Archive
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Enthusiastic greeting from the people of Darlington
THOUSANDS of people lined the streets yesterday to welcome the Queen to Darlington for the first time in 35 years. More than 10,000 royal watchers packed into the market square and surrounding roads to catch a glimpse of the Queen. Palace officials said
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Classmates fly in for reunion
FORMER pupils from as far afield as Canada, Australia and Malaysia will be taking a trip down memory lane during a class reunion next weekend. The former classmates had their last lessons in Chester-le-Street Grammar School, now Park View Upper School
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North actress is mugged for phone
THE actress daughter of North Yorkshire MP Phil Willis was recovering yesterday after being punched in the face as a mugger escaped with her mobile phone. Rachel Willis, who plays computer girl Connie in the TV advertisements for Internet provider AOL
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Top police officer to bow out
A SENIOR police officer, who has led one of the region's forces through a period of radical change, is to retire. The Chief Constable of North Yorkshire, David Kenworthy, will step down at the end of the year after a five-year period, which has seen the
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Eriksson names World Cup squad
Sven-Goran Eriksson has named his 23-man squad for this summer's World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea. There is no place in the squad for Blackburn's Matt Jansen who had been tipped as an outsider to make Eriksson's final 23. Steve McManaman also
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Thanks for music
Tribute band Abba UK will be appearing in North Yorkshire on May 25. Doors open at Hambleton Community Centre, Northallerton, at 7pm. Tickets cost £12 and are available from Romanby post office and Village Stores, Flower Bowl, Grovers and Lunn Poly, or
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Wrong number
People interested in taking part in a charity abseil from the Tyne Bridge, Newcastle, should call (01642) 293186 and not 293185 as was printed in The Northern Echo on, May 1. The jump, on July 14, is in aid of the Katie Trust. We apologise for the error
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Coalyard upgrade has jobs prospect
A DISUSED coalyard in Hartlepool may soon be given a new lease of life which it is hoped will attract hundreds of jobs to the town. Hartlepool Borough Council has received an outline planning application from Dransfield Properties of South Yorkshire,
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Atten-shun - troops' yomp provides boost for cancer charity's work
AS if life in the military was not demanding enough, five soldiers have just completed a challenge for charity. The team, based at the Army Foundation College, in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, tackled the 250-mile Pennine Way in aid of breast cancer research
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Judge rules on study of boy's needs
THE mother of a teenager badly injured in a road accident has won a judge's backing in her fight to make the local council fully assess his special needs. The 16-year-old, from Stockton, Teesside, suffered severe head injuries in the accident wheh he
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Road closure
A key route in Northallerton will be closed to traffic for up to four days from Monday. The A167 Darlington road will be closed from the Sam Turner's junction to the Standard Way junction for resurfacing work. A diversion route will be signed, via the
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High-stepping dancers take to the streets
STREET performers will dance on stilts as part of a North-East culture festival. Neighbourhood Watch Stilts International (NWSI), a street theatre company from Newcastle, has been awarded £8,000 from Northern Arts towards the creation of a production
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Business briefs:Lindy 'growing at a good rate'
COMPUTER peripherals and accessories reseller Lindy Electronics has achieved sales of £2.67m in the past year - and the Middlesbrough business is predicting further growth in the coming year. Managing director Darren Casey said: " Our sales were undoubtedly
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News in brief:Crash victims identified
TWO motorcyclists who were killed in a collision on the North York Moors last weekend have been formally identified by police. They were Frederick Alan Bowman, 67, of Ketton Avenue, Darlington, and Cheryl Moor, 34, from Cottingham, near Hull, Humberside
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Hospital radio station broadcasts its title success
PATIENTS at three of the region's hospitals enjoy one of the best charity radio stations in the country. Auckland Hospital Radio, which broadcasts to Bishop Auckland General, Tindale Crescent and Weardale Community hospitals, in County Durham, has won
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Village joy over beach award
THE seaside holiday village of Staithes now has a prestigious flag flying on its harbourside - the Encams seaside award for having a clean beach. It is the first time the fishing community has been given the award, made by the former Clean Britain Tidy
