Archive
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Local Heroes named in awards
LOCAL Heroes - The Northern Echo's grass roots sports supplement - has been highly commended in a national awards ceremony organised by The Newspaper Society. The weekly supplement, a salute to the unsung heroes of local sport, was commended in the Community
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North Yorkshire news in brief
Herriot centre revamp insight THE first stage of a £104,000 revamp of a flagship tourist attraction is to be unveiled to the public this Easter. The changes to Thirsk's World of James Herriot Centre are part of a five-year plan to expand the £1.4m museum
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Friarage is in national top twenty
THE Friarage Hospital at Northallerton has been rated one of the best in the country according to a new survey. The Good Hospital Guide in the Mail on Sunday newspaper gives the Friarage eight out of ten in its star rating. The mark puts the Friarage
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Youngsters support charity
SCHOOL CHILDREN have shown support for a hospice by raising £600. The 117 pupils of Portland Special School, Sunderland, raised the sum for the St Oswald's Hospice appeal through a week of fundraising activities. Yesterday, they rounded the week off by
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Tea leaves inflation index
THIS week we are mourning the official demise of one of Britain's great institutions: the traditional cup of tea. For decades, probably centuries, our ancestors have performed a quintessentially English ritual: loose tea in pot, pour on boiling water,
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Farmers accept defeat over inquiry
CAMPAIGNERS pressing for a full public inquiry into last year's foot-and-mouth epidemic have been urged to accept defeat. The call to move on from the catastrophic events of last year came from farmers in the region who are trying to lead a recovery in
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Farm prepares for invasion of cadets
A GROUP of cadets are joining in the battle to prepare a community farm for its yearly invasion of visitors. The cadets from the Port Clarence Detachment are rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty along with volunteers and staff from the
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Talking paper moves into new home
DELIGHTED volunteers from The Talking Newspaper in Darlington moved to a new home at the town's main newspaper offices last week. They had to leave their former Arts Centre home because of new legislation on disability access. But The Advertiser's parent
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Highlighting danger of wheelie-bin fires
PRIMARY schoolchildren looked on as two youngsters were "arrested" by police after setting fire to a wheelie bin. That was the scenario created by Durham County Fire and Rescue and Durham County Police authority to show year four pupils from schools in
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Model method to teach pupils
PRIMARY school youngsters are learning all about churches with the help of a new model. Retired steelworker John Jones, from Escomb, near Bishop Auckland, turned his hand to making toys for his grandchildren when he finished work. His creations were admired
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Asian seafood at centre of cancer scare
HEALTH officials are warning of a possible cancer risk from eating south-east Asian prawns and shrimps. Environmental health officers from Sunderland City Council have been visiting warehouses across the city to check for warm water prawns and shrimps
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Fast-food chain to serve up more jobs
FAST-FOOD restaurant chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) plans to create about 500 jobs in the North-East during the next three years. The chain plans to open about 15 restaurants on sites in Durham, Teesside and Tyneside. A spokesman for the group said
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Town keeps its bobbies where they belong
More police officers are to be kept pounding their beat in Darlington. Policing changes announced this week mean fewer officers will be pulled away from their designated beat to cover for absent colleagues. There are now 88 core officers in Darlington
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Artists create sundial
A NEW landmark was slowly emerging in countryside yesterday, thanks to the dedicated efforts of a group of artists. Residents of Alne, near Easingwold, were busy creating a sundial mosaic just outside the village. The artistic project came about after
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Just the time to get out into the country
SPRING is ushered in at what is becoming a hardy annual event hosted by countryside officers and volunteers. An afternoon of outdoor activities is lined up at Hetton Park, in Hetton-le-Hole on Saturday. There are games and stories, a treasure hunt for
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Digging deep in history
