Archive
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Derelict street to be targeted for demolition
A RUN-DOWN street in Ferryhill Station is to be declared a clearance area. Tomorrow, Sedgefield Borough Council's cabinet will be asked to approve the proposal to demolish Chapel Row, where 23 out of the 25 houses are unfit for human habitation. The council
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County's place names explained in new book
What's in a name? An entire history of the fair county of Durham, that's what. And that history has at last been laid bare in a major place-name dictionary which will finally lay to rest pub debates on how Snotterton got its name, just where No Place
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Anti-smoking campaign in the workplace
A HEALTH initiative is urging people who want to stop smoking to join forces with their workmates to improve their chances. The Dales Primary Care Group (PCG) is offering people free advice and training sessions in the workplace. The initiative is open
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Sixties style revived for spring fling
A FOLK group revisited the 1960s to promote an arts festival taking place in Darlington next week. Darlington Folk Club rolled back the decades ahead of the annual Spring Thing festival at the town's Arts Centre. A spokeswoman for the centre said: "The
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Woman stole from sister to pay for drugs
A PREGNANT mother of three stole from her sister to pay off drug dealers. Angela Palmer, who admitted taking £80 from her sister Linda's purse as the pair wrapped Christmas presents together, also pleaded guilty to another theft and to handling stolen
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Gymnastics club faced with closure
A GYMNASTICS club which should be planning celebrations for its silver jubilee is facing closure unless it can find more volunteers. Bishop Auckland Gymnastic Club has been training youngsters for almost 25 years. Now the club, which has long waiting
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Pupils pitch in for Chernobyl
STUDENTS at a Scarborough secondary school are helping teachers to pack two lorries full of goods for disabled youngsters and orphans in the Ukraine. Jerry and Elaine Chomyszak are to make the 3,000-mile round trip next month, taking children's clothing
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Offer right on cue
STOCKTON police are expecting youth groups to be "cueing" up to claim a full-sized snooker table. The table, with cues, balls and scoring board, is being offered free to the most worthy cause, because the room where it stands in Stockton police station
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My son is a winner, says former jockey who is beating the odds
INJURED jockey Scott Taylor and former carer Theresa Lishman are celebrating the birth of their first child. The couple, of Fishburn, County Durham, welcomed their baby boy, Geoffrey, into the world at 10.45am on Sunday - on his due date. Mr Taylor was
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North Yorkshire news in brief
Deadline for road survey The Highways Agency has warned anyone wanting to respond to the questionnaire on the future development of the A64 in North Yorkshire, that they have until April 2 to do so. Anyone wanting a leaflet should telephone (01925) 885153
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Ring-a-Ride users urged to join panel
POTENTIAL users of a new disabled transport service are being urged to join an independent panel of advisors. Gordon Pybus, of Darlington Association on Disability, hopes the panel will become a useful tool in the development of Ring-a-Ride, the replacement
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Devoted pair died trying to help
A DEVOTED elderly brother and sister died after one had tried to help the other, an inquest heard yesterday. The body of Raymond Scott, 76, was found lying at the foot of the staircase at the home that he shared with sister, Lilly Pickering, 82, in Eastcroft
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Households face 13.6% rise in council tax bills
PEOPLE living in east Durham are facing an increase of 13.6 per cent in the amount they pay for council services. Labour-run Easington District Council, which is responsible for such things as rubbish collection, planning and housing, has asked for another
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Michelle's accolade for volunteer work
GREEN-fingered volunteer Michelle Hunter was yesterday rewarded for her selfless service to the community. The 23-year-old, who has learning difficulties, is taking part in the Government's Millennium Volunteer Scheme. Yesterday she was presented with
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Festa off as Boro hang on for point
MIDDLESBROUGH missed the chance to climb into the top half of the Premiership for the first time this season on Wednesday night - however so did their opponents Southampton. Defeat for Fulham at west London rivals Chelsea meant they both could have leaprogged
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Former boss at EuroDisney to be mayor
A FORMER hotel director and human resources manager with EuroDisney has been selected as the mayor-elect of Richmond. Councillor Stuart Parsons, who is deputy mayor of the Swaledale market town, takes over the chains of office from Councillor Tom Burrows
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We'll get through the spring cleaning in no time