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Plant fair blossoming
GARDENERS from across the region are expected to descend on a North Yorkshire stately home this weekend. Newby Hall, near Ripon, is holding its spring plant fair on Sunday. Specialist growers and nurseries will offer plants and gardening paraphernalia
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News in brief: Police probe huts blaze
ARSONISTS are thought to have broken into a seaside chalet and started a fire that spread to neighbouring huts. Firefighters were called to Seaton Carew beach, near Hartlepool, at about 11.10pm on Tuesday, when flames destroyed two chalets and badly damaged
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Online window to industrial past
THE North-East's industrial past has come face to face with modern technology. Tyne and Wear Archives Service has launched a website celebrating the region's industrial achievements. Called Picks and Pistons, more than 12,000 pages catalogue the railway
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'Every child wants to shake your hand'
After 23 years of war, Afghanistan is now trying to get used to being at peace. In the first in a series of articles, Nick Morrison reports from the Afghan capital Kabul ABOUT 50 yards ahead, a British soldier is walking through an unfamiliar landscape
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News in brief: Green initiative is flagged up
AN after-school ecology club has earned a primary school an international award. Children, teachers and parents involved in the Eco-Club at St John Boste RC Primary, in Washington, yesterday received a Green Flag from Sunderland Mayor Councillor Ken Murray
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Grassroots: Chester-le-Street Birtley & District
Any Questions: St Joseph's RC Church in Birtley is holding a quiz to raise funds for St Benet's RC Primary School, Ouston, from 8pm tomorrow, in the Parish Centre. Teams of four people at £5 per team are needed. Mission Coffee: A coffee morning is being
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Tireless worker wins civic award
A FATHER-OF-THREE who has worked with victims of crime for more than a decade has been named Darlington's Citizen of the Year. Michael Nicholson, 42, of Coleridge Gardens, was awarded the honour by the Mayor of Darlington, Councillor Isobel Hartley. Since
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Store chain fundraising to give sick child a holiday
TWO signed Premier League football club shirts are being auctioned to raise money to send a sick girl to Disneyland in Paris. Staff at Focus DIY, in Bishop Auckland, have rallied to support their colleague Michelle Tones, whose child Katie-Leigh has been
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Lovely views in store on charity ride
A CYCLE ride through some of the prettiest villages in the region will be raising money for a new hospice for North-East babies. The 30-mile ride, through the North Yorkshire villages of Great Ayton, Faceby and Hutton Rudby, has been organised by staff
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Castle view tops £1,500 at auction
A view of Richmond, painted more than a century ago, raised more than £1,500 at a Sotheby's auction in London. A dealer from Suffolk paid £1,527 for the work by Edmund Niemann. Niemann and his son, Edward, were famed for their Yorkshire landscapes in
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Grassroots: Weardale
JUBILEE PLANS: Villagers in Ireshopeburn are preparing for celebrations to mark the Queen's golden jubilee. On Saturday, May 18, an exhibition of royal memorabilia will be on display in Ireshopeburn Literary Institute from 10am to 5pm. Entry is £1. On
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Children look back to roots
A CENTURIES-OLD tradition is being revived in Hartlepool with the help of local schoolchildren. Youngsters from the town's Catcote School spent time at Summerhill recently to begin cultivating a garden area with emmer, a traditional type of wheat. Once
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Firm's ten-day digital pledge
A TELECOMMUNICATIONS firm has reassured potential customers that its engineers are coping with increased demand for its services following the collapse of ITV Digital. Cable operator ntl claims it has not had the same problems experienced by Sky Digital
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Thieves criticised after stealing from cemetery
THIEVES who stole newly-planted flowers and trees worth more than £100 from a cemetery in Stockton have been criticised by a local councillor. Less than two weeks ago, staff from Stockton Borough Council's cemeteries department spent a day planting several
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She's a perfect ten
JUST as I was getting used to one terrifying milestone - hitting 40 - another comes hurtling along: My 'baby girl' is ten. Wistfully, I found myself flicking through her baby book. The pink registration card, once stuck to her hospital crib, is in there
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Patient rampage drama
RIOT police were called to a hospital yesterday after a patient lost his temper while waiting to see a doctor. Patients in the accident and emergency department at Middlesbrough General Hospital were moved to safety. The 32-year-old man, who was waiting
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Petition protest at work nuisance