AN exhibition of work by children from east Cleveland primary schools has been opened at the Tom Leonard Mining Museum, in Skinningrove, on Tuesday. The display marks the culmination of work for 12 children who have been involved in a local history project
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Neale public inquiry bid fails
VICTIMS of bungling doctor Richard Neale have claimed that the truth would never be known after losing a court battle with the Government. Former patients had asked the High Court to overturn a decision by Health Secretary Alan Milburn to hold an investigation
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Skerne Park celebrates
CELEBRATIONS take place tomorrow to mark the successful regeneration of Skerne Park estate in Darlington. Highlights of the day will include the official openings of the UK Online Centre - by Darlington MP Alan Milburn - Skerne Park Toy Library and the
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Grassroots
EASTER SERVICES: The Easter services in Yarm Parish church are as follows: Sunday, March 24 (Palm Sunday) 8am Holy Communion and 10am Processional Service with blessing of the palms. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, March 25, 26 and 27, 7.30pm Holy communion
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Big demand for tourist guide
DERWENTSIDE District Council has produced a visitor guide for 2002 to meet the demand for more tourism literature covering the district. The council is distributing more than 6,000 copies of the guide - more than double that was produced last year. Demand
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Night Flight is worth support for openers
Winners look remarkably difficult to unearth on a traditionally tough opening day to the turf Flat season at Doncaster's Town Moor. Hard-nosed punters will be no doubt be keeping their powder dry until the form settles down, but for die-hard backers keen
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Extra £9m for council homes
COUNCIL tenants in Darlington are to benefit from a £9m overhaul of the authority's housing stock during the next financial year. A further £1m is also being made available for private house owners to make improvements to their homes. Darlington Borough
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Den's vision wins him a fortune
Who Wants to be a Millionaire? winner Den Hewitt knew what his eliminator question would be before he even got on the hit show. Civil servant Den, 42, walked away with £250,000 on Tuesday after being helped to his fortune by a spooky premonition. After
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Detective charged with pub indecent assault
A senior detective is due to appear before magistrates over an allegation that he indecently assaulted a woman in an off-duty incident in a pub. Detective Inspector Steve Richards has been moved to a non-operational post as a result of being charged.
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Things still looking up for Pool boss Turner
CHRIS Turner has never looked down - and his sights are firmly fixed on moving up. Tuesday night's comfortable win at Carlisle took Hartlepool United to within five points of a play-off spot and Turner's side entertain Macclesfield tomorrow night looking
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Emergency repairs to crash wall
HIGHWAY chiefs say a wall damaged when a car smashed into it will be repaired as soon as possible. The A167 at Ferryhill was closed to traffic early yesterday, after the accident. A car hit the wall, which overlooks the trunk road at Ferryhill cut, in
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Car designers of the future
PUPILS from Newton Aycliffe were challenged to create a futuristic car in a poster competition. Greenfield Community and Arts Centre hosted a family learning event on behalf of the Aycliffe Learning Town Partnership. As part of the event, youngsters were
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Job access for disabled study
A project has been set up to look at ways of improving access to job opportunities for disabled people in Redcar and Cleveland. Funded by the Redcar and Cleveland Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, it will gather information about the barriers that prevent people
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CCTV patrols for trouble spots
A SURVEILLANCE van is patrolling crime-plagued areas in a bid to make them safer. Police in Sunderland West have introduced a mobile closed-circuit television (CCTV) unit as part of their efforts to combat anti-social behaviour and youth disorder. Funded
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New art gallery is planned for town
DARLINGTON'S art gallery is to be moved to a bigger venue. The plan to open a new art gallery in Darlington and convert display space at the Crown Street library into a computer suite follows a lengthy campaign by Darlington Society of Arts. The group
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More arrests in drug dealer crackdown
THERE have been more arrests as a crackdown continues on Teesside's drug dealers. Nine people have been arrested for supplying drugs, four for possession of drugs and another three arrests for further offences which have come to light. Besides the arrests
