Archive
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Taxi driver jeff is a man in a million
A TAXI driver who was chosen by National Lottery operator Camelot for a publicity drive loves his job so much he would not give it up - even if he was a millionaire. The only concession Jeff Wilson would make would be to trade in his black cab for a Rolls
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Athlete thrives in Malta sun
MARATHON man Gary Atkinson is celebrating after finishing 13th in a gruelling 26-mile race, in Malta. The 22-year-old, from Evenwood, joined six other members of the Evenwood Road Runners in the Malta Marathon. The athletes train together every week.
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Officers set out on shopping mall beat
IT WILL be best foot forward for beat bobbies when they officially take up their new roles at the North-East's largest shopping mall tomorrow. Each mall at Gateshead's MetroCentre will have its own community beat manager. Gateshead West PCs Steve Oliver
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Students get tips on leadership
YOUNGSTERS converged on a North-East university yesterday to hear how they could organise a mini-Commonwealth Games. More than a hundred secondary school pupils gathered at Durham University for a Young People Leading the Way conference on sports leadership
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Hunt churns up path
THE public footpath along the Shawl in Leyburn was damaged by huntsmen only an hour after the mayor had shown off new disabled access. And if the damage is not repaired soon it will be almost impossible for people in wheelchairs to use it. Pro-hunt and
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Carers get the scent for IT
CARERS in Stockton are signing up for computer and aromatherapy courses. The courses are a result of a survey of more than 450 carers and enable them to take a well-earned break from the daily demands of caring. Taster sessions held at the Stockton Borough
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Places booked for bedtime reading
MOST parents will be delighted that their youngsters want a bedtime story during an afternoon, but these children are not planning on an early night. Sure Start Wear Valley, an agency for pre-school children and their parents, is running a series of activities
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Soccer thugs used mobiles to arrange bloody battle
A gang of more than 50 rival football supporters used mobile telephones to set up a mass street brawl. One witness to the battle, at North Shields ferry landing on March 18 2000, said the chaos was similar to a battle scene from "Braveheart". Newcastle
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Irene, 80, tells of danger and daring behind enemy lines
SUZANNE Louise stood at the front of the tram, issuing tickets to the passengers. It moved off with a jolt, throwing her off balance, and she clutched at the bag strapped round her waist. "I was terrified," she said. "I had been given a bomb to deliver
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Cement works: Fury at minister
TRADE minister Patricia Hewitt has angered campaigners battling to save a doomed cement works by appearing to back the company's case for closure. Weardale County Councillor John Shuttleworth asked Ms Hewitt to step in after Lafarge UK twice shunned possible
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Garden services fail to blossom
GOVERNMENT inspectors have criticised a council department which has faced losses of almost £125,000 a year. Sedgefield Borough Council's horticultural services were rated only "fair" by an Audit Commission report - and the council's own review of the
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Darlington and South Durham news in brief
Burglar dumps haul in park A BURGLAR fled a Darlington house when the owners were alerted by noise. Two people were in the house when the man walked in through an unlocked patio door, in Abbey Road. Cash and bank cards, which had been stolen from the
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Police call in pathologist for new look at outrage
DISGRACED surgeon Richard Neale could face a new police probe, it was revealed last night. Campaigners have been pressing for the former Friarage Hospital surgeon to face charges over a career which left more than 80 women seriously injured. But five
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Deerbolt officer gets award for bravery
A YOUNG offenders' institution officer who went to the aid of his colleague during an attack by inmates saw his bravery recognised on Friday. Kevin Conlin, of Deerbolt Young Offenders' Institution, Barnard Castle, received a certificate of commendation
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Glaxo chairman decides to step down
SIR Richard Sykes is stepping down as chairman of the pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline. The 59-year old said he intends to retire at Glaxo's annual meeting in May to devote more time to his role as Rector of London's Imperial College. He will be succeeded
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Authors compete for children's votes
SOME of the country's top children's authors will be visiting Teesside for an award next week. Children from schools in Stockton have been busily reading a shortlist of five books to choose their favourite, as part of Stockton Children's Book of the Year