ANGRY traders in Bishop Auckland town centre have launched a petition over redevelopment work they say will lead to job losses. Many independent retailers have reported a drop in takings of up to 50 per cent and at least three people face redundancy because
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New pub proposal for store building
PLANS have been put forward to turn an empty building in Darlington town centre into a pub. JD Wetherspoon has applied to Darlington Borough Council for planning permission to change the former First Freeze store, in Crown Street, into a bar. The company
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Hoggard feels the force
A dynamic all-round display by Chris Silverwood came to Yorkshire's rescue in the Championship match at Taunton yesterday. But his performance was sensationally overshadowed by Ian Blackwell, who smashed an unbeaten century off 100 balls with 11 fours
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TV shows swing into action after H'Angus tops the poll
HE shot to fame making a monkey of himself in front of 2,000 football fans on Saturday afternoons - and now the extraordinary story of H'Angus the Monkey seems set to be told before a worldwide audience. Since shocking the political world by being elected
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TV shows swing into action after H'Angus tops the poll
HE shot to fame making a monkey of himself in front of 2,000 football fans on Saturday afternoons - and now the extraordinary story of H'Angus the Monkey seems set to be told before a worldwide audience. Since shocking the political world by being elected
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Smashed craft found in search for canoeist
A CANOE believed to belong to a man who went missing more than six weeks ago has washed up on the North Sea coast. The red craft called Orca, belonging to John Darwin, was found in pieces in the North Gare area of Seaton Carew, Hartlepool, at about 5.30pm
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Hinkes celebrating victory
Mountaineer Alan Hinkes was celebrating another glorious achievement Thursday after becoming the first Briton in 32 years to conquer Annapurna. His success in reaching the summit of the giant Himalayan mountain has brought him one step closer to his goal
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Party celebrations mark a century double
THEY have lived through two world wars, brought up families and helped run family businesses. Now two Sunderland residents are celebrating their 100th birthdays. Families, friends and celebrities joined May Gibson and Ellen Waugh, of Croft Care Home in
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'Stay away from Queen' order
A 27-year-old man who bared all during a Royal visit to Newcastle was yesterday ordered to keep his distance from the Queen. Brynn Richard Reed, who works in the pensions department of the DSS on Tyneside, appeared before North Tyneside Magistrates charged
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Another winner for 'lucky club'
A 42-year-old old Teesside woman has become the fourth big bingo winner in the last three months at what is being dubbed the luckiest bingo hall in Britain. The Billingham woman, who like the previous three winners asked not to be named, scooped more
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Comment from The Northern Echo: A lesson in fairness
EXCESSIVE working hours must be discouraged. Rarely can anyone be at their best in their job at the end of a 12-hour day. We have sympathy with any employee seeking to strike a better balance between work and family life. Teachers are entitled to a fair
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Siege ends peacefully
A TWO-HOUR siege by armed police ended peacefully early yesterday after reports that a woman was being threatened by a man with a knife. Officers surrounded a house divided into flats in Castlegate, Malton, North Yorkshire, at about 2am and stayed there
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Sporting accolade
AN award for sporting excellence is the latest in a series of accolades for Sedgefield Community College. The Sportsmark award highlights a dramatic change in the school, which 18 months ago was described as under-achieving in a report by Office for Standards
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Paint it white, park ride owners told
ONE of the region's top attractions has been told to paint one of its whiteknuckle rides white - because the existing colour is making local people see red. The 55-metre Cliff Hanger at Flamingo Land, near Pickering, North Yorkshire, was erected earlier
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Carbone's Boro move off
BENITO Carbone has returned to Bradford City after being unable to agree personal terms with Middlesbrough. Carbone's three-month loan spell at the Riverside was not due to come to an end until after the club's final Premiership clash at Leeds on Saturday
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Roller hockey girls in race to attract sponsor
FOUR North-East teenagers hope to net a world title later this year when they compete in an international roller hockey championships. The region should be well represented at the international contest in New York in July, after County Durham teenagers
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John North: The lengths we go to for a story...
