Archive
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Gold medal win for black pudding
THE fame of Thirsk's black pudding is spreading. Duncan Haigh, 34, has won a gold medal award at a competition in Normandy, France, at his first attempt. Doreen's Black Pudding, named after Mr Haigh's mother, has already won many awards. But the family
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Traders angry over Queen's visit 'causing disruption'
ANGRY traders are criticising "over-zealous" security plans for the Queen's jubilee visit next month. Market traders and businesses around the Market Place, in Darlington, say they could lose thousands of pounds worth of business when the Royal party
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Victory for killer Mary Bell over secret life
INFAMOUS schoolgirl killer Mary Bell yesterday won a court victory in her battle to protect her new life with her teenage daughter. They were granted a temporary order banning the media from identifying them. Bell - who in 1968 choked to death Martin
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Residents asked 'to keep an eye' on revellers
PEOPLE opposed to a new nightclub in Billingham have been asked to monitor anti-social behaviour at the venue - by councillors who approved the plans. Members of Stockton Borough Council's licensing committee yesterday granted an amended entertainments
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Ferry and bus link aims to draw tourists
A BUS company and a ferry operator have joined forces to cater for visitors to the region. In a joint venture by Go North East and DFDS Seaways, the bus company has bought four double-decker buses bearing the ferry operator's livery. The aim is to provide
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Good service earns praise
DURHAM County Council's economic regeneration efforts have won praise from a financial watchdog. The Audit Commission has given the Labour-run authority's economic development and regeneration service a two-star or 'good' rating. Inspectors say the authority
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Tributes to teacher
TRIBUTES have been paid to a popular teacher who died in a tragic accident on Monday night. Barbara Ramshaw's car hit a lamp post on the A689 in High West Road, Crook, as she drove from her home in Fir Tree to call for her sister Joyce Charlton. Mrs Ramshaw
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Goodbye to Mummy's little boy
Boro fans look away now... Smaller Son was 18 on Sunday. My baby. Gulp. It seems only yesterday that he was born, nearly making his arrival in John Robinsons's butcher's shop in Great Smeaton. Never underestimate early influences - he's been the family's
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Killer's attempt to clear his name
A CONVICTED murderer has launched a bid to clear his name with the support of human rights barrister and North-East MP Vera Baird. Tony Bottrill was jailed for life in December 2000 for the shotgun murder of drug dealer Bryan Scott. But the martial arts
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Budget update: Tax breaks for low polluters
Gordon Brown has unveiled a £55 cut in the licence fee for the least polluting vans. There will be a £30 cut for the least polluting cars and £35 for the least polluting motorcycles. During his Budget speech, the Chancellor added that capital allowances
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Budget update: NI increases
Taxes will rise to boost the National Health Service, Chancellor Gordon Brown has announced. National Insurance payments will rise by 1% on all earnings above £4,600, the chancellor told a packed House of Commons. He said the extra money for the NHS would
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Red Cross's SOS team needs help
A SCHEME that provides help for people whose homes are destroyed by fire is launching a recruitment drive. County Durham's Fire Victim Service, which has been operated by the County Durham and Teesside branch of the Red Cross since 1994, is on the look-out
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John North
On a clear day, you can almost see the future EVERY time it rained heavily, the eight streets they called The Hollow were likely to flood. When they did, everyone was in the same boat. Nor was a permanently high water mark the only problem. Whole terraces
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Suspicion over cash for health
Health workers in the region have given a qualified welcome to the Chancellor's extra billions. While the commitment to pour extra funds into the NHS was well received, concern was expressed about how the money would be used. The strongest reservations
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Brother and sister earn thanks
A BROTHER and sister's devotion to working with young people through the Salvation Army has been rewarded. Alan Turner and Joyce Snell, who attend the Salvation Army in Cross Street, Shildon, have both received certificates of appreciation for their service
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Court told of child sex abuse doubt
A PSYCHIATRIST told a High Court libel trial that anxiety about being separated from a parent was the more likely reason for many behaviours exhibited by some children from a North-East nursery. Dr Hamish Clark Cameron said his opinion was 90:10 in favour
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New ways with waste
A MAJOR new recycling initiative will be launched across Hambleton at the end of this month. Kerbside collections of waste paper will come to over 19,000 homes in the entire district from April 29 after a successful pilot scheme in Thirsk. Residents will
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After thrill of the marathon it's back to racing
RACECOURSE boss Chris Tetley is used to being in the thick of competition, but he's still recovering from his most gruelling event yet. As the managing director and clerk of the course at Thirsk he knows all there is to know about the stamina required
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Show-time returns as farming begins long fight back