IT'S that time of year again when thoughts turn to spring cleaning - so spare a thought for the staff at one National Trust property. At Nunnington Hall, near Helmsley, North Yorkshire, it is not only the rooms of the stately home that are given a thorough
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Refusing to grow old gracefully
OH boy, that's a relief! The over-50s have been reborn. We are not over-the-hill, sliding inexorably towards a land of elasticated waists, Ovaltine and problems with our pension plans. No, we have been rediscovered, reinvented and rebranded as "Radical
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Former athlete backs race for tragic teenager
MARATHON man Charlie Spedding is supporting a cross country race in honour of a former athlete who died during a swimming trip. Anne-Marie Readshaw's former school Tudhoe St Charles RC, near Spennymoor, County Durham, is staging a cross country relay
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Woman hurt in afternoon bag snatch
AN elderly woman was recovering yesterday after two muggers dragged her to the ground while snatching her handbag. The 78-year-old was walking along Grange Road, Middlesbrough, at 4pm on Monday when the men approached her and grabbed the bag, pulling
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Fears increase for missing girls
Police are growing concerned for a teenage girl who has gone missing with her two-year-old sister. Clair Smith, 13, left her grandfather's home with her sister Rebecca on yesterday (Tuesday) evening saying she was going to visit her uncle at Darlington's
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Hard-hit areas to get slice of £169m Lottery boost
MILLIONS of pounds of National Lottery funding is to be pumped into deprived areas in the region, the Government announced yesterday. As part of the joint Community Fund and New Opportunities Fund's Fair Share scheme, four areas of the North-East will
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Intriguing case of the vanishing professor
PROFESSOR Luigi Meurice Hiodini proclaimed himself "the most astounding prestidigitateur in the world", and by some amazing sleight of hand he wound up in south-west Durham, where his ancestors still live today. No one knows where he came from - or where
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Teesside news in brief
Police recover stolen jewellery CLEVELAND police are hoping to reunite stolen jewellery with its owner or owners. Following a tip-off, officers visited a pawnbroker's shop in Stockton and recovered a gold ring shaped in the letters DAD, a gold buckle
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Library access victory joy
DISABLED campaigners, who have battled for 30 years to have access to Darlington library, are delighted they have finally won their fight. Darlington Borough Council's plans for the Crown Street library have been approved by the Secretary of State for
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Helen's pony tale
A YOUNG girl is riding high after qualifying for the Royal International Horse Show. Helen Smallwood, from Thorpe Thewles, near Stockton, Teesside, qualified to jump at the prestigious event at Hickstead, West Sussex, riding pony Metric, only a week after
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Residents angered as retail park scheme wins approval
PLANS to substitute a school with a retail park as part of a land exchange deal have been approved by councillors. But at a meeting yesterday, the decision provoked an angry response from local people. Modus Properties, the firm behind Peterlee's regeneration
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Pottery traders return bearing gifts
To mark the return of the popular pottery fair to Durham Market Place, its traders have presented gifts to the city's Mayor, Councillor George Cowper. On previous visits, the traders have made similar presentations, which, like yesterday's, have benefited
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Schools join forces for creative activity day
SPECIAL school students and comprehensive school pupils came together for a joint activity day yesterday. About 40 pupils from Whitworth Special School, in Spennymoor, and 40 from Parkside School, Willington, near Bishop Auckland, split into groups for
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Festival triumph for Katherine
TEENAGER Katherine Garvey is celebrating winning a top music prize. The 16-year-old, from Heslington, York, won the Edwin Austin Hallas Memorial Trophy at the Harrogate Competitive Festival of Music, Speech and Drama, The award to Katherine, a pupil at
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Community liaison man appointed
A NEW officer responsible for regenerating former coalfield communities has been appointed by Sedgefield Borough Council. Andy Coulthard, previously the council's youth development officer, has been appointed community liaison officer for regeneration
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Refusing to grow old gracefully
OH boy, that's a relief! The over-50s have been reborn. We are not over-the-hill, sliding inexorably towards a land of elasticated waists, Ovaltine and problems with our pension plans. No, we have been rediscovered, reinvented and rebranded as "Radical
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Losing the fight for the countryside
SCREENED on tea-time TV recently - Channel 4 or 5, I forget which - was a house-swap series based on holidays. An incidental remark in one programme illustrated something that had nothing to do with the series. An American couple, who had exchanged their
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Get yer north and south around this!