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Women support family's struggle
A MACEDONIAN woman campaigning to be allowed to stay in the North-East won support at an international women's event in the region. Lile Dimitrievski and her husband Marjun have been told they must leave Redcar, in east Cleveland - where they have lived
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Mother who sparked terror at 30,000 feet
A DRINK and drug-crazed Teesside mother brought terror to 200 holidaymakers when she tried to open the doors of a Boeing 757 at 30,000ft. Charmain Pitt ran amok on the holiday flight after downing a potentially lethal cocktail of lager and valium - prescribed
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Minister's remarks anger cement plant campaigners
TRADE Minister Patricia Hewitt has angered campaigners battling to save a doomed cement works by appearing to back the company's case for closure. Weardale County Councillor John Shuttleworth asked Ms Hewitt to step in after Lafarge UK twice shunned possible
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Still everything to play for, insists Turner
FOCUSED Chris Turner won't allow his season to peter out and end in disappointment. Hartlepool United have it all to do if they are to reach the play-offs this season. But Turner, who is refusing to give up the ghost after Saturday's disappointing 1-1
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House party led to murder, trial is told
A FATHER was stabbed to death with a kitchen knife after a late-night party turned into a drunken brawl, a court heard. Newcastle Crown Court heard how Darren Liddy was stabbed twice with a knife at a party held at the home of his sister, Sharon, in June
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Planting is child's play
YOUNGSTERS got their hands dirty as they took part in an environmental project aimed at improving a village. The pupils from Hummersea Primary School spent a morning at Skinningrove with Tees Valley Wildlife Trust taking part in activities including sowing
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Sports chain may snap up rival firm
RETAILER JD Sports is in talks to buy rival First Sport's stores in a deal that could double the size of its branch network. JD Sports, which has 150 stores, has begun discussions with Peterlee-based Blacks Leisure, about picking up its sport and fashion
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It's chocs away for needy
THE Easter Bunny was in town yesterday to launch a chocolate campaign. Darlington Borough Council social services wants to collect Easter eggs during the next few weeks to distribute to people in need in the area. Last year, more than 800 eggs were donated
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See how 3D modelling and rapid prototyping will benefit your business
A facility built to provide leading edge technical support to engineering and manufacturing companies, plans to put the region's small and medium sized firms ahead of the competition. The Digital Factory, based on the Aycliffe Industrial Park, was officially
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Last nights TV
Napoleon's Waterloo (C4) TODAY'S history lesson is about Waterloo. Not Abba's win in the Eurovision Song Contest but another historic battle that changed the course of Euro-history. Instead of Terry Wogan commentating, we had Peter Capaldi narrating the
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Competition blooms again
THE Northumbria in Bloom competition was launched yesterday. Stockton Borough Council hosted the official launch of the 2002 contest at the Oakwood Centre, at Eaglescliffe, Teesside. Floral displays were set up at the centre to greet guests, which included
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Darlington and South Durham news in brief
Providing help for carers A MENTAL awareness event is being held in Barnard Castle to give advice and support to carers in the dales. Teesdale Carers Centre and Wear Valley Carers will be holding the support session on Thursday. The event will also feature
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PC kicked off force after service discredit hearing
A policeman who was cleared of indecent assault has been kicked out of the force for bringing discredit to the service. PC Andrew Shearer, 34, was sacked by Assistant Chief Constable of Cleveland Bryan Bell following a four-day hearing last week. Last
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Business news in brief
Smiths job cuts fear AEROSPACE and engineering group Smiths is expected to announce about 1,000 job cuts and a fall in profits tomorrow. The group, which has been hurt by the tough markets following the September 11 terrorist attacks on the US, said in
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Gifts of money promise new life for Meg
KIND-HEARTED Northern Echo readers have rushed to give an abandoned blind dog the chance to see. Meg, a four-year-old whippet-cross, developed sight problems two years ago. She does not have a home and is being looked after by foster owners for the National
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Warning over credit card details fraud
HOMEOWNERS were urged yesterday to take action to foil thieves hunting through bin bags for credit card details. Research has shown an alarming rise in people becoming victims of fraud because they fail to destroy personal information which is thrown
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Is the Church past salvation?