LIVESTOCK classes at the premier event in the North's agricultural calendar are expected to be as full and popular as ever this year. Last year, the Great Yorkshire Show was cancelled after foot-and-mouth disease brought the movement of animals to a standstill
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Cartoon help from expert
PUPILS are to get expert help on a peacekeeping mission. Viz cartoonist Steve Donald will help pupils at Joseph Swan School, in Low Fell, Gateshead, to design a leaflet. Its purpose is to help young people handle consumer issues, or discussions with parents
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Angler's boot looted as he sat in vehicle
A fisherman was left reeling when thieves stole equipment from the boot of his car as he sat inside the vehicle. The man had been fishing in the River Tees at Darlington and returned to the Broken Scar picnic site where he loaded angling equipment into
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Council accolade over regeneration
DURHAM County Council's economic regeneration efforts have won praise from a financial watchdog. The Audit Commission has given the Labour-run authority's economic development and regeneration service a two-star, or "good", rating. Inspectors said the
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Woman sentenced in GPs' surgery prescriptions case
AN assistant at a doctors' surgery pocketed cash which patients had handed over for their prescriptions, a court heard yesterday. Dawn Brooks, who has previously admitted a total of nine charges while working at the Lambert Medical Centre, Thirsk, was
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Work under way on hospice for babies
BUILDING work has begun on the first hospice in the North-East for terminally-ill babies. Zoe's Place for Special Babies will receive its first four patients at the former Crossbeck convent, Normanby, near Middlesbrough, in late summer. At a progress
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Drugs blamed for teenager's death
A 'lovely and pleasant' teenage girl has died in a suspected drugs tragedy. Karen Harland, 19, who police said came from a highly respectable home in Chester-le-Street, was found unconscious at her boyfriend's home on Saturday morning. Paramedics were
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Go-ahead urged for housing scheme
A SCHEME to build 22 homes seems likely to get the go-ahead at Whitby, despite opposition from residents. Barratt York is seeking permission from Scarborough Borough Council to build the estate at Upper Bauldbyes, Prospect Hill, Whitby, but the town council
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Charity forms meet a soggy end
YATES the black labrador was in the dog house after he almost put paid to a disabled organisation's bid for charitable status. Disability Action in Richmondshire spent years wading through complex documents and eventually completed the final application
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Our man on the terraces
TONY Blair was in the bath when I arrived. How clean he came will be fully revealed in our interview which will be published on May 1 to mark his fifth anniversary in power. Whenever people hear I'm going to meet Mr Blair, they are always intrigued about
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Invitation issued for town's jubilee walk
RESIDENTS of Richmond are being invited to take part in a jubilee walk around the town. The four-mile trek, on Tuesday, June 4, will start from the town hall at 9am with a civic procession and be led by the town pinder, Bob Chandler, and the bannerman
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Weather drives Endeavour into stormy seas
A SHIP retracing the steps of Captain Cook has been thrown off course by bad weather. A replica of Cook's ship Endeavour, which is en route from Fremantle, Western Australia to Whitby, North Yorkshire, was due to reach Cape Horn, at the tip of South America
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New beds will ease the pressure
HIGH-TECH electric hospital beds are being used in the region for the first time. The beds, which can help to reduce the danger of pressure sores, can be controlled by the patient through a handset. Following a survey which showed that about a quarter
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Murder inquiry probe finishes
A COMPLAINTS investigation which resulted from a controversial murder inquiry is due to be wound up in the next few months. The investigation began after it emerged that police had illegally bugged five men said to have been involved in the murder of
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Good service earns praise
DURHAM County Council's economic regeneration efforts have won praise from a financial watchdog. The Audit Commission has given the Labour-run authority's economic development and regeneration service a two-star or 'good' rating. Inspectors say the authority
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Widow calls for help
THE family of a diver who died in an industrial accident are hoping to trace a man who may have information useful to an 18-month investigation into what happened. Gary Miller was working on an underwater construction project at London's Canary Wharf
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Health trust tenants get to the point
A NEW tenant has taken possession of premises at Lingfield Point, in Darlington. South Durham Healthcare NHS Trust has taken a 15-year lease on a 28,000sq ft building within the Darlington complex, which it will use to house a health records centre for
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Mayor contender pledges to work for better society
MIDDLESBROUGH mayoral contender Jeff Fowler does not just want to improve the town - he also wants to change the country. The 52-year-old Socialist Alliance candidate, from Lin-thorpe, is an anti-capitalist, trade unionist and environmentalist who believes
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US slowdown hits WH Smith profits