EVER cosmopolitan, we sought last week to reposition the Great Dialect Discourse with a few references to the mesmeric delights of Cockney rhyming slang. Hard upon John Thaw's passing, Alan Hogg in Durham recalls a favourite line from The Sweeney - "You
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Chemical leak put lives at risk
A NORTH-East chemical plant was fined £18,000 yesterday following a "dangerous" leak last year which put lives at risk. The toxic leak, at Hartlepool's Baker Petrolight plant, took place on May 20, last year, and left three people injured. Representatives
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Landowner backs proposals to attract tourists
NORTH-EAST landowner Lord Barnard has backed a set of proposals to attract thousands of tourists to the region. The owner of Raby Castle and Estates, in County Durham, described two planned schemes around the River Tees, near Barnard Castle, as "interesting
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Planet comes round again
CULT production Return to the Forbidden Planet opened at Darlington's Civic Theatre this week. The musical which was inspired by a rock 'n roll version of Macbeth, was written by Bob Carlton, and won an Olivier Award for Musical of the Year in 1989. The
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Learner pool to return
THE learner pool at Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre is to be reinstated. Members of Sedgefield Borough Council's cabinet will be asked to allocate £30,000 to the scheme tomorrow. The chance to bring back the learner pool has come from the dismantling of
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Darlington and South Durham news in brief
Thieves snatch pregnant pet A five-year-old black Labrador bitch, which was pregnant, has been stolen from a farmhouse in Sedgefield. The dog, which was wearing a red collar, was locked in a pound at the back of the farm, but thieves removed two bolts
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Schools join forces for creative activity day
SPECIAL school students and comprehensive school pupils came together for a joint activity day yesterday. About 40 pupils from Whitworth Special School, in Spennymoor, and 40 from Parkside School, Willington, near Bishop Auckland, split into groups for
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Pupils prepare to move back into school hit by blaze
REBUILDING work at an arson-hit primary school in Sedgefield should be completed this week. But a development to enlarge the nursery is expected to take a little longer. Pupils are hoping to be able to return to Hardwick Primary School at the end of this
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Businesses warned over bogus offers
POLICE are warning organisations in County Durham to beware of bogus cash offers. Several organisations in the area have received letters, faxes or emails promising substantial amounts of money. The documents, which claim to be from West Africa, usually
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Making tracks with an award-winning design
YOUNGSTERS planning to take part in a fun run have been given a preview of the specially-designed T-shirt they will receive if they complete the race. The children, from Cromwell Road Primary School, in South Bank, near Middlesbrough, will join in the
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Lessons in road safety
A PILOT scheme to promote pedestrian safety among seven and eight-year-olds has been launched by Stockton Borough Council's road safety team. Pupils from Roseberry Juniors, in Billingham, Tedder, in Thornaby, and Ingleby Mill Primary and St Therese of
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Hear all sides
RAY MALLON STUART Bell's comments (Echo, Mar 2) reflect his privileged position as an MP, but whether his words of wisdom have substance is another matter. He wishes to assert the Lancet inquiry as being a waste of taxpayers' resources, yet, at the same
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Call for better epilepsy care
CAMPAIGNERS last night renewed calls for better treatment for epilepsy sufferers after a new report highlighted a shortfall in medical experts in the region. A survey by the British Paediatric Neurology Association (BPNA) said Yorkshire - along with the
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Football fan faces ban from grounds
A FOOTBALL fan has been banned from attending any matches in the UK or abroad after invading the pitch at a North-East derby game. Hartlepool supporter David Wilson was given the threeyear ban after an incident at Darlington FC's Feethams ground, on February
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McAteer goal eases relegation worries
SUNDERLAND won their first home game of the year to ease mounting relegation fears at a wind-swept Stadium of Light. But the Wearsiders had to thank Danish goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen for two important first-half saves before Republic of Ireland midfielder
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Rail box charges: soldier remanded
A SERVING soldier was accused in court yesterday of illegally entering a signal box on a busy rail line and tampering with signals and points. Paul Jarvis, 18, from New Marske, east Cleveland, was charged under the 1861 Malicious Damage Act with endangering
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School praised by inspectors
PUPILS leave Askrigg School with above national average achievement in English, maths and science, according to a team of Government inspectors. Ofsted inspectors who visited the school in November, report that the team "agrees with parents' overwhelmingly
