Archive
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Cabbies want purge on rogue drivers over public safety fears
BOGUS taxi drivers are putting North-East reveller's lives at risk, it is claimed. Private vehicles are posing as taxis and taking fares from drinkers at night. But legitimate drivers fear the fakes could put lives at risk. The issue is a particular problem
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Top marks for maths
GUISBOROUGH sixth formers are on a high after scoring 100 per cent in a maths exam. Eleven lower-sixth students from Prior Pursglove College proved expert number-crunchers after receiving top marks in an AS-level pure mathematics paper. Their achievement
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Doddy's travels far and wide
Doddy the world's farthest travelled teddy bear has been on his travels again. The cuddly toy mascot of Dodmire Infant School in Darlington often joins parents and friends when they go on holiday and he has visited some exotic locations. In the year since
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Cricketers play for their friend
CRICKETERS got the new season under way at the weekend by taking part in a charity match in aid of a former player paralysed in a car accident. Jamie Hood, of Redcar, was paralysed from the neck down in a car crash in South Africa four years ago. Since
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News in brief: Thieves take prize ponies
THIEVES have stolen eight miniature ponies from an isolated field. The animals were taken from the outskirts of Pickering between April 18 and Sunday. The ponies were each about 44in tall and included a number of prize-winners. Anyone with information
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Ant and Dec in running to host next Pop Idol
Geordie television favourites Ant and Dec may still be in line to host the next series of Pop Idol. Reports earlier this week claimed Will Young and Gareth Gates, the finalists from the first series, would host the hit TV show's second outing. The claims
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Witness to Leonie accident sought
A driver who may hold vital clues about the hit and run accident which killed Leonie Shaw is being asked to come forward by police. Accident investigators are trying to trace the driver of a dark, 4-track vehicle, as it was believed to be travelling on
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News in brief: Ornaments snatched
Ornaments were stolen from three gardens in West Cornforth early on Tuesday. A 3ft Greek female figure, a 2ft goose and a 2ft statue of a girl, concrete and sprayed in gold paint, were stolen from Cedar Terrace. Nine concrete ornaments, worth £90, were
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Councillors ponder way forward on roads upgrade
AN UPGRADE of roads through two communities could move a step closer next week. Meetings have been held in Hawes and Richmond to thrash out what are seen as the priorities. But, with five similar projects under way in market towns across North Yorkshire
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Abuse victim wins court battle
A WOMAN has won a High Court battle against a North-East council which placed her in the care of a paedophile. The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, claims Newcastle City Council has dragged its feet over her claims of a childhood ordeal.
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Robbery figures defying trend
THE region's biggest police force has bucked the rising trend in robberies, figures show. But overall, crime in the Northumbria Police area is still up by more than three per cent year-on-year. A total of 139,130 crimes was recorded for the year ending
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High church, low turnout
A CHURCH which no one in the parish attends is celebrating its centenary - and a £133,000 grant towards safeguarding its future. St Columba's in Middlesbrough once served the close-knit, tight packed and occasionally riotous Cannon Street area - Cannon
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New face in the pulpit
PARISHIONERS in east Cleveland will be doing a double-take on Sunday when vicars from across the parish swap churches. It is an annual event for the Guisborough Deanery and involves the priests taking the main Sunday morning service at a different church
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Drugs seminar to hear views of residents
RESIDENTS in part of Hartlepool can find out more and have their say about what is being done to tackle drug problems in the town at a seminar later this week. The event, which is being organised by New Deal for Communities (NDC), takes place tomorrow
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£4m worth of work to go into estates
MORE than £4m worth of improvements will be carried out in Hartlepool this year in the final stage of a project to help rejuvenate the Owton and Rossmere areas. Traffic calming, art workshops, street lighting and security improvements are just parts of
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Grassroots: Yarm and Eaglescliffe
Play Tennis: Yarm tennis club is holding a free Play Tennis day on Sunday, when everyone is invited to turn up to try the sport. There will be sessions for those aged 12 and under from 10am to 11.30am, for 13 to 17-year-olds from 11.30 to 1pm and for
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Sven will they be famous