NEWSAGENT and distribution group WH Smith posted a slump in half-year profits after being dragged down by tough trading in the US. The group, which operates shops in hotels and airports in the US, has been rocked by the country's economic slowdown. It
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£50,000 innovation grant paves way to improved Flex-Ability
PRINTED circuit board manufacturer Flex-Ability is turning around its fortunes after overhauling its production facilities. Flexible and innovation management, as well as new working procedures, have been at the heart of a programme to ensure the survival
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Fight Your Corner
FRENCH DERBY possible Fight Your Corner (2.20) has the class to make a winning reappearance in the Fielden Stakes at Newmarket. As a regular work-watcher on Middleham Low Moor, I have been very taken by the way Mark Johnston's three-year-old has been
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Arrests made in fish supper murder case
Police have arrested two suspects in connection with a grandmother's murder for a fish supper. Marie Watson, 77, died on Saturday after she was mugged between Gill's fish and chip shop, in Heaton, Newcastle, and her nearby Spencer Street home, on April
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News in brief: Bishop drops in at new hall
THE Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, the Right Reverend Ambrose Griffiths, dropped in at the opening of a community hall at St Anne's Church, in Pennywell, Sunderland, yesterday. Bishop Ambrose said the hall had been converted from classrooms attached
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Grassroots: Road problem may be solved
Sowerby Parish Council A SOLUTION to the problem of heavy goods vehicles crashing into Blakey Bridge, Sowerby, is to be costed. Councillor Don Cartridge designed a simple way of solving the problem of large lorries turning into the lane from the main
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Sex shop plan faces protests
A METHODIST minister has criticised plans to open a sex shop close to his church. The Rev Alan Coates, of Bondgate Methodist Church, Darlington, has opposed plans by a Leeds-based company to open a sex shop in Bondgate. Principal Enterprise Ltd, which
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Manufacturing sector recovering
Britain's beleaguered manufacturing sector is beginning to recover, with sales, orders and confidence bouncing back, according to the British Chambers of Commerce. Manufacturing has been hit hard over the last year by the slowdown in the global economy
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Show promises to be a 'belter'
MEMBERS of the Consett, Blackhill and Shotley Bridge Amateur Players are thanking their lucky stars at the choice of their latest production which is staged at the Consett Empire next week. The Players had a major stroke of luck when they were granted
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Independence for Halfords with Boots demerger plan
HEALTH and beauty chain Boots is due to demerge its garage business, Halfords. Speculation had been growing in the City for some time that Nottingham company Boots would spin out the car parts and bicycle business, which it has always said was not a core
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On a clear day, you can almost see the future
EVERY time it rained heavily, the eight streets they called The Hollow were likely to flood. When they did, everyone was in the same boat. Nor was a permanently high water mark the only problem. Whole terraces, the column observed three years ago, were
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Aussies call the shots for Yorkshire
Yorkshire have been a ship without a captain as they have set sail towards their defence of the County Championship title. With coach Wayne Clark at the helm since their pre-season tour of Grenada, they have not been entirely rudderless, but all aboard
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Village historians praised
THE contribution of Sedgefield Local History Group to the dig has been praised. Group members did much of the ground work for the excavations that led specialists from Channel 4's Time Team to unearth the Roman village at Hardwick Park. Durham County
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Blue Circle delegation faces bitter disappointment
A gruelling journey by campaigners fighting to save a doomed cement works ended in bitter disappointment today when the senior manager responsible for the closure refused to meet the delegation in Paris. The defiant crusade by friends and relatives of
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Durham hoping for a winter's tale of success
ALL eyes will be on Paul Collingwood, Stephen Harmison and Nicky Peng this season to see how they have benefited from winter work which has gone far beyond simply batting and bowling. While Collingwood's success with the England one-day squad is well-documented
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Family left devastated by drug tragedy
THE MOTHER of a bright teenager described how she tried in vain to get her daughter off heroin before it killed her. Catherine Longstaff, 15, had been on the verge of sitting her GCSE exams and pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor when her mother found
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House of Fraser creates jobs
House of Fraser is creating 100 new jobs at its flagship store at the MetroCentre. Metrojobs, part of the JobCentre Plus network, is carrying out recruitment work for the store. The job creation follows the store being awarded the "store of the year award
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Mum at Large
Goodbye to Mummy's little boy Boro fans look away now... Smaller Son was 18 on Sunday. My baby. Gulp. It seems only yesterday that he was born, nearly making his arrival in John Robinsons's butcher's shop in Great Smeaton. Never underestimate early influences
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Skips service threatened by asbestos find
A SERVICE enabling allotment holders in Ferryhill to get rid of their rubbish could be in jeopardy after asbestos was found dumped in a skip. Every year Ferryhill Town Council places skips on each of the seven allotment sites it manages. The scheme allows