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Grandchildren step out for mayor's civic fund
WHEN the Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland, Councillor Vilma Collins, needed a couple of young helpers to start a charity walk, she knew exactly where to go. She asked grandchildren Jonathan, nine, and Caitlin, four, to join her on the Topping Toddle, which
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Rail staff criticised over call to strike
TRAIN company Arriva last night accused unions representing its station and office staff of jumping the gun in calling new strike action. The Transport Salaried Staffs' Association and the RMT rail union plan two days of action next Wednesday and Thursday
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Tenants to decide on privatisation
COUNCIL tenants in Middlesbrough are being asked this week to consider plans to privatise their homes. The town's Labour-run council has been given the go-ahead by the Government to put forward proposals for transferring its housing stock into private
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Be bold and cut interest rate, says union chief
UNIONS and business leaders renewed their calls for fresh interest rate cuts after a sharp fall in earnings growth and a fall in unemployment. TUC general secretary John Monks said the Bank of England could afford to be bold and cut rates next month after
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Knife robbery charge
A MAN alleged to have robbed an assistant at knife-point at a high street travel agency appeared in court yesterday . Peter Scorer, 31, of Hadrian Road, Fenham, Newcastle, appeared before Durham Crown Court, charged with the robbery at Going Places, in
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Businesses go back to school desk
BUSINESSES in the region have been going back to school to help nurture tomorrow's leaders. Following recent concerns about educational standards and lack of skills among school leavers, more than 35 firms attended the North-East Chamber of Commerce's
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Business news in brief
Kingfisher shake-up poser RETAIL company Kingfisher remained tight-lipped about plans to shake up its DIY and electrical businesses, as it reported a five per cent rise in annual pre-tax profits. Chief executive Sir Geoffrey Mulcahy said the group, which
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Full steam ahead as garden prepares to re-open
A SPRING cleaning marathon is under way at one of the jewels in the National Trust crown, as staff get ready to re-open in the wake of the foot-and-mouth crisis. Beningbrough Hall and Gardens, near York, endured a disastrous visitor season last year as
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Music group sour note with axing of jobs
MUSIC group EMI is cutting 1,800 jobs as part of a restructuring of its troubled recorded music division. EMI said the majority of the positions will already have been gone by the end of this month. The remainder are to go by September. The division,
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Agency focuses on tax disc dodgers
CAR tax dodgers in the North-East are waking up today to the realisation that the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has got their number. Mobile cameras have caught 109 unlicensed vehicles across Teesside in the first two days of a region-wide
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Grassroots
RIVER CONCERN Residents attending the meeting drew attention to the rapidly deteriorating condi-tion of the River Leven through the town. Suggestions were put forward for improvements. The main criticisms came from the Levenside Association, which was
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£1.4m move to help dance bid
NEWCASTLE'S DanceCity, the National Dance Agency for the North, has been given £1.4m to move it a step closer to the aim of opening a £4.6m dance centre by 2004. The leader of Newcastle City Council, Councillor Tony Flynn, said: "DanceCity is an important
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Pensioner calls on people with adventurous spirit
PEOPLE in the region are being urged to follow in the footsteps of a pensioner who trekked in the Himalayas for charity. John Hassan, 72, from Guisborough, climbed the Himalayas and travelled through Nepal to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation
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Island officials' school update
A DELEGATION of Government officials from Jersey visited the region yesterday for a regular update on the development of a new school. The five officials landed at Teesside International Airport before making their way to Rye Hills School, in Redcar,
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Anger at 'hijacked' cancer cash
NEW improved treatment for lung cancer patients has been put on hold in the region because cash earmarked for cancer services has been diverted elsewhere in the NHS, it was revealed last night. A year ago, Health Secretary Alan Milburn was at Newcastle
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Comment from The Northern Echo; Where's the money gone?
