Archive
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Sage chief pleased with its progress
ACCOUNTANCY software group Sage has staved off the tough economic climate, thanks to strong sales to existing customers. The Newcastle business saw pre-tax profits in the six months to March 31 rise by ten per cent to £65.1m as it focused on selling upgrades
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Bid to have killer pardoned fails
Campaigners battling to clear the name of blind Yvonne Sleightholme have lost their bid to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights. David Hamilton and Margaret Leonard applied to Strasbourg last year, arguing that Sleightholme, jailed in 1991
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Big day for cheese fan Wallace
IT was perhaps inevitable that the flavour of a festival to celebrate Wensleydale's culinary traditions would have a distinctly cheesy tang. And, if you mention the dale's most famous product, then there can only be one celebrity duo worthy of promoting
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Mugging victim loses bag
A WOMAN aged 65 was left badly shaken after her handbag was snatched on Teesside. It happened at about 10.30am on Monday in Dovecot Street, Stockton. The handbag contained £200 in cash, bank cards and personal papers. The youth was about17. He had short
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Minister vows to boost farming
RURAL affairs minister Alun Michael will be joining people from across the region tomorrow at an event designed to help shape the future of food and farming in England. The meeting, at the Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate is one of eight being held
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Invitation to a golden celebration
RESIDENTS are being invited to take part in a programme of activities to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee. St Cuthbert's Hospice is working alongside Durham City Forum on a range of activities to mark the jubilee, on Monday, June 3. Locals are being
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Tournament call to junior football stars
BUDDING David Beckhams are invited to take part in a football tournament next month. Middlesbrough will host a five-a-side contest for primary school teams from across the north of England on Saturday, May 25. Each school will be asked to adopt the name
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Cycle skills put to test
YOUNG cyclists from the Stockton area are being invited to take part in a heat of the Raleigh Challenge 2002, the national competition organised by British Cycling. The event takes place at Fairfield Primary School, in Stockton, on Friday, May 17, at
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Echo helps woman secure brother's body
A woman's traumatic seven-week battle to secure arrangements for her brother's funeral appears to be over, thanks to the intervention of The Northern Echo. Robert Banks has been lying in a South African mortuary ever since he died, aged 65, from a suspected
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Civic role for new speaker
A COUNCILLOR secured himself a place in the history books yesterday when he become a town's first speaker. Ken Hall was installed as Middlesbrough Council's speaker at a ceremony at the town hall, and will spend the next year carrying out the duties of
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Symington in line to make his Cup debut
DURHAM could hand Marc Symington his Benson & Hedges Cup debut against Lancashire at the Riverside today. The bad news for the 22-year-old all-rounder is that he is likely to be asked to bowl into the wind - a job which medium pacers Darren Maddy
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Plume of red dye led police to armed robber
AN armed robber was literally caught red-handed by police just minutes after holding up travel agency staff at knifepoint. The bundle of cash grabbed by heroin addict Peter Scorer contained a security device which activated as left the shop, emitting
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Adam's Mayor at 15
SCHOOLBOY Adam Gallagher learned last night that he had secured the post of the UK's first youth mayor. The 15-year-old, elected by Middlesbrough youngsters, will have a budget of more than £30,000 to spend on priorities which concern young people. He
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Charity wants to grow
A MAJOR appeal has been launched to help transform the lives of people with learning difficulties in North Yorkshire - and boost the local economy. Chopsticks, the pioneering charity based in Northallerton, is hoping to raise £850,000 to buy new premises
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Happy snappers invited to camera clinic
KEEN photographers are invited to have their cameras checked at a free event. Photographic retailer Jessop's is holding a camera clinic at its store at 19 High Street, Durham, from 10am until 4pm on Saturday. The event will assess faults and give free
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Chamber members vote to continue their work
AN organisation that has championed traders' causes for more than half a century is to live on after its members supported its survival. The establishment of groups such as Durham City Forum meant that those behind Durham City Chamber of Trade began to
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Crime has fallen, but people still need to feel safer
MANY good things have happened in recent years which have enabled us in the police force to make progress in pursuit of crime reduction and public reassurance. The Crime and Disorder legislation, which required us for the first time to work in partnership
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NP hailed as top PR performer
PR COMPANY NP is the top performing agency in the UK, according to industry magazine PR Week. NP bucked the national trend, which saw a marked downturn in the fortunes of the PR industry in the UK, with seven of the top ten agencies in the league posting
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Puppies saved after being left to drown
THE region's animal cruelty record has been highlighted again by the plight of two puppies left to drown on a beach. The pair of six-week-old pups were tied to a rock and left to the mercy of the incoming tide at Seaham, County Durham. But a passer-by
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Court told of boy's lethal air rifle injury