The remotest pub on mainland Britain is accessible only by a 15 mile yomp across the mountains or by the MV Western Isles, three times a week (unless inclement.) Once hammer and tongs, the Old Forge now rests quietly in the lochside hamlet of Inverie,
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Art on show
NURSERY children are having their artwork displayed in a town centre gallery. Children from the Poppies group at Fernedene Nursery, Darlington, spent a day at the Gallerina art gallery in Duke Street then painted pictures. The staff at Gallerina were
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Company boss was 'very safety conscious'
A COMPANY boss charged with the manslaughter of one of his workers was very safety conscious, two of his former colleagues told a court yesterday. Factory Cover managing director John Elders is accused of the manslaughter of father-of-three Stanley Dawson
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Shirt sale boost to charity match
A DARLINGTON retailer has pledged to donate proceeds from red-and-white shirts to Sunderland footballer Niall Quinn's charity match. But supporters of the player's team have shown less enthusiasm, with only 6,000 season ticket holders buying tickets for
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Appeal for help to find pet
A DOG owner has launched an appeal to help find her missing pet. Gail Griffiths went on holiday with her husband last Tuesday, leaving her border collie-labrador cross pet with a family friend. But three-year-old Athena escaped from the Darlington house
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Two votes shy of election win
A CANDIDATE for election to a County Durham council has told of his disappointment after missing out on a seat by just two votes. After three recounts, Labour candidate Thomas Clark won the by-election for Derwentside District Council's Benfieldside ward
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Couple who skpped bail back bechind bars
A couple who skipped bail and sent a judge a saucy holiday postcard from Spain were back behind bars yesterday. And the judge who sent remanded them to prison in Stockton had the last laugh, telling them: "The sun doesn't shine at Holme House." Victoria
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£250,000 scheme for town revamp
A DETAILED report has been published into how a run-down County Durham town centre can be regenerated. The three directors of Derwentside District Council have made a number of recommendations to improve Stanley and have said £250,000 should be made available
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Rock lifted from ranges to mark Queen's reign
THE British Army's dedication to the Queen is to be set in stone in North Yorkshire. The 5th Battalion of the Royal Mechanical and Electrical Engineers (REME) has already used military precision to lift a three-tonne lump of sandstone from the ranges
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Derelict sites awarded green makeover cash
GREEN areas throughout the region are to benefit from an injection of cash. The money is part of a £1m fund from Barclays Sitesavers to revitalise derelict areas. The Sitesavers initiative helps groups of residents carry out work to turn rundown areas
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Bookies hope for odds-on success
A BOOKMAKING duo hope they have backed a certainty by more than doubling in size. Reuben Page, in Consett, County Durham has bought the Ernie Forster chain of betting shops to become one of the region's leading independent bookmakers. Austin Carney and
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Network contract hailed by police
POLICE chiefs say there could be more officers on the beat soon after a multi-million pound investment in a new communications system. North Yorkshire Police have spent £5.4m to create a new network, which will link 43 stations across the county, and
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Officers forge school links
POLICE constables in South Tyneside are returning to school as part of a project aimed at building partnerships between police and young people. Northumbria Police have already received widespread praise for the school initiative in Sunderland West and
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North actress is mugged for phone
THE actress daughter of North Yorkshire MP Phil Willis was recovering yesterday after being punched in the face as a mugger escaped with her mobile phone. Rachel Willis, who plays computer girl Connie in the TV advertisements for Internet provider AOL
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Show poster challenge for youngsters
A COMPETITION to design a poster for this year's Great Aycliffe Show has been launched. Youngsters aged four to 17 are being invited to design a poster with the slogan "The Really Great Aycliffe Show". Posters must be on paper no larger than A4 size (
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Hauliers fear for future of industry
HAULIERS are demanding tough penalties to stop foreign transport companies entering the UK and putting them out of business. Haulage bosses in the region said there were fears that foreign companies were pricing them out of the market because they did
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Passenger rise
MORE people are getting on the bus in South Tyneside, according to Go North East. The bus company said that some key community routes in the borough had seen a rise in passengers amounting to an extra 53,000 journeys in the year to March 31. Go North
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Jobs boost as rail company's sales increase
TRAIN company GNER plans to create 350 jobs after a rise in ticket sales. The recruitment drive will take employment levels at its Newcastle call centre to more than 1,000. A company spokesman said the volume of calls had risen in line with the number
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News in brief: Chance for say on the future
People in Spennymoor can find out about the neighbourhood renewal programme on Monday, May 20. They can also discuss priorities for the area at the community forum meeting at Spennymoor Leisure Centre, from noon to 2pm, organised by Community and Voluntary
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Meet draw's comeback
A PRIZE draw will once again be part of the programme at this year's Richmond Meet. The money-spinning raffle has been missing for the past few years, but it has been reintroduced for the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations, which take place in June.