A YEAR ago, Alan Milburn made front page news when, in Newcastle, he announced £100m of new money to make cancer care in the North-East the envy of the world. A year on, it is extremely disappointing to hear that some of that money may never have arrived
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River cruiser steams back into business
AFTER a year becalmed by foot-and-mouth restrictions, a river boat is cruising back into business. The Teesside Princess was hit when sections of its route along the Tees, between Stockton and Yarm, were closed because of the disease restrictions. As
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Calling David Attenborough
T J Hooker (C5) THERE'S a lot to say about this 1980s US police series - most of it is bad. I'd forgotten just how dreadful it was, although it does get you wondering what kind of furry animal has made its nest on William Shatner's head. My guess would
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New role to address anti-social problems
THE issues surrounding why bored youngsters are wreaking havoc in an east Cleveland village are to be addressed, thanks to the appointment of an outreach worker. The worker has not been identified yet, but Brotton Community Forum has been given almost
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Husband, 92, and wife, 96, robbed by conmen
AN elderly couple fell foul of callous doorstep conmen posing as water board engineers. Police have appealed for information following the latest heartless distraction burglary, in which a 92-year-old man and his 96-year-old housebound wife were the inadvertent
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Teesside news in brief
Maths students earn top marks COLLEGE students are celebrating after achieving 100 per cent marks in a pure mathematics AS module. The 11 pupils, from Prior Pursglove College, Guisborough, sat the exam in January, six months earlier than usual. The students
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Youngsters show off their bonny bonnets
CHILDREN donned traditional Easter bonnets while their parents turned their hand to the long-time craft of Easter egg decoration at Annfield Plain Infant School yesterday. It was all part of the school's Spring Thing event at which parents compete for
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North Durham and Tyneside news in brief
Pub plan is hit by design snag Plans for a £1.6m Wetherspoons pub, in Front Street, Consett has hit a snag. The chain has applied to Derwentside District Council for permission to use a grey concrete roof tile called Marley Modern. But principal planning
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Hear all sides
COUNCIL TAX YOUR table showing the council tax increase in the North-East made interesting reading (Echo, Mar 16). It shows just how badly affairs are run in Durham with increases twice the rate of other unitary authorities. What is even more telling
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Crackdown reduces burglaries
A POLICE operation to hunt down thieves in the east of Newcastle resulted in a sharp fall in burglaries. Operation Hunter, set up by Newcastle East Area Command to tackle burglaries in Heaton, Sandyford and Jesmond Vale, lasted four weeks, during which
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Community hospital unveiled
DALES people who once feared they would lose their community hospital celebrated the opening of a £1m new one yesterday. Weardale Community Hospital, which replaces Horn Hall, in Stanhope, offers long-term and respite care for 20 elderly and convalescing
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High note for music student after selection for national youth theatre
A NORTH-East student has been selected to become a member of the National Youth Musical Theatre. Fourteen-year-old Beth Purvis will make her debut with the company at the Newcastle Theatre Royal during the summer holidays. Beth, a pupil at Hurworth Comprehensive
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Go-ahead for controversial works of art
WORKS of art which have divided a seaside town have been given the go-ahead. Yesterday, councillors agreed to the installation of two 12ft stainless steel sculptures at Saltburn, at a cost of £23,000. A figure of Saltburn's founding father, Henry Pease
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Tola proves top dog again
A BREEDER is back at home in Richmond after scooping another top prize at Crufts. Roy Bebbington was delighted when Tola, a vizsla, won as a young dog at the nation's top show last year. But Mr Bebbington, an ambulance paramedic, knew she was up against
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'It's the island life for me'
SEAMUS McSporran, gloriously named and extravagantly bearded, was long extolled in the Guinness Book as Britain's hardest worker - none of the six days shalt about Seamus. His 14 jobs - sub-postmaster, guest house owner, special constable, fireman, ambulanceman
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Passion plays tour churches
THOMAS Frere takes on the role of Jesus in a production of traditional Easter plays to be performed at churches across North Yorkshire. North Country Theatre and director Nobby Dimon have earned a reputation for wacky takes on big budget shows. Recent
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Top band set to play
A WORLD famous brass band is to perform in Newton Aycliffe at an event to raise money for local hospices. It has taken more than two years for the town's Rotary Club to book the Grimethorpe UK Coal Band, one of the world's leading brass bands. The concert
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Magpies on the ball with profits
NEWCASTLE United claim to be looking to the future with confidence following a "strong six months" which saw them generate an operating profit as well as continue to challenge for the Barclaycard Premiership title. The Magpies' push for the championship
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Parents are the Weakest Link. Goodbye...