When warnings of the virtual end of the Church of England come from leading theologian, who is also a senior churchman, they are bound to cause a stir. Nick Morrison reports. FALLING attendances and a declining influence on our lives - few would doubt
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Our love affair with the 'miracle meat'
A national treasure, or a joke, whichever way you look at it, this week is National Spam Appreciation Week. NICK MORRISON looks at the history of the 'miracle meat' IF you were to walk into a caf and find that everything on the menu had one thing in common
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Development plans released for prime site on edge of city
MAJOR redevelopment plans were revealed yesterday for a prime edge-of-city site which has served as a teacher training college during the past 80 years. Planning approval permitting, New College Durham plans to sell off its Nevilles Cross campus and concentrate
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Energy-saving grants
Grants of up to £2,500 are available in Hartlepool to help save energy at home. A roadshow bus will be visiting the town this Thursday and next to publicise the Warm Front scheme, which is run by energy-efficiency firm Eaga Partnership. The grants are
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Spotlight on panto as drama group tries out new stage equipment
A THEATRE group will be showing off its new lighting and sound system when it stages its latest production. The Cockerton Family Theatre Company is performing Aladdin at the Holy Family Social Centre, in Prior Street, Darlington, this week. The group
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Clearing out bad news from cupboard
Stock markets finished last week strongly pushing indices both here and in the US to the top of their recent trading ranges. This is against a backdrop of improving economic data and as noted last week, the avoidance on both sides of the Atlantic of a
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Breathing fire back into the Dragon
HARDRAW is England's highest unbroken waterfall, accessible only - unless in possession of sub-aqua gear or a helicopter - through the front door of the Green Dragon. Its effect is particularly spectacular because visitors are able to walk around the
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Redcar MP Vera Baird writes her exclusive monthly column for the East Cleveland Advertiser
THIS month I have been involved in many serious national and international campaigns involving the death penalty in America, the NSPCC's fight to end child cruelty and unfairness in company pension schemes. Meanwhile, the saga of the former Smith's Dock
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Outrage at racecourse leaflet campaign by killer's supporters
GRAND National winning jockey Richard Guest has outraged the family of a North-East murder victim by planning to use this week's Cheltenham Festival to further the freedom bid of a self-confessed killer. Supporters of Irish-born jockey Christy McGrath
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Youngsters in step with the pros . . .
STUDENTS have been strutting their stuff with professional jazz dancers. The pupils in years seven to nine at Richmond School took part in workshops run by members of RJC, one of the country's leading black dance companies. Some of the youngsters who
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Balloons go up for kids
THE skies over a North-East town were filled with 2,000 balloons yesterday, released in aid of a national children's charity. Darlington's mayor, Councillor Isobel Hartley, joined staff from Orange to release the balloons. At the same time, Orange staff
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Group hands over domino cash
Kate Christopher, back right, of Northallerton's Black Swan MS Group presents a cheque for £1,740 to Alan Riddiough, left, and Alan Sharp of the multiple sclerosis therapy centre in Middlesbrough. The cash was raised during 2001 with £1,000 coming from
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Garden services fail to blossom
GOVERNMENT inspectors have criticised a council department which has faced losses of almost £125,000 a year. Sedgefield Borough Council's horticultural services were rated only "fair" by an Audit Commission report - and the council's own review of the
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Job search 2002
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Night porter, Stockton. £10,000 to £12,000pa, between Mon-Sun evenings and weekends, 22.5hrs pw. required for supported housing scheme. experience preferred
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Teenage offenders subject of supervision order
Two teenage cousins, who asked an eight-year-old boy to perform a sex act on them, have been made the subject of a supervision order. The Darlington schoolboys, aged 15 and 17, had been playing together in a bedroom with the boy, also a relative, when
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Job search 2002
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Sales assistant, Consett. £4.10 ph, 16 hours pw. Previous retail experience essential. Ref: CON 14786. Store assistant, Consett. £4.40-£7ph. 20 hours
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Couple's gift on day of joy and sadness
A COUPLE are celebrating the birth of their third child almost a year to the day after the death of their baby son. Dawn and Richard Hindmarch were at the University of North Tees, Stockton, yesterday to hand over a cheque for £3,000 to staff at the neo-natal
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Alas! poor Yorick. I knew him . . . or should that be her?
