Archive
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Mart reopens to help heal farming's wounds
Thirsk Farmers' Auction Mart, in North Yorkshire, will today be the latest to begin trading again as the region's farming industry continues to emerge from the shadow of foot-and-mouth. An earlier row between the mart and officials from the Department
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Will this cure our ailing hospitals?
A top NHS expert has suggested sweeping changes in the way the health service is run in County Durham. Health Correspondent Barry Nelson examines the way ahead. TONY Blair beamed as he unveiled the foundation stone of the new £67m Bishop Auckland General
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Review member's TV show 'doubts'
A REVIEW team member yesterday said she had had doubts about the wisdom of another member talking on a TV documentary about female abusers while the team was investigating claims of nursery child abuse. Judith Jones said she had voiced concerns to fellow
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Shops check in crackdown on illegal pets
Pet shops in the North-East have been checked in an operation to protect endangered species. Over the past few weeks Northumbria Police, in conjunction with wildlife protection agencies, have been making undercover checks to see if any of the 126 pet
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Council to decide on pigeon stud farm conversion scheme
A LONG-running saga involving an east Cleveland man's pigeon loft is likely to take another twist next week. Last June, Kenneth Wren, of Shepherds House Farm, Brotton, was given nine months to organise moving his pigeons to alternative accommodation because
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Shop raid: man is arrested at airport
A MAN has been arrested at a London airport in connection with a robbery at a Consett travel agents four weeks ago. The robbery took place at Callers Pegasus, in Middle Street, in the early evening of Tuesday, January 22 when two masked raiders struck
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Taylor keen to bring Christie in on loan
Darlington manager Tommy Taylor is still hoping to sign Iyseden Christie on loan from Leyton Orient. The former Mansfield striker watched Darlington's draw with Hartlepool on Tuesday before taking part in training with the Quakers. Taylor also confirmed
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Hunt for thug who stole pet
POLICE hunting a man who assaulted a teenager and stole his pet lurcher have released an e-fit picture of the man they are searching for. The incident happened three weeks ago in east Cleveland when a man driving a green Hyundai called at a house in Hazel
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Girls continue to make a splash in nationals
GIRL swimmers are carrying on a Bishop Auckland comprehensive's record of success in the English Schools National Championships. Teams from St John's RC School, in Bishop Auckland, have reached the nationals every year since 1993. The latest quartet Maria
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Staggering challenge taking in far-flung pubs
DRINKERS from a County Durham pub have sunk pints in 449 watering holes as they make their way across Britain on a mammoth pub crawl. The regulars at the Ship Inn, in Middlestone Village, are racing against the clock to visit every one of the 5,000 pubs
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MP makes town visits
PETER Mandelson MP visited three businesses in Hartlepool that employ people with learning disabilities and mental health problems. The Employment Link Team works with about 320 people in paid and voluntary employment. It also has two transition workers
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Addict left trail of blood on raids
TELL-TALE blood stains were left at the scene of a spate of break-ins by a young valium addict who made little effort to hide his identity. During a two-month period, Gary Raine made seven attempts, six of which were successful, to break into houses near
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Silence is golden
DO you know why errand boys used to whistle? Because personal stereos hadn't been invented yet. If you sent our boys back into the past, they might notice the lack of burgers, no central heating, precious little sanitation and no designer labels. But
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Watch out for pilgrims, Mr Byers
A review of recent news for those who might have been looking the other way... A KILLING at Kabul Airport in Afghanistan last week must have sent shockwaves through Stephen Byers' Transport Department as it reeled from its own bout of in-fighting. A group
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Rejuvenated Boksic plans grand finale
FIT-again striker Alen Boksic last night revealed his determination to score the goals to keep Middlesbrough away from relegation trouble. Boksic, who made his first start for Boro on Tuesday night since the 3-0 defeat against Newcastle at St James' Park
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Widdrington ruled out for season
TOMMY Widdrington has been scratched from Chris Turner's plans for the remainder of the season - and the Pool boss now has three more injury worries to contend with. Skipper Micky Barron, defender Chris Westwood and Mark Tinkler, who salvaged a point
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Manufacturing sector more stable
The recession-hit manufacturing sector has sounded a rare note of good news after a survey showed that output volumes are expected to stabilise over the coming months. According to the CBI's monthly industrial trends survey for February, 28 per cent of
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Dramatic arrival on hurdles scene
FORMER near top-class Flat performer Dramatic Quest has taken to hurdles like a duck to water. Ian Williams snapped up the son of Zafonic for 16,000 guineas at the autumn sale at Newmarket and it's beginning to look like money well spent after the five-year-old