A SHOT fired by a 13-year-old boy went three inches inside his playmate's skull causing lethal brain damage, a court was told yesterday. Home Office pathologist Dr James Sunter, who examined the body of Matthew Sheffield, 14, said he had no chance of
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Hammers issue 'hands off' warning over Carrick
WEST HAM will demand £18m for Michael Carrick if Newcastle intensify their interest in the Geordie midfielder. The Magpies made a discreet enquiry about embryonic England international Carrick after Saturday's 3-1 victory over the Hammers at St. James
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Host of events for learners' week
SPENNYMOOR Community Learning is to host a programme of events to mark national Adult Learners' Week, which runs from May 11 to 17. Throughout the week, visitors to the centre, in Festival Walk, can discover the range of free services on offer for training
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Accolades for lifeboat fundraisers
TWO fundraising stalwarts who help to finance the work of the UK's lifeboats are in line for awards. The Royal National Lifeboat Institute is holding its presentation at London's Barbican Centre on May 16. Among those receiving gold badges from entrepreneur
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Winner set to net a fortune
A LUCKY punter could walk away with a £6,000 jackpot for a 50p stake as Sunderland stage the first of their summer 16-race evening BAGS meetings tonight. The jackpot reached £4,428 at the East Boldon track on Saturday night and three tickets went through
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Revenge beckons for Double Honour at Ascot
MARK JOHNSTON has an embarrassment of riches in the staying division this year, a point amply illustrated by his powerful challenge for this afternoon's £42,000 Group 3 Sagaro Stakes at Ascot. The race features a fascinating re-match between Persian Punch
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Carers pledge respect for older people
ORGANISATIONS have pledged to fight ageism throughout County Durham. Thirteen groups, including County Durham and Tees Valley Health Authority and Durham County Council, have signed a pledge to fight prejudice. They represent health organisations, social
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School earns accolade for basic skills
A VILLAGE school is celebrating becoming the first in the Darlington borough to receive an award for the quality of its teaching. Hurworth School has been recognised by the independent Basic Skills Agency, which focuses on the quality of the three Rs,
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BAT 'shifts the mix' in drive to improve profits
British American Tobacco (BAT) said first-quarter profits had nudged ahead, despite a slump in volumes across the world. The Lucky Strike-to-Dunhill operation, which employs about 600 at its Rothmans factory in Darlington, has seen sales fall as smokers
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David named top student
A FATHER-OF-TWO has beaten competition from scores of teenagers to be named Derwentside College's student of the year. David Metcalfe, a 41-year-old former factory manager from Lanchester, left school with no qualifications and lost his job after 20 years
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Beating a trail around public right of way
THE ancient custom of beating the bounds is to be continued when a group marks a public right of way across the Tunstall Hills, in Sunderland. The tradition dates from the Middle Ages when children were led around the parish boundaries by their elders
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New road plan moves step closer
THE next step will be taken today towards the development of a proposed road link for traffic leaving and entering a city centre. Sunderland City Council is formally to apply for compulsory purchase orders to clear the way for the £17m southern radial
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Will he be king of the swingers?
ALMOST 200 years ago, the people of Hartlepool hanged a monkey they thought was a French spy. But, with local bookmakers having suspended betting on the town's monkey mascot, it is not beyond the bounds of possibility they may elect one as mayor. Stuart
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Force appoints new head of personnel
THE region's biggest police force has recruited a new head of personnel. Chief Superintendent Norman Gilberg, 49, takes up the post with Northumbria Police after five years as area commander at Washington, Wearside. He joined the force in 1975, originally
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Wearsiders in dock over 'poaching'
THE Football Association said last night it would investigate allegations of transfer impropriety made against Sunderland by Tranmere Rovers yesterday if the Second Division club lodges a formal complaint over the Premiership club's move to sign their
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Grief over grandchild David will never see
THE family of a man whose body was discovered at a crushing plant spoke yesterday of their grief that he died just days short of becoming a grandfather. David Griffiths' 21-year-old daughter, Kirsty, is due to have a baby any time now. The former bouncer
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Teenagers earn reward for fishing boat project
YOUNGSTERS are to be given a taste of life at sea after taking part in a police project. Four months ago, 16 young people started a scheme run by Northumbria Police in which they learnt how to restore, repair and crew a small fishing boat. They also gained
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Cash award could give children a 'sure start' in life
GOVERNMENT money could help youngsters in deprived areas of County Durham overcome poverty and disadvantage. Durham County Council hopes to win funding from the Government's Children's Fund for a programme aimed at five to 13-year-olds in 19 run-down
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Shopping trip that ended in road death
A STUDENT was struck by a lorry as she walked home on a country road in the dark. An inquest heard how Marie Louise Wilson, 23, was seen walking along an unlit main road with her back to oncoming traffic and wearing dark clothes. The hearing, in Easingwold
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Kidney damage result of diabetes - inquest