THE Sven story has had the nation transfixed this week, and quite rightly so. The Daily Mail suggested yesterday that it was "a scandal third only to the Abdication and Profumo", which may be going a bit far. But you can always tell when a subject has
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Lack of cash collectors causes crisis
ONE of the country's leading charities is facing a cash crisis in North Yorkshire - because it can't find enough volunteers. Every year the British Red Cross holds a special week of intensive fundraising in the county which usually brings in as much as
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MP calls for action over stray horses
GOVERNMENT minister Hilary Armstrong is pressing councils and police to act over a stray horse menace plaguing communities in her constituency. The chief whip is also asking cabinet colleague Margaret Beckett for advice on legislation as calls grow for
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Bmi counts £35m cost of September 11 attacks
AIRLINE group bmi british midland claims the events of September 11 cost it £35m in lost revenue last year, as passenger numbers fell more than five per cent. Last year, 6.7 million passengers flew with the airline, 400,000 fewer than in the previous
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Lee's hard work is worth the Trouble
YEARS of hard graft have finally paid off for Graham Lee, currently standing on the 58-winner mark after a decade of trying to break through into the big-time of National Hunt racing. Lee has now more than doubled last season's haul of 28, with the majority
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Pool closure sparks call for rates strike
THE closure of a town's swimming pool has sparked calls for a rates strike by angry traders. Members of Shildon Chamber of Trade are calling for drastic action after Durham County Council announced that the town's learner pool will close. Chamber of trade
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Compensation to injured miners surpasses £500,000
Compensation paid to Vibration White Finger sufferers has passed the half-a-billion pounds mark. Energy Minister Brian Wilson said the Government was encouraged by the progress being made towards tackling claims for the disease. He announced that more
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Views sought on hospital changes
A BID has been launched to rally residents to get behind a campaign to keep a special baby care unit at Bishop Auckland Hospital. Letters are being circulated in Bishop Auckland outlining proposed changes at the new £65m hospital that would see the unit
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High Street to close as fair rolls into town
THE traditional fun of the fair is coming to Northallerton again next week, with thousands of people expected to flock to the town. Officials from Hambleton District Council are putting the finishing touches to preparations for the annual May Fair. The
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Region's beaches given thumbs-up
Beaches across the region are the most improved in Britain over the last year, according to a major study published today. The Marine Conservation Society (MCS), which investigated 795 bathing spots nationwide to produce this year's Good Beach Guide,
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Paris delegation fails to save jobs
A JOURNEY to Paris by campaigners fighting to save a cement works ended in bitter disappointment last week 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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High church, low turnout
A CHURCH which no one in the parish attends is celebrating its centenary - and a £133,000 grant towards safeguarding its future. St Columba's in Middlesbrough once served the close-knit, tight packed and occasionally riotous Cannon Street area - Cannon
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Council chief defends £4,000 adventure training jaunt
THE chief executive of a council - under fire for sending its management team for £4,000 worth of adventure training at taxpayers' expense - has vigorously defended the decision. The issue prompted a number of questions from the public at a meeting of
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Shorter waits for cancer patients
A NEW fast-track appointments system has reduced waiting times for cancer patients, according to latest figures. Under NHS guidelines, specific targets have been introduced to reduce waiting times for patients suspected to be suffering from cancer. A
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Postal poll is winning votes
A scheme to increase the number of people voting in this year's local elections in Gateshead has enjoyed early success. Thousands of returns have already been received at Gateshead Civic Centre in the first borough-wide postal ballot to elect 22 of Gateshead's
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Bridge work honoured
THE partnership that pioneered the rapid repair of the Mercury Bridge at Richmond has won its second award. The River Swale washed away the central pier of the ancient bridge in June 2000, leading to fears that it could be some time before the road to
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Appeal reprieve for city cinema
A CITY'S only mainstream cinema has received a stay of execution of at least six months. London leisure chain Regent Inns wants to convert Durham's Robins Cinema, in North Road, into a 700-capacity Walkabout Australian theme bar. Despite winning planning
