Archive
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Cooper deeply touched by fans' show of support
FOR most, Middlesbrough's clash with Chelsea at the Riverside on Saturday was regarded as another game in a season approaching its close. Boro sit tenth in the Premiership while fifth-placed Chelsea's eyes are firmly fixed on this Saturday's FA Cup Final
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Distin calls for solidity
ON-LOAN Newcastle defender Sylvain Distin has warned that United must eradicate errors at the back if they are to make an impact in next season's Champions' League, writes CLIVE HETHERINGTON. Frenchman Distin, who joined United from Paris St. Germain
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Party starts after Magpies wake up
NEWCASTLE'S Jekyll and Hyde character, embodied best by the enigmatic Laurent Robert, resurfaced at St. James' Park and threatened to make a mockery of their end-of-term celebrations. As it was, the real Newcastle finally stepped forward and the party
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Guild and WI news
Belmont WI PRESIDENT Marjorie Oates opened the meeting with a minute's silence for the Queen Mother and Wynn Wilson, a long-standing member of the WI. Assistant secretary Ella Curry read the minutes of the last meeting. Marjorie Oates as delegate gave
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Pool still on course for promotion after draw
WRITE Hartlepool United off at your peril. Who didn't walk out of Victoria Park on Saturday feeling a little down after seeing Cheltenham nab a late equaliser? But who hadn't already written off Pool's play-off hopes on plenty of occasions this season
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You write
Regeneration work SIR - I welcome interest in the work to revitalise Durham villages but Julie Aberdeen's comments (You Write, March 23) were ill-conceived. Many of our once prosperous communities have suffered significant employment change following
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New inquiry on secret test
THE family of a Consett airman who died during secret Government chemical experiments have welcomed the re-opening of his inquest after nearly 50 years. The move comes after years of campaigning by servicemen who claim they were duped into believing highly
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Network plan for artists
A NEWTON Aycliffe school is looking to put together an artists' network in the Sedgefield borough. The network, which would be available to professionals and amateurs, would cater for visual, performing and media artists. Staff at Greenfield Community
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Rubbish site body 'crushed'
POLICE were last night studying CCTV footage to try to establish how a man ended up at a North-East re-cycling plant where he was found crushed to death. The body of David John Griffiths was discovered in rubbish at Teesside Waste Management, on Dockside
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New rules on replacement windows
TRADERS and DIY enthusiasts in County Durham have been urged to acquaint themselves with new laws aimed at cutting energy loss from windows and doors. Changes to Building Regulations introduced on April 1, mean that anyone who installs replacement windows
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Fancy fundraising
Pupils from Cleves Cross Primary School, Ferryhill, raised £2,000 for their school extension with a sponsored walk in fancy dress on Friday. The school is to receive a £70,000 grant for the extension to house computers, which will be match- funded. Headteacher
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Lungo to score with Scotland
Len Lungo, who made a bit of history as the first Scottish trainer to reach 60 winners in a season at Hexham last week, can get the new jumps season off to a flyer with Contract Scotland at Newcastle this evening. Lungo's hurdler, who hadn't been getting
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Mystery of stolen medical records
FILES on hundreds of 'single jab' North-East children missing MEDICAL records belonging to hundreds of North-East youngsters who have received single measles, mumps and rubella injections have been stolen from a private clinic. The break-in at the Liverpool
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Man 'critical' after assault
A man was critically ill in hospital last night after being found unconscious following an alleged assault at the weekend. A police spokesman said the 22-year-old, who has not been named, was found in Stockton Road, Seaham, east Durham, at 1am on Saturday
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US boxers welcomed to the North-East
SOME sharp punches and plenty of North-East hospitality helped a group of American boxers feel at home during an exchange trip. Members of the Chicago Golden Gloves club spent five days in the North-East after an invitation from Spennymoor Boxing Academy
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Village hall gets £50,000 facelift
A VICTORIAN village hall that has remained virtually unchanged since it was built more than 100 years ago is to be brought up-to-date with a £50,000 National Lottery grant. With outside lavatories and no hot running water, Copley Village Hall, in Teesdale
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New rules on replacement windows
TRADERS and DIY enthusiasts in County Durham have been urged to acquaint themselves with new laws aimed at cutting energy loss from windows and doors. Changes to Building Regulations introduced on April 1, mean that anyone who installs replacement windows
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News in brief: Revamped hall on show
Villagers in Heighington held an open day at the weekend to show off their renovated community hall. The village millennium project was to make the hall more accessible for people with disabilities. The community raised money for the work through fundraising