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£1m grant brings 1,200 extra childcare places
NORTH-East organisations have been awarded nearly £1m to create more than 1,200 childcare places, it was announced today. The cash, from the National Lottery's New Opportunities Fund, is going to 11 projects in Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and
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Poetry project leads to date with a star
A GROUP of football-crazy boys has received "star" treatment. The youngsters had all done well in a pioneering literacy campaign and were rewarded when they met Middlesbrough Football Club star Gianluca Festa at the Cellnet Riverside stadium. The children
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A stitch in time is needed
A YOUTH dance club desperately needs sewing enthusiasts to help them make costumes. The Youth Dance Club, which meets at The Greenfield Community and Arts Centre in Newton Aycliffe on Thursdays, has been building up its membership since September. It
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Working mother gains postgraduate degree
A HARD-WORKING mother of two has gained a postgraduate degree at the University of Leicester. Lois Devey of Lunedale Road, in Darlington, has just been presented with her MBA in Strategic Supply Chain Management. Mrs Devey, whose husband, Douglas, is
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Euro delay could hurt links with Japan, delegates told
BUSINESSES in the North-East could be among the first to benefit from Japan's economic recovery when it happens, delegates to the Anglo-Japanese Economic Institute's conference in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, were told yesterday. But the benefits
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Farmers gather to buy new stock
The farming community took another important step towards normality yesterday after more business returned to the region's cattle marts. A year to the day after Barnard Castle Auction Mart shut because of foot-and-mouth, farmers yesterday gathered to
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Last night's TV - They should get their money back
MTA - Model Turned Actor (C4) - The premise for this two-part documentary is simple: Twenty models attempt to become professional actors in three months. I expected the latest Pop Idol/Soapstars variation in which unknowns are turned into manufactured
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Details given to cut crime
A SCHEME to tackle retail crime and reduce losses from shop theft in Darlington was relaunched yesterday. Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate Moor, former Home Office advisor to Jack Straw was the main speaker at a seminar giving retailers access to information
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More help urged for victims
THOUSANDS of crime victims are missing out on vital support, a group set up to help them has claimed. County Durham's volunteer-run Victim Support has said many organisations are "turning a blind eye" to the plight of victims. The claim echoes a report
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Fall in profits for Abbey
Banking group Abbey National has reported a two per cent fall in pre-tax profits after taking a hit from its exposure to collapsed energy firm Enron. Abbey's corporate-based wholesale banking division wrote off £256m from its fixed asset investments,
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Ousted, but never forgotten
FORMER NUR general secretary Sid Weighell, whose funeral and memorial service are held today, came from a family he believed to be unique in pre-war Northallerton. "The Baptist chapel, the Labour Party and the NUR all ran through our kitchen," he wrote
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Silence is golden
DO you know why errand boys used to whistle? Because personal stereos hadn't been invented yet. If you sent our boys back into the past, they might notice the lack of burgers, no central heating, precious little sanitation and no designer labels. But
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Mallon plea for 'fair and proper' election
RAY Mallon last night turned to Home Secretary David Blunkett in a bid to prevent his mayoral campaign from being derailed. The man dubbed Robocop sent a letter of complaint to Mr Blunkett over the behaviour of his accusers at Cleveland Police. Mr Mallon
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Shop raider's sentence cut by six months
A TEENAGER who terrified a shopkeeper in a masked raid, before making his getaway in a stolen car, had his sentence cut at London's Criminal Appeal Court yesterday. The 17-year-old, from Bishop Auckland, County Dur-ham, and an accomplice, both armed with
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Comment from The Northern Echo - Lessons to be learned
BOTH the University Hospital of North Durham and Bishop Auckland General Hospital were built under the private finance initiative. And there are those who will hijack the issue of the proposed merger of the hospitals to attack the principle of private
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Cancer charity seeks campaign volunteers
A CANCER charity is urging people in Chester-le-Street to back its spring campaign. Marie Curie Cancer Care, which has 70 specialist nurses across County Durham, will run its Daffodil Campaign next month. The charity's community fundraising manager, Carol
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MP's call over flood protection for village
THE Environment Agency has been asked to explain why a village, which was badly hit by flooding two years ago, may never be considered worth protecting. Selby MP John Grogan is pressing the agency for details of the cost-benefit analysis which means Elvington
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Frenzied knifeman jailed for life
A KNIFEMAN was last night starting a life sentence after murdering a neighbour in a frenzied attack. Simon Jenney, 28, of Meadow View Road, Whinney Banks, Middlesbrough, was found guilty yesterday by a Teesside Crown Court jury of killing scaffolder Michael