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Prison staff find drugs in health food
POLICE are investigating an attempt to smuggle heroin concealed in health food into a top security prison in the North-East. Prison officers at Durham's Frankland Jail discovered 41 grammes of the drug hidden in a package during a routine check of incoming
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Nursery wins praise of Ofsted inspectors
A NURSERY has been described as excellent by inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted). In February, the Ofsted inspectors visited the George Dent Nursery School, in Darlington, and the report of their findings recognises the continued
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Funding support for businesses backed
A SUPPORT fund set up to help new businesses grow in Teesdale has received councillors' backing. The scheme has been launched by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), in the wake of its announcement that the company will axe 400 jobs at its Barnard Castle plant over
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'Excellent response' to murder appeal
POLICE investigating a pensioner's murder for a fish supper have received "encouraging" information, it emerged yesterday. Detective Superintendent Derek Storey, who is leading the hunt for 77-year-old Marie Watson's killer, praised the public for its
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Sounds of dale on disc
MUSICIANS have joined forces to create a compact disc featuring young groups and solo singers from Teesdale. The project has been co-ordinated by Teesdale Community Resources. The initiative has received help from the National Foundation for Youth Music
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Talks over pub's music nights bid
COMMUNITY wardens are to meet local people who oppose plans by a pub to hold music nights. The Wheatsheaf pub in Yarm Road, Darlington, applied to Darlington Borough Council to extend its hours at weekends until 2am. People living in Lynton Gardens and
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WRVS shows help in action
VOLUNTEERS at Darlington fire station took to an emergency tent to show their work in action. Members of the Women's Royal Voluntary Service were showing national vice-chairwoman Alice Cleland what they do within the fire service. The trained volunteers
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Homes unfit for occupation
THREE homes in Teesdale have been declared unfit for human habitation. The owners will now be served with time and place notices, the precursor to closing orders, by Teesdale District Council. One of the properties, Holwick Head House, near Middleton-in-Teesdale
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Store fined for selling video to girl
A shop chain has been fined £3,000 after it admitted selling an 18-certificate video to a 13-year-old girl. Virgin Retail pleaded guilty at Teesside Magistrates' Court, on Tuesday, to selling spoof horror Scary Movie to the teenager at its Middlesbrough
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More to Clark than just goals
FREE-SCORING Ian Clark believes his committment and not just impressive goal tally have made him a fans' favourite after joining Darlington from Hartlepool. Clark has been a revelation since arriving at Feethams from Quakers' arch-rivals in November,
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Main highlights from Wednesday's budget
Families and single parents: Extra £2.5 billion to help families. Working single parents to be guaranteed £179 a week. Minimum income for working families of £237 a week. Working disabled single people guaranteed £194 a week. Working Families Tax Credit
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Five-year sentence for crash teenager
A TEENAGER who crashed his car, killing a student, was locked up for five years yesterday. Carl Foster, 17, admitted causing the death of Philip Taylor, 22, by dangerous driving, at Teesside Crown Court. The court was told that trainee motor mechanic
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Thome's reserve target
RECORD signing Emerson Thome is out of Sunderland's Premiership survival bid. The Brazilian defender aims to return before the end of the season after almost four months out following double knee surgery - but only for the reserves. Thome said: "The last
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Plea for biker crash witness
A MAN who saw an accident that left a biker badly hurt is being urged to contact police. Peter Crisp, 30, of Sherburn Hill, suffered injuries including a fractured neck and spine, and broken ribs, and is still in hospital after the accident on Tuesday
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Leonie killer in court
A man accused of killing six-year-old Leonie Shaw in a hit and run accident appeared in court today. Colin Meek, 34, appeared before Sedgefield Magistrates charged with causing the death of Leonie by dangerous driving. The youngster suffered fatal injuries
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Terror night of man in the mask
A YOUNG mother whose son woke up to find her being sexually attacked by a masked intruder told a court yesterday the little boy still speaks of the attack, two years after it happened. Teesside Crown Court heard the woman, who cannot be named for legal
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Inquiry goes on as body comes home
THE body of murdered backpacker Caroline Stuttle is expected to arrive back in her home city of York today. An inquest will be opened and adjourned in the city when the body is returned and then released to Caroline's family for the funeral. The coroner
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Pay dispute rail union to consult conductors
THE Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union is to seek the views of its members on the continuing pay dispute with Arriva Trains Northern. The union, which represents hundreds of striking conductors, has been stung by recent criticism from Ray Price.