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Animal charity seeks help to care for unwanted pets
AN animal charity is appealing for help in raising vital funds to care for abandoned pets. The RSPCA in Darlington has only three volunteers who provide homes for unwanted animals. A small band of fundraisers helps to collect money to pay for veterinary
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Hotel expansion
A £750,000 expansion at a Darlington hotel has been officially unveiled. The extra 22 rooms and suites at the New Grange Hotel and Maxine's Bar and Restaurant, in Southend Avenue, is the second expansion at the hotel. The town's MP, Alan Milburn, joined
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Appeal for volunteer firefighters
AN urgent appeal has been issued by the fire service, which is on the lookout for more people willing to sign up as volunteer firefighters. The Masham retained crew has become severely depleted over recent months and, on some occasions, has been unable
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Drama school landmark
A DRAMA school in North Yorkshire, which has put several actors on the professional stage and given tuition to hundreds of children in the county, is celebrating its 21st anniversary. Run by its founder, Geoffrey Loy, the Northern Academy of Theatre Arts
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New chapter in concerts
A mini-concert series will bring music to library visitors next month. The series, organised by Durham County Council, features guitarists James Birkett and Rod Sinclair, both lecturers at Newcastle College, playing popular melodies from the 1920s and
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Roadshow rolls in with higher education message
YOUNGSTERS across the borough of Stockton are being urged to aim higher today when a roadshow rolls into the area as an Excellence in Cities awareness event gets under way. The Government roadshow, which will be based at Bede College, Hale Road, Billingham
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Lottery cash aids students' music scheme
TWO enterprising students are bringing music to Derwentside with the help of Lottery funding. Andy Coates, 22, and Andy Magee, 18, who are both in their second year of a National Diploma in Music Technology at Newcastle College, have won a bid for Lottery
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Youngsters provide a clean sweep at play area
YOUNGSTERS in Middlesbrough did their best to help clean up a local play area yesterday. They joined some of Middlesbrough Council's new street wardens to tidy up the Laycock Gardens area. The Clean Sweep project was organised after two of the wardens
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News in brief: Man in court after drug raid
A MAN will appear in court today charged with possession of heroin with intent to supply after police discovered £50,000 worth of the drug at a house in Middlesbrough. Officers searched the house, in Grove Hill, at 5.40pm on Friday. A 33-year-old man
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Child benefit 'fines' attacked
Tony Blair last night faced an angry backlash over plans to cut child benefit from the parents of youngsters who persistently commit crimes or play truant from school. Labour left-wingers and child poverty campaigners lined up to condemn the plan - warning
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Forum looks ahead to Earth Summit
ENVIRONMENTAL experts will join a North-East conference to prepare for this year's International Earth Summit. Georgina Ayres and Jo Phillips, of the United Nations' environment and development forum, will address the conference, which will bring together
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News in brief: Footballers get new pitches
Football teams from the Thornaby and Ingleby Barwick areas are to benefit from new sports pitches and changing rooms. Members of Stockton Borough Council's planning committee have agreed to plans to create the facility at the junction of Thornaby Road
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Truancy plan has no merit
THERE is a need for a reasoned debate on how we might combat truancy and the menace created by teenage criminals. We might expect constructive solutions to be discussed in the regular meetings of the Street Crime Action Group, held in the Cabinet Office
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New storage tanks create jobs at plant
PLANS to create 70 jobs at a chemical plant on Teesside have been approved. Halterman Custom Processing, on the ICI Process Plant Park in Billingham, needed to extend its storage facilities to meet demand for its services over the next five years. The
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Charity worker's 100th birthday celebration
A WOMAN referred to as Mrs Haxby because of her fund-raising in the Yorkshire village celebrated her 100th birthday at the weekend. Dorothy Embleton had lived in Haxby all her life until six years ago, when she moved to Pine Lodge Residential Home, in
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Writers help children to explore books
A GROUP of secondary school pupils took part in an English lesson with a difference. Children at The Norton School, Norton, were joined by authors Steve Barlow and Steve Skidmore, who helped encourage their interest, and particularly that of the boys,
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Young players jump to it for finals place
An east Cleveland college sports team is celebrating after winning through to the finals of a national competition at its first attempt. The mixed volleyball team at Prior Pursglove College, in Guisborough, fought its way through three rounds in the National
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Event will celebrate patients' skills