A WOMAN who died suddenly at home had suffered kidney damage as a result of diabetes, an inquest at County Hall, Durham, heard yesterday. Kathryn Featherstone, 34, from Bede Court, in Chester-le-Street, had suffered from diabetes since the age of seven
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Traders warned after schoolgirls were sold alcohol
TRADERS who sold alcohol to two under-age schoolgirls have been condemned by trading standards officers. The 15 and 16-year-old, both casually dressed, were sold alcohol in six of the ten shops visited in the Redcar and Cleveland area over two days. They
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Concrete pipes fall from lorry
A ROAD was closed for more than two hours after a lorry shed its load, blocking traffic and damaging a wall. Two 15ft by 5ft concrete pipes fell from the lorry shortly after 11pm yesterday in Salters Lane North, Darlington, near the junction with North
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Theme park launches sun cover-up drive
One of the region's biggest theme parks pressed ahead with its Be Safe in the Sun initiative regardless of the present weather. Lightwater Valley, near Ripon, is launching its annual summertime campaign of offering visitors free suncream if they get caught
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Ted's office honour
A COUNTRYSIDE worker's dedication to his job was rewarded last week when English Nature's new base in Wensleydale was named in his honour. Ted Asquith has helped to forge links between the Government and the area's farmers for most of his working life
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Pupils have talent for success
CHILDREN showed their star quality yesterday when they performed their own version of a classic musical. A group of 62 eight and nine-year-olds from Esh Winning Primary School staged a colourful production of Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat
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Were you truly wafted here from paradise? no, RAF Leeming
COCKNEY actress Lorraine Chase was truly wafted over the region's skies in a multi-million pound jet yesterday in her latest daredevil charity stunt. It was more RAF Leeming than Luton Airport, and there were no Latin charmers in sight, but the star of
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Historic band to take on the best
A BRASS band with a 150-year history is appealing for donations so it can represent Darlington in a national competition. Cockerton Silver Band has won through to the final of the National Brass Band Championships, to be held in the south Devon resort
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Country fairs 'under threat'
OPPOSITION is growing against Government planning proposals which campaigners claim could threaten the existence of country fairs. The National Farmers' Union and the Country Land and Business Association have joined the chorus of complaint, claiming
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Tales of endless tours and the royal tights
The Queen's Golden Jubilee tour of Britain begins today and Jennie Bond will be with her. The BBC's Royal Correspondent talks to Women's Editor Christen Pears about her job. SO what are the Royal Family really like?' It's the question Jennie Bond is asked
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Tenants say no to homes transfer bid
AN attempt to transfer 2,000 council homes in Richmondshire to a housing association has been shelved. A full meeting of the local authority last week ratified a vote by the housing committee to abandon consultation on the project after an initial survey
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New control room for camera system
A SCHEME aimed at securing the future of an anti-crime spy camera system in Hambleton has taken a step forward. Members of the district council's cabinet have agreed plans to create a new control room in Northallerton. The current closed-circuit television
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Pupils take on advisory roles
A TEAM of young "management consultants" brought a fresh approach to improving the working environment at two companies. The team that took on the role of advisors to 3M and Hydro Polymers, in Newton Aycliffe, was made up of pupils from primary schools
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Golden anniversary couples will help Queen to celebrate 50 years
THOUSANDS of people are expected to give the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh a right royal welcome when they tour the North-East next week. The couple will experience at first-hand the changing face of the region as they visit it as part of the Queen's
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A life that's no joke
At Home With The Crackheads (C4) AT one point you could tell stand-up comedian Omid Djalili wondered if he was doing the right thing in temporarily abandoning the stage to spend two days with a couple of drug addicts. Here he was "as a bogus cab driver
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Foreign affairs - It's a question of whether euro in or out
The Prime Minister's statemanship is undeniable, but Chris Lloyd assesses the benefits to Britain of Tony Blair's foreign policy TONY BLAIR must be a chameleon. He quickly became Bill Clinton's best friend, rushing to the president's side when he was
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'Vote Tory' say unions as 'fascist' fear grows
FEAR of the British National Party has reached such a level that trade unionists in the region are urging voters to back Tory hopefuls rather than allow a racist candidate to sneak in. The BNP, buoyed by the success of the French National Front and hopeful
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Schoolgirl's horrific gang rape ordeal
A GANG of perverted "animals" are facing long prison stretches for the horrific gang rape of a 15-year-old girl they had drugged and imprisoned. The three men repeatedly attacked the schoolgirl in a squalid flat after first spiking her drink. As gang
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Celebrations as school swimmers end twenty year wait
AFTER two decades, the reign of Darlington's secondary school swimming champions has come to an end. The Darlington Secondary Schools Swimming Gala took place at the Dolphin Centre on Monday night, with Hummersknott School and Language College defending
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Bright idea for flowers with power