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Internet wizardry leads to N-East porn raids
POLICE last night pledged to leave no stone unturned in the continuing hunt for Internet paedophiles after a string of arrests across the North-East. Detectives used new technology to unmask people suspected of dealing in illegal images. Simultaneous
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Luxury flats rebirth for Swan House
Plans have been revealed for the £25m redevelopment of Swan House, in the centre of Newcastle. The Swan House roundabout, which has blighted one of the city gateways for years, will be redeveloped into apartments and renamed 55 North, to reflect the line
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An old soldier's jackpot nightmare
AN OLD soldier who thought he had won a fortune ordered a new car, a caravan, with accessories, two holidays and a host of electrical equipment - only to discover he had been duped. Sixty-eight-year-old Harry Day, of Darlington, went on the spending spree
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Joy as defence factory wins reprieve - but 150 jobs to go
WORKERS at one of the region's biggest defence factories, which had been threatened with closure, were last night celebrating a management decision securing the plant's future. But jubilation at the announcement that the Royal Ordnance Factory at Birtley
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A proper call for restraint
IT was disheartening to listen to some health service managers bemoan the fact that the rise in National Insurance contributions would increase their payroll. And it was disheartening to hear a vocal minority of the nursing profession bemoan the fact
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Echoes of the past filter away as brewery remnants are auctioned
A little piece of beer-drinking history was made yesterday when a North-East village said goodbye to a famous name Marjorie MacIntyre reports THE last remnants of the North-East's oldest brewery were sold lock, stock and barrel yesterday, in an auction
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Arrest follows mugging
A MAN has been arrested over the mugging last Friday of Durham City pensioner Doris Douglas. Mrs Douglas, 89, was set on by two men in Lawson Terrace, yards from her home, as she returned from a shopping trip to the city centre. As the attackers tried
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Royal showdown at new millennium centre
THE Princess Royal visited a new millennium centre, a flagship women's project and a factory, during a whistle stop tour of the North-East yesterday. The princess visited the Bridge project, in Washington, Tyne and Wear, to mark the opening of its newly
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EMH motors to higher profits
MOTOR group European Motor Holdings (EMH) has steered towards higher profits in the past year. The company, which operates dealerships across the North-East, including Mill Garages, saw pre-tax profits for the year to February 28 rise by 23 per cent to
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Ale fans limber up for best brew challenge
IT'S a tough job - but someone has to do it. Nine pubs in North Yorkshire have been asked to nominate a connoisseur to select the king of real ales during the Dales Festival of Food and Drink. The chosen few were tickling their taste buds in Leyburn,
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Musical acts tuning up for great opportunity
UNSIGNED rock and pop acts in the region are getting the chance of a lifetime thanks to The Northern Echo's music website, Revolution. A competition has been launched to find two original acts who can win fabulous prizes to give them a taste of life in
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Extra funding for Online Centre's work
FERRYHILL Comprehensive and Online Centre has received funding for computer equipment. Sedgefield Borough Council's Single Regeneration Budget local area package has allocated £25,000 to provide eight smartboards, data projectors and lap-top computers
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Charity bike ride challenge
Staff and pupils from Beaumont Hill School and Technology College in Darlington are preparing for a coast-to- coast bike ride for charity. The 180-mile ride in June will raise funds for St Teresa's Hospice in the town. To start their preparations they
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Musical audience gets extra drama
AN AUDIENCE enjoying an amateur operatic production got some extra drama when they had to be evacuated from the building ten minutes before the first half of the show was completed. About 160 people were watching Spennymoor Operatic Society's latest production
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Trader gets the hump over sign
A SIGN designed to calm traffic is proving a headache for pedestrians in a Darlington street. Shoppers in Duke Street, have been bumping into the sign after council workers installed it in the middle of the pavement. The sign is part of measures to encourage
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Roman styule recreated in commander's rooms
A REPLICA of a table used by Roman commanders in the 4th Century has been installed at a North-East museum. Arbeia Fort in South Shields is reconstructing the living quarters of a commanding officer and has made the sandstone serving table, based on part