ENTERTAINMENTS ranging from African dance to giant penguins will be in Tyne and Wear as part of May Day celebrations. Several Metro stations, the Shields Ferry and selected healthcare buildings will host events as part of One Day on Wednesday. Organised
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Spotter 'spies' in European Court bid
BRITISH plane-spotters, convicted of spying by a Greek court, will be appealing to the European Court. Six were given three-year prison terms for espionage on Friday. Six more were given one-year suspended sentences for aiding and abetting. All 12 were
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Museum aims to brew up interest through monster teapots collection
THE world's largest collection of British ceramic teapots is expected to stir up plenty of interest when an exhibition opens in the region this week. Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, County Durham, will host the exhibition for three months, which it is hoped
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Students with designs on MP's office
THREE students from the University of Teesside, who designed an MP's office building, have been presented with cash prizes. Alison Hornby, David Johnson and Alan Witcher undertook the project at the Redcar Station Business Centre, where the town's MP
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New learning opportunities in the dales
AN education partnership has confirmed a range of courses which will be available in the Yorkshire Dales. The lack of local transport can make access to colleges a challenge for the more isolated communities. However, the Richmondshire Area Learning Partnership
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N-E firm wins Malaysia deal
A NORTH-EAST company has been given the job of looking after industrial processing plants throughout Malaysia. Engineering outfit AMEC, based in Darlington, will work with a Malaysian company to maintain the country's chemical, gas, oil and processing
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Fears raised over superstore move on to town centre site
A COUNCILLOR fears that allowing a supermarket chain to trade from a town centre site will scupper regeneration plans for the area. Despite concerns there would be a threat to the regeneration proposals for Billingham, members of Stockton Borough Council's
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Charity timber service cash plea
AN appeal is under way to help transform the lives of people with learning disabilities in North Yorkshire - and boost the local economy. Charity Chopsticks, in Northallerton, is hoping to raise £850,000 to buy premises on the outskirts of the town, from
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The gran who caught the learning bug
Betty Hetherington points proudly to the dozen or so framed awards and certificates hanging on the wall of her terraced home in Tantobie, near Stanley. A plaque on the mantelpiece in the living room notes her 'personal achievement in computing.' Anyone
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Judge allows sex offender freedom
A MAN who was convicted of attempting to have sex with a 14-year-old girl has been made the subject of a community rehabilitation order for a year. Dennis Coleman, 19, of Kimberley Gardens, Stanley, was cleared of rape at Newcastle Crown Court, in February
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The gran who caught the learning bug
Betty Hetherington points proudly to the dozen or so framed awards and certificates hanging on the wall of her terraced home in Tantobie, near Stanley. A plaque on the mantelpiece in the living room notes her 'personal achievement in computing.' Anyone
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Searching for the right note
What are the most covered songs of all time? We have a bet on this at the work. I think White Christmas is the most covered but one of my colleagues thinks it is My Way? - Chris Taylor, North Ormesby According to the Guinness Book of Records, neither
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Friends plan charity leap
TWO teenagers will plunge from the Tyne Bridge to raise funds for a disabled youngster. Gemma Atkinson, 18, and Laura Malone, 17, both Durham County Council employees, will join four friends to abseil from the bridge in a bid to buy an artificial limb
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Soccer fan wins trip of a lifetime
SOCCER fan Andrew Pearson is looking forward to a dream trip to the World Cup finals in Japan. Andrew, 21, a car mechanic, of Chester-le-Street, won the expenses-paid trip for two in a promotion by American beer firm Budweiser. The company says that about
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Documentary features mother's fight for justice
THE Home Secretary and other major politicians are to receive a copy of a documentary detailing a North-East mother's campaign for justice for her murdered daughter. It's My Story: The Man Who Killed My Daughter, will be broadcast on Radio Four tonight
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Youth hostel gets stay over closure plan
A POPULAR youth hostel, earmarked for closure by the end of the year, has been given a stay of execution. Aysgarth, in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, was among ten properties owned by the national Youth Hostel Association (YHA) facing the axe as the organisation
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'Two-week wait will be simply torture' - Kilbane
SUNDERLAND need only a draw in their final home game against already-relegated Derby County a week on Saturday to ensure their Premiership safety. But Republic of Ireland international Kevin Kilbane admitted last night that the next two weeks before the
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Reid left in a sweat after Lisbie late strike denies Wearsiders
SUNDERLAND were glad to see the back of London after gleaning one solitary point from six visits this season. And the trip to The Valley was different only because Charlton proved to be no better than their relegation-haunted rivals. Yet memories of the