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Parking charges on way
AN NHS trust is to impose car parking charges on its patients, their relatives, and hospital staff to raise cash. Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Trust, which covers hospitals at Scarborough, Whitby, Malton and Bridlington, says the money from pay
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Hospital radio station broadcasts its title success
PATIENTS at three of the region's hospitals enjoy one of the best charity radio stations in the country. Auckland Hospital Radio, which broadcasts to Bishop Auckland General, Tindale Crescent and Weardale Community hospitals, in County Durham, has won
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Hear All Sides: MIDDLE EAST
PETER Mullen has rarely produced a more one-sided column (Echo, Apr 30). Mentioning the sad fact that four Jews were murdered in Hebron, he ignores the fact that about six Palestinians are murdered for every Israeli. He states: "The Arabs wish only to
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Granny in coast-to-coast ride for sick toddler
THE grandmother of a toddler with a life-threatening blood disorder is embarking on a cycle ride to raise funds for research. Just 300 people worldwide are known to suffer from diamond blackfan anaemia, which stops bone marrow from producing enough blood
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Fall in output puts recovery in question
THE recovery in Britain's manufacturing sector suffered a jolt after new figures showed a sharp fall in output. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) bucked the recent trend of positive survey data by reporting a 0.8 per cent fall in manufacturing
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Fares will stay low, promises easyJet
NO-frills airline easyJet has announced further expansion plans, but has promised to keep fares low. The Luton carrier is in takeover talks with rival Go, a former British Airways subsidiary, in a deal that could be worth about £400m. Yesterday, easyJet
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Former North MEP tipped
A FORMER North-East MEP is set to become one of the most powerful figures in world sport. Alan Donnelly, ex-leader of the Labour Group in the European Parliament, is being groomed to take over the top job in Formula One motor racing. Sources within the
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News in brief: School bus in crash with car
SIX people were taken to hospital after a school bus was involved in a collision with a car yesterday. A woman driver and three teenage passengers in a Fiat, the driver of the coach and a youngster from the 40 on board were treated at Harrogate District
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Theatre group prepares for spellbinding show
A VERSION of the 1960s musical Godspell is being staged by Spennymoor Youth Theatre at Bishop Auckland Town Hall from next Wednesday to Saturday. The 80-member cast has been working hard to prepare for the performances, which start at 7.30pm each night
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Church groups bid for youth club funding
A VILLAGE chapel hit by petty vandalism and anti-social behaviour by schoolchildren is offering the hand of friendship to culprits by trying to establish a youth club. The Reverend Elizabeth Clark, minister of Grewel-thorpe Methodist Chapel, near Ripon
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Harlequin team has plenty to cheer about
THE Harlequin Masquerade cheerleading team has triumphed at the recent UK national competition, bringing home their third trophy in 18 months. The elite squad is looking forward to taking part in further competitions in Blackpool and Hemel Hempstead.