HOUSEHOLDS of the future could use flower power if an innovative idea by North-East design student Paul Richardson gets off the ground. After being given a brief to design something for the home of tomorrow, the third-year Northumbria University student
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Electoral boundaries under review
A REVIEW has begun which could eventually lead to the political map of North Yorkshire being redrawn. The study will take an in-depth look at the electoral arrangements affecting the county council, and is being carried out by the Boundary Committee for
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Heritage custodians launch search for roman lookalikes
PEOPLE in the North-East will come face-to-face with the region's Roman heritage in an English Heritage best look-alike competition. A poster of Ashleigh Carr, 13, of Hebburn, Tyneside, has already been printed to encourage people with Roman characteristics
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Villagers to step up bypass campaign
VILLAGERS who have campaigned for years for a bypass to divert heavy traffic away from their homes are to make a new high-profile plea to councillors. Residents of Thormanby, near Easingwold, have seen four deaths and countless other accidents in recent
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Sudden white-out to blame for fatal crash, inquest told
A LABOURER was killed after losing control of his car in a sudden white-out while driving to work on a dual carriageway. Leslie John Sharp was declared dead at the scene of the accident, after hitting a lamppost just off the northbound carriageway of
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Education, then health, now Blair places crime top of agenda
Chris Lloyd meets Tony Blair in his Sedgefield constituency TONY Blair lands at his house in Trimdon, County Durham, following a flight into Teesside. He's arrived via a crime initiative in Croydon, a Prime Ministerial grilling at Question Time and a
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Miners jobs saved
Hundreds of miners' jobs were safeguarded today thanks to a £1 million investment which will maintain production at their pit for the next five years. UK Coal announced a plan to access new reserves from Ellington colliery in Morpeth, Northumberland,
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When and where you can cheer Her Majesty
THE following is the full itinerary of the Queen's Golden Jubilee visit: Tuesday, May 7 10.10am: The Queen and Prince Philip will arrive at Sunderland railway station. They will open the Winter Gardens and there will be a walkabout in Mowbray Park. 11am
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Still the dirtiest words in politics...
If there is one thing likely to bring down a Government, it's sleaze - and that new political disease, spin. Chris Lloyd discovers that, like the Tories before them, New Labour has failed to keep its image clean WE were told five years ago that things
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Report reveals threat to North wildlife
A new report has revealed the pressures threatening wildlife habitats in the region. The Biodiversity Audit of the North-East documents nine animals and flowers which are now extinct in the region. Launched in Newcastle this morning, the report also makes
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Golden jubilee celebrations shaping up
LIVE music, a football tournament and a community barbecue are among the events planned in Romanby to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee. There were fears earlier in the year that the 50th anniversary of the Queen's coronation would be a damp squib. But,
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Index indicating a moderate rise in confidence
THIS month's Darlington Business Index indicates a slightly more positive outlook, with a rise in confidence for the first time in several months. The index for March is analysed by Neville Baldry, a partner with Clive Owen and Co, and despite its overall
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Labour's diary, 1997-2002
1997 May 1 After 18 years of Conservative rule, Labour wins 418 seats in the General Election - a landslide majority of 179. Aged 43, Tony Blair is the youngest Prime Minister since William Pitt the Younger in 1783. Chancellor Gordon Brown "hits the ground
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Balloon release links estate with France
TWO families from northern France have won the top prizes in a balloon launch started from a Darlington housing estate. One hundred balloons were released from Skerne Park childcare centre at the Skerne Park partnership's celebration day in March. Each
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Raids yield crack and weapons
IMMIGRATION officials are checking the backgrounds of 15 West Indians arrested when police on Teesside seized their biggest haul of crack cocaine. About 24 officers were involved in the recovery of 250 "rocks" of the drug in raids on two addresses in
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Grieving mum tells of cancer man's courage
A MOTHER told yesterday of her son's courage and zest for life after he lost a five-year battle against cancer. Just over two weeks ago, Guy Francis was told by doctors that his body was unable to withstand any more treatment, following months of chemotherapy
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Student's 'art train' is winner
A NORTH-EAST student is on track for a successful career after designing an "art train" and scooping an award. Kong Hoang, 22, of Acklam, Middlesbrough, picked up a £1,000 Design Council Travel Award after winning the interior design section of the RSA
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Surveys uncover fort site potential
A FARMER with a Roman town and fort under his land has welcomed two studies into the possibility of excavating the site. But Nick Greenwell declined to comment on recommendations that his Lanchester fort should only be excavated and developed for tourism
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Car boost for police
A CARPET dealer is helping police to pull the rug from under thieves - by keeping experts on the road. A specialist team of police officers from the North Yorkshire force's Eastern area has taken delivery of a Vauxhall Astra, sponsored by Calverts Carpets
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Kirsten dances her way to European title
Teenager Kirsten McGuigan is the disco dancing queen of Europe. The 16-year-old from Lead-gate, near Consett, won the adult category in the Eurodance International Festival competition at Brean Sands, Somerset, at the weekend. Kirsten, who attends Moorside