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High-level protest over police costs
A COUNCIL is planning to protest to Home Secretary David Blunkett about the management of Cleveland Police finances. Members of Stockton Borough Council's cabinet are pushing for an independent inquiry after the police precept was pushed up by 38 per
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Rethink urged on bridge widening
A petition has been launched to force a rethink on plans to widen an 18th Century flood-damaged bridge. North Yorkshire County Council has already received a 288-name petition to widen Creet's Bridge, at Kirkby Malzeard, near Ripon. The Grade II-listed
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Disco night in aid of hospice
PEOPLE in Peterlee are being invited to get their dancing shoes on and take part in a disco raising cash for a local hospice. The Evolution Disco will take place at the Acre Rigg Social Club, in Lowhills Road, tomorrow in aid of the Hartlepool and District
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Owner attacked in phone shop raid
A SHOP owner was sprayed in the face with what police believe was CS gas before his assailant made off with mobile phones and cash. The attack happened just before 6pm on Monday at the Phone Warehouse, in Stockton High Street. The raider is believed to
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Spotlight on revamp of city shops
PLANS for the largest redevelopment of Newcastle city centre since the construction of Eldon Square shopping centre will be put under the spotlight later this month. The £120m plans, to be discussed by Newcastle city councillors on Wednesday, March 20
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Fans' spirits still low after drab defeat
THE first game at Feethams since last week's incredible fans' forum gave chairman George Reynolds his first opportunity to gauge the reaction of the club's supporters, and their mood will not have improved after a tame affair which ended in defeat - Darlington's
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Environmentalists name and shame polluters
Environmental campaigners have named the UK's worst polluting factories - and claim two of the worst 10 are in the North-east. Friends of the Earth has released figures for the plants which release most cancer-causing substances into the atmosphere and
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Showdown over op for disfigured baby
A LEGAL wrangle between the parents of a badly disfigured baby and a hospital standing by to operate on her will go before the High Court later today. The 12-week-old baby, born in Saudi Arabia to a North-East woman, was last night described as stable
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Soccer boss Keegan backs mining disaster campaign
ONE of the North-East's all-time football heroes has backed a Northern Echo campaign to remember those who died in the northern coalfields. Former Newcastle United manager and player Kevin Keegan has lent his name to the campaign to mark the trenches
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Darlington and South Durham news in brief
Thieves snatch pregnant pet A five-year-old black Labrador bitch, which was pregnant, has been stolen from a farmhouse in Sedgefield. The dog, which was wearing a red collar, was locked in a pound at the back of the farm, but thieves removed two bolts
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Jobs threat as Vickers loses order
THE failure of tank builder Vickers Defence Systems to win a £1bn Greek order is putting hundreds of jobs at its Tyneside factory under threat. The contract would have allowed the Newcastle firm, owned by Rolls-Royce, to increase its workforce substantially
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Quakers boss braves fans' indifference
"It doesn't get much worse," said a Darlington fan as he trudged out of the main stand at Feethams at the end of a miserable match on a nithering night. "Ay," said his mate, "although tomorrow we might not be in existence." It had been a passionless affair
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A winter walk with the birds
Low Barns Nature Reserve, Weardale How do people with wheelchairs and pushchairs go for a walk? Many would reply: "With difficulty" before going on to regale the hapless listener with tales of obstacles and obstructions encountered over the years. The
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Test aimed at helping smokers quit
SMOKERS working for Darlington Borough Council will be encouraged to quit the habit by taking a "Smokerlyzer" test next week. A smoking cessation display will visit three council offices next week, to coincide with National No Smoking Day on Wednesday
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Farmers' fury at handling of foot-and-mouth
FARMERS and community leaders last night vented their anger and frustration at the handling of the foot-and-mouth crisis. Speaking at a meeting of the independent Lessons Learned Inquiry, they spoke of arrogance by the Department of Environment, Food
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Pensioner rescued from hill top
A PENSIONER was rescued after collapsing at the top of a North Yorkshire landmark. The 70-year-old man, from Durham, was walking with friends on Roseberry Topping, near Great Ayton, on Sunday lunchtime when he collapsed. Cleveland Search and Rescue Team
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Youngsters face pregnancy quiz
SCHOOLCHILDREN in a teenage pregnancy blackspot are to be questioned on the birds and the bees - to see if sex education is failing them. Invitations have been sent to youth clubs and comprehensive schools in the Beechwood area of Middlesbrough, which