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Church celebrates centenary
A FLOWER festival to celebrate a church's centenary is being held at the end of the month. The Harrowgate Hill Methodist Church, in Darlington, is holding the festival between Thursday, May 30, and Monday, June 3, in aid of church funds. Northern Echo
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Students help hospital
FOUR students are hoping their business acumen will help them to raise funds for a new hospital unit. Terry Ainsley, Lee Valls, Donna Rogers and Jennifer Davison, who are taking leisure management degrees at the University of Teesside, are planning
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Presenter offers to compere concert
A NORTH-East radio presenter has offered his services as compere of a show aimed at helping find the region's top rock and pop acts. The concert has been organised as part of The Big Chance, a competition run by The Northern Echo's music website, Revolution
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Cash boost to jubilee events
A NATIONAL Lottery cash boost has ensured Richmond can celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee in style. The town has won a £4,350 grant to help cover the cost of a programme of events, including a family walk, a picnic and a fireworks display, on Tuesday
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Cash on offer to help fight crime
PEOPLE living in Hartlepool who hope to beat crime are to receive cash incentives. Money is available to groups and organisations in the Owton and Rossmere areas to support small community safety and crime prevention schemes. Grants of up to £2,500 are
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Computer boost takes to the road
VILLAGERS across North Yorkshire are being given a helping hand to extend their artistic skills. Rural Arts North Yorkshire, which is based at Thirsk, has taken to the road with a suite of laptop computers after wining a grant of about £25,000 from the
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Bennett's the bottom line
Taking on the role of a much-loved playwright proves a challenge for actor Malcolm Scates... but at least he gets to keep his clothes on.Steve Pratt reports THEATRE audiences in York saw a lot of Malcolm Scates last year. The actor followed playing rude
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Reward for conviction of burglar
A CRIME victim is putting up a reward of £100 for information leading to the conviction of a burglar. The thief broke into a house in Windsor Road, Saltburn, and stole a collection of £5 coins. It is thought the same crook presented £70 worth of stolen
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Fear of needles leads to road ban
A JOBLESS American's fear of needles brought him a roads ban yesterday after police received a tip-off about his poor driving. Richard Hattaway's J-registered BMW was stopped in Lands Lane, Knaresborough, after police patrolling Knares-borough Road, Harrogate
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Historic home rule day for the region
THE North-East will today be offered its own parliament in an historic move giving the region greater control over its own affairs. And it emerged last night that the new regional assembly will probably be able to raise its own taxes - a sign that it
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Crash heroine handed bravery award
A GOOD Samaritan who rescued a motorist from the wreckage of his burning car has been honoured for her bravery. Sally Harris, 41, pulled the deaf and mute driver out of his car following a three-vehicle collision that included a minibus full of children
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Surgeon's £1.5m bid to help the poor
A surgeon working in the North-East has launched a £1.5m appeal to help millions of patients in his native land. Robin Sengupta, a brain surgeon in Newcastle for the past 40 years, wants to build a neuro-surgery hospital in Calcutta, the Indian city he
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Vet suspected trouble at outbreak farm
The first veterinary surgeon sent to a pig farm suspected of having foot-and-mouth disease at the beginning of last year's devastating outbreak knew there was ''big trouble'' just minutes after he arrived, a court heard today. MAFF vet Jim Dring was sent
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Help for young victims of home violence
CHILDREN caught up in domestic violence are being encouraged to ask for help as part of a new initiative. Darlington Domestic Violence Forum has launched a campaign to ensure young people know that violence at home is not their fault and they are not
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Adults invited to learn new skills at event
PEOPLE living in an east Cleveland village are being invited to take part in an event organised for Adult Learners' Week. The Skinningrove Community Facility, in the old village school, will be hosting a range of events including glass painting, creative
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Hotel closes to fight stomach bug
One of the region's best know hotels has been forced to close this weekend as health chiefs try to kill off a stomach bug which has struck almost 130 guests and staff. Bosses at the seafront Grand Hotel, in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, were Thursday
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Ice cream profits 'transformed by Nestle deal'
ICE cream group Richmond Foods said a deal with food company Nestle had transformed its business after posting a surge in half-year sales. The firm, from Richmond, North Yorkshire, picked up a host of brands, including Rolo, Smarties and Kit-Kat, when