A DISPLAY examining how accurately archaeologists represent the past has gone on display. Rocks and Roles: Gender and Archaeology, has been created by Durham University students throughout the academic year. With an emphasis on interaction, it encourages
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Will we never learn our lesson?
SIX months since September 11 and you'd think nothing had changed. Most of the newspapers, and certainly that anti-western bastion of propaganda the BBC, are calling for no military strikes against Iraq. It is as if last year's atrocity in New York had
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Tom's the star at shop launch
A YOUNGSTER fighting cancer became a celebrity for the day when he cut the ribbon at the reopening of a charity shop. Tom Claxton, 12, of Richmond, reopened a Cancer Research UK shop in Northallerton High Street on Thursday. The name change is due to
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Burglar dumps his haul
A BURGLAR fled a Darlington house when the home owners were alerted by noise. Two people were in the house when the man walked in through an unlocked patio door, in Abbey Road. Cash and bank cards, which had been stolen from the house, were later found
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Cat neutering scheme comes to North-East
A CAMPAIGN to prevent the country becoming overrun with unwanted cats arrives in the region next week. The RSPCA's mobile neutering clinic will give cat owners receiving state benefits the chance to have their pets neutered for free. The charity will
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Positive start for run-up to games
TWO youngsters from Hartlepool have been chosen to carry the Queen's baton through the town in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games. Jonathon Osborne and Paul Mann, both 15, have been attending the Reach for Success basketball project designed to get
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Stately home's added charms
NESTLING below the Cleveland Hills, with majestic views of the surrounding forest, Gisborough Hall has a special appeal even before stepping over the threshold. The imposing stately home is the ancient seat of Lord Gisborough - a family that has presided
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Conference for international project to promote citizenship
A SPECIAL conference was held by staff and students at Egglescliffe School yesterday. It was part of a Comenius Project involving learning about citizenship in the 21st Century. Schools involved meet annually. Staff and students from England, Italy, Sweden
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Addict bit police officer, court told
A MAN who travelled to an isolated area to sniff glue, bit a police officer as he was being arrested, a court heard yesterday. Anthony Etherington, 36, appeared before magistrates in Bishop Auckland, yesterday. He pleaded guilty to assaulting a police
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Building halted
North Yorkshire County Council bosses have been ordered by the Health and Safety Executive to suspend all major renovation and demolition projects after an asbestos alert at a primary school. Among schemes to be hit is the building of eight new classrooms
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Job search 2002
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Telephone market researcher, Darlington, £4.10ph + comm. No experience necessary. No selling involved. Ref: DAE 29229. Call Centre operators, Darlington
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Fun-filled magic day for children
WIZARDS and witches will be taking over Darlington town centre at Easter to keep children entertained during the school holidays. On Easter Monday there will be a Wizard Fun Day in the town centre, sponsored by the Queen Street and Cornmill shopping centres
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Run-down housing linked to ill health
FAMILIES living in run-down housing in the North-East are having their health put at risk, according to a study published today. The Shelter report reveals that, after homelessness and the threat of eviction, health problems have been the biggest cause
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Library opens in style to welcome new visitors
A NEW library opened with a flourish yesterday as stilt walkers, clowns and uni-cyclists welcomed its first visitors. Durham's Clayport Library, part of the £30m Millennium City development, at the bottom of Claypath, was officially opened by BBC news
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Tribute show honours stars
A TRIBUTE to two of Britain's greatest singers - Dusty Springfield and Matt Monro - is coming to the North-East. The Sunderland Empire Theatre will be the venue for Dusty - The Concert, starring Karen Noble and Don O'Dell, on Wednesday, April 10. It is
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Man quizzed over robbery
A MAN is being questioned by police following a knifepoint robbery at a North-East travel agents yesterday. A masked robber escaped with a small amount of money shortly before 10.30am after threatening staff at Going Places, in North Road, Durham. No
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Missing bolt forced plane to make crash landing