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Traders in protest over roadworks
BUSINESSES along one of the main routes into Darlington say roadworks are crippling their trade. The work, being carried out along a 1.1km stretch of Haughton Road by Transco to replace a gas main, began before Christmas. It was temporarily halted to
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'Man pushed to death in gang attack'
A MAN was pushed to his death from an upstairs window after a gang rampaged through a brothel, a court heard yesterday. Kalvant Singh was caught up in violence when five men went hunting for a man they believed had been robbing Middlesbrough's prostitutes
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Golden time to hail the heroes
CIVIC chiefs are urging people to nominate unsung community heroes for a series of awards to mark the Queen's golden jubilee. Harrogate Borough Council will be handing out a total of 60 accolades in July, including ten for youngsters who have made significant
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Advice on how to get grants
ADVICE is being made available to community groups in Sedgefield borough on how to apply for small grants. Community and Voluntary Organisations Sedgefield (Cavos) has organised two events for community and voluntary groups. There will be opportunities
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Storm Ahead for rivals
PREDICTED high winds and heavy rain could make Storm Ahead (2.30) a topical tip for this afternoon's meeting at Catterick. Jump jockeys are traditionally made of fairly stern stuff and they don't come much tougher than Tony Dobbin, booked to ride Storm
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Virtual reality steam ride dream
RAILWAY history repeated itself yesterday as the world's fastest steam locomotive set out on another record-breaking journey . . . well, virtually. Enthusiasts gathered at the National Railway Museum (NRM), in York, to see a virtual model of Mallard,
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Police and council link to boost street safety
DARLINGTON is leading the way in a review of ways to improve street safety, and reduce crime and the fear of crime. A Best Value report on street safety has been produced over the past seven months by the borough council and police authority. It is the
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Mistakes were made, charity
A FOUNDING member of a failed children's charity has admitted that mistakes were made in its running. Baby Assist, at Stockton, Teesside, was set to up to raise funds for much needed hospital equipment for premature babies and those with defects - but
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PC quits force after hit-run accident
A POLICEMAN who carried on driving after knocking over a schoolboy cyclist has resigned from the force. PC Kevin Brown, of Durham Constabulary, was convicted of failing to stop after an accident and failing to report an accident. He denied the charges
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North Durham and Tyneside news in brief
Wildlife takes centre stage Bugs, spiders, snakes and birds of prey, and bats, will be displayed by Michael Mann, Eddie and Pat Bell, and members of Lanchester Wildlife Group, on Saturday, between 10am and 3pm, at Lanchester Community Centre. Admission
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Ghostly apparition who doffed his hat on the bridge
NO place can have any self respect unless it has a ghost. And Newton Cap has a ghost. Florence Scales, of Bishop Auckland, takes up the story from the early 1950s: "I was about 22 at the time, and my husband Jack and I lived in Gomer Terrace, Newton Cap
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Youngsters gather for bedtime tales
CHILDREN from Darlington Town Hall's Kids and Co nursery are joining staff at the Crown Street library to promote Bedtime Reading Week next week and World Book Day, next Thursday. The youngsters will take their teddy bears to the library today to listen
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Pensioner had not suffered - inquest
A PENSIONER died after crawling into the discarded bucket of a mechanical digger, an inquest heard yesterday. Deputy Teesside coroner Gordon Hetherington recorded an open verdict in the death of 81-year-old George Winter, who had gone into the yard of
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Spotlight on revamp of city shops
PLANS for the largest redevelopment of Newcastle city centre since the construction of Eldon Square shopping centre will be put under the spotlight later this month. The £120m plans, to be discussed by Newcastle city councillors on Wednesday, March 20
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Businesses warned over bogus offers
POLICE are warning organisations in County Durham to beware of bogus cash offers. Several organisations in the area have received letters, faxes or emails promising substantial amounts of money. The documents, which claim to be from West Africa, usually
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Disease could still hit shows
ORGANISERS of agricultural shows in North Yorkshire are on a knife-edge, awaiting new directions from the Department of the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Simon Midcalf, secretary and treasurer of the Yorkshire Federation of Show Societies
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Football fan faces ban from grounds