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Residents will have say over traffic problem
RESIDENTS of a Richmond road are to be given a chance to have their say on how to control speeding traffic outside their homes. North Yorkshire County Council's Richmondshire area committee agreed that consultation should take place with people in Quarry
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Appeal needs help to stave off collapse
A CAMPAIGN to secure the future of a dales community centre could collapse unless more volunteers come forward. Members of the Witham Hall Appeal committee are calling for more people to support the scheme and help raise the £5m needed to refurbish and
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Clock finally strikes for new community centre in church
A TOWN'S dream of a new community centre will come to fruition with the opening of a £675,000 church conversion next week. Members of the public will finally get to see the transformation of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland
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Clock ticking on NHS timetable of recovery
Labour has announced a massive increase in spending on the NHS. Health Correspondent Barry Nelson asks medical experts in the region for their opinion on the Government's achievements to date and their prognosis for the future WHO do we believe when it
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Orange shrugs off fears of slump
Orange has shrugged aside worries about a slowdown in the mobile phone market to ring up an increase in subscriber numbers and revenue. The group added 284,000 new customers in the UK in the first three months of the year, a 38 per cent rise on the previous
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Police inquiry into soldier's death
Parents worried their son may have been murdered on an Army base have welcomed the decision to reopen a police inquiry into his death. The parents of 17-year-old Geoff Gray have been campaigning for further investigation of the soldier's death. The teenager
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Repair bill may mean homes are demolished
SCORES of homes could be bulldozed because they contain asbestos and have structural defects which may prove too expensive to repair. The 120 properties are in two streets on the St Andrew's Estate in Bishop Auckland, where tests were carried out at the
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Family grief as they look forward to birth of child
THE family of a man whose mangled body was discovered at a crushing plant spoke yesterday of their grief that he died just days short of becoming a grandfather. David Griffiths's 21-year-old daughter, Kirsty, is due to have a baby any time now. The former
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Third phase of crime fight
A SUCCESSFUL crime-busting initiative aimed at stamping out crime and disorder on the streets of South Tyneside is to return. Operation Lonestar, now in its third phase, follows in the pattern of successful operations held in the area command. Police
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Dancing lessons
A SCHOOL is running a dance course for adults, including salsa at beginners and intermediate levels. Caroline Race will be taking the classes at Greenfield Community and Arts Centre in Newton Aycliffe from Monday, May 13. Beginners salsa will run from
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Police action over shunt
A DRIVER who shunted a car out of her way before driving off was being contacted by police last night. A female witness saw an elderly woman driver, in what was believed to be a Proton, shunt the parked car forward a metre outside Blockbuster Video in
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Pub fells rivals in award stakes
REAL ale drinkers in Durham have named the city's Woodman Inn as their pub of the year. The venue for successful seasonal beer festivals for the last two years, the Gilesgate watering hole was the unanimous choice of the Durham branch of the pressure
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Police issue advice over fake lottery win fraud
DETECTIVES are warning about foreign lottery scams. Durham Police have been contacted by people who have been telephoned by purported Canadian lottery corporations which say they have won. The callers say that before a payout can be made, they have to
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'Tax and spend' Labour pays its debt to history
Britain's robust economy under Gordon Brown's Chancellorship has enabled Labour to rid itself of a sorry record for mismanagement and win a level of public support never previously enjoyed by a Labour administration. Colin Tapping looks at the challenges
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The Blair Years
Political Editor Chris Lloyd looks at the successes - and failures - of Labour's first five years in power 'TODAY, enough of talking. It is time to do.' Tony Blair, Downing Street, May 2, 1997, after his first landslide victory. "Time to deliver." The
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War hangar gets jubilee show revamp
A DISUSED wartime hangar is being brought back into use for a jubilee extravaganza. The Second World War shed, in Thornaby, has not been used for many years, but it is now being transformed into a venue for two concerts to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee
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Meet the mentors who help pupils
PARENTS whose children attend secondary schools across the borough of Stockton are being invited to attend a special event today. They have been given the chance to go to Norton School, in Berkshire Road, Norton, to find out more about the Excellence
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A warm welcome for mighty emperor
TWO species of southern dragonfly appear to have established themselves in the North-East. The British Dragonfly Society says the emperor and migrant hawker have now been reported on dozens of sites across the region. Dragonfly experts Ian Waller, recorder
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Britney's had her chips
...and so have Halle, and Tom, and Liza and Liam. MOVE over sundried tomatoes - fish and chips rule OK. Just when you thought our national dish had been ousted by chicken tikka masala and other foreign interlopers, it's undergoing a resurgence, helped