SO there we were, in a seminar room in the Social Sciences department at the University of Warwick , about 20 of us, parents and children gathered round a horseshoe shaped table, eager to see how the department would sell itself to our bright and eager
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Ex-stammerer takes to the airwaves in triumph
PRESENTING the Action Line bulletins on BBC Radio York was a triumph for 37-year-old Paul Bond. Until January this year, he would not have been able to do it because of a stammer which prevented him from even ordering a take-away. But, thanks to therapy
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Fun day for toddlers and parents
TODDLERS' groups and parents with young children are being invited to a fun day aimed at helping people access funding and resources. A host of activities, including soft play, messy play and baby massaging, will feature at the event at Spennymoor Community
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Down the hatch
REAL ale fans downed 4,000 pints between them at Darlington Beer Festival, organised by the Campaign for Real Ale alongside the Spring Thing folk festival. The event was held at the Arts Centre between Thursday and Sunday and attracted beer lovers from
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Councillor calls for rethink on warehouse permission
A COUNCILLOR says a year-old warehouse should never have been built and is calling for its planning permission to be reconsidered. Councillor Chris Foote Wood wants the original plans for a showroom and warehouse belonging to National Masonry to be called
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£2m that says N-E is simply the best
DEVELOPMENT chiefs were last night mapping out the detail of an ambitious £2m drive to boost the region's image. After unveiling the Here.Now campaign on Tuesday a delegation from the region flew to Brussels to brief MEPs. Regional development agency
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My corner of a foreign field
This month is the anniversary of teh First World War battle of Neuve Chapelle. Gavin Engelbrecht traces the life of his great-grandfather who fell on the first day of the offensive. SEARCHING the stark wall, I don't quite know how to respond. Panel after
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Gentle classes in the art of keeping fit
NEW classes in tai chi and gentle exercise are to start shortly at the Pioneering Care Centre, in Newton Aycliffe. The classes will be held at the centre, at Cobbler's Hall, off Burn Lane, on Thursday mornings next month. They will be led by qualified
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Hammer blow for sex-taunt joiner
A joiner will not get a penny in compensation from her National Lottery millionaire boss after enduring two years of sex taunts at work. Michelle Goulden, 24, combined her work as a carpenter for a firm owned by £1.6m jackpot winner Brian Hicks with part-time
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Inner-cities will become wastlands without investment
The Government has been warned that hundreds of millions of pounds of public cash needs to be invested to prevent northern inner-cities becoming desolate wastelands. An official report by a Labour-dominated committee of MPs amounts to a devastating attack
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Meningitis victim Kim leads campaign for immunisation
A FORMER student who lost both her legs to a killer infection is backing a new campaign to protect young adults from a similar fate. Kim Galvin was only 25 when she was suddenly struck down by the deadly C strain of meningitis. "I didn't know much about
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Chess pieces move nearer
GIANT chess pieces to brighten up Bishop Auckland's main shopping street should be in place by summer. Artist Richard Broderick's designs for seats, bins and bollards are inspired by the Prince Bishops who once ruled from Auckland Castle. The knight and
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Winning couple
DOG lover Margaret Robson is celebrating after her pet won best in breed in the most famous dog show in the world. The 59-year-old, from Newton Aycliffe, has trained dogs for most of her life and was delighted to come away from Crufts with the best in
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Limited carcasses dumping to resume
AN investigation into the effects of burying foot-and-mouth carcasses at a waste tip in County Durham has been completed. Now, the investigation group, including technicians from the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the
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Bootleg goods cost shops dearly
Bootleg cigarettes and alcohol are costing North-East shopkeepers up to £56,000 a year in lost sales, new figures have revealed. The illegal trade is hitting the region the hardest and confirms its position as Britain's biggest market for smuggled contraband
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Man who would be mayor wants to net your ideas
RAY MALLON is taking to the information superhighway in his quest to be mayor of Middlesbrough. The former head of Middlesbrough CID launches his election website today at www.raymallon.co.uk. Mr Mallon, who resigned from Cleveland Police last month after
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Young actors premiere set of plays
THE world premiere of a set of commissioned short plays has been held at Witham Hall, in Barnard Castle. The Turrets, which is the youth section of the town's amateur dramatics group the Castle Players, have been working with three other youth theatres
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Mother jailed following abduction
A mother of eight was today jailed for two years for orchestrating the abduction of a young girl to keep her away from social services. Child welfare campaigner Penny Mellor, who had denied a charge of conspiracy to abduct a child, was the ''Svengali'
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Parents are the Weakest Link. Goodbye...
