Archive
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Sheep show kept alive
A solitary meadow has proved to be a blessing in disguise for a dales community battling to keep an historic sheep show alive. For although there are thousands of sheep on the moors and fields around the hamlet of Langdon Beck in Forest-in-Teesdale, none
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New lease of life for Reid reject
AS Peter Reid and Sunderland flounder, so Stadium of Light reject Edwin Zoetebier is prospering. While an overwhelming majority of fans were voting for Reid to depart as Sunderland manager in two polls, Zoetebier returned to the North-East to show his
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Crew's flying visit
BUDDING Richard Bransons got a close up view of the workings of a hot air balloon on Monday. The npower balloon and its crew delighted pupils when it came into land on the field at Alderman Leach Primary School in Darlington as part of an educational
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Wheelchair users at last able to use library
A £150,000 lift that gives wheelchair users access to Darlington Library for the first time has been officially opened. Disabled people and mothers with pushchairs have campaigned for years to have better access to the library on Crown Street, which has
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Couple off on European odyssey in a horsebox resaddled for two
MARTIN Nunn's family started to fear for his sanity as he showed them around his new home 18 months ago. Not only was there no furniture, no running water, no heating, no toilet and no kitchen, his future home was covered in straw, hay and horsehair.
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Anne hits the heights
A DAREDEVIL grandmother from Hurworth is preparing to complete an abseil down Darlington Memorial Hospital on Sunday to raise funds for the RNIB - despite undergoing a recent hip replacement operation. Anne Johnson, 64, has only just started walking again
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Residents set to confront council
HOME-owners who are refusing to move in a bid to stop their estate being sold will confront council housing chiefs tonight. Thirty families face losing thousands of pounds when the bulldozers move in to clear their defective council-built properties on
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In a daze at the end of school
NEARLY four o'clock... the boys will be coming in from school soon. Oops. No they won't. Never again will my little boys be whooping round the corner from the school bus straight to the biscuit tin. Senior Son left school three years ago and although
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Swimmer strikes gold
THE Chester-le-Street swimming club star Stephanie Proud is continuing to make waves. Stephanie followed up her terrific performances at the national age group championships when she won six individual titles and set two British junior records, with two
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Dyer leaps to defence of leaky rearguard
KIERON Dyer presented the case for Newcastle United's embattled defence last night as he accepted his share of the blame for their poor start to the season. With Andy Griffin and Andy O'Brien the latest inductees into Newcastle's Hall of Shame following
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Lollipop lady finds new direction
A WOMAN who has helped thousands of pupils to get to and from school safely is now set to help them to choose the right roads in life. Julia Gaines is leaving the job she has held for the last six years as a school crossing warden at King James l Community
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Princess due in town
BRITAIN'S hardest working princess will give a royal seal of approval to a busy new community project in Bishop Auckland tomorrow. Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, is performing an official opening ceremony at the £1.2m Four Clocks Community Resource
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Cash-short police go ahead with new headquarters
Police chiefs facing a financial crisis are set to give the go-ahead to a multi-million pound state-of-the-art headquarters. The futuristic building is part of a £20m Private Finance Initiative (PFI) which members of Cleveland Police Authority are expected
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Reynolds keen on Foran swap deal
DARLINGTON chairman George Reynolds last night claimed he would allow teenager Adam Rundle to join Division Three rivals Carlisle United in a swap deal for striker Richie Foran. It had been thought Rundle would be joining the Brunton Park club on loan
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Children buy drugs using mobiles
CHILDREN as young as 12 are ordering drugs over their mobile telephones. What parents hand over to youngsters as dinner money is being spent on procuring £1 wraps of heroin. Tina Williams, of the Teesside based watchdog drugs group, Panic, Parents against
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Teenager in court on indecent assault charges
A teenager thought to be behind a series of street sex attacks on young women appeared with his mother in court today. The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is charged with four counts of indecently assaulting girls in Hartlepool between
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Skills gap warning for North-East
SKILLS shortages must be addressed if prosperity is to increase in the North-East, Government minister Ivan Lewis said last night. The Minister for Skills will meet employers and training providers later today, to find solutions to the problem. The results
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Appeal after dog is stolen
POLICE in Darlington are appealing to the better nature of opportunist thieves who stole a pet dog. The five-year-old black and white Yorkshire Terrier was taken from a field at Neasham Springs, near Darlington, at about 10am on Monday. The dog had wandered
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African quest for creepie-crawlies
A RETIRED police dog handler and a landscape architect are embarking on wildlife expeditions to South Africa. But instead of looking for lions and monkeys they will be hunting snails and spiders. Richard Graham, 64, from Chester-le-Street, and Kate Wicks
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Festival for special needs children
YOUNGSTERS with special needs are being invited to take part in a netball festival. The festival will be held at Billingham Campus School, Teesside, on Saturday. It has been organised by Teesside Sport, a partnership between Stockton, Hartlepool, Redcar
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Catwalk chance for wannabe models . . .
