to have major
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Full steam ahead for locomotive enthusiasts
AFTER almost four years of searching, a locomotive preservation group has found a new home in the North-East. And the first locomotive to be worked on at the Darlington site will be one which was built just down the road. The North Eastern Locomotive
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Sharks put bite into personal best times
Bedale Sharks have begun the 2002 swimming season in explosive form recording an outstanding 44 personal best (pb) times competing at Middlesbrough, Harrogate and Bedale over the last two weekends. The pb frenzy began with Sharks swimmer Joe Potts at
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Ashby pace has Malton on the run
THIRSK completed the double over Malton last Saturday, with winger Steve Ashby scoring three tries to help seal a convincing win. The visitors took the lead within the first five minutes after good work in the line-out and scrum. The Malton forwards put
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Dual attack on drugs
POLICE in Langbaurgh are tackling drugs with a two-pronged approach - targeting dealers and helping users conquer their habit. Langbaurgh District Drugs Squad carried out an operation in Lanchester Road, Grangetown, on Tuesday night, which resulted in
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Drop-in days to win cash for Bedale
AN EMPTY Bedale shop will find a temporary new use next week as local people are asked to say what their community needs over the next ten years. The former Molly Auton shop next to the Waggon and Horses pub in the market place is the venue for two consultation
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Dancers step out with distinction
YOUNG dancers have celebrated passing their exams with flying colours. All 29 pupils at the Northallerton ballet school who were entered for assessment, passed with distinction - the highest level awarded. The girls, aged between six and 12, are taught
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Wear Valley - Elderly urged to be vigilant
POLICE sent out an urgent alert to Wear Valley pensioners after a series of raids by bogus callers. Since the turn of the year there have been a string of more than two dozen distraction burglaries across County Durham and Darlington, where thieves posing
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Look away from lamb to the landscape, hill farmers told
SHEEP producers must look for alternative ways of earning income to survive. "Look away from lamb to the landscape," said Dr Tony Waterhouse, head of the Scottish Agricultural Colleges hill research centre, telling farmers they could no longer rely on
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Red Ark can make journey pay
The last 12 months will not be forgotten by County Durham trainer Norman Mason and his assistant Richard Guest following Red Marauder's Grand National success. Mason was only just pipped for the owner's prize last season by Sir Robert Ogden and the stable
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Flags out and band to play as village embraces jubilee events
GOLDEN jubilee celebrations on Hurworth village green were given the go-ahead this week. At Tuesday's parish meeting, members enthusiastically backed plans to erect a flag pole on the green to fly the Union Jack over the jubilee bank holiday weekend.
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Parents' choice wins backing
PARENTS in the village of Bolton-on-Swale have won an ally in their fight to have Richmond School designated as the usual secondary education venue for their children. North Yorkshire county council's Richmondshire area committee voted unanimously to
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study of artists' resourcefulness earns book of year accolade
A BOOK on the link between oppressive government and a flourishing glass industry has won a national award. Sunderland University professor Sylva Petrova's book, Czech Glass, has been named National Book of the Year in her home country. It reveals how
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Conservation with farming in mind
A TENANT farmer has been named North-East winner of the biodiversity award in the NFU President's awards. Ian Brown of Lee Moor Farm, Rennington, near Alnwick,, was rewarded for his environmental and conservation work on his 160-hectare farm, where his
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Cash call up 50pc and clerk needs new laptop
A PARISH council which put up this year's council tax precept by 50pc is to spend £1,000 on a lap-top computer. On Tuesday, Hurworth Parish Council heard how the existing computer equipment used by the clerk was broken beyond repair. It must either be
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Sports success
STUDENTS at Prior Pursglove College, in Guisborough, are celebrating sporting success. The boys and girls swimming teams qualified for the national schools finals and the boys and girls biathlon teams are also in the finals for their sport. Nine students
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Sterilised woman's victory over baby
A PARTIALLY blind woman made legal history yesterday after winning compensation for giving birth to a healthy baby after she was sterilised. In a unique test case, Karina Rees, 29, of Darlington, successfully challenged the long-held legal principle that
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Store staff go extra mile for charity
SUPERMARKET staff at Richmond have taken to the charity trail, raising money for their local hospital. Over the past year, the workers from the North Eastern and Cumbrian Co-op have raised £2,400 for the Friary Hospital, in Richmond. The money is to be
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Union blames stress for levels of sickness
STRESS-related illnesses are to blame for high absenteeism at many of the North-East councils, union bosses said yesterday. New government figures show that council staff in the region took an average of 11.4 days off ill last year. Chester-le-Street
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Bing's pennies from heaven
A COLLECTION of Bing Crosby memorabilia has been sold to fans from as far afield as Australia. The items, collected over several years by the late John Joyce, of Low Fell, Gateshead, were auctioned at Thomas N Miller auctioneers, in Newcastle, yesterday
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The UniBond League