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Youth denies raping 15-year-old at seafront
A YOUTH accused of raping a schoolgirl beneath a seafront amusement park as hundreds of holidaymakers passed within feet of them, yesterday told a court the girl had encouraged him. The 16-year-old youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has pleaded
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Taxes to rise for the NHS - Blair
Prime Minister Tony Blair last night signalled that taxes would rise in the Budget to help pay for an upgraded National Health Service. Taking part in a televised discussion which was part of the BBC's NHS day, Mr Blair said Chancellor Gordon Brown's
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Alarm on danger river trip
A PE teacher who took a group of teenagers on a river walk hours before two schoolgirls were swept to their deaths in the same stream told an inquest it did not occur to her to warn later parties about rising river levels. Dawn Nicholson was giving evidence
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Employee who stole from own firm spared jail
AN employee who stole £29,000 from his company has been spared jail. Jonathan Stoker took the money from Ross and Davidson Limited pawnbrokers, in Chester Road, Sunderland. The 30-year-old admitted stealing from the company, but the Crown Prosecution
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Business news in brief
B&B profits up 48 per cent - FINANCIAL services group Bradford and Bingley has unveiled a bumper payday for shareholders after posting a 48 per cent rise in pre-tax profits. The former building society said it would return £150m to shareholders through
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Prison for man branded danger to women
A violent man who a judge described as a danger to women was jailed for 27 months yesterday. Mark Dunford, 37, who has seven children to three women, now has convictions for violence on his former wife and two girlfriends, said Judge David Bryant. Ian
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paul hopes to pedal through untroubled waters
A FORMER Army officer who plans to cross the English Channel in a pedal boat for charity, came to the North-East yesterday to test the craft. Paul Tucker, 59, from Essex, took the boat in which he will make the 24-mile crossing from Dover to Calais, in
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Protest over homes plan
A town council is protesting over plans to build three detached homes fearing it would lead to further development. Boroughbridge Town Council is leading objections to a bid by Timespan Properties to secure outline permission for the properties on land
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Hear All Sides
Letters from The Northern Echo CLEVELAND POLICE I WATCHED Ray Mallon and Stuart Bell square up to each other on the TV and was very disappointed at the timewasting tactics employed by Mr Bell. He persisted in repeating that an innocent man does not plead
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Blair opens new technology park
Prime Minister Tony Blair was in his Sedgefield constituency today to officially launch the region's new technology park to the world. NetPark, on the site of the former Winterton Hospital, has the capacity to create more than 1,000 high-tech jobs in
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Chamber calls for action on eyesore site
THE North-East Chamber of Commerce is urging speedy action to develop a gateway site into Middlesbrough. The 39-acre site next to Middlehaven, near the A66 at Cargo Fleet, has been earmarked for a 100,000sq ft Asda superstore, but a final decision has
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Friends gather to honour park warden
TO mark his retirement as Hardwick Park Warden, Alex Gibson was guest of honour at a lunchtime "farewell" held in the Boyne Room at Hardwick Hall hotel. Work colleagues, park rangers, and Friends of the Park were among those attending. Tony Smith, countryside
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Minister's gaffe over mix-up of names
Red-faced Whitehall officials have apologised after a Government minister got his Newcastles mixed up. Embarrassed Local Government Minister Nick Raynsford has admitted confusing the city of Newcastle with Newcastle-under-Lyme, in Staffordshire. The blunder
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Safety alarms for residents
A RESIDENTS' association is giving away 280 personal safety alarms to help people feel safer on the streets. People living in the Grindon, Plains Farm, Thorney Close, Springwell and Farringdon areas of Sunderland will be able to pick up a hand-held alarm
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Owner of nightclub to stand as mayor
A MIDDLESBROUGH nightclub owner who once wined and dined Charlie Kray has signalled his intention to stand as a candidate to become the town's first elected mayor. However, Barry Faulkner, 53, said yesterday: "I'm no gangster," when asked about his links
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Two likely lads who have landed plum roles
THE Likely Lads, set in Newcastle, was a phenomenal success at its peak, attracting about 27 million viewers in the 1960s and spawning an even better follow-up. Makers of A Tribute to the Likely Lads, starring Pop Idol hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly
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Race-shy Barney the whippet seeks home away from track
A LOVEABLE whippet who refused to race needs a home. Barnie is only 18 months old but has already decided that the racing game is not for him. He was bought as a racing dog but it soon became obvious that he did not have the racing instinct and would
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Burglar took newlyweds' photo album
A COUPLE'S wedding album was stolen from their new home before they had even seen the photographs. Justin Appleby broke into the newlyweds' house, in Seaham, County Durham, while they were on honeymoon. Durham Crown Court heard that the album was delivered