WANNABE models of all ages are invited to try out for the catwalk this weekend. The Hill Street Shopping Centre, Middlesbrough, is holding a fashion show on November 20 and needs models to take part. Casting for the show will take place at the centre
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Parents pay tribute to sport-loving James, 12
THE distraught parents of a sport-loving schoolboy killed by a rare heart disorder have paid tribute to their son. James Todd was found dead on a dormitory bunk at an activity centre in Northumberland after a day's canoeing with schoolmates. A Home Office
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Firework attack on pensioner's flat
A PENSIONER is recovering after a firework was aimed through the bedroom window of her tenth floor flat, in a North-East city. Fire quickly spread to the bathroom of the flat as neighbours went to the rescue of 72-year-old Evelyn McDade. The fire brigade
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Students take a starring role in series
VIEWERS will be able to vote for a star student in a new series promoting adult learning. Star Students is an 11-part series within Tyne Tees Television's North-East Today programme featuring stories of adults who have gone to great lengths to improve
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Insurance firm to create 45 jobs at its N-E offices
A NATIONAL insurance firm is creating 45 jobs at its Darlington office. Axa Insurance, one of the UK's general insurers, is recruiting 45 people to work at its office in Beaumont Street. The firm is looking for customer sales advisors to join its 245-
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Model examples of living life to the full after cancer treatment
VOLUNTEER models who have had treatment for breast cancer will be strutting their stuff on the catwalk to show they do still have a "Licence to Live". And in keeping with the James Bond theme, members of the Northumberland Breast Cancer Support Group
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Plea after mugging
POLICE have issued an appeal for information after a middle-aged man was attacked and robbed outside a bank. The victim was approaching his car when the robber pushed him in the back and snatched a substantial amount of cash from his hand. The man was
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Swimmer is young sportswinner
A SWIMMER is the latest Orange Darlington Young Sportswinner. Stuart Walker, ten, from Darlington, won the award for his involvement in swimming at county and district level. Stuart, a pupil at Reid Street Primary School, has been swimming competitively
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Room at the top as police advertise role
THE second most senior post in the Durham Police force is being advertised, after former deputy Paul Garvin stepped up to become Chief Constable earlier this month. His elevation, following the recent retirement of predecessor George Hedges, led to the
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Tears of a clown for missing wife
POLICE are trying to trace the wife of a clown after she performed a disappearing act from a circus in the North-East. They are appealing to 26-year-old Martho Martinez to contact them following her disappearance from Uncle Sam's Travelling Circus on
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Conference to discuss killer disease
CONTROLLING the Legionella bacteria in water systems will be discussed at a North-East conference next month. The bacteria has caused Legionnaire's Disease outbreaks that have claimed already accounted for several lives in the North-West and Midlands
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Learning about life and mills
THE living world and the mills of North-East Yorkshire are the subjects of two courses starting in Great Ayton, near Middlesbrough, next month. A ten-week course looking at evolution, plants and animals starts on Tuesday, at 1.30pm. Another course, which
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Decision on marina scheme delayed
MULTI-MILLION pound proposals to develop a marina have been deferred. Jomast Developments had applied to Hartlepool Borough Council for planning permission to develop a business park, residential properties and a retail unit on four areas of land at the
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Grassroots: Yarm and Eaglescliffe
New Nursery: Rosedene is the new nursery at Healaugh Park, Yarm, (near the Shell roundabout). The day nursery provides quality childcare for children aged eight weeks to five years. It also provides nursery education on a sessional basis for three and
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Motorist tried to walk into traffic
A DRIVER tried to walk into the path of oncoming traffic after his U-turn on a bypass had caused the serious injury of a motorcyclist, a court heard yesterday. Hysterical John Nicholson asked witnesses to the early morning incident on Harrogate's southern
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Duo in spotlight with top bands