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Armed response after rifle report
ARMED police were called to a street yesterday after reports that a youth armed with a rifle was wandering near two schools. Police were informed at about 8.45am yesterday that three youths, one of them with some form of rifle, were walking along Whitworth
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Northern safari for television star Daniel
TV actor Daniel Casey is returning to the region to star in a comedy premiere. Daniel, 29, who is about to start filming a sixth series of ITV's Midsomer Murders as Detective Sergeant Troy, opens in The Safari Party, by Tim Firth, at the Stephen Joseph
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Hot stuff as pupils chase running glory
YOUNGSTERS cheered on their classmates at the cross-country championships for Allertonshire School, Northallerton. The event took place in some of the hottest weather of the year so far. In year seven girls, Jo Adams dominated and won from Katie Roberts
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Hear all sides: Bird life
AUBREY Adamson (HAS, Apr 18), once again pillories sparrowhawks. I very much doubt some of his statistics and I would question some of his logic. I agree that sparrowhawks kill small birds in order to live, but there are other species which act similarly
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Sudden disappearance of stream raises suspicions
A stream which dried up for the first time in living memory was flowing freely again today after the Environment Agency was called in to settle a dispute between neighbouring landowners. Fred Donaldson insists Tunstall Beck has never been empty in the
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Training plant provides opportunities
A training plant being built by TTE Management and Technical Training has proved an excellent training opportunity for six of its apprentices. The new plant at TTE'S South Bank training Centre has been built by Corus Northern Engineering Services (CNES
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Suspect driver sought
POLICE are warning parents to be on their guard after a man attempted to entice a teenager into his car. The 14-year-old was walking along Hambleton View in Bedale when a car drove up slowly and stopped alongside him. The driver asked the boy to get in
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Durham draw Ali's sting after damage is done
DERBYSHIRE included a Mohammad Ali in their team sheet yesterday, and while not exactly the greatest he certainly stung like a bee as he cracked a 35-ball half-century against Durham. Mohammad Ali turned out to be the middle two names of a 28-year-old
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Teacher crisis 'not easing in N-E... it's getting worse'
THE teaching industry last night dismissed Government claims that a staffing crisis affecting schools was easing. Education and Skills secretary Estelle Morris said there were now 9,400 more teachers in schools than this time last year. Provisional figures
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Pottering about with my bit on the Ambleside
'THIS voucher entitles the bearer to a romantic weekend in the Lake District with a ravishing teenager." An envelope, addressed to me in children's handwriting, had landed on the doormat two days before my fortieth birthday. Inside was the voucher, colourfully
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Bent puts a dent in Boro's confidence
TEENAGE substitute Darren Bent popped up at the back post with his first touch of the match to hand Ipswich Town all three points against Middlesbrough last night. The 18-year-old, whose only other goal for the Tractor Boys came in a 4-1 defeat at Newcastle
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Obelisk repair gamble works
RICHMOND'S crumbling obelisk can look forward to a facelift after a £50,000 gamble by the local authority paid off. Richmondshire District Council agreed on a compromise over the monument's destiny earlier this year when it became clear the authority
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Nuns back to college to increase skills
Nuns with the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Poor are putting their faith in distance learning with Newcastle College. The sisters are taking a Certificate in Basic Counseling Skills in order to conform with new Government regulations regarding
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Last night's TV: It's a testing time for love's young dream
Emmerdale (ITV) Young love, isn't it wonderful? Andy bought girlfriend Katie a surprise present - a hairbrush. An odd gift, you might think, but Andy was embarrassed to go shopping in Hotten Pharmacy. As well as purchasing what he really wanted, he picked
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Visit will settle fate of bridge-widening plan
COUNCILLORS have deferred a final decision on plans to widen a flood-damaged bridge until they have visited the site next week. Members of North Yorkshire County Council planning committee were recomended to refuse permission for widening Creet's Bridge
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Blues event gets £17,000 but second festival must wait
ONE of County Durham's biggest musical events has been saved - but another major festival is still under threat. Councillors at Derwentside District Council agreed on Tuesday night to confirm a £17,000 budget for the threatened Stanley Blues Festival.