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Tributes paid as 'Mr Gateshead' steps down
TRIBUTES have been paid to the man known by many as Mr Gateshead as he bowed out after three decades of service to the town. Prime Minister Tony Blair led the praise for George Gill, who retired this week after 17 years as leader of Gateshead Borough
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Police in hunt for knifepoint robbers
POLICE have issued an e-fit picture of one of three men who robbed a man of his £12,000 Rolex watch at knifepoint. Motorist Gianni Ross "feared he would die" when he was robbed in a layby on the A67, near Darlington, on Sunday. Mr Ross pulled into a layby
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Dida lends a hand with factory investment
A PRIVATELY-owned German company is investing £300,000 to set up a factory in Consett, County Durham. The subsidiary company will produce silicon rubber fabric for a range of specialist hoses. Matzen Schlauch-Technik (MST Germany), near Hamburg, develops
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Home rule for parts of England
Parts of England are to be given the chance to set up mini-parliaments as part of major shake-up of regional structures, the Government announced today. Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said people in areas keen for a devolved assembly could be able
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Care campaign goes to schools
YOUNGSTERS are being taught how to care for animals in an attempt to put an end to the region's appalling record on animal cruelty. Last week, The Northern Echo reported how the region came top for the eighth year running for having the worst record in
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Inquiry after man breaks his back in crash
POLICE are appealing for witnesses to a smash which left an east Durham man with a broken back. The 22-year-old, from South Hetton, was a passenger in a Vauxhall Nova which was involved in a collision with a streetlight as the car joined the A19, at Easington
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Model car club back on the right track
THE future of a model car club has been secured after organisers issued an urgent appeal for new members. A few months ago, Darlington and District Radio Controlled Car Club was on the brink of closure because of dwindling local interest. But after an
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Dad At Large: She's a perfect ten
JUST as I was getting used to one terrifying milestone - hitting 40 - another comes hurtling along: My 'baby girl' is ten. Wistfully, I found myself flicking through her baby book. The pink registration card, once stuck to her hospital crib, is in there
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Byers to face a censure motion
BELEAGUERED Stephen Byers was under further pressure last night over his role in the "spingate" controversy after the Conservatives tabled a motion of censure in the Commons against the Transport Secretary. Shadow leader of the Commons Eric Forth used
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Patient rampage drama
RIOT police were called to a hospital yesterday after a patient lost his temper while waiting to see a doctor. Patients in the accident and emergency department at Middlesbrough General Hospital were moved to safety. The 32-year-old man, who was waiting
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Company boss was 'very safety conscious'
A COMPANY boss charged with the manslaughter of one of his workers was very safety conscious, two of his former colleagues told a court yesterday. Factory Cover managing director John Elders is accused of the manslaughter of father-of-three Stanley Dawson
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Man admits town brawl manslaughter
MURDER charges against four men were dropped yesterday. At Teesside Crown Court, the prosecution accepted guilty pleas to lesser charges from brothers Christopher and Neil Dixon and brothers Stephen and Matthew Worthy, all from Hartlepool, who had been
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Website bid to promote Dales
A website has been launched to help promote the Yorkshire Dales. Interactive Ordnance Survey maps and details of events, walks and attractions can all be found at www.destinationdales.org Andrew Osborn, spokes-man for the Yorkshire Dales National Park
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Storm of protest after rape trial collapses for third time
Campaigners against rape last night led a storm of protest after a trial collapsed because a woman could not bear to give evidence for a third time. Phillip Nicholas was automatically found not guilty when his alleged rape victim broke down before a jury
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Shirt sale boost to charity match
A DARLINGTON retailer has pledged to donate proceeds from red-and-white shirts to Sunderland footballer Niall Quinn's charity match. But supporters of the player's team have shown less enthusiasm, with only 6,000 season ticket holders buying tickets for
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'Chinese spoon in feed' at foot-and-mouth farm
CHINESE cutlery, plastic sandwich packets and animal body parts were found at a North-East pig farm at the centre of last year's foot-and-mouth outbreak, a court heard yesterday. A graphic 40-minute video showing conditions at Burnside Farm at Heddon-on-the-Wall
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House scheme
A PLANNING application has been submitted to Darlington Borough Council by Hunton Grange Developments for permission to demolish Ashgrove House, in Trinity Road, and build eight town houses on the site.