DYNAMIC duo, Gemma Dowson and Aimee Swales, are taking a business-like approach to their showbiz careers. For singers Aimee, 17, and Gemma, 20, are keeping their future ambitions in their own hands - with impressive results. Their act, Felany, was launched
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Festival celebrates the popular apple
BRITAIN'S favourite fruit will be celebrated next month at the northern outpost of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). Apple days have become one of the most popular events in the RHS calendar and provide something for all the family - from specialist
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Drug addict preyed on pensioners
The Duchess of Northumberland was today ''incredibly excited'' to have been given permission to build a £3 million tree-top haven behind Alnwick Castle. Dubbed TreeTopia, it is a wooden tree house complex as big as two Olympic-size swimming pools that
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Another arrest in computer raid case
A THIRD man has been arrested and charged in relation to break-ins targeting high-powered computer equipment at Durham University's science site late last year. Martin Joseph Hutchinson, from the Elephant and Castle, in south London, was arrested by Thames
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Deadline near for charity cash chance
AN electricity firm is inviting young people's charities to apply to be adopted by it. The London Electricity (LE) Group, which has a call centre at Doxford Park, Sunderland, is offering charities the chance to benefit from up to £100,000. The chosen
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Mascot Sedge ready to take on the field
Sedge the Field Mouse, mascot of Sedgefield Racecourse, will be taking part in the 4th British Mascot Grand National at Huntingdon Racecourse, Cambridgeshire, on Sunday. Last year's race, the largest gathering of mascots in one place in the world, saw
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People to have their say on hospital work
SOUTH Durham people will be able to have their say on the improvement of a community hospital. The Durham Dales Primary Care Trust is launching a two-month consultation exercise to find out what health care users want for the future of the 61-bed Richardson
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Industrial workshop proposals welcomed
PLANS to build six workshops on an industrial estate in Barnard Castle will be a big boost for the local business community, councillors said yesterday. Members of Teesdale District Council's development control south committee welcomed the application
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Youth hostel wind turbine is approved
A YOUTH hostel has been granted permission to construct a wind turbine to provide electricity for the building and help secure its long-term future. The Langdon Beck Youth Hostel, at Forest-in-Teesdale, will use the turbine and solar panels to generate
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Newspaper's reporting criticised by council
A COUNCIL has used its district newsletter to launch an attack on a local newspaper. Wear Valley District Council has included a ten point tirade against the non-profit making Weardale Gazette in the latest edition of its free information sheet, called
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Health trust joins in NHS recruitment drive
PEOPLE in County Durham and Darlington interested in working for their local health trust are being invited to a jobs fair. The Job Shop scheme is part of a national NHS recruitment drive and County Durham and Darlington Priority Services NHS Trust was
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News in brief: Specialist bid supported
DARLINGTON'S Bondgate Round Table ran a back-to-school disco at Sadberge Village Hall in aid of Hurworth Comprehensive School's bid for specialist mathematics and computing status. If the school raises £50,000 by the end of the month it can bid for specialist
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Fundraising toddlers
TODDLERS put their best foot forward in an unusual charity fund-raising event yesterday. The youngsters from Skerne Park Childcare Centre, in Darlington, dressed appropriately as ducks for a "toddle-waddle" around the area. About 16 toddlers, aged from
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Company to host artist
A TRIMDON company is all geared up to take part in another arts project. Volante PTIS, on Trimdon Grange Industrial Estate, hosted a residency with painter Lionel Playford two years ago and they are once again eager to support the project. Artist Rolf
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Young talent keeps festival shows going
THE withdrawal of the Middlesbrough Little Theatre Juniors on the opening night of Sedgefield Festival of One Act Plays left a large gap in the night's programme. But the host, Sedgefield Players, filled the gap by calling on the talents of Spys, its
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News in brief: Disabled club is growing