SO there we were, in a seminar room in the Social Sciences department at the University of Warwick , about 20 of us, parents and children gathered round a horseshoe shaped table, eager to see how the department would sell itself to our bright and eager
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Sport Relief is appealing
A CHARITY golf day with a difference is being planned for Harrogate to raise money in aid of Sport Relief, the joint appeal campaign between BBC Sport and Comic Relief. The Sport Relief golf day takes place at Rudding Park golf course, on the outskirts
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Zoe hits the pop star trail on national tour
POP princess Zoe Birkett wowed thousands of fans as she took to the stage for her biggest performance to date. The 16-year-old, of Welbeck Avenue, Darlington, joined fellow Pop Idol contestants for two concerts at Wembley Arena. The former Carmel College
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Driver banned after crash
A DRINK-DRIVER left a bridge badly damaged while driving at night for the first time in two years. Housewife Linn Carter helped the PTA at her children's school take down the Christmas decorations, a court heard yesterday. When Carter went to Belmont
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Currency case man in custody
A MAN has admitted handling thousands of pounds worth of foreign currency stolen in an armed robbery at a travel agency earlier this year. Stephen Walton, 34, of Sheriff Hill, Gateshead, appeared at Durham Crown Court yesterday when he denied robbing
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Campaign to catch tax dodgers nets first victim
A regional blitz on tax-dodging motorists has already claimed its first victim. Earlier this week, drivers were warned they risk having their vehicle clamped and towed away if found without a relevant tax disc. And that's exactly what happened to a 23
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Pilot's heroism honoured in name of housing estate
ON a clear spring night in 1944, Alan Mitcheson witnessed a sight that was to haunt his life. From the darkened skies above his bedroom window, a Halifax bomber came hurtling into view. The most terrible noise shattered the peace - and the aircraft began
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Edward and Sophie launch Tyneside job scheme
The Earl and Countess of Wessex today visited a scheme which aims to boost young people's chances of getting a job after they leave school. The couple, on one of their first full official visits since they announced they would devote their time to Royal
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Viscount was a champion of rural way of life
VISCOUNT Downe, one of the region's biggest landowners and a champion of rural life, has died aged 67. A godson of King George V, he was the 11th viscount and an independent member of North Yorkshire County Council for 17 years. Viscount Downe was a long-serving
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Franck talking needed
FRENCHMAN Franck Queudrue's hopes of signing for Middlesbrough on a permanent basis rests on the two clubs reaching agreement over a transfer fee. Queudrue, on loan from RC Lens until the end of the season, has played a major part in Boro's rise up the
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Tourists warned about criminals
Tourists returning to the countryside for the first time since the foot-and-mouth crisis have become easy prey for criminals, police warned last night. Some sightseers have even been left stranded after a spate of car thefts in North Yorkshire tourist
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Event helps with plans for big day
ONE of the region's most picturesque locations hosts The Northern Echo's Bride and Groom 2002 Exhibition this weekend. Leading models will step out in the latest wedding day fashions and more than 40 exhibitors will be displaying their goods at Sunday's
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Darlington and South Durham news in brief
Thieves target neighbours BURGLARS have targeted neighbouring homes in the Hummersknott area of Darlington. The raids were in St Hild Close overnight on Tuesday. Thieves stole silver ornaments and cut-glass items. Anyone with information is asked to contact
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Pupils meet their French pen pals
PUPILS at a Darlington school are playing host to a group of students from a school in France as part of an ongoing exchange programme. The foreign students, currently visiting Eastbourne School, are from the Amiens area of France and are staying with
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Time for Trust between Quakers' warring factions
IN the aftermath of one the most controversial periods in Darlington's history and following a nine-game winless run, the club and its supporters have been urged to come together "to move the club forward". The Darlington Supporters' Trust, formed six
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Gentle classes in the art of keeping fit
NEW classes in tai chi and gentle exercise are to start shortly at the Pioneering Care Centre, in Newton Aycliffe. The classes will be held at the centre, at Cobbler's Hall, off Burn Lane, on Thursday mornings next month. They will be led by qualified
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New start after year of sadness
ONE of the region's most popular children's show farms will reopen its gates to the public this Saturday - exactly one year to the day after losing its animals to foot-and-mouth disease. Hall Hill Farm, near Lanchester, County Durham, will be officially
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Helping youngsters of area - at the double