A TINY missing bolt forced a plane to make a crash landing at a North-East airport after its landing gear failed to lock. A report, by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) into the accident at Teesside International Airport, on April 21, last
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Growing fears for missing teenager
FEARS for the safety of a teenager with learning difficulties were growing last night - three days after she went missing from home. Police are appealing to the public for information about any sightings of 19-year-old Claire Louise Smith, who is thought
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Internet firms team up for dual service
TWO North-East Internet companies are forming a marketing partnership they claim will change the region's online landscape. Business Internet service provider Onyx Internet, on Teesside, and the Wearside interactive agency Leighton Media have announced
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Wind power is lecture subject
THE future of offshore wind power in the UK will be the subject of an engineering lecture in the region this week. The Institute of Electrical Engineers is hosting the latest in its series of lectures at the Cleveland Scientific Institution, Middlesbrough
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Bus on way with heating grant advice
A TOURING advice centre encouraging people to apply for heating grants will be in the area this week. The Warm Front bus will be in Barnard Castle and Darlington as part of a national tour. Staff on the bus will be giving advice to people about claiming
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Community view needed for big plans
AMBITIOUS plans to breathe new life into the heart of Herriot Country have been unveiled - and public opinion is needed to take the initiative forward. Details of the first community projects to be approved by the newly-formed Thirsk Regeneration Initiative
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Travellers set to be evicted
REDCAR and Cleveland Borough Council looks set to do a complete U-turn over plans to allow a group of travellers to stay at an illegal site at Warrenby, near Redcar. Officers from the authority were recommending that the council executive, which meets
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Tickets available for music in park
TICKETS are still available for a star-studded open-air musical event taking place in the region this summer. World-famous tenor Ian Storey will be heading the bill at the Picnic in the Park, at Hurworth Grange, in Hurworth, near Darlington. Mr Storey
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Design makes tracks
YOUNGSTERS planning to take part in a fun run were this week 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
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Rise in Ecstasy use prompts campaign blitz on dealers
POLICE in Darlington recovered almost 2,000 more Ecstasy tablets last year than in previous years. They are now hoping their Rat on a Rat campaign will help catch even more drug dealers and recover more illegal substances. The campaign was launched last
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Road safety experts in line to study accident blackspot
AN accident-hit rural route is to come under the scrutiny of road safety experts. Speed checks in Durham Lane, Egglescliffe, are guaranteed as engineers study calls for an upgrade of the unlit road linking the growing Tees suburb and its business parks
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Comment from The Northern Echo; Reasons to be cynical
PRINCE Charles is right. Cynicism is a very negative emotion. It can destroy our society. It is destroying our democracy. The feeling prevails that politicians are only in it for themselves. That's partly why turn-out at the General Election tumbled to
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Drinking row led to death, jury told
A GRANDFATHER was stamped to death by his son-in-law after a family conference over his drinking, a court was told yesterday. Mark Gladstone, 32, admits killing Bill Jackson, 63, who died in hospital two months later, said his barrister James Goss QC,
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Bus death family's plea over safety
THE family of a child killed as he fell under the wheels of a double decker are calling for new safety guidelines on buses. Twelve-year-old Jamie Lee Wells slipped as he tried to get down from a moving bus through mysteriously opened doors. Police are
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Lights! Action! It's Harry in cathedral again
DURHAM Cathedral has once again been turned into a giant film set as a backdrop for the latest Harry Potter movie. A cast and crew of hundreds from Warner Bros returned 15 months after filming scenes at the cathedral for the first box office hit, Harry
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Istabraq ready for historic four-timer
THREE-TIME Champion Hurdle hero Istabraq (3.15) attempts to scale new heights at Cheltenham today. Persian War, Sir Ken and See You Then all notched three, but no horse has ever won four consecutive Champion Hurdles. He's got a mountain to climb, but
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Loft out in the cold