DISABLED people and volunteers are being invited to join the Spennymoor District Mobility Club, formed almost three months ago. It held its first social night at the Combined Services Club, Spennymoor, earlier this month, and plans to organise a wheelchair-friendly
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Newspaper's reporting criticised by council
A COUNCIL has used its district newsletter to launch an attack on a local newspaper. Wear Valley District Council has included a ten point tirade against the non-profit making Weardale Gazette in the latest edition of its free information sheet, called
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Youngsters put their holidays to good use
YOUNGSTERS from the Northallerton area have been congratulated on their dedication to reading. Twenty four youngsters, aged from seven to 11, completed the Reading Planet challenge set by North Yorkshire County Council. Councillor John Dennis presented
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Man charged after armed siege at house
A MAN has appeared in court facing seven charges after an armed police siege. Jeffrey Ian Lowther, 36, of the Sunny Blunts Estate, Peterlee, County Durham, appeared before Peterlee magistrates yesterday. He had been arrested after his 30-year-old former
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Health trust joins in NHS recruitment drive
PEOPLE in County Durham and Darlington interested in working for their local health trust are being invited to a jobs fair. The Job Shop scheme is part of a national NHS recruitment drive and County Durham and Darlington Priority Services NHS Trust was
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Alcohol-free zone declared a failure by campaigners
A TOWN'S first alcohol-free zone has been declared a failure by residents who say they are still plagued by drunken youths. Signs put up on the Easterside estate in Middlesbrough warning of a £500 fine for anyone drinking in public have failed to deter
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Dad At Large: The day mum went completely loopy
IN the week that psychologists announced the discovery of a new female affliction called shopping bulimia, my wife came home with a couple of great new buys. In case you missed it in the papers, shopping bulimia is a "disorder, characterised by an addiction
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Calamity rides back into town
THE antics of a legendary cowgirl are being brought to life by singer and actress Toyah Wilcox in Sunderland this week. The former punk princess and star of numerous films, television and stage shows is to take on the lead role in the action-packed comedy
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Firm to help with council paperwork
A LABOUR council has brought in a private company to handle some of its paperwork. Durham City Council has given Anite Public Sector the contract to manage the scanning, indexing, preparation, batching and quality control of documents in its revenues
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News in brief: Police hunt pub arsonists
POLICE are appealing for help to track down arsonists who set fire to a Teesside pub. Firefighters were called out twice on Monday to the Poverina, in Normanby, near Middlesbrough, to blazes in the boiler room and first floor bar. The fires caused extensive
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Centre dream nears reality
VILLAGERS are nearing their dream of getting their first designated community centre. Chester-le-Street District Council approved plans last week for a community centre to be built in Grange Villa on the site of the village's former primary school. The
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Schools forge arts links
PUPILS at four Wear Valley schools have joined a £40m initiative to boost culture and creativity. As part of the Creative Partnerships scheme, based at the Arts Council of England, schoolchildren will work with a host of organisations to broaden their
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Community newspaper under attack
COUNCIL bosses have used their district newsletter to launch an attack on a community newspaper. Wear Valley District Council has fired a ten-point tirade against the non-profit making Weardale Gazette in the latest edition of its free information sheet
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Projects aim to restore civic pride
A £250,000 Doorstep Green launched in Willington at the weekend is one of a series of projects brightening up life for Wear Valley communities. Up to £400,000 could be spent on a range of schemes which have just been given initial approval by the district
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School action defended
EDUCATION chiefs have defended their method of consulting parents over a controversial school merger. Darlington Borough Council has revealed plans to amalgamate the Corporation Road nursery, infant and junior schools. The proposals have been sent to
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Neale 'should never have got that job'