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School gymnasts put on a show
CHIEF executive of the regional development agency, One Northeast, Mike Collier visited Deerness Valley School, in Ushaw Moor, to see members of the sports acrobatics group in action. Comprising mainly of pupils from Deerness Valley, the group trains
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You write...
Partnership a success SIR - Julie Aberdeen (Unjust Tax Rise, March 23) referred to the community house established by Durham City Council as part of its activities under the Single Regeneration Budget. Ms Aberdeen states that 'outside workers' are adding
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Heroin found in prison mail
DURHAM'S Frankland top security prison has foiled an attempt to smuggle heroin to an inmate. The drug was hidden inside a package of health food but it was discovered on Saturday by prison officers who became suspicious about the package. The 41g of heroin
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Businesses see good and bad and fear the ugly
A budget of good and bad news - that was the reaction of the region's business community to the Chancellor's statement. While the Engineering Employers Federation (EEF) condemned the one per cent rise in employers' National Insurance contributions as
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Community cafe to open longer
A COMMUNITY caf has proved so successful that it has doubled its opening hours. When it opened on March 19, Pelton Fell Community Caf intended to serve meals only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, between noon and 1.30pm. But it has become so popular that it
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Time Team dig unearths a gem
EXHILARATED archaeologists have unearthed a Roman settlement which they say could be evidence of the start of industrial activity in the region. Remarkable findings at Hardwick Park in Sedgefield suggest there was a large village there making quality
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Challenging year for bed firm
Beds and furniture group Silentnight said it was set for growth after suffering "one of the most challenging years ever" in 2001. Chief executive Bill Simpson said the basis of a strong business was in place despite full-year pre-tax profits slipping
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Town bids for cash to clean up blackspot
MONEY recovered from drug dealers could be used to make parts of Darlington safer if a bid for £250,000 of Government cash is successful. New security cameras and extra uniformed wardens are among the measures expected to be introduced in Darlington town
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New track in gardens for racing champion
A female champion racing driver has swapped the race track for garden lawns in a new business venture. Judy Wilson Petch, a former Women's Yorkshire Grass Track Champion, has set up a company devoted to preening lawns. She and her husband, Jimmy, former
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Society turns on the style
THE one person certain to be in the pink over her lead role in Darlington Operatic Society's latest production, Mame, is employment health adviser Vera Davison. The GlaxoSmithKline worker has been a member of the society for the past 17 years and is delighted
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Anne's verses earn her a £60,000 pay day
A NORTH-EAST poet has won £60,000 in Britain's newest and biggest literary award. Anne Stevenson, 69, was announced as the winner of The Northern Rock Foundation Writer Award in a ceremony at Newcastle's Assembly Rooms yesterday. She said: "I'm especially
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Charity facing funds crisis through shortage of helpers
ONE of the country's leading charities is facing a cash crisis in North Yorkshire because it can not find enough volunteers. Every year, the British Red Cross holds a week of intensive fundraising in the county, which usually brings in as much as £40,000
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Budget update: Child tax credit
The child tax credit is to be made available to families with incomes of £58,000 and below. It will be available for the first year of a child's life. Families earning up to £66,000 will also receive some help, said the Chancellor. Mr Brown said he was
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Link road set
A NEW £6.2m road expected to help economic regeneration in County Durham looks set to win planning approval. The Wheatley Hill to Bowburn Link Road has been planned by Durham County Council and won Government funding last year in the Council's five-year
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Householders warned of sneak thieves
POLICE are urging householders to be on their guard after a series of sneak-in burglaries in the Stanley area during the last few weeks. The thieves have taken advantage of people leaving their properties insecure. In the Stanley area five homes have
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News in brief: Nine arrested in drugs raids
POLICE swooped on three addresses early yesterday. Six men and three women in their 20s, 30s and 40s were arrested in connection with possession and supply of controlled drugs after the 8am raids in the West View, Owton Manor and town centre areas of
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Hear all sides: Queen Mother
SHARON Griffiths makes a good point in suggesting our muddled, chaotic, ramshackle public services could benefit from a strong dose of the discipline and military precision as that demonstrated at the Queen Mother's funeral (Echo, Apr 10). Anything worth