A COUPLE are putting their Army backgrounds to use in helping youngsters in east Cleveland. John Hart is a former Green Howard who helped to run the Saltburn branch of the Army cadets. And, when he took over the Redcar branch, he knew just the right person
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Sex-in-the-bushes woman could be a man
THE mystery surrounding a woman who has been offering sex to men walking their dogs along a footpath took a bizarre twist yesterday. Police confirmed that it is possible that the person they are seeking - who has so far asked six men for sex in nearby
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Boost for fireworks ban campaigner
A SHOPKEEPER campaigning for tougher laws on fireworks has received a boost to her campaign. Pearl Hall, who launched her bid after a terrifying incident in her own shop, has been invited to tell senior civil servants why she wants a ban on the sale of
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Chance to enjoy sea exploration
YOUNGSTERS can explore the mysteries of the deep at a Teesside museum this Easter. The Kirkleatham Old Hall Museum, in Redcar, is also hosting two shows - The Dove of Love, featuring tricks and experiments and a musical, Shipwrecked. Other events are
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Firm hits tote jackpot
A DARLINGTON firm has won a £100,000 contract to install a new state-of-the-art tote at Brough Park. The flourishing Tyneside track has awarded the prestigious contract to Advanced Totes, which has been established by Paul Simpson, and Brough Park managing
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New name and a new objective
NEWLY-NAMED Middlesbrough AC (Mandale) is hoping to play a leading part in raising finance for the £5m modernisation of Clairville Stadium, which it shares with local rivals Middlesbrough and Cleveland Harriers. The name change - from Mandale Harriers
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Hopetown Park has its first tenant
THE Tees Valley jobs market looks set to receive a boost with the announcement that investment and development company Gort has attracted the first tenant to Hopetown Park, in Darlington. The National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) - the government
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Elderly man sparks rescue operation
A PENSIONER who was seen wandering aimlessly around fields has sparked a major search and rescue operation. Police officers were joined by 31 members of the Cleveland Search and Rescue Team as they tried to track down the elderly man, who was wearing
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Public gets say on care plan
PROPOSALs for a major shake-up of cancer and orthopaedic services in the North Tees area are to be discussed at a series of public meetings during the coming weeks. The North Tees and Hartlepool health trust, which provides services at the University
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Doubt over junction road signs
A CALL has been made for improvements to signposting at a junction in the region where a motorcyclist died in a collision. An inquest was told on Tuesday that the junction might not have been immediately obvious to 28-year-old Neil James Hughes as he
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Community groups invited to attract funding for villages
COMMUNITY groups and parish councils in the A1 corridor area of Richmondshire are invited to a meeting to look at attracting funding to boost services in villages. The meeting at Scorton Village Hall at 7pm on Monday, has been organised by the Community
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DJ puts TV soap ordeal behind her
DURHAM comic and Radio Cleveland DJ Sue Sweeney has landed a regional slot on the BBC's night network. Ms Sweeney's hopes of being selected for TV soap Emmerdale, through ITV's Soapstars contest, were dashed in the final stages. Now, she is bouncing back
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Hopes to keep railway redevelopment on track
CAMPAIGNERS are hoping to breathe new life into one of the oldest stations on the Wensleydale railway. The Wensleydale Railway Association bought Leeming Bar station, on the remaining 22-mile line between Northallerton and Redmire, from its private owners
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Court told of hit-and-run on grass bank
THE first police officer at an accident scene, where a man was injured in a hit-and-run collision as he lay on a grass embankment, told a court yesterday how a man suspected of being the driver tried to help after the crash. Paul Rumney was hit by a blue
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Man is cleared of raping teenager
A DEFENDANT who was cleared of rape was warned by the judge yesterday never to take advantage of a young woman again. Carl Chambers, 36, walked free after his trial was stopped for lack of evidence at the end of the prosecution case which alleged that
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Ex-mayor calls for action over Neale
A FORMER mayor who wants the authorities to use health and safety legislation against disgraced surgeon Richard Neale has made an appeal to the Crown Prosecution Service. John Bacon, who was mayor of Northallerton in 1983, has already written to North
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Darlington and South Durham news in brief
Street name proposals Developers have put forward five suggestions for names for two new streets, comprising 93 houses, in the Cobblers Hall area of Newton Aycliffe. The suggestions are: Hallcroft Gardens, Elder Grove, Ashtree Close, Millwood Close and