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Airport will gain in BA shake-up
BRITISH Airways CitiExpress is withdrawing loss-making services in a bid to strengthen its position in the domestic and European short-haul market. But the decision is good news for Newcastle Airport, which will become a dedicated aircraft base with six
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Grassroots: Derwentside
CRAZY ACT: Derwentside Leisure Services will present the Flanagan and Allen Story at 7.30pm next Thursday, at Consett Empire. Tickets are £6. STEAM DAYS: A two-train weekend based on a Victorian theme will be staged by the Tanfield Railway from 11am to
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Asthma drug US success lifts GSK
PHARMACEUTICAL company GlaxoSmithKline has made a strong start to the year after a healthy jump in sales in the US. The success of new asthma drug Advair helped sales of GSK's pharmaceutical products soar 15 per cent in the US in the first three months
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Hopes high as county prepares for show
THE first County Durham Business Show has won the endorsement of one of the region's leading chartered accountants and business advisors, Keith Robinson and Co. The Business Show, at Hardwick Hall, on May 17, is the first of its kind in the Durham area
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Pest controllers to break weed's stranglehold on riverbank
A SCHEME to tackle a huge weed considered an environmental pest is to get under way in the region. A three-year fight is to be launched against giant hogweed growing along the banks of the River Wear, in County Durham. It will involve spraying chemicals
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Theatre stars give Darren a hand to cook up great charity fundraiser
CHEFf Darren Foster hopes pedal power will boost a charity close to his heart. Darren, 35, of Woodham Village, County Durham, who is head chef at the new Gala Theatre in Durham City, plans to cycle 100 miles through the Scottish countryside next month
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News in brief: Merger plans not opposed
Plans to amalgamate Peterlee's Eden Hall infant and junior schools into one primary school have attracted no objections from the public during the statutory two-month period following the publishing of public notices about the move. The plans, which are
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£2m boost for housing in area
A COMPANY has been awarded a £2m contract to build almost 40 affordable homes in Richmondshire. Tees Valley Housing Group (TVHG) will be working on eight sites across the area, providing low-cost property in Skeeby, Brompton-on-Swale, Colburn and Richmond
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Facelift for vandals' target
STUDENTS are aiming to clean up an eyesore. Work starts on Sunday to spruce up a pedestrian subway in Northallerton. Youngsters from North-allerton College are bringing a splash of colour to the subway, which links the County Library with the town's High
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Market revival scheme to continue
A SCHEME aimed at attracting more market traders to an ailing town is likely to continue for another year. Hambleton District Council launched an initiative in April 2000 to promote Bedale market, including a reduction in rents, but it has made little
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Appeal backer Hague is to visit hospice
FORMER Tory leader William Hague is to visit Martin House Hospice for children, near Wetherby, tomorrow. Last year, Mr Hague was among those who pledged support for the hospice's £2m A Place For Us appeal to provide six extra beds in a teenage unit being
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Gumbuster plans come unstuck
CALLS for Harrogate Borough Council's gumbuster machine to be used more look likely to be refused on cost grounds. The hot water pressure washer is part of the armoury of the council's street cleaning team, but it is expensive to run. Tory opposition
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Optimism is key to success
Federation Special Durham Senior League The league can face the coming season with much optimism after increasing to 12 clubs. The departure of Philadelphia has been offset by the admission of two new teams, Marsden and South Hetton. Champions Horden
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Help needed to get on track of voles
Conservationists are asking for help to carry out a survey of water vole populations. People in Hartlepool have been urged to report sightings of the increasingly rare animal by filling in database forms produced by Hartlepool Borough Council's ecologist
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New chapter as library re-opens
THE smallest library in Redcar and Cleveland re-opened this week after a major re-vamp. Dormanstown Library has been expanded from a former shop in Farndale Square to occupy the adjoining vacant shop, increasing its size by 50 per cent. It means Laburnum
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School seeks parents' help in ending violence