BIRD-lover Austin Johnston split with his girlfriend and moved in with his pigeons. The 38-year-old has converted the allotment loft into a makeshift bungalow, which he shares with his 70 prize racers. He has survived the harsh winter in the red-and-white
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Tyne for Festival joy
NORTH-EAST business tycoon Norman Mason has tasted Grand National glory with Red Marauder, but despite a few attempts Cheltenham Festival success has eluded him. Given the amount of money Mason pumps into the sport, it's a situation bound to change before
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It will not be pretty, warns Sorensen
SUNDERLAND goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen has warned supporters that the team's football might not be pretty over the next few matches as the Wearsiders battle for their Premiership safety. The Danish international believes that nine points from the remaining
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Blind woman's fight for help with her son
A BLIND woman who waited 27 years for her first child is to appeal against a Benefits Agency decision to deny her home help. June and Gordon Welch had given up all hope of having a family after trying for almost three decades to conceive. It was against
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Tough task for Quakers
DARLINGTON are facing a tough battle to persuade almost a full team of players - out of contract in the summer - that their future lies at Feethams. A total of nine players' deals expire at the end of the season, but chairman George Reynolds is yet to
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Hear all sides
STRESS DISORDER I WOULD like to express my support for the war veterans suffering Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in their claim against the Ministry of Defence for compensation. It is easy to say that as soldiers they should have been tough enough
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Trade deficit fuels hopes of recovery
HOPES of a recovery in the global economy have been fuelled as figures showed Britain's trade deficit with the rest of the world narrowed in January. A rise in exports to the US helped cut the goods deficit by £500m to £2.6bn, according to the Office
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Waste-not want-not prize
BOWEY Construction has become the first mid-tier building contractor in the UK to achieve BS ISO 14001 accreditation for its environmental management systems. The accreditation comes as a result of the company's "waste-not, want-not" policy in relation
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19-acre hospital site earmarked for houses
THE Middlesbrough General Hospital and North Riding Infirmary sites have been put on the market by commercial property consultants Lamb and Edge. The hospitals will be moving to the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough in 2003, bringing resources
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Teesside news in brief
Dance master class in line Peter Huggins, choreographer with the National Youth Dance Company (NYDC), is holding a master class on Teesside. Peter and Geoff Hobson of Tees Dance Initiative will devise and rehearse an original dance piece with Middlesbrough
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Switch from homes is boost for office space
LAND originally earmarked for the residential market is to be redeveloped to provide commercial office space. The development being undertaken by London investment and development company Gort, will involve a 3.6-acre site in the Hopetown Park area of
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Bid for cash to improve environment
GATESHEAD Borough Council is bidding for European funds to help improve meadowland and create employment in Lamesley. Lamesley ward councillor Nick O'Neil said: "I fully back this bid which could see £150,000 of funding coming in to improve our local
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Pledge given to travellers as bus station uncertainty ends
BUS chiefs have pledged that Harrogate will have its new £2.5m central bus station up and running by June after years of uncertainty about its future. Work started on the scheme just two weeks ago to transform the temporary bus halt into a passenger-friendly
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Battle goes on after school travel blow
WORRIED parents have lost their fight to get transport for their children who have to walk along narrow country lanes with no footpaths to get to school. The parents in the village of Wombleton, near Helmsley, have been told by the North Yorkshire County
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Animal sanctuary road plea
AN animal sanctuary is hoping people will help them cover their tracks and provide a smooth road to the centre. Weardale Animal Sanctuary is situated high on the fells above Stanhope and is only accessible along a two- mile stretch of track, which is
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Vision of 1,000 jobs in Specsavers' expansion plans
THE UK's biggest optical retailer, Specsavers Opticians, plans to open 70 more stores, creating 1,000 jobs. Having become the market leader last year, with a market share of 27 per cent, Specsavers is set to implement an aggressive growth strategy that