AN investigation has found that struck-off surgeon Richard Neale should never have been given another hospital job. Victims of the former North Yorkshire gynaecologist were appalled when it emerged that Mr Neale was employed by the South Manchester University
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The day the country went to town
RURAL Britain took over central London on Sunday in the biggest invasion of its kind ever seen The Countryside Alliance's Liberty and Livelihood rural rights march was described as the biggest protest of any kind in the UK after at least 400,000 demonstrators
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Prescott sends Zingari in search of hat-trick
THERE isn't another trainer in the land who can match the 30 per cent strike rate currently boasted by Newmarket-based genius Sir Mark Prescott. Year after year Prescott comes up with the goods for his owners and Pontefract raider Zingari (4.35) is no
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Watch worker honoured
THE community work of a Newton Aycliffe volunteer has been recognised in the national Neighbourhood Watch Awards. Dorothy Bowman has been highly commended in the outstanding achievement category after impressing judges with her commitment to making her
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Stockdale hails pull factor
ROBBIE Stockdale is convinced the entertainment factor is pulling the Middlesbrough supporters back to the Riverside. The Scotland full-back has played in every game for Steve McClaren's men this season, as they have forced their way to seventh in the
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The day mum went completely loopy
IN the week that psychologists announced the discovery of a new female affliction called shopping bulimia, my wife came home with a couple of great new buys. In case you missed it in the papers, shopping bulimia is a "disorder, characterised by an addiction
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Bellamy's Euro ban adds to United woe
CRAIG Bellamy issued a humble apology last night after he was given a three-match Champions League ban for headbutting to leave Newcastle United's European hopes in tatters. Bellamy will miss the forthcoming games against Juventus, home and away, and
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Town appeals for crier to help to spread its news
LOUD-MOUTHED candidates prepared to shout about their town are needed by a council. Chester-le-Street District Council is organising a competition to find the candidate with the biggest bellow to act as the district's town crier. Historically the job
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Leisure firm wins rock cafe licence
A PROPOSED new music, dining and drinking venue has won the go-ahead to bring 'something different' in late night entertainment in Chester-le-Street. Work will start soon developing the new £1.4m Chicago Rock Caf in a former car showroom at the Ropery
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Last Night's TV: Flesh And Blood (BBC2)
An agonising search for family DRAMAS about an adopted son trying to find his birth mother are nothing new. This one, by Peter Bowker, begins much as you'd expect - a man knocks on the door of a strange house and announces to the woman who opens it, "
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Emergency crews refute claims of snubbing new ring-road link
FIREFIGHTERS and ambulance crews have hit out at claims they are failing to use a new £30,000 engineering project, which cuts response times to emergency calls. A break in the central reservation in St Cuthbert's Way, on Darlington's inner ring road,
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Town's CCTV cover grows
COUNCIL chiefs have responded to a rise in violent crime in Darlington town centre by making a major investment in security. The borough council is investing £200,000 in providing nine new closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras. Six are to be installed
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Vandals desecrate couple's grave
A SON has spoken of his devastation after callous thieves desecrated his parents' graves. Geoff Dance, 48, of Lanchester, was outraged to find crooks had stolen animal ornaments from the graves of his huntsman father John Dalglish Dance and mother Mary
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Two years on, mother pleads for help to find Vicky's killer
THE mother of murdered prostitute Vicky Glass struggled to contain her grief as she spoke on the second anniversary of her daughter's disappearance yesterday. Deborah Goodall bravely faced the Press to renew the police appeal to track down Vicky's killer
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More cries of a child that went unnoticed
HERE we go again, another child dead after suffering appalling injuries at the hands of her parents while everyone, from social services, to the police, to our health care system, let her down. We are told lessons will be learned from the appalling case
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Marc thanks lifesavers