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Nurse struck off register
A NURSE who ridiculed the Pope in front of a devout Catholic and left her in tears has been struck off. Pauline Green, 49, often ridiculed the patient's religion, the professional conduct committee of the Nursing and Midwifery Council was told. It was
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McClaren keen to seal Queudrue deal
MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren will spend the next couple of weeks sorting out his first team plans for next season. And McClaren's first action will be to clinch a deal to bring left-back Franck Queudrue in permanently. Queudrue, 23, has fitted in
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Five-try Falcons put Bath to the sword
ROB Andrew took a scarcely veiled swipe at the structure of the English season after his impressive Falcons swept aside Bath at Kingston Park yesterday. "In the last three weeks we have looked like a team for the first time since late October," said the
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Police search for road rage driver
POLICE are trying to trace the driver of a Land Rover who raced towards two teenagers - just missing them - in a motiveless road rage incident. A police spokesman said the driver had deliberately driven his vehicle at the two boys on a secluded road about
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Leaders welcome prospect of jobs
UP TO 1,000 jobs could be created with the redevelopment of a vandal-hit North-East landmark. Planning officials are backing moves to breathe new life into the former ICI offices known as Billingham House, at Billingham, Teesside. A nine-storey office
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Clarke is confident
DARRELL Clarke insists there will be no hangover for Hartlepool United - and they are now ready to turn the tables on Cheltenham, writes Nick Loughlin. Alate equaliser pegged Pool back to a 1-1 draw at home to Cheltenham on Saturday. But Pool head for
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Princess to attend jubilee horse show
PRINCESS Anne will be the guest of honour at a Durham event to celebrate the Queen's jubilee. The British Horse Society (BHS) North Region will celebrate its patron's jubilee with a horse extravaganza, The Voice of the Horse, at Houghall College, on June
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Police criticise phone firms
POLICE in Derwentside have criticised phone companies for not helping in the fight against mobile phone theft. Consett-based detective inspector Simon Orton discovered that by dialling in a simple code into their phones, owners could call up a security
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Bungalows plan for derelict site
A DERELICT coachworks could be demolished to make way for bungalows for the elderly. A meeting of Sedgefield Borough Council's planning committee on Friday will decide whether to allow 18 bungalows to be built on the site of a former coachworks in Spennymoor
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Army hits cash target with clay pigeon shoot
THE ARMY has hit a fund-raising target with a clay pigeon shooting event. The open event, organised at the Marne Barracks, Catterick, North Yorkshire, raised more than £1,000 for The Neurofibromatosis Appeal, which funds research into a condition which
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Caroline murder: 'Police ignored screams report'
AUSTRALIAN police are investigating claims that officers failed to respond to reports of a woman's screams on the night York backpacker Caroline Stuttle was murdered. The 19-year-old's body was found beneath the Burnett Bridge in Bundaberg, north of Brisbane
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School praised for efforts to raise standards
ONE of County Durham's smallest schools has been praised for improving standards by Government inspectors. Woodland Primary School, which has 28 pupils and two classes, serves a small village and farming community between Bishop Auckland and Middleton-in-Teesdale
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'Exam board spin' over the impossible question
Students who took an AS-level maths paper - which included a supposedly impossible question - answered that one better than any other in the exam, the board responsible claimed last night. Edexcel was pilloried in January for a series of blunders which
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Cafe owner Toni hangs up his apron
A caf owner retired yesterday after 30 years working in the North-East. Toni Pala, 62, worked at Betty's teashop in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, when he arrived in England from Sardinia, Italy. He moved to Darlington in 1974, and ran the Sardis restaurant
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Park visitors to get extra attractions
A TOURIST attraction badly affected by the foot-and-mouth crisis last year is hoping for better things from the coming summer season. Duncombe Park, near Helmsley, reopened to the public yesterday and has confirmed a series of events which it hopes will
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Refugees' supporters take to the streets
Supporters took to the streets as part of a campaign to allow a family of Macedonian refugees to stay in the country. An immigration appeal tribunal in London has already decided that Marjun and Lile Dimitrievski, and their sons, Sasha, 12 and Miki, eight
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One makes a royal appearance to highlight the region's heritage
SHOPPERS were confronted by Queen Elizabeth I and Jefficus the Roman soldier at the Gateshead MetroCentre at the weekend. The characters made an appearance as part of a campaign by English Heritage aimed at encouraging people to Take Their Heritage Home
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Heroes impresses as shareholders pay a call