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Court told of child's naked nursery carer
A GIRL told her mother of being touched all over by a naked male nursery carer, who she said had once been in the bath with her female carer, the High Court was told yesterday. The mother said her daughter was almost four years old, and had left Newcastle's
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Smoking stub nails vicarage burglar
A VICAR sniffed out a burglar who stole his whisky, a court was told yesterday. Erik Wilson returned to his vicarage and detected the smell of cigarette smoke - and none of his family smoked. The missing bottle of Scotch and a smashed kitchen window told
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Women support family's struggle
A MACEDONIAN woman campaigning to be allowed to stay in the North-East won support at an international women's event in the region. Lile Dimitrievski and her husband Marjun have been told they must leave Redcar, in east Cleveland - where they have lived
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Excel-sys rises to euro conversion challenge
A TEESSIDE software development firm is playing a noteworthy role, helping an international company to cope with conversion to the euro. Excel-sys, based at UK Steel Enterprise's Innovations Centre at the Kirkleatham Business Park in Redcar, has successfully
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North Yorkshire news in brief
Entries still being taken ENTRIES are still welcome for the inaugural Richmond Sponsored Fun Run at the weekend. Richmond Rotary Club and Richmond and Zetland Harriers have linked up to arrange the event, which starts at 11am on Sunday. Shields and prizes
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North Durham and Tyneside news in brief
Tamper-proof tax disc holder POLICE have introduced a tamper-proof tax disc holder for drivers following a spate of disc thefts. Funding for the holders has been obtained through the Safer Communities Auto Crime Working Group for North Tyneside. Initially
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Wartime engineers sought for Signals association
RADIO operators, dispatch riders or wireless operators who served in the Second World War are being sought by an association dedicated to keeping their memories alive. The Spennymoor Royal Signals' Association was set up six years ago to look after ex-servicemen
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Rail stoppage row deepens
ARRIVA has hit back at claims that trains are being cancelled because of staff shortages. The train operator rejected claims by union bosses that services are being stopped because the company had put conductor's overtime work on hold. Last week, the
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Man knocked unconscious during attack
A MAN was left in intensive care after an assault outside a nightclub. The 30-year-old television satellite engineer, from Peterlee, County Durham,was with friends at the Etc club, attached to the Peterlee Lodge Hotel, off Burnhope Way, when the attack
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Popular fun fair to make return visit
A TRADITION fun fair is returning to Newton Aycliffe by popular demand after a successful return last year. The Jubilee Simpasture fun fair visited the town for the first time in more than 15 years, last year. The event was so well received that it is
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Cash grant for Shark-infested waters
MEMBERS of a Bedale swimming club can keep themselves afloat, thanks to a second grant from a financial services firm. Bedale Sharks have received the £300 grant from AMP towards the cost of a display board and swimming aids. AMP became involved through
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Prison takes new approach to help troubled offenders
Many young offenders find themselves behind bars as the result of a troubled upbringing and a steady decline into a life of crime. Unsurprisingly many end up spending much of their lives in and out of prison, with poor or non-existant job prospects. Richard
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Calm head helps barman survive severe arm injury
Barman David Walker is lucky to be alive after he was speared through the arm when his car plunged down an embankment. A fence post went straight through his right arm, severing a major artery. David, 31, pulled out the post himself and a rescuer arrived
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Hope for revival after the gloom
A DETAILED report on the impact foot-and-mouth disease has had on the Richmondshire district concludes it has not been all negative. Not all survived the onslaught of the epidemic - For Sale boards line roads through the dales with farms, hotels and guest
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Keeping track of rail history
WHILE Darlington proudly boasts its past as the "birthplace of the railways", less than ten miles away lies Shildon, "the cradle of the railways". Both towns are proud of links with the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR), the world's first passenger
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Whelan dealing with survival first