A headmaster is urging parents to help crack down on youths engaging in armed warfare. Dr Bob Dingle, headmaster of Seaham School of Technology, spoke after three teenagers were arrested in two incidents of armed combat in the town. Groups of youngsters
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No help for family which lost children
A couple who lost three children in a house blaze have been told the NHS cannot help them start a new family - because one of their sons survived. Darren and Judith Braine are desperate for another child after the tragedy at their home. Mrs Braine, 31
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Police demand German action over missing woman
British police chiefs travelled to Germany today to demand a criminal investigation into the disappearance of a young woman, who has been missing for nine months. Senior detectives are visiting Aachen as they bid to persuade a state prosecutor to authorise
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People not told of flood risk
A MAN has criticised the Environment Agency for failing to tell him or his neighbours that their homes lie within a proposed flood plain. Ryan Gilbey's home is about 30ft from the site of a planned giant earth dam, which is designed to prevent a repeat
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Stand gets go-ahead
RESIDENTS opposed to a new sports club grandstand fear it will attract nuisance. New Marske Sports Club was granted planning permission last Friday to build a six metre-long, 45-seater covered stand next to its Gurney Street football pitch. But residents
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Duke's daughter banned for speeding
The Duke of Northumberland's daughter has been banned from the roads after she was clocked doing 115mph displaying her "advanced" driving skills. Lady Catherine Sarah Percy told a court she was tired and needed to get back to her picturesque Alnwick Castle
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Dad at large: Pottering about with my bit on the Amblesides
'THIS voucher entitles the bearer to a romantic weekend in the Lake District with a ravishing teenager." An envelope, addressed to me in children's handwriting, had landed on the doormat two days before my fortieth birthday. Inside was the voucher, colourfully
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Fifty foot flames rip through factory site
FIRE ripped through a North-East factory site last night - the second major industrial fire in the region in a matter of weeks. Flames tore through a storage area at the former Ever Ready factory near Stanley, County Durham, after a blaze broke out at
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Villagers get say in community's future
PEOPLE in Chilton have been given the chance to get involved in decision-making. A community appraisal by Sedgefield Borough Council's Single Regeneration Budget programme in Chilton and Windlestone suggested the need for a partnership to address issues
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Rare Chieftain tank makes tracks to air museum
IT is not exactly an elegant flying machine, but the latest arrival at the Yorkshire Air Museum is certainly one-of-a kind. For the new heavyweight head-turner among the exhibits at the museum at Elvington, near York, is a Chieftain main battle tank donated
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Sporting stars turn out for charity golfing day
SPORTS celebrities including footballers Alan Shearer, Niall Quinn and Peter Beardsley gathered for a charity golf tournament yesterday. Twenty celebrities joined teams from local companies for Steve Harper's Celebrity Golf Challenge, at Ramside Hall
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Fund is key to helping youth
A COMMUNITY fund enabling young people to run their own projects is being set up in an area of Sunderland. The Keyfund will offer groups of young people aged from 11 to 21, in Grindon, Plains Farm, Thorney Close, Springwell and Farringdon, the chance
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Centre staff follow call to fun and funds
CALL centre staff in Sunderland took part in circus capers as part of a fundraising day. Staff at London Electricity's Doxford customer contact centre raised funds for the NSPCC, Downs Syndrome NE, Weston Spirit, Farrindgon Kids and Just4kids. They hurled
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Loss-making catering is under scrutiny
A DECISION on whether to put loss-making council catering out to tender has been shelved. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's executive agreed to take no action at present on a suggestion to put the work out to tender. But the issue will be considered
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Surrey put Yorkshire in the shade
Yorkshire showed on the first day of their first-class season at Headingley yesterday that they have a long way to go before they hit the sort of form which is required to hold on to the Championship title. They were thoroughly outclassed by Surrey, who
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Will Hartlepool give a monkey's?