A FOOTBALL fan has been banned from attending any matches in the UK or abroad after invading the pitch at a North-East derby game. Hartlepool supporter David Wilson was given the threeyear ban after an incident at Darlington FC's Feethams ground, on February
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Police hunt for woman's attacker
POLICE have released an image of the man they want to question in connection with a serious assault in Darlington. A woman in her mid-20s was punched on the nose in the unprovoked attack last month. The incident happened on Saturday, February 9, in the
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Medical workers step up pay fight
STRIKING hospital workers have voted to escalate their industrial action, after rejecting offers of talks. Bosses at the City of Sunderland Hospitals NHS Trust have been told that the health union Unison is stepping up medical secretaries' action over
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Corus joins prestigious FTSE group
Steelmaker Corus, which employs thousands of people on Teesside, is set to become a member of the prestigious FTSE-100. It will take its place among the elite shares on Monday, March 18. Despite the news, its shares still ended the day down p at 79p,
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Medals haul for swimming trio
THREE young disabled swimmers from the region stormed the board at the national championships at the weekend. The youngsters won gold and silver medals at the BT Swimming National Junior Championships, in the Dolphin Centre, Darlington. More than 200
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Sisters line up barrel of laughs for St Patrick's day celebrations
IRISH eyes are smiling as the big party day of the year for everyone with connections to the Emerald Isle approaches. Preparations for St Patrick's Day, on March 17, are under way at O'Neill's bar in Durham, supervised by Irish sisters Elaine and Michelle
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Siblings died feet from one another
A DEVOTED elderly brother and sister died, one trying to help the other. Raymond Scott, 76, was found lying at the foot of the staircase of the home he shared with his sister, Lilly Pickering, 82, in Eastcroft Road, Grangetown. The body of Mrs Pickering
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Magpies title hopes fade
IT WAS Murphy's Law at Anfield on Wednesday night as the lights all but went out on Newcastle's Premiership title challenge. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong for the Magpies as they discovered a new Liverpool Nemesis in midfielder Danny Murphy
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Demand for problem tenants list
A NATIONAL register of trouble-makers should be compiled to reduce the problem of anti-social behaviour in privately-rented houses, says a councillor. Garry Huntington, who represents Shildon on Sedgefield Borough Council, says landlords regularly let
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Stars turn on the style
SOUL stars rolled up in style to promote the opening of a musical yesterday. Cast members of Hold On, a soul-inspired musical which opened at Durham's Gala theatre last night, posed with a £120,000 convertible BMW ZX, of the type used in the James Bond
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Man found with Ecstasy tablets
A NORTH-EAST man was caught by plain clothes police with 78 Ecstasy tablets in his pockets. Sean Michael Walsh, 18, was arrested as he left the Castle Wall wine bar, in Barnard Castle. Teesside Crown Court heard that a further 41 tablets were discovered
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Police force images make an arresting sight
THE changing face of policing Northumbria over the past 170 years has been captured on canvas for the first time. Chief Constable Crispian Strachan has taken delivery of a watercolour which will hang at police headquarters - and 999 prints have been produced
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Pupils prepare to move back into school hit by blaze
REBUILDING work at an arson-hit primary school in Sedgefield should be completed this week. But a development to enlarge the nursery is expected to take a little longer. Pupils are hoping to be able to return to Hardwick Primary School at the end of this
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MP snubs jubilee
Soccer-loving MP Stephen Hepburn will snub the Queen's golden jubilee - to play for an MPs football team on a trip to the World Cup. His decision comes eight months after he was slammed for enjoying a three-week jaunt to see the British Lions play rugby
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Park bosses lash out over handling of epidemic
SENIOR figures at an influential national park authority have launched a stinging attack on the Government's handling of the foot-and-mouth crisis. Just days after the all-clear was sounded in the region after a new disease scare, the North York Moors
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Bright new start sought for Meg
AN unwanted blind dog needs a new home and help to pay for surgery to enable her to see again. Meg, a four-year-old whippet-cross, has developed sight problems in the past two years. She is now being cared for at a foster home for the National Animal
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New video to promote childcare
A RECRUITMENT videotape to encourage people to work in the early years education and childcare sector is to be distributed in Darlington. Darlington Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership has produced the videotape, in conjunction with the
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Community liaison man appointed