Bishop Auckland have signed full back Thomas Dunn for the second time. Dunn left Bishops originally because of his work commitments and went to play for Peterlee, but now his circumstances have changed. "He can play regularly for us now, so we're pleased
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Taking comfort from a helping of stodge
Healthy food or comfort food? That's often the choice at this time of year when the New Year, New You diet has worn thin (worn fat, actually) and yet, as the dreary weather continues, we yearn for a bit of comforting stodge. We all know the answer is
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Agency opens door to online trading
REGIONAL development agency One NorthEast is developing a virtual town portal for the Wear Valley to assist businesses and community organisations to get online and begin trading. In conjunction with that, One NorthEast is offering a number of full-service
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Burglary charge
A man has been charged with breaking into two homes in Toronto, near Bishop Auckland and one house in New Coundon and stealing hundreds of pounds worth of goods. Patrick Carlin, aged 35, from Gateshead will appear before Bishop Auckland Magistrates on
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Desert soldier wins place in ski team
A NORTH-EAST soldier was sweating it out on exercise in the Oman desert when he heard he had been selected for his unit's cross-country ski team. Four days later, Alan Henry, a former pupil of Laurence Jackson School in Guisborough, east Cleveland, was
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Ehiogu is still hoping for World Cup chance
FRUSTRATED Middlesbrough defender Ugo Ehiogu believes he has one last chance to work his way back into England's World Cup plans. National team boss Sven Goran Eriksson left the centre-back out of his squad to face Holland on Wednesday night, and Ehiogu
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£11,000 for US attack relatives
THE long arm of the law is stretching from Teesside to the US to help comfort the relatives of emergency services personnel killed in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre. More than £11,000 was gathered through street collections in the Cleveland
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Athletics News
Durham City Harriers - THE Harriers were very dominant in the North East Veterans open cross country championships at Blaydon, both Steve Everett and Caroline Ratcliffe finished second overall in their respective races. The women's race over 5km also
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Passengers could shun airport, says councillor
TRAVELLERS could start avoiding Teesside Airport because of the unreliability of its KLM UK flights to and from Amsterdam. The fear was expressed at Monday's Middleton St George Parish Council by Coun Mike McBride, a businessman who frequently uses the
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Tackling interest in rugby
RUGBY Union stars have been visiting a Teesside school to promote the game among boys and girls. The Newcastle Falcons community school scheme visited Egglescliffe School, Eaglescliffe, which is taking part in county and district rugby union tournaments
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Countryman's Diary; It's plum Shuttle Eating Day too
THERE is an old rural tradition that the crocus first blooms on St Valentine's Day which was yesterday. The flower in question will be the purple or spring crocus (which can have either purple of white petals) and it may be found either in the wild or
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Bridging a cultural divide
AN 18th Century Grade II-listed narrow stone bridge just down the road from us has always looked pretty quaint but, for many years, has never been very practical. It has been closed now for more than a year after collapsing following flood damage. Hardly
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Darlington - Town to host whippet derby
A NATIONAL sporting event to be held in Newton Aycliffe this summer is set to be the biggest and best yet. The town has attracted the Chudley's Classic English Whippet Derby, the biggest event in the sport's calendar. Newton Aycliffe was supposed to host
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Angling News
The Stillwater scene took centre stage once again as the region's rivers suffered severe flooding. The Woodland Lake's complex at Carlton Miniott near Thirsk delivered sensational sport producing 70lb+ winning weights during both Saturday and Sunday's
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Bridging a cultural divide
AN 18th Century Grade II-listed narrow stone bridge just down the road from us has always looked pretty quaint but, for many years, has never been very practical. It has been closed now for more than a year after collapsing following flood damage. Hardly
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Rugby News
FOLLOWING recent County representative matches, Mowden were back to full strength travelling away to Hartlepool. They could not have wished for a better start to this contest. Hartlepool fumbled the ball from the kick off and had players caught offside
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Plea for police unit to remain mobile
ELDERLY residents are pleading with police to continue with a rural mobile support unit when an initial programme comes to an end in April. Councillor Doris Jones said elderly people in Middleton St George, near Darlington, had been comforted by the presence
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The Northern Echo Darlington Sunday Invitation League
Results from Sunday's games saw the leadership of the League change place yet again this season, as Nestfield Club fell from the top spot to third place. However, Nestfield's fall from grace was only due to the fact that their game against Newton Aycliffe
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Lee sees a fine career ahead of him
A FORMER Marske schoolboy is celebrating after picking up the best results on his Navy training course. Marine Engineering Mechanic Lee Gatenby, 22, from Redcar, completed his basic training at HMS Raleigh, the Navy's training establishment at Cornwall
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Spennymoor trio head for semi-finals
Spennymoor Boxing Academy are hoping for national success on three fronts when as a trio of boxers have reached the semi-finals of the Schoolboy ABAs. Fifteen-year-old Gary Reay has been impressive so far having beaten two former National champions on-route
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MP presents awards to students