A LITTLE boy and his family had a £1,500 thank you for the special care baby unit which helped save his life. Marc Todd, from Middleton- in-Teesdale, is now a thriving 20-month-year-old but he owes his health to the nurses and doctors from Bishop Auckland
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Longer hours plan for bar
A POPULAR pub chain wants its new £1.2m bar development in Darlington to stay open until midnight. JD Wetherspoon is undertaking a big redevelopment of buildings in Crown Street to form a Lloyds No I pub, which is scheduled to open next March. It has
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Pledge over addicts home proposals
COUNCILLORS have sought to reassure residents that they will be consulted over plans for a housing complex for drug and alcohol addicts. Darlington Borough Council has been working with charities and health groups to provide a £1m town centre facility
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Charge against management firm dropped
ONE of the charges against a company which employed two men killed while working on the A1 in North Yorkshire two years ago has been dropped. Durham-based Traffic Management North East appeared at Richmond Magistrates Court yesterday, where director Gary
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Health project hit by thieves
THIEVES brought a volunteer healthy eating project to the brink of ruin after stealing equipment yesterday. Crooks stole cash and a set of scales worth £450 from a non-profit-making fruit and vegetable stall in Longbenton Methodist Church, Tyneside, in
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Key stations threatened by angry cabbies
TAXI drivers could be about to bring chaos to the region's rail network with a mass strike. Hundreds of cabbies are furious at what they claim is poor treatment at the hands of GNER and Taxibank UK, the national private hire firm which has the franchise
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Plea over stolen bear banner
THIEVES have stolen a banner with the new mascot for a North-East ice rink on it. IC The Bear was pictured all over a 20ft banner promoting the recent reopening of the refurbished facility at Billingham Forum, Teesside. But thieves removed it from outside
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Crash driver tells of 'impossible situation'
A VAN driver involved in a head-on crash which led to a two-year-old boy's death told a court yesterday he was overtaking a car, but other motorists would not let him back in. Fighting back tears, Stephen Robinson, 45, said he simply could not avoid the
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Comment: Not beyond palace walls...
IT is absurd to expect the Prince of Wales not to have opinions on affairs of state. Having Royal blood does not, and should not, deprive him of an inquiring mind. As heir to the throne, he has privileged access to Government papers and Government ministers
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Inventor's boost for space-travel robots
A NORTH-East inventor, featured on last night's Tomorrow's World programme on BBC1, has won an award. David Lussey, managing director of Peratech, in Darlington, won the Tomorrow's World industry award for inventing a material which is benefiting the
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Cheers as sex shop scheme rejected
The owner of several sex shops has been barred from opening a new store in a North-East town. There were cheers from the public gallery as licensing officials announced yesterday they were to refuse permission for the shop. The councillors from Redcar
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Acclaimed Biblical production
A theatre group will be bringing their interpretation of the Good Book when it visits Hartlepool later this week. The Reduced Shakespeare Company will be presenting The Bible - The Complete Word of God (abridged) at the Town Hall Theatre in Raby Road
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Kev not amused by Toon fan's joke
SUNDERLAND striker Kevin Phillips saw red when a cheeky stonemason stamped the initials of bitter rivals Newcastle United on a sign made for his luxury mansion. The England ace ordered the £450 name plaque for the entrance to his £1m country home. But
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Holly talks about student 'friend' Steve
Singer Holly Valance has denied she was cheating on her long-term boyfriend with a hunky North-East student. The former Neighbours star is rumoured to have dumped Aussie heart-throb Pete Veveris for Steve Aspinall, 23. Steve, an economics student at Newcastle
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Charity challenge turns up the heat
VOLUNTEERS are being sought for a truly back-breaking charity challenge - Scarborough's 27th annual Coal Hump. People from all over the North-East have traditionally taken part in the 3.5-mile event lugging coal sacks along the sea front and a number
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Young talent keeps festival shows going