A NEW officer responsible for regenerating former coalfield communities has been appointed by Sedgefield Borough Council. Andy Coulthard, previously the council's youth development officer, has been appointed community liaison officer for regeneration
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Anti-smoking campaign in the workplace
A HEALTH initiative is urging people who want to stop smoking to join forces with their workmates to improve their chances. The Dales Primary Care Group (PCG) is offering people free advice and training sessions in the workplace. The initiative is open
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Discovery tour to boost trade
TOUR operators and travel group organisers are being treated to a discovery holiday at the weekend to boost tourism in Weardale and Teesdale. They will spend Friday, Saturday and Sunday being shown around visitor attractions in the North Pennines. Organised
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Comment from The Northern Echo; Questions still to be asked
THE deliberations of the Commons Public Accounts Committee must not be the end of investigations into the propriety of Teesside Development Corporation. Monday evening's cross-examination of TDC chief executive Duncan Hall failed to answer the many questions
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Result was all that mattered, says Reid
RELIEVED Sunderland manager Peter Reid admitted last night: "Everyone knows the result was all-important." The Wearside boss was concerned that his side missed chances before a match-winner from midfielder Jason McAteer against his old club. "You are
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Praise for chapel's benefactors
A SPECIAL service is being staged at a tiny Methodist chapel as a thank you to good Samaritans, who raised £5,000 to restore vandalised stained glass windows The Newcastle-based James Knott Trust gave £1,000 and Wear Valley District Council £600 to help
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Tragedy of doctor's son
A doctor's son has been found hanging from a banister at home after problems with other pupils at his first comprehensive school. Jack Glasby, 13, left Caedmon School, in Whitby, North Yorkshire, and moved to Yarm School, on Teesside, but his attendance
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An ice treat ahead for sporting mums
YOUNGSTERS are hoping to persuade their mums to get their skates on and take part in a Mother's Day treat with a difference. Billingham Forum, on Teesside, is offering free admission to all mothers who go ice-skating or swimming with their children between
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Ten years for 'lookout rape'
A RAPIST who made his teenage victim act as lookout while he attacked her was jailed for ten years yesterday. The girl said that when Paul Greathead attacked her in her home she told him her mother was due back. Greathead, 36, ordered her to keep watch
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Who has the right to decide?
Once again doctors have gone to the courts to over-ride the wishes of parents. Health Correspondent Barry Nelson examines dilemmas raised by a new case in the North-East. HERE we go again. The case of a tragic baby born with only half her face, who is
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Appeal for sponsors
FASHION students are searching for sponsors to help stage a catwalk show. The annual event gives Btec students at Cleveland College of Art and Design, in Middlesbrough, the chance to show off their designs to the fashion industry. Sponsors' names are
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Soccer star returns for charity appeal
THE friendship between one of the biggest names in professional football and his former barber has helped bring support for disadvantaged young people on Teesside. Former Middlesbrough player Graeme Souness, now manager of Worthington Cup winners Blackburn
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Trust unveils its vision of the future for hospital site
FURTHER details of plans to transform one of North Yorkshire's major hospitals have been unveiled. An artist's impression shows how the site of the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton could ultimately look. Among other things, it features new wards, better
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Learning spanish via a gothic masterpiece
A THEATRE production of a Gothic classic proved popular with youngsters at a Darlington school, despite being in a foreign language. About 280 pupils sat mesmerised at Hummersknott School and Language College while the Firewalk Theatre Company, from Zaragoza
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UK Coal sinks into red after problems
UK Coal, Britain's largest coal producer, slid into the red last year after geological problems, an industrial dispute and costs at its Prince of Wales mine damaged figures. The group, formerly RJB Mining, operates Ellington Colliery, the North-East's
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Robson keen to dispel talk of any Owen phobia
NEWCASTLE United boss Bobby Robson insists his side don't have a complex about Michael Owen - but admits that "tying his legs together'' might be the only way to halt his scoring spree against them at Anfield tonight. The Liverpool striker has scored
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Slowdown shows signs of easing
THE scale of the slowdown hitting manufacturing and service sector firms is showing signs of easing, according to two new reports. The Engineering Employer's Federation (EEF) said while manufacturing remained under "intense pressure", there were grounds