STUDENTS at Hartlepool College will be recognised for their achievements at an award ceremony today. MP Peter Mandelson will present awards to about 45 students, and the overall Student of the Year 2001 will be announced. Anthony Sutcliffe, principal
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Chester le Street - Council tries to cure sick record
WORRIED council bosses have set up a special working party to get to the bottom of a sickness record that is costing the tax payers thousands of pounds. Government figures reveal that Chester-le-Street District Council has the second worst absenteeism
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Festival calls for backing from business
THE organiser of the fast-growing Ryedale Festival in North Yorkshire is urging businesses and organisations to back it. Vice-chairman Peter O'Malley said ideas for this year's event, which will be launched at a concert in May, are still be formulated
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Railways need fresh start - and tradition
THE heady days of the Thirties have been invoked in a plea for engineers to be put back in charge of railways in Britain so that good quality work can be delivered. Nigel Harris, managing editor of Rail magazine, was addressing the third annual conference
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Boost for rail users as services return
ARRIVA Trains Northern has handed weary passengers a much-needed boost as it prepares to get its timetable back to normal. The under-pressure train operator is set to restore the vast majority of its services by the end of the month. It will run 97 per
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Lost your voice? Finding it again may open the way to self esteem
MOST young children are completely spontaneous - they scream, cry and sing as the mood takes them. Adults are more inhibited, and for many, singing can become an ordeal. They may squeak or merely mouth the words instead of releasing the full power of
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Warehouse fire
Fire-fighters were called to a warehouse at Focus Do It All in Tindale Crescent, near Bishop Auckland on Thursday night to deal with a small fire started in an electrical fitting.
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Outraged dog owners unite in protest at cruelty
SHOCKED dog owners in Yarm hope to pay more than £1,000 to anyone with information leading to a prosecution of those responsible for a case of animal cruelty. Dog owners from the Green Lane area got together with two animal welfare groups after reading
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Cash windfall to help set up school places
MORE than 600 nursery school places could be created in the most deprived areas of County Durham. Durham County Council is getting £3.7m from the Government's Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative, which aims to help people and groups set up nurseries in
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Gas fraud man in register bid
A PHARMACIST jailed over a prescription scam involving oxygen cylinders has applied to be restored to the medical register. Zia Ul Haq, of Spennymoor, County Durham, was said to have swindled £17,000 in the fraud and was jailed for 21 months. At Teesside
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The Albany Northern League
West Auckland striker Roy Allen rewrote the record books when he scored eight for West in their 9-2 trouncing of Ashington on Tuesday night. It was a remarkable game, because the scores were 2-2 at half time, although Ashington were weakened by the dismissal
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Man dies after car crashes
A 23-year-old man has died after the car he was driving ploughed in to a post box. David Nowlin of Brinkburn Avenue in Darlington died after the Vauxhall Nova he was driving came off the road as it went round a bend. He was driving along Albert Road in
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£50m estate bid next to Shafto home
PLANS to build 800 new houses next to one of the North-East's finest country homes have been unveiled by developers. If it is given the go-ahead, the £50m development will be built next to Whitworth Hall, Spennymoor, in County Durham, the ancestral home
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A sound decision when visuals are a turn-off
MORE of us are listening to more radio. The latest audience figures suggest we're turning back to sound only. Some of us have never been away, owing to the quality of the pictures being so much better on radio. All the characters in a play are exactly
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Pressing need highlighted by businessman's morning mail
TRADERS in Yarm are losing patience over the lack of public toilets in the town centre at night. One shopkeeper has been sickened at people using his letterbox as a convenience. Town councillors were told this week that the businessman is faced with morning
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Darlington - Members close forum
A FORUM for older people has been dissolved because of dwindling membership and attendance at meetings. It had been planned to reform the Darlington Older Persons' Forum, formed in 1999, but at a meeting last Friday, members decided to disband the forum
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After-match road closure will marron elderly
FEARS that elderly people could be marooned by crowds leaving Darlington's new football stadium surfaced this week. The concern followed an angry reaction from people living close to the ground following news that Neasham Road would be partly closed after
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Games News
Willington Ladies League - There was a massive change in the darts section after leaders, Willington Club B lost their re-arranged home match against Hunwick Joiners Arms and Hunwick Quarry Burn pulled off a big home win when they only dropped one point
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Youngsters' mobile phones stolen in separate muggings
POLICE are hunting two teenage muggers who threatened a 15-year-old boy in the centre of Darlington before stealing his mobile phone. The attack happened at 7.20pm on Wednesday of last week as the boy was walking along Bondgate. One of the muggers grabbed
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study of artists' resourcefulness earns book of year accolade
A BOOK on the link between oppressive government and a flourishing glass industry has won a national award. Sunderland University professor Sylva Petrova's book, Czech Glass, has been named National Book of the Year in her home country. It reveals how