IN-FORM Noel Whelan believes Middlesbrough can now secure their Premiership future after progressing through to the semi-finals of the FA Cup. Boro's 3-0 victory on Sunday over Everton has set-up a last-four clash with either Arsenal or North-East neighbours
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Boxers hoping for change in plans policy
COUNCILLORS are ready to bend job creation rules to give boxers with a place to train. Any change of use of industrial premises not involving business is rarely allowed by Harrogate Borough Council, but faced with a planning application to turn a first-floor
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Insect lovers can help botanic gardens out of a sticky situation
A WILDLIFE centre has found itself in a sticky situation after its insects bred out of control. Durham Botanic Gardens keeps a collection of stick insects in its tropical bugs section. But with the onset of spring, their numbers have multiplied at an
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Breathing fire back into the Dragon
HARDRAW is England's highest unbroken waterfall, accessible only - unless in possession of sub-aqua gear or a helicopter - through the front door of the Green Dragon. Its effect is particularly spectacular because visitors are able to walk around the
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Job search 2002
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Tyre fitter, Northallerton. 8.30am to 5.30pm, Mon-Fri, Sat 8.30am, to noon. must have clean current driving licence. Van provided at later date. Ref
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Andy bids to cook up a win
A PUB landlord whose trade suffered during last year's foot-and-mouth epidemic has triumphed in a national pie-making competition. Andy Cole, who runs the Wombwell Arms, in Wass, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, is one of the UK's top six steak pie makers
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Lecturer's prison work recognised
LONG-SERVING North-East prison lecturer Frances Elliott is to receive an award from the Princess Royal for her work with inmates. Ms Elliott will be awarded with a certificate from the Butler Trust, in recognition of her tireless work with prisoners at
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Poulson's pool to be bulldozed
ARCHITECT John Poulson's name was synonymous with corruption in the North-East. Now, his only notable building is to follow his reputation as bulldozers poise to raze it to the ground. A last-minute campaign has failed to get an emergency listing for
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Margaret buys new kitchen with cash that used to go up in smoke
A NORTH-East woman who managed to quit her 40-a-day smoking habit yesterday unveiled the £2,000 kitchen she bought with the money she saved. Margaret Speight, 43, of Hardwick, Stockton, has saved the money she used to spend on Lambert & Butler cigarettes
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Pupils and parents combine to put jubilee years in the picture
YOUNGSTERS have been piecing together major events from the past 50 years to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee. The pupils at Leeming and Londonderry Primary School have created a mosaic depicting memorable events and inventions from the past six decades
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Residents call for clean-up of underpass
A NEIGHBOURHOOD Watch co-ordinator has slammed the state of a Newton Aycliffe underpass, which is regularly used by children. Dorothy Bowman, secretary of the newly formed Dales Residents' Association, says the underpass at the top of Silverdale Place
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Schemes may enhance area
A NUMBER of schemes to improve the appearance of Hartlepool and the surrounding villages look likely to be approved by councillors. Members of Hartlepool Borough Council's central neighbourhood forum will meet today to discuss the plans. Hart Village
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War diary linked to Darlington
A tiny diary found in Arnhem, near to the scene of the biggest airborne operation in history, has revealed a mysterious North-East link. Dutch-born Harry Koudenburg contacted The Northern Echo after a futile 20 year search to discover the owner of a 1942
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Jobs in clear view as firm plays blinder
WINDOW blinds specialist Hillarys Group plans to create 200 new jobs in a move to new premises in Washington, Tyne and Wear. Due to its rapid growth, and to aid future expansion, the Nottingham-based company has taken over a 70,000sq ft site on the Glover
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Children stay up to tell tales
MORE than 50 youngsters from a Teesside school will be fighting against their bleary eyes as they stay awake to celebrate National Bedtime Reading Week and World Book Day on Friday. In an all-night bedtime reading session, the youngsters from Egglescliffe
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Soccer star returns to old school
BORO soccer star Robbie Stockdale went back to his old school to open its new library. The young Middlesbrough FC favourite reminisced about his schooldays with young fans at Errington Primary School, on Windy Hill Lane, Marske and told them about life