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Market gets back to business a year after disease closure
One of the main auction marts in North Yorkshire opened its doors yesterday a year after it was closed down because of foot-and-mouth. Northallerton market's first sale was low-key with 34 animals sold - well below the normal run of about 300 beasts a
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Celebration for youngsters
YOUNG achievers were recognised with awards at a special celebration last night. A total of 120 youngsters received awards at the event, hosted by Metro Radio presenter Brian Moore, at the Stadium of Light, in Sunderland. The ninth Young Achievers Award
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Pensioners devastated as Red Cross axes care service
A DECISION by the Red Cross to axe its day care service has devastated elderly users. The national charity runs a multitude of services from its centre on Newgate Street, in Bishop Auckland, but at the end of March it will stop running day care sessions
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Polycell's 'paste allergy' battle
DIY company Polycell is facing court action in North Yorkshire in the wake of a customer's claim that one of the firm's wallpaper paste products ruined her life. In the summer of 1997, 30-year-old Fawzia Gilani-Williams was wallpapering her terraced house
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Winter work on bungalows is criticised
COUNCILLORS have joined elderly and disabled people living in a bungalow complex in criticising council officials for sending workers to do renovation work in winter. Harrogate Borough Council commissioned new bathrooms, kitchens, windows and wiring at
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Wrightson added to URC board line-up
A leading city figure, with strong local links, has agreed to join the board of the Tees Valley Urban Regeneration Company (URC). Sir Mark Wrightson, chairman of Close Brothers Corporate Finance, is the latest high-profile appointment. Others have included
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Fundraisers asked to get in the running
A DARLINGTON hospice is urging runners to help with its fundraising. St Teresa's Hospice is hoping people taking part in the Great North Run on October 6 will collect sponsorship to boost its funds. Last year, a total of 13 runners raised £4,700 for the
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Woman cut on face by muggers
A woman was slashed with a blade during a daytime attack in Houghton-le-Spring, Wearside, on Tuesday. The 48-year-old victim was walking along a subway between Frederick Place and Hall Lane shortly after 2pm when she was approached from behind by two
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Young dancers are light on their toes for competition success
YOUNG dancers from Middlesbrough strutted their stuff at a regional competition - and walked away with prizes. Rebecca Bottomley, 12, and Carly McAvoy, 19, came first in their age categories at the Newcastle Dance Festival Cabaret Awards. Francie-Jo Heward
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Struck-off chemist criticised over plea
A PHARMACIST jailed for cheating the NHS out of thousands of pounds was criticised yesterday for wasting a disciplinary board's time when he failed to win the right to practise again. Zia Ul Haq, 37, of North Road, Spennymoor, was sentenced to 21 months
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Exercise runs are sought for dogs
AN animal charity has applied for planning permission to build exercise areas for its dogs in a bid to re-home more of them. The National Canine Defence League (NCDL) at Sadberge, near Darlington, has applied to Darlington Borough Council to build two
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Troubled force criticised over death in police cell
A beleaguered police force is under fire from a coroner over a death in a police station cell. Heroin addicted thief George Rudd, 30, hanged himself on a cell door at Middlesbrough Police Station, using a draw string from his jacket. Following Rudd's
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Random breath tests as police crack down on drink driving
Random breath tests are to be introduced as part of a region wide police blitz on drink driving this week. Officers warned last night that they intended to stop thousands of drivers as part of a 48-hour crackdown. The initiative begins at 6am today (February
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Romanians praise town social structure
A TOWN which was once at the heart of a national child abuse scandal was yesterday being hailed as a shining example for the world to follow. Almost 120 children were removed from their parents in Middlesbrough in 1987 after false diagnosis of sexual
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High-speed police chase ends in car crash
Two police officers were injured after their car overturned and crashed during a high-speed police chase. The male police officers, of Durham Constabulary, were dispatched to assist with a pursuit along the A1M in the early hours of this morning. The
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Franchises set up Mill for dealer expansion
MOTOR dealership chain Mill Garages is expanding into Yorkshire after winning two Volvo franchises in Leeds and Harrogate. The group, which already operates six Volvo dealerships across Tyneside, Wearside and Teesside, is investing £3m in dealerships
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Ice cream fellas serve up double golden wedding
IT'S a double delight for two brothers and their wives who shared their wedding, their working lives and now their golden wedding anniversary. Frank and Milio Gabriele and their wives, Angela and Pietrine, have even twice lived in the same street since
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Ousted, but never forgotten