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Toffee fit for a Queen's jubilee
A FAMOUS toffee maker, rescued from closure by a father and son team, is celebrating its success by sending a special tin to the Queen. It was a visit by the Queen to Farrah's small Harrogate toffee factory in Back Chatsworth Grove, in December 1998,
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Boardroom changes at Railtrack
RAILTRACK Group has made boardroom changes to prepare for its battle with the Government over compensation for its shareholders. As was expected, the group, which unlike Railtrack plc is not in administration, said chairman John Robinson was stepping
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Permanent deal on hold for Carbone
LOAN-RANGER Benito Carbone has made a big impression on Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren but talks over a permanent move are still on hold until Premiership safety is secured. Carbone, who arrived on loan until the end of the season from Bradford City
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Ellis snaps up EDL
A North Yorkshire cable and pipe fixings manufacturer has secured dozens of rural jobs after acquiring one of its main international competitors. Bosses at Ellis Patents, of Rillington, near Malton, hope for a prosperous future following the acquisition
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Police appeal for witnesses
POLICE are appealing for witnesses to an alleged road-rage incident in Newton Aycliffe on Monday. A purple Peugeot 405 estate and a green Citroen Xsara were involved in three separate incidents in the space of five minutes at about 1.20pm. First there
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The bedroom's barred to Louis
When Louis Met Ann Widdecombe (BBC2) THE bedroom door remained firmly shut to interviewer Louis Theroux. So did questions about what happened - or didn't happen - inside that most intimate of rooms. "I don't let anyone go upstairs," insisted Tory MP Ann
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Walton machine set to eclipse the opposition
Orders are beginning to stack up for a North Yorkshire agricultural equipment business. Walton Agriculture, of East Cowton, near Northallerton, has sold its first Eclipse bale stacker and transport. The machine is believed to be the first in the world
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High-level protest over police costs
A COUNCIL is planning to protest to Home Secretary David Blunkett about the management of Cleveland Police finances. Members of Stockton Borough Council's cabinet are pushing for an independent inquiry after the police precept was pushed up by 38 per
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Play-off hopes hit Imps
NEW RECRUIT Eifion Williams last night looked on as Hartlepool United's play-off hopes were dented. The striker, snapped up from Torquay yesterday for £30,000, watched his new teammates draw with Lincoln City from the Cyril Knowles Stand. Pool rarely
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Fears are growing for missing 14-year-old
POLICE are becoming increasingly concerned for a 14-year-old boy who went missing from his home last week. Alexander James Pegram left his family home in Cardinal Close, Longbenton, Newcastle, last Friday lunchtime. He was last seen by friends at The
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Chance to work for the taxman
THE taxman actually has some good news for a North-East jobs blackspot - new jobs at a call centre. But the Inland Revenue cannot say exactly how many people will be employed at Peterlee, east Durham, dealing with queries about tax credits. All it would
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Business news in brief
Airline looking up again BRITISH Airways' passenger traffic figures have improved. The group said that February traffic volumes - measured in the number of kilometres flown per paying customers - was down 2.5 per cent on a year earlier. That compares
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Letter of hate in death trial
A MAN accused of deliberately strangling his wife during a sex game was found with a hate-filled letter for her when he was arrested, a court heard. Newcastle Crown Court was told that Norman Heaton, 42, and mother-of-three Jacqueline Heaton, 32, of South
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Stadium in £7m deal
THE Stadium Group has sold its plastic injection moulding business to a management buy-in team in a £7m deal. The buy-in by plastics expert Jeremy Stoke was backed by Lloyds TSB. The deal leaves Stadium to focus on its electronics business, which manufactures
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Lottery help sought for £2m table tennis centre
A COMMUNITY has launched a scheme to build a £2m centre of excellence - for table tennis. The plan would be to build facilities to national standard, centred at Nunthorpe Comprehensive School, in Middlesbrough. The nationally-renowned Ormesby Table Tennis
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New jobs at Sedgefielf firm
Manufacturing business Fin Machine is creating 30 new jobs after winning major new contracts. The Sedgefield-based machinery and tool manufacturer is boosting its current workforce of 180 beyond 200 as a result of winning an order to supply equipment
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Proposal to give railways attraction a £100,000 shunt
ANOTHER £100,000 is being set aside to push ahead with a project set to make a former rail town a national tourist attraction. Plans to build a satellite branch of the National Railway Museum, in Shildon, County Durham, are gathering steam. Already, £4.75m