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Durham deny link with Lara
AN astonishing claim by West Indian legend Brian Lara that he is in talks with Durham about playing for them in August was yesterday denied by the county. Queenslander Martin Love is returning to Durham for a second season and will be available for the
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School for budding pop idols
BUDDING pop idols on Teesside can find out how to become the next Will Young at a free music school. The New Generation Pop and DJ School, run by music agency Generator, will be at The Cornerhouse, Exchange Place, Middlesbrough, next week. Youngsters
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And they're off
A HOSPICE is holding an Evening at the Races at a North-East course. Proceeds from the event, at Sedgefield on May 3, will help Hartlepool and District Hospice build a hospice including ten single rooms, therapy and day facilities. Firms or people wishing
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£120m shopping revamp
REDEVELOPMENT plans for a key regional shopping centre took another step closer to realisation yesterday. Newcastle City Council cabinet members gave approval in principle for a £120m revamp of the Eldon Square complex in the city centre. Provisional
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Tsarina's letter to be kept in North-East
A letter sent by the last Tsarina of Russia, one of history's most tragic figures, was delivered to the region for safe-keeping today. The faded document - which was sent over 90 years ago - reveals more about the unlikely connection between the Princess
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Residents in campaign to preserve playing fields site
RESIDENTS who fought to save a piece of land from developers are putting together proposals to make it into a park. Plans to build on the Bulgarth, off Station Road in old Billingham, were rejected by councillors at the beginning of the month. The site
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MPs' clash shows party split over police
AN extraordinary row has broken out between two of Teesside's Labour MPs, showing how deeply the party is split about its handling of Cleveland Police. Angry Stockton North MP Frank Cook has accused his Parliamentary colleague Ashok Kumar of making "foolhardy
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£1.5m released to improve life in region with pathfinder scheme
PLANS to improve the quality of life in some of the most deprived North-East communities were given a boost yesterday with the unlocking of millions of pounds in Government cash. Regeneration Minister Sally Keeble visited the region to unveil the latest
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Celebration of efforts to give estate new life
A FULL day of events and activities is being held to mark the successful regeneration of a Darlington estate. The celebration to showcase the work of the Skerne Park Partnership will take place at various venues on the estate tomorrow. Highlights of the
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Pensioner's blaze ordeal
A PENSIONER was pulled semi-conscious from her home after a fire broke out yesterday. Fire officers rescued Brenda Liddle, 78, from her house in Grange Park Avenue, Fulwell, Sunderland, following a call from a neighbour. The neighbour was alerted to the
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Unions urge rejection of pay offer
ALLEGATIONS of a growing pay gap between councillors and council workers have been rejected. Unions representing more than a million council workers, including cleaners and administrative staff, are urging that a three per cent pay rise on offer to them
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£2.5m complex may provide care for elderly residents
A MULTI-MILLION pound scheme to provide extra care for elderly people in North Yorkshire was unveiled yesterday. Work on a complex, providing flats for residents of a care home in Stokesley, could get under way in the next year after county council bosses
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Emergency repairs to crash wall
HIGHWAY chiefs say a wall damaged when a car smashed into it will be repaired as soon as possible. The A167 at Ferryhill was closed to traffic early yesterday, after the accident. A car hit the wall, which overlooks the trunk road at Ferryhill cut, in
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Plan to lauch East Cleveland as tourist spot
A hidden gem could soon be developed to become the new tourism mecca of the region. While most people in the North-East and North Yorkshire think to head to the North York Moors, the Dales, Durham or Whitby for a day out, plans are afoot to develop rural
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Jobs at Orange safe
Executives at communications giant Orange believe the jobs of call centre staff in the North-East are safe despite the maturity of the mobile phone industry. While the majority of calls to helplines are made during the initial stages of mobile phone ownership
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Car designers of the future
PUPILS from Newton Aycliffe were challenged to create a futuristic car in a poster competition. Greenfield Community and Arts Centre hosted a family learning event on behalf of the Aycliffe Learning Town Partnership. As part of the event, youngsters were
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Award for students
Six pupils at Longfield School, Darlington, are to receive the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Award after winning £10,000 of improvements for their school yard in the Shepherd Schools Challenge, run by Shepherd Construction. The students are: Daniel