It started off as a joke, but now it seems there is a real chance a monkey could be elected mayor of Hartlepool. Nick Morrison visits a town on the verge of greatness AT the height of the Napoleonic Wars, as the nation was trembling at the prospect of
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Residents' campaign aims to put pride back in town
RESIDENTS in Billingham who feel their council tax is being spent to benefit neighbouring Stockton want to see a town council formed. Colin Pollard, of Station Road, said there was a lot of feeling among local people that Billingham had deteriorated.
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Toy liner from the 1920s may be worth £10,000
A FIRM of auctioneers is on the crest of a wave, expecting to sell an antique toy ship at auction for £10,000. The 40-inch long, three funnel, tin plate, clockwork driven, two-screw liner was the largest of the range made by German manufacturer Bing,
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Royal tonic for pharmaceuticals firm
THE Princess Royal flew into County Durham yesterday to officially open a pharmaceuticals plant. Princess Anne landed at the tiny Shotton Colliery airfield, to open the nearby SSL factory on the Whitehouse Business Park. The development, which has already
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News in brief: Pratchett show takes to stage
PRATCHETT DATES: A stage version of author Terry Pratchett's Truckers, will come to Darlington Civic Theatre from Tuesday to Saturday, May 14 to 18. For ticket details and show times, telephone (01325) 486555. CONSERVATORY PLANS: A planning application
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Concert date
Cockerton Methodist Church ladies' group will hold its anniversary concert, featuring the Dales Singers, on Tuesday, May 14, at 7.30pm, in the church. Proceeds from the event will go to the Save Our Sight Appeal at Darlington Memorial Hospital. Tickets
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United centre of attraction for stars
WORLD Cup-bound Kieron Dyer last night celebrated Newcastle's Champions League qualification by issuing a 'come and join us' call to Europe's top stars. The inspirational midfielder has given his wholehearted backing to manager Bobby Robson's insistence
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Beakfast club is to pupils' taste
A NEW breakfast club at a Darlington school has proved successful. Between 20 and 30 youngsters are regularly attending the sessions at Rise Carr Primary School. Children are enjoying the novelty of a chance to eat breakfast with their friends, as well
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Pupils to join in appeal effort
SHOPPERS will be getting a helping hand from pupils at a village comprehensive school who are hoping to help with a fundraising push tomorrow night. Ten pupils and two staff from Hurworth School will be packing bags at Safeway, in Darlington, from 5pm
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Professor drops in for workshop
DALES author Gervase Phinn has paid a visit to a school to lead a literacy workshop for pupils. Professor Phinn spent the day with junior school girls at Polam Hall, Darlington, to help with literacy, writing skills, techniques and descriptions. No stranger
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Call for greater role in planning elderly services
COUNCILLORS in Teesdale want to have a greater input into the future of care services for elderly people in the dale. At a meeting of Teesdale District Council's policy and resources committee yesterday, members said they wanted a more active role in
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Lovable characters in search of a new home
TWO lovable dogs are looking for new homes. Jade, a greyhound-cross, and Goldie, a golden retriever-cross, are both being cared for by the National Animal Sanctuary Support League, in Darlington. Jade was a family pet until her owners' daughter developed
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Council grants public a planning voice
MEMBERS of the public are to be allowed to speak on planning issues during Teesdale District Council committee meetings. Yesterday, the council's development control committee voted unanimously in favour of giving planning applicants and objectors a chance
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Plans to construct new care homes
A CARE home owner is to develop two sites in Darlington identified as suitable for the purpose. Last year, Darlington Borough Council identified a number of pieces of land on which private companies could build care homes, after the closure of a number
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Liddle denies Hull move
Darlington's Craig Liddle last night denied he was about to sign for Hull City amid reports of his imminent departure from Feethams. The captain has been strongly linked with the Boothferry Park club, who recently appointed Jan Molby as manager, but Liddle
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It's Fiesta time for Pop Idol star Aaron
POP Idol fans will be able to meet former contestant Aaron Bayley at an event on Sunday, May 5. The singer, from Newcastle, will perform Walking in Memphis and sign autographs at the Cleveland Centre, in Middlesbrough, between 1pm and 3pm. The event,
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Blackheath is just 'Dandy'
SPRINT king David "Dandy" Nicholls has wasted little time rejuvenating Blackheath, the runaway winner of the five-furlong SIS Digital Classified Stakes at Catterick yesterday. Formerly in the care of James Toller, Nicholls snapped up the speedy son of
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Battle on at top and bottom
Foster's Northumberland and Tyneside Senior League The birth of the ECB Foster's North East Regional Premier League sent shock waves throughout the local cricket scene and nowhere more so than in the Foster's Northumberland and Tyneside Senior League.