THE withdrawal of the Middlesbrough Little Theatre Juniors on the opening night of Sedgefield Festival of One Act Plays left a large gap in the night's programme. But the host, Sedgefield Players, filled the gap by calling on the talents of Spys, its
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Station's future is still a mystery
CONTROVERSIAL plans to turn Richmond's old railway station into a music venue have been dropped. Neighbours were concerned that proposals submitted by a local business consortium would prove to be a thinly-veiled attempt to open a nightclub on the southern
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Jail for solicitor who stole from his clients
A SOLICITOR who stole almost £170,000 from clients' wills and trust funds was jailed for two-and-a-half years yesterday. Ian Spoor spent the cash on expensive trips to the opera in London, home improvements and a new Saab car, and paid off family debts
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Transport message to hit road
A BUS from the North-East will bear a message to the Labour party conference next week. The National Federation of Bus Users' chairman Dr Caroline Cahm is to address a fringe meeting at the Labour Party conference in Blackpool, on Tuesday, and her message
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Traders take a vow of silence
A TOWN'S shopkeepers are being asked to help keep the peace. Middlesbrough Council is calling on retailers to agree not to sell fireworks until three weeks before November 5, and to only start sales for New Year celebrations on December 27. The aim of
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£2.8m haul in police drug raids
DRUGS with a street value of almost £2.8m have been recovered from two flats during police raids co-ordinated by an anti-drugs operation. The raids were carried out as part of the long-running Operation Bobbin aimed at targeting drug dealers in the east
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Invitation to a celebration
THE Hartlepool Partnership is holding its first annual event tonight. It will take place at Hartlepool College of Further Education at 6pm and give people an opportunity to join members of the partnership to celebrate its recent achievements. The partnership
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Schoolwork is important too
A SCHEME encouraging youngsters to read has been kick-started by North-East football stars. Middlesbrough's Ugo Ehiogu, Gareth Southgate and Robbie Stockdale joined fellow Premiership stars from Sunderland and Newcastle to help launch Read the Game, a
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Hear All Sides: Fox Hunting
THE majority of the population, including myself, feel that fox hunting is a hideous and barbaric sport and the sooner that it is banned the better. However, the fox hunters say that the majority should not walk over the wishes of the minority. What they
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Youths rob salesman of wallet
TWO teenagers mugged a salesman on Tuesday evening, knocking him to the ground and stealing his wallet. The man, who was carrying a large dark blue shoulder bag was putting money into his wallet as he walked along Kilton Lane, Brotton, east Cleveland,
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Business students' challenge at castle
A MEDIEVAL castle will be the unlikely setting for a modern business challenge for students from local schools tomorrow. For the second year running Raby Castle, in County Durham, is joining forces with Teesdale and Staindrop Comprehensive Schools to
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Helping orphans
The Twiddling Thumbs Folk Dance Band will entertain at a ceilidh in aid of Hope and Homes for Children, at West Tanfield Memorial Hall, on Saturday, October 5. The Wiltshire-based charity places orphaned children in family homes throughout Eastern Europe
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Cyclists remember Steven
GAS workers have used pedal power to help a charity. A group of 17 employees from the BP CATS terminal at Seal Sands have just cycled 140 miles from coast-to-coast to raise £3,000 for Cancer Research and the Teesside Hospice. Co-ordinator Tony Russell
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Shining example of how to succeed in dental marketing
STAFF at a new dental marketing company are all smiles after a successful first four months in business. Clarity, which is based in Queensway House, Middlesbrough, has exceeded all expectations on profit and turnover and has had to move to bigger premises
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Free range given to farm diversification plan
PERMISSION has been given for a free range poultry unit for 12,000 hens at a site in Boroughbridge. But planning officials have insisted on a legal agreement from the applicant to have a buffer zone between the development and nearby homes in the Stump
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Aid for rescuers
RETAINED firefighters in Malton and Norton have been given £500 by Norton Town Council to help buy hydraulic rescue equipment. The 999 team is trying to raise a total of £6,000.