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Call centre system will get better, vows police chief
POLICE chiefs have come under fire over a controversial call centre scheme. Members of the North Yorkshire Police Authority have met Chief Constable David Kenworthy to raise complaints about the new system for dialling the county's police. The force is
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Grassroots: Derwentside
KITCHENER'S MEN: The Stanley Men's Thursday Club will hear about Kitchener's North Eastern Army from Andrew Savaghan at 10.30am next Thursday, in Stanley Civic Hall. ANNIVERSARY CONCERT: The Derwentside Choral society and Orchestra, conducted by Jim McAvoy
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Orphanage artist took his own life
TROUBLED artist Jonathan Steer was found hanged in a Romanian orphanage he had helped brighten up, an inquest was told yesterday. Mr Steer, the 28-year-old son of clergywoman Gillian Steer, Dean's verger at Ripon Cathedral, in North Yorkshire, had gone
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£9.2m plans for low-price homes
A HOUSING group has earmarked £9.2m to build affordable homes in the region over the next year. Three Rivers Housing has been able to set the budget thanks to a Government grant of more than £4m through the Housing Corporation. It is now ready to start
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Sales on rise at AB Foods
ASSOCIATED British Foods has served up a healthy set of first-half profits after seeing strong growth from its key grocery and retailing brands. The Silver Spoon-to-Ryvita group said a focus on the operational strengths of the business had paid off, with
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Bank contract for Euro-teck
A security firm company has won a £500,000 Turkish contract. Closed-circuit television firm Euro-teck, of Middlesbrough, will supply security systems to 60 bank branches in Turkey. The contract will help the company increase staff levels and invest in
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Protest at plan to open sex shop near Methodist church
A CHURCH minister has criticised plans to open a sex shop near his Darlington church. The Reverend Alan Coates, minister of Bondgate Methodist Church, is opposing plans by a Leeds company to open a sex shop in Bondgate. Principal Enterprise, which owns
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Bricks lorry collision 'accident'
AN engineer died under a hail of bricks after his wife's car collided with an articulated lorry. An inquest at Harrogate, North Yorkshire, heard that Jesse Jackson, a project engineer at the United States spy base at Menwith Hill, was on his way home
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Rights issue to fund Mayflower expansion
COACH, bus and car body manufacturer Mayflower is seeking to fund expansion plans by raising more than £66m in a rights issue. The group, which owns Plaxtons, in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, is launching a fully underwritten 4-for-11 rights issue of
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Beckham's World Cup dream driving force in fitness battle
David Beckham last night revealed that the World Cup was the one motivation keeping him going through ''the biggest test'' of his career. A week into treatment for a broken foot suffered in Manchester United's Champions League victory over Deportivo La
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Consultation over trusts merger plan
A SERIES of six public meetings are to be held to discuss controversial plans to merge hospital trusts in County Durham. The meetings, between May 1 and May 27, form part of public consultation into the plans drawn up by Professor Ara Darzi. His recommendations
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Objectors lose battle
PROTESTS from a parish council failed to halt development at a former farmhouse in the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Members of the Ripon area planning committee of Harrogate Borough Council backed a recommendation from officer Helen
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Grassroots: Yarm and Eagescliffe
Hall fund tops £35,000 THE fundraising committee for the proposed new village hall at Hutton Rudby has reported that £35,000 has been raised, thanks to the efforts of many individuals and a range of village organisations. Planning permission for a modified
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News in brief: Nick nominated for an Oyster
A SCARBOROUGH road safety campaigner has been nominated for a national award by the town's MP, Lawrie Quinn. Nick Earnshaw, 30, was told of the move when he officially opened a new set of traffic signals in Ramshill Road for which he has been campaigning
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Great show sees centre riding high
A RIDING school forced to shut by the foot-and-mouth crisis has bounced back with a show that surpassed all expectations. The Backandside Riding Centre, at Hummerbeck, near West Auckland, needed a good turn-out for its first show back in business on Sunday
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With love, from a Busby Babe to brave little Rosie
A FOOTBALLING legend is backing a battle to provide a better life for a youngster struck down by a mystery illness. Ex-Manchester United and Northern Ireland goalkeeper Harry Gregg will donate his first international cap for auction. Proceeds from the
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Jessica scoops dance prize