FORMER NUR general secretary Sid Weighell, whose funeral and memorial service are held today, came from a family he believed to be unique in pre-war Northallerton. "The Baptist chapel, the Labour Party and the NUR all ran through our kitchen," he wrote
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Five questioned over robberies
FIVE people are being questioned in connection with two armed robberies. The first took place at a rent collection office in Shiney Row, near Sunderland, at about 12.30pm on Tuesday. Two men threatened staff with a knife and demanded cash, but fled empty
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Teenage girl returns while another is still missing
A TEENAGE girl who was reported missing more than a week ago has returned home safely. But a second Darlington youngster is still missing - almost a month after she left home. Claire Smith, 13, returned to her home in the North Road area of Darlington
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Pledge to restore obelisk leads to spending dilemma
AN historic North Yorkshire landmark may be restored at last - although it may be to the cost of grass cutting and street lighting in outlying villages. A council meeting on Tuesday evening agreed by a single vote to set aside up to £80,000 to repair
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The perfect space to put talent on display
LOCAL artists are being offered the chance to display their work in one of Durham's grandest settings. Durham City Council has set aside a room in the town hall for an exhibition of local work. The space, which is being provided free, will be available
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Another blunder as force overpays officer
A BLUNDERING police force overpaid one of its officers more than £20,000. Now beleaguered Cleveland Police, which is facing a £6m deficit, is asking paymaster Cleveland Police Authority to write off the overpayment. A report to the authority says the
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NSK restructure brings new jobs to North-East
NSK Steering Systems Europe is transferring part of its manufacturing operations from Coventry to the North-East. The transfer will create 138 jobs in Peterlee, and put 260 jobs at risk in Coventry. However, non-production activities, including sales,
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Three years for burglar in van chase
A DESPERATE burglar led police on a potentially deadly car chase, a court heard yesterday. Video footage shot from a police helicopter showed David Michael Stead driving a stolen Ford Transit van at high speed as he tried to shake off patrol cars in a
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Mum tries to needle Milburn with bill for jabs
A NORTH-EAST mother has brought the row over the MMR vaccine even closer to home for Health Secretary Alan Milburn. Michelle McFadden-Jewers, whose father was best man for Mr Milburn, is planning to invoice the Darlington MP for the cost of giving her
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IT'S time to get 'shed-ucated' - Police plea to property owners
THEY may not seem the most lucrative of targets but burglars across the region have turned the humble garden shed into a £1m-plus treasure house. Villains are targeting garages and outbuildings and getting away with shed loads of valuables. Police in
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Staggering challenge taking in far-flung pubs
DRINKERS from a County Durham pub have sunk pints in 449 watering holes as they make their way across Britain on a mammoth pub crawl. The regulars at the Ship Inn, in Middlestone Village, are racing against the clock to visit every one of the 5,000 pubs
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People 'betrayed' over social services quality
THE ruling Labour group on a Cleveland council has "betrayed the people's trust" over social services. That was the angry claim of opposition councillors after a report on service quality. However, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's chief executive
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Date is given for public meeting
A PUBLIC meeting in the North-East will form part of the Government's Lessons to be Learned inquiry into the foot-and-mouth crisis. Chairman of the inquiry Dr Ian Anderson will visit County Durham and Northumberland between March 5 and 6 to see how badly
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Worker's life was a misery, tribunal told
A TELESALES worker claimed her colleagues poisoned her with correction fluid as managers carried out a hate campaign. Barbara Yusuf-Porter told an industrial tribunal in Newcastle that her working life was made a misery by office bullies. The 49-year-old
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Cruel carer told she may go to prison
A CHILD carer who admitted cruelty to a baby boy was warned by a judge yesterday that she could go to jail. Myra Ciruelos, 50, was due to stand trial at Teesside Crown Court yesterday but changed her plea to guilty on Tuesday. Ciruelos, of Westfield Close
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Vehicles seized in diesel tax blitz
CUSTOMS and Excise officers have seized 87 vehicles during a six-day blitz on diesel tax dodgers in the region. Operation Keeper was launched in Cleveland, Durham, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear in a bid to catch drivers of vehicles illegally using
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City jumps to it to honour local hero
OLYMPIC hero Jonathan Edwards, right, is to be made a freeman of Newcastle. The triple-jump champion will be bestowed the honour next month after first being offered the chance last year. The star was unable to attend that ceremony, at which Newcastle
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Conductors set to strike on the job
Train conductors from a strike-hit rail operator are planning to abandon their picket line and turn up to work to continue their pay row. Workers on Arriva Trains Northern are considering having "no fares" days where passengers will not be obliged to