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£1,000 grant brings snakes and ladders into the playground
CHILDREN from a Redcar primary school have bright and colourful games in their playground - thanks to local businesses. Riverdale Primary School was given £1,000 from the Teesside Power Fund, part of the Cleveland Community Foundation, which gives grants
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No room for complacency as judgement day looms
IN PRIVATE, at least, everyone appears to agree that the only question remaining in the race to become mayor of Middlesbrough is how many votes Ray Mallon will win by. On the eve of polling, all parties accept they are trailing in the wake of the man
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Gardens visit in aid of hospice
The Chester-le-Street fund-raising group of St Cuthbert's Hospice, in Durham, has organised a visit to Alnwick Castle Gardens, in Northumberland, on May 25. A coach will leave Dur-ham's Walkergate car park at 9am and call at Chester-le-Street market place
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Penalty heartache for Turner's men
HARTLEPOOL United's play-off dream is over and it ended in the harshest possible way. Last night they gave a heroic display at Cheltenham and after 120 mintes of action ended 1-1, the prize of a Third Division play-off dream with a final against Rusden
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Missing teenager urged to come home for party
SOCIAL workers are hoping a birthday party will lure back a missing teenager who vanished from a children's home eight days ago. Lisa Kernaghan will be 15 today and disappeared after going to school in Redcar, east Cleveland. She left her lessons shortly
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News in brief
Thieves snatch motorbike A RED and white off-road Honda CR80 motorbike was stolen from a garage in St Paul's Close, Spennymoor, overnight on Monday. The doors of two sheds in Rock Road, Spennymoor, were also forced at about the same time, but nothing
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Lennie could return for Dean
CARDIFF City could revive their interest in Middlesbrough left-back Dean Gordon if they clinch promotion to the First Division. The Bluebirds took Gordon under their wing earlier this season when he moved to Ninian Park on loan. They entertain Stoke tonight
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Tinsmith's shop ready to open
VOLUNTEERS from the Friends of Preston Park have spent winter creating a display for the tinsmith's shop in the museum's Victorian Street. The volunteers used a collection of machinery, tools and metal goods bought from the Llewellyn brothers, of Darlington
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Fire strikes twice at house
AN arson investigation unit is looking into a fire which severely damaged a house. For a crew attending yesterday's blaze in Granville Road, Grangetown, it was their second visit to the scene. Hours earlier they put out a rubbish fire outside the house
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Grassroots news
SCHOOL ON SHOW: Peases West Primary School's gymnastics team gave a display at the Wear Valley gymnastics festival, at the Spectrum Leisure Centre, Willington. Team members were: Zoe McCullagh, Clare Bowes, Rachel Carlton, Chelsea Wilkinson, Rebeckah
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No safety gear at death fall factory, court told
WORKERS were not wearing safety gear at a warehouse when a man fell to his death, a court was told yesterday. Managing director John Elders and other members of his roofing squad were working without a safety harness, it was alleged. But, the day after
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New formats aim to increase public interest in council
SPECIAL debates and question sessions could be held as part of a drive to dispel public apathy towards local government in County Durham. Durham County Council is looking at ways of attracting more interest in its work. Despite the Government's local
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Hear all sides
FIVE YEARS OF NEW LABOUR I CAN'T help wondering if anyone really knows what is good for Britain. It is a certainty that the present Government does not. One thing certain is that I am much worse off. Every Budget for several years now has seen my standard
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Wildflower conservation bid
YOUNGSTERS in Redcar and Cleveland are being encouraged to become involved in a national conservation campaign. ACC Milk is asking children to nurture their own wildflower bed as part of the company's Wildflower Conservation campaign. The project is being
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Training begins for the games
THE hunt is on for young basketball stars to represent Hartlepool. Hartlepool Borough Council's sports development team is running free basketball training sessions for children aged 12 to 16 to create teams to take part in the Teesside Youth Games, in
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News in brief
Rate relief for helping hands PUB landlords who offer postal services, as well as pulling pints, are to be given a cash boost by a local authority. Hambleton District Council has extended a scheme of rate relief for rural post offices and shops. It means
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Viewers in the dark as plug is finally pulled
Hundreds of thousands of ITV Digital subscribers will lose most of their service this morning as the stricken broadcaster's pay channels go off the screen. And more than 1,000 jobs were also put at risk after administrators Deloitte & Touche decided
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Raids yield crack and weapons
IMMIGRATION officials are checking the backgrounds of 15 West Indians arrested when police on Teesside seized their biggest haul of crack cocaine. About 24 officers were involved in the recovery of 250 "rocks" of the drug in raids on two addresses in
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Pupils bounce up the cash
A GROUP of youngsters have raised hundreds of pounds for their school with a challenge with plenty of bounce. The children from St Augustine's RC Primary School, in Beechwood Avenue, Darlington, took part in a sponsored bounce on an inflatable castle
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Starry night nets £1,000 for children