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School band in star concert
Tudhoe Grange School band is preparing for a concert with the Ever Ready Brass Band at Spennymoor Leisure Centre on Saturday, May 18. The Ever Ready Brass Band is preparing to represent the North-East at the English Masters competition in Cambridge, the
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Judge rules on study of boy's needs
THE mother of a teenager badly injured in a road accident has won a judge's backing in her fight to make the local council fully assess his special needs. The 16-year-old, from Stockton, Teesside, suffered severe head injuries in the accident wheh he
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Nursery children learn rules of road
NURSERY children with bicycles are being drilled in the rules of the road. Little ones as young as four years old are being schooled in vehicle recognition, the meaning of the colours of traffic lights and the importance of obeying simple rules. "Youngsters
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Digging deep for history book
A FORMER coal mining community has rallied to record its history in a £6,000 book project. The idea for the book, The Thornley Coal Company - owners of Thornley, Ludworth and Wheatley Hill Collieries, originated from a member of the Wheatley Hill History
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Top police officer to bow out
A SENIOR police officer, who has led one of the region's forces through a period of radical change, is to retire. The Chief Constable of North Yorkshire, David Kenworthy, will step down at the end of the year after a five-year period, which has seen the
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Bold Sir George to prove Derby credentials
MARK JOHNSTON'S Epsom Derby hope Sir George Turner (2.55) makes his eagerly-awaited comeback in this afternoon's Dee Stakes at Chester. Johnston has already won two recognised Derby trials via Simeon and Fight Your Corner, but ironically neither hold
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Last night's TV: Can Graham keep it up five nights a week?
V Graham Norton (C4): YOU could only fear for Graham Norton's future. Once a week on Friday nights had established him as a talk show presenter for whom anything goes. But could he keep it up five times a week? It's difficult not to slip into Norton's
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Firm's exports take off
A NORTH-EAST engineering company is to boldly go in search of life on Mars. The European Space Agency is to send a probe to the Red Planet which will blast off from Kazakhastan in June next year hoping to find evidence of life on our nearest inter-planetary
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In-form Collingwood signals his England intentions
EVEN with the bat, the shivering Sri Lankans struggled to warm to their task in the evening gloom of Chester-le-Street after their mixed bag of bowlers had allowed Durham to amass 469. In the face of some lively bowling from Ian Hunter they lost two quick
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Local investment needed to boost region
Inward investment is not enough to drive successful regional development. That is the message contained in new research from regional development agencies One NorthEast, the Welsh Development Agency and Barclays Bank. The report entitled "Competing with
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Bridge makes link so walkers can enjoy circuit on popular footpath
THE first new bridge to span the upper reaches of the River Tees in more than 200 years has officially opened after a 30-year campaign by local residents. During a ceremony featuring Lord Barnard and the Earl of Strathmore, the Beckstones Wath footbridge
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Caterpillar union set to discuss job cuts
Unions are set to meet with management at the Caterpillar plant in Stockton next week over proposed job cuts. Caterpillar announced yesterday that it planned to cut around 98 jobs from its workforce of 450 at the heavy plant manufacturing site at Preston
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Company apologises after customers hit by computer virus
A store which specialises in home entertainment equipment has apologised to customers affected by a computer virus circulated in a mailshot last weekend. Richer Sounds, which has a North-East branch in Newcastle, says it has now put measures in place
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Feeling the draw of Darlington
AS we were waiting for the Queen to perform her walkabouts in the North-East yesterday, we were struck by the word "walkabout". Our dictionary says that it is a Pidgin English word which originates from Australia about 200 years ago. Periodically, aborigines