FOLLOWING in her family's fox-trotting footsteps, schoolgirl Jessica Hutchinson has scooped a national ballroom dancing award. Two steps and tangos are not usually at the forefront of a nine-year-old girl's mind, but Jessica has proved she can show adults
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It's nail-biting stuff, caring for the country's cash
Gordon Brown's bitten nails made almost as many headlines as his Budget proposals. Women's Editor (and reformed nail-biter) CHRISTEN PEARS reports on a habit that's hard to give up THE Budget was clearly a nail-biting experience for Gordon Brown. At 51
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Leonie case pair cruelty charge
A COUPLE will appear in court this morning charged in connection with a hit-and-run accident which claimed the life of a six-year-old girl. Colin Meek and Emma Jayne Lee face several charges in connection with the death of little Leonie Shaw. And, in
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Safeway falls back in 'year of transition'
FRESH signs that supermarket chain Safeway may be losing out to its rivals have been provided in a disappointing trading update from the group. The retailer said sales in the fourth quarter of its financial year rose by 4.1 per cent on a like-for-like
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Residents set for new fight against homes
RESIDENTS are preparing to mount their toughest campaign yet to block revised plans for new homes. Last year Wimpey Homes and Bryant Homes applied for permission to build 193 houses on fields at Rainton Gate, West Rainton, according to a ten-year-old
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Good service earns praise
DURHAM County Council's economic regeneration efforts have won praise from a financial watchdog. The Audit Commission has given the Labour-run authority's economic development and regeneration service a two-star or 'good' rating. Inspectors say the authority
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Good service earns praise
DURHAM County Council's economic regeneration efforts have won praise from a financial watchdog. The Audit Commission has given the Labour-run authority's economic development and regeneration service a two-star or 'good' rating. Inspectors say the authority
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Appeal is launched for camera
AN appeal has been launched to raise £35,000 to buy sight-saving equipment for diabetics. Northallerton and District Diabetic Club is raising the cash to buy a new retinal camera for the diabetes clinic at the Friarage Hospital. The camera takes images
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Supporters rally to help stately home
A new organisation set up to safeguard the future of one of the region's stately homes is off to a flying start. The launch of the Friends of Kiplin Hall was only announced last month and a meeting was arranged for last Monday night to give the public
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Is this the best way to pay for better health?
IN an exclusive interview with The Northern Echo last week in his Sedgefield constituency, Tony Blair explained why he and Gordon Brown had rejected calls for them to look at alternative ways of funding the National Health Service and why yesterday Mr
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Last night's TV: Food Junkies (BBC2)
Sweet and sour times in Junkies show WE all know we eat too much sugar and that it's bad for our health, but we seem unable to stop ourselves. The facts and figures support the case for not being as sweet as we were. They've been there for years but the
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Final whistle at Kingsway
TIME has run out for the most famous amateur football ground in the country, which stages the final match in a proud 116 year history on Saturday. Ten times FA amateur cup winners Bishop Auckland are quitting their Kingsway home after the season's last
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Brown's historic health gamble
Chancellor Gordon Brown yesterday made an historic and far-reaching commitment to the NHS - and called for the nation to unite behind his vision for the future of health care. In his sixth Budget, he announced a one per cent increase in National Insurance
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Blue Bug in frame again
THE Hurworth Blue Bug has struck again. Not content with scaling the heights of the new Darlington Football Club stadium and meeting Prime Minister Tony Blair, the creature has now been spotted at the top of Scafell Pike. The bug, owned by the Second
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Couple handed ten-year ban after cruelty to pets
A FORMER special constable and his wife were yesterday banned from keeping animals for ten years after being prosecuted for cruelty to their two family dogs and a cat. Brian Carr, 36, and his wife, June, 32, were also given a three-month jail sentence
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MP sends message to vandal hit school
HEALTH Secretary and Darlington MP Alan Milburn has sent a message of support to a school which has become a regular target for vandals. The damage caused in the latest attack on Alderman Leach Infant School, the third in a fortnight, was discovered only
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£7,000 boost to mayor's charities
CHARITIES nominated by Stockton's outgoing mayor, Councillor Terry Bean, will receive more than £7,000 raised during his year in office. Fundraising events have included a charity ball at Tall Trees, near Yarm, a coffee morning at Stockton Parish Church
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Scouts gather for saint's day