COUNCIL colleagues showed their star quality to impersonate singers for charity. About 300 people went along to the Lakeside Sports and Social Club, in Gilley Law, Sunderland, to see council employees transformed in a Stars in Their Eyes-style contest
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Skipper Liddle plans to stay at Feethams
DARLINGTON's Craig Liddle has repeated his intention to stay at the club following weeks of uncertainty. He was offered a cut in wages which put his position under scrutiny, but the club have since confirmed they want him to see out the remaining two
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Library to host music hall concert
LIBRARIES are more known for encouraging hushed tones than hosting concerts, but next month Crook Library will be breaking with tradition. Singer Eileen Glenton will be making sure she is heard at Crook Library on Wednesday, May 15, when she performs
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Conservative bid for former stronghold
THE Harrogate district of North Yorkshire goes to the polls tomorrow to decide who takes control of a new-look council. Every seat on the borough council is up for grabs - and the Conservatives will be hoping reorganisation proves a catalyst for a return
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News in brief
Hands-on visit to the museum VISITORS to a Durham museum are being given the chance to handle First World War equipment this weekend. British and German rifles, hand grenades, uniforms and body armour are not normally on display at the DLI Museum and
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Business news in brief
Air travel lift on horizon MORE than 100,000 new jobs could be created at UK airports in the next decade because of the expected growth in demand for air travel, an industry official has predicted. But the new posts will only be created if extra runway
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Bids go in for leisure facilities
SPORTS and recreation facilities across North Yorkshire could be in line for a multi-million pound boost. County council chiefs have submitted a bid for £3.4m in Government funding, which could allow many exciting projects to go ahead. The schemes include
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Top 40 rating for hospital trusts
FIVE North-East hospital trusts were yesterday named among the UK's top 40. National Health Service Performance analysts CHKS compiled the list from a client base of 125 acute hospital trusts - about 60 per cent of the UK's total. Among those singled
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Chemical company's gas flares warning
PEOPLE on Teesside have been warned to expect heavy flaring from the Wilton petrochemical site over the next few months. The Huntsman Olefins cracker plant is to undergo its first major shutdown since 1997 from today until the end of June. Its overhaul
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Home sought for affectionate cat Jake
A LOVING family with older children is needed to provide a new home for a cat which was taken in by the RSPCA as an injured stray. Jake, an 18-month-old black and white domestic short-haired cat, would be better off in a home with no other animals. Vanessa
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School's joy over latest award
A SCHOOL'S fortunes have been turned around with the announcement that it has won a national achievement award. Sedgefield Community College was described as "under- achieving" by an Ofsted report in September 2000. But 18 months of hard work have been
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Comment from The Northern Echo; Time to deliver - and no buts
TODAY'S edition of The Northern Echo - Tony Blair's local paper - features a timely and honest assessment of his five years as Prime Minister. It provides evidence of achievement but also of disappointment. Progress has been made but it is tempered by
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Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime, Labour pledged
Nick Morrison pours fuel on the fire of the law and order debate AS New Labour soundbites go, it was one of the more memorable: "Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime." At a time when fear of crime had never been higher, it managed to combine a
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Country projects could be 'at risk'
CLAIMS that North Yorkshire could lose out on millions of pounds in European cash because it isn't spending it fast enough have been denied by the county council. Labour politicians on the authority fear that more than £4m is in jeopardy, money that was
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Married mothers now in minority
THE North-East has become the first region in the country to see more babies born out of wedlock than to married couples, it was revealed last night. The National Statistics Report, published annually, shows that 50.5 per cent of children born in the
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Talking Newspaper settled in new home
EVERY week, 350 people are kept up-to-date with news and features from around Darlington by the town's Talking Newspaper for the Blind. Imminent Government legislation on disability access for community groups forced the charity to leave its home in Darlington
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Candidate pulls out of Middlesbrough race
Charity worker Rod Jones says he would not be mayor of Middlesbrough - "if the job was gift wrapped." Under election law the 54-year-old, cannot on the eve of the votes being counted, pull out of the race to be mayor of Middlesbrough. But the man who
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Soap star to open learning event
SOAP star Philip Olivier will be on hand for a day-long celebration of adult learning in Darlington later this month. The actor, who plays Tinhead in Brookside, will open the Passport to Learning Event 2002: Creative Arts day in Market Place, on Thursday
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A day in the life of the average teacher
IT IS a sign of how keen headteachers are to ease the burden on their overworked staff when they take on more red tape to tackle the problem. Abbey Hill Technology College, a secondary special school in Hardwick, Stockton, is one of 32 schools selected
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Making sure babies are remembered
A MEMORIAL garden for parents who have experienced the loss of a stillborn or miscarried baby has been established in Sedgefield village. Midwife Marie Richards, who works at Bishop Auckland General Hospital, came up with the idea when approached by a