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Silksworth can make the most of South Hetton's departure
Boddingtons Durham Coast League Following South Hetton's move into The Federation Special Durham Senior League, the title race could be wide open. South Hetton have won the title seven times in the last nine years, but now last year's runners-up Silksworth
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Lack of strength in depth is a problem
Darlington Building Society NYSD Premier League President Ken Gardner believes the Premier Division is as strong as ever, despite the decision of Norton and Stockton to join the Foster's ECB North East Regional Premier League three years ago. But he admits
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Youth mayor ballot ends
CHILDREN in Middlesbrough have until noon today to vote for the town's first youth mayor. About 9,000 pupils from local secondary schools have been deciding which of 11 candidates to appoint since the polls opened last Friday. Whoever is elected will
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Residents act to beat floods
PEOPLE living in Skinningrove have been learning how to operate a new state-of-the-art flood defence system. Staff from Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council have been trained already and now volunteers who live in the village are being shown how to use
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Kimblesworth face fight to keep their title
Champions Kimblesworth will be the team to beat in the Durham County League this season - but several clubs will push them all the way. Kimblesworth pipped Evenwood for the title last season, and showed their all-round strength in depth along the way.
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Row over quarry expansion proposal
A critic of plans to expand sand and gravel quarrying in an environmentally-sensitive area has welcomed a decision by county councillors to visit the site next week. The scheme, near Ripon Racecourse, has been opposed by Ripon area planning committee
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Crucial talks for bypass battlers
MP to hear concerns VILLAGERS have reached the most critical stage yet in their long-running campaign for a bypass. Residents of Thormanby, near Easingwold, will hold talks with their local MP and councillor tomorrow in an attempt to persuade County Hall
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Rape cases reopened after rapist is jailed
A string of unsolved rape cases are to be reopened after a hooded rapist who carried out terrifying sex attacks on six women was today jailed for 20 years. Timothy Din, 44, wore a black balaclava as he selected slim young women with shoulder-length hair
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Actors launch fundraiser
SHARPSHOOTING actors and actresses took time off from rehearsals at the weekend to launch a military-style fundraiser for a cancer charity. Spennymoor Operatic Society are on stage at Spennymoor Town Hall this week with their version of the hit musical
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Thomas the Tank Engine rolling into Darlington
Thousands of fans will be chuffed to hear childrens' favourite Thomas the Tank Engine is on his way to Darlington. When the television train last visited the Darlington Railway Centre and Museum, about three years ago, some 8,000 people arrived to see
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Pupils find fruit is fun
EDUCATION chiefs are hoping that a fresh healthy-eating campaign targeted at youngsters will bear fruit. Campaign mascots Herbie the Carrot and Rosy Apple were at Le Cateau Primary in Catterick Garrison last Tuesday to promote some of the healthier alternatives