SCOUTS, Beavers and Cubs from south Durham will mark St George's Day with a service at a Newton Aycliffe church on Sunday. Many of the 273 members of the Bishop Auckland Scout District will be at St Elizabeth's Church, Woodham, for a 2pm service hosted
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Reunion call to celebrate anniversary
A REUNION for former pupils, parents and teachers of a Newton Aycliffe school is planned next month. Greenfield School will be holding an open day on May 4, from 10am and 5pm, for everyone who wants to be reunited with former friends and colleagues. The
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Sports briefs: Billy Ayre dies at 49
FOOTBALL: Second Division Bury have been left devastated by the death of first-team coach Billy Ayre from lymph node cancer at the age of 49. The former Hartlepool defender and Blackpool, Scarborough and Halifax manager died peacefully in his sleep with
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Pupils sew keen to raise school funds
STUDENTS stepped out in style last night to help buy their school the latest in computerised sewing machinery. Year ten pupils at Wolsingham School and Community College answered a call from textiles technology teacher Anne Craven to help her invest in
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Plea for public cash to save hall
ORGANISERS of an appeal fund set up to save a landmark Teesdale building fear it may fold without further public support. The Witham Hall Appeal, which was launched last year, has managed to attract only £5,000 in public donations. That initial fundraising
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Council's regeneration strategy wins praise
DURHAM County Council's economic regeneration efforts have won praise from a financial watchdog. The Audit Commission has given the Labour-run authority's economic development and regeneration service a two-star or "good'' rating. Inspectors say the authority
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Town exhaust pollution test
LEVELS of exhaust pollutant oxides of nitrogen in Barnard Castle's Horsemarket are well within recommended limits. The survey followed a similar one to measure particulates on The Bank. It was conducted during the worst three months of the winter, head
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How did teenage girl get heroin in prison, judge asks
A JUDGE yesterday questioned how an 18-year-old heroin addict was able to get access to the drug while on remand in Low Newton prison, near Durham. Claire Duffy fell out with her family after "bleaching" them of cash and turned to crime to fund her addiction
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News in brief: Residential home scheme
A FARMER whose business is suffering from the after-effects of the foot-and-mouth epidemic is considering selling off a building for use as a residential home. The trustees of the Honourable S P Scott Children's Trust have made an outline application
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Sports ground revamp wins lottery support
CHILDREN in Hartlepool are celebrating after learning that one of the town's sporting facilities is to be transformed. It is hoped work at the King George V Recreation Ground, in West View, will start as early as June thanks to £417,000 from the Sport
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Village's therapy service opens for business
A THERAPY centre has opened in Hurworth, near Darlington. Hurworth Grange Therapy Centre will offer reflexology, acupuncture, osteopathy, physiotherapy, massage, homeopathy, Bach flower remedies and Indian head massage. An open day on Saturday, April
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Drugs blamed for teenager's death
A 'lovely and pleasant' teenage girl has died in a suspected drugs tragedy. Karen Harland, 19, who police said came from a highly respectable home in Chester-le-Street, was found unconscious at her boyfriend's home on Saturday morning. Paramedics were
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Car park secures hat trick of prizes
A SHOPPING centre car park has achieved secure status for the third consecutive year. The car park at the Prince Bishop's Centre, in Durham, has been certified as safe by the British Parking Association and the Association of Chief Police Officers. To
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Crusade fails to cement job talks
A journey to Paris by campaigners fighting to save a cement works ended in bitter disappointment yesterday when the senior manager responsible for the closure refused to meet them. The crusade, by 30 friends and relatives of workers at the Blue Circle
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Gazza tips Dyer for top
Former Newcastle hero Paul Gascoigne has backed Kieron Dyer to follow his World Cup example - by catapulting himself on to the global stage this summer. Gazza shot to fame thanks to his exploits in World Cup 90, when his tears in the semi-final defeat
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Tony Benn takes his place on colliery banner
VETERAN left-winger Tony Benn is the new face of a former pit village's banner. The Labour MP, who retired last year after 50 years in Parliament, is depicted on a new version of the Blackhall Lodge banner. Mr Benn, a regular speaker at the Durham Miners
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'Pope pregnancy' nurse is struck off
A NURSE who ridiculed the Pope in front of a devout Catholic and left her in tears was struck off yesterday. Pauline Green, 49, ridiculed the patient's religion, and on one occasion a carer had to grab Green's hand to stop her poking a male victim in