LOCAL Heroes the racehorse is almost ready for her first run after being put through her paces in front of her excited owners at the weekend. The two-year-old bay filly, the second racehorse to be owned by The Northern Echo Racing Partnership, is progressing
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£550,000 revamp heralds new era for old playhouse
DETAILS of the £550,000 facelift planned for County Durham's oldest theatres have been announced. In early February, The Northern Echo revealed that urgent structural repairs costing £300,000 were needed if the Consett Empire was to remain open. Now Derwentside
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'Beware bogus water officials'
POLICE have issued a warning to elderly residents following a spate of bogus calls in Stockton. Men claiming to be from Northumbrian Water have called at several houses in the town, tricking their way into homes of elderly people. In one of the latest
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Lottery hope for festival
ONE of County Durham's biggest musical events has been saved - but another major festival is under threat. Councillors at cash-strapped Derwentside District Council agreed to confirm a £17,000 budget for the threatened Stanley Blues Festival on Tuesday
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New from the WIs
Cestria Afternoon WI THE president welcomed members and county visitor Freda Weatherspoon to our AGM. A minute's silence was held in memory of fellow WI member the Queen Mother. The Golden Thread was read by Connie Crompton. Lists were circulated for
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Litter campaign aids park plan
RESIDENTS have helped start a park's regeneration by picking up litter. Families from Windy Nook, in Gateshead, went to Windy Nook Nature Park to take part in a community litter-pick organised by Gateshead Council. The initiative marked one of the first
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Town prepares for lots of fun at holiday gala
AN EAST Durham town is planning a host of bank holiday fun next Monday. Seaham Town Council has organised a day which begins at 11am and continues until 3pm at Deneside Park. The programme includes a Punch and Judy Show, Mr Windbags the Clown, the Tyne
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Actors back new restaurant
SPECIAL guests marked the opening of a theatre's restaurant by sampling its cuisine. The Dining Room, at Durham's Gala Theatre, supplements the venue's caf bar as a more formal restaurant. Situated on the top floor, it provides a panoramic view of the
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You Write
Regeneration work SIR - I welcome interest in the work to revitalise Durham villages but Julie Aberdeen's comments (You Write, March 23) were ill-conceived. Many of our once prosperous communities have suffered significant employment change following
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News in brief: College to host radio show
Edward Stourton from Radio 4's Today programme chairs a recorded debate on the moral health of the nation, at Ampleforth College, York, tomorrow. The first of three discussions on the topic to be held around the country will be broadcast on Wednesday,
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Marks with a sparkle
The fashion world is getting excited about Marks & Spencer's new womenswear collection. Women's Editor Christen Pears enjoys a sneak preview SOMEWHERE along the line, we fell out of love with Marks and Spencer. Its classic, affordable clothes were
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Hear all sides : Darlington FC
IF it had not been for George Reynolds, Darlington would not have a football team today. It's his money and he should be able to do what he wants. Put yourself in his position and everybody would do the same thing. You can't go putting money into a project
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Mystery memo fuels dispute
A DIRTY tricks row has broken out on the eve of a ballot that could see North-East firefighters striking over controversial control room plans. More than 400 firefighters are due to vote on industrial action over plans to consolidate all emergency services
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Nes in brief: Attempt to grab youngster
Police are trying to trace the driver of a car who tried to grab a nine-year-old boy, in North Road, Harelaw, near Stanley, at about 4pm last Thursday. A police spokesman said the boy, who was about 200 yards away from his home, near St Thomas's Church
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Blood tests could help heart patients
A National Heart Research Fund study into the use of the anti-clotting drug Warfarin could benefit patients throughout the North-East. Health Correspondent Barry Nelson reports MORE than 100 North-East patients are helping scientists improve the care
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News from the Guilds and WIs
Annfield Plain WI PRESIDENT Mrs Collin welcomed members and visitors to the April meeting held in Annfield Plain library. Members observed a minute's silence as a token of respect for Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Miss Ellwood read the minutes of
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Restoration of locomotive gets on track
A STEAM locomotive has come home to be restored in the town where it was built more than 80 years ago. The North-Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group (NELPG) moved into its new premises in Darlington six months ago. The first project it will undertake
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Weekend TV
The lads are back, Pet! Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (BBC1) FEW returning series come with as much baggage as this one. The original series was a hit with viewers and critics alike. The actors, more or less unknown 16 years ago, are busy and familiar faces these