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Leader's mission to modify is over at last
THE outgoing leader of Middlesbrough Council defended his record yesterday during what he called his "seven-year mission to modernise" the town. Councillor Ken Walker, who steps down on Monday, said at the council's annual meeting that since becoming
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Jackpot joy for dinner lady
A NORTH-EAST dinner lady has become a bingo hall's third big winner in as many months after she scooped more than £91,000. The 48-year-old was at the Mecca Bingo Club, in Stockton, Teesside, last week, when she won the National Bingo Game prize of £90,530
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News in brief
Good advice on the basics A team of Stockton Adult Education Basic Skills tutors is offering a drop-in service for residents of the town. The Community House, Cromwell Avenue, Stockton, will open its doors on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 10am
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Broker expands risk services
A LEADING insurance broker is expanding its range of services with the introduction of an innovative business risk assessment service. BiB (Darlington) will provide the assessment using software that has been developed over four years with the help of
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Pensioner's poem marks nation's loss
A PENSIONER penned a short poem to the Queen - and received two royal replies. Arthur Abbott, of Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough, wrote the two-verse poem after hearing of the Queen Mother's death and sent copies to the Queen and Prince Charles. The 82-year-old
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Reforms prove testing for children and their teachers
Education Correspondent Lindsay Jennings asks the region's educationalists to mark the Government's efforts to deliver on its 1997 election victory pledge of 'education, education, education' CONSIDERING Tony Blair was swept into power on a wave of "education
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Airline apology on body mix-up
AN airline apologised last night for a mix-up over the body of a North-East student being flown home after a diving accident. Bob and Rosemary Jennings spent almost two hours waiting to find out what had happened to daughter Deborah's coffin when it failed
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Workers brush up on shopfloor training
WORKERS at a manufacturing company have been brushing up on their skills, thanks to the North-East Chamber of Commerce. Five employees from the Team Valley Brush Company in Gateshead have achieved NVQs in Performing Manufacturing Operations Level Two,
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Friendship earns Plaque of Honour
EFFORTS to offer a hand of friendship across Europe have earned a North-East council an international accolade. Durham County Council is the only UK local authority to be named on the roll of honour for the 2002 Europe Prize. The county was selected by
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Butchers rustle up a winner in barbecue contest
A TEAM of North-East butchers has scooped a top prize at the first national barbecue championships. The Cock of the North team won the best product award in the Guild of Q Butchers' competition with Yorkshire Rose - pork steak filled with spicy black
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Oldest Aston to go under hammer
THE world's oldest surviving Aston Martin sports car is to be auctioned by its owner - because he says he is getting too old to drive it. The 1921 11-horsepower model was the third prototype built by Aston Martin. It is being auctioned later this month
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Proposed new centre 'could boost trade in district'
AN entrepreneur's plans to build an exhibition centre to rival some of the largest in the region go before councillors in the next few weeks. Businessman Simon Boak believes the centre, on the Malton Road showground in Pickering, could generate significant
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Britney's had her chips
...and so have Halle, and Tom, and Liza and Liam. MOVE over sundried tomatoes - fish and chips rule OK. Just when you thought our national dish had been ousted by chicken tikka masala and other foreign interlopers, it's undergoing a resurgence, helped
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Labour fears a night-mayor
LABOUR was last night facing the humiliation of not winning any of tomorrow's three mayoral elections in its traditional North-East heartland. The potential shock comes on the fifth anniversary of Tony Blair's Government taking office in 1997, and the
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Fire fighters' strike only weeks away - Union
Cleveland Fire Brigade is appealing to its 694 fire fighters not to put lives at risk by refusing to work. But Fire Brigades Union branch secretary Alan Blacklee claims industrial action will only be taken to protect the service. Voting papers for a strike
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Martial arts target
MARTIAL arts enthusiasts are invited to take part in a workshop to raise money for charity. Shildon Martial Arts Centre is hosting the event on Sunday, May 12, from 12.30pm to 5.30pm, and is asking those who attend to make a donation to Cancer Research
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Gorilla gets good look at vet
Helping a 19-stone female gorilla see through the mist was the biggest challenge yet for David Gould. The veterinary surgeon was part of a team charged with restoring the sight of Romina, a 21-year-old Western lowland gorilla, who had a cataract obscuring
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Former managing director dies at 87
A MAN who worked his way up the ranks to become managing director of a leading company has died. Jack Capeling retired in 1982, 35 years after joining the Smart and Brown's engineering company in Spennymoor, County Durham, as a toolmaker in 1947. After
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Caught in traffic behind 'big three' political issues
Political Correspondent Simon Page explores why progress on the Government's pledge to tackle the nation's transport problems has been as slow-moving as the A1 during rush-hour WHILE the need to deliver its promises on health, education and crime has