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Charity ball boosts funds for Romanians
A NORTH-EAST entrepreneur has raised £15,000 by hosting a charity ball. The third annual Bannatyne Fitness Charity Ball was organised as part of Duncan Bannatyne's commitment to improving the living conditions of children in Romania. The event, at the
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News in brief: Drop in for a free cuppa
STAFF at the Richmond and Leyburn Tourist Information Centres will be serving up free refreshments tomorrow as part of the World's Biggest Coffee Morning. The event, in aid of Macmillan Cancer Relief, will see tea and coffee served at both centres between
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Carmel takes the top job
FOR the first time a woman is to take over responsibility for all major crime investigations in North Yorkshire. Carmel Napier becomes head of CID on her promotion to detective chief inspector and the force's head of specialist support. The move means
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Volunteer drivers sought to aid patients
A FLEET of volunteer drivers are needed to help disabled or elderly people reach their doctors' surgeries. Anyone with a clean licence and a car can put themselves forward to help patients travel to and from appointments at surgeries in Sacriston, Pelton
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West End comedy travels to region
NORTH-East audiences will have the chance to see a smash hit comedy in the region next month. After a sell-out run in London's West End, The Play What I Wrote will appear at the Theatre Royal, in Newcastle, for a week from Tuesday, October 15. Award winning
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Children's groups launch initiative
CHILDREN'S groups from across Sunderland gathered for the local launch of a £3.9m Government initiative. Organisations catering for children aged five to 13 and their families attended the launch of the Sunderland Children's Fund, at the Sunderland Marriot
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£7m goes to the Wall (Roman, that is . . .)
HERITAGE chiefs have unveiled a multi-million pound blueprint aimed at persuading more people to visit one of the North-East's most famous tourist attractions - Hadrian's Wall. The Roman Wall, labelled alongside the Pyramids as among the world's most
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Enjoyable way to discover the benefits of staying active in later life
SOME people over 50 learnt the value of keeping active yesterday. Durham City Council's Meadowfield Leisure Centre was the venue for a Healthy Lifestyle for the Over 50s Day, organised by the council, Age Concern, and the Durham and Chester-le-Street
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Countryside skills are put to the test
THE traditional skills of the countryside will be showcased in two County Durham competitions. Dry stone wallers and hedge layers will compete at Ragpathside Farm, Lanchester, on Saturday, November 2. The Tyne Tees Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group
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City prepares for influx
TRAFFIC control measures will be in force to cope with the influx of new students arriving prior to the start of term at Durham University, on Sunday. Durham city centre traditionally comes to a semi-standstill on the Sunday at the start of Freshers'
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Refusal of bus passes is discrimination, say parents
PARENTS of 12-year-old twins say the local education authority is discriminating against their children by refusing them bus passes. Stephen and Sarah Gregory are pupils at St Leonard's RC School, in Durham, and attended one of the comprehensive's Catholic
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Villagers sign petition in bid to have rail service restored
VILLAGERS are backing a bid to see rail services restored to their community. A petition calling for trains on the County Durham coast line to stop at Blackhall Colliery has been signed by almost 1,000 local people. Durham county councillor Alan Cox has
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Councillors heckled as they back homes plan
A COUNCIL'S decision to allow a housing development in Barnard Castle brought an angry response from residents yesterday. Members of the public heckled Teesdale district councillors as they discussed an application by Riverdale Homes to build four houses
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Swimmer is young sportswinner
A SWIMMER is the latest Orange Darlington Young Sportswinner. Stuart Walker, ten, from Darlington, won the award for his involvement in swimming at county and district level. Stuart, a pupil at Reid Street Primary School, has been swimming competitively
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Marathon century for keen Harrier
A DARLINGTON runner has completed his 100th marathon. Harbhag Singh, known as Harry to his friends, has taken just over 20 years to complete the century. The Darlington Harrier, aged 58, was inspired to take up running in 1981 after watching the London
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News in brief: Course to help minorities
A COURSE helping those of other nationalities to settle into communities has been launched. The English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) team at Newcastle's Westgate Community College has devised the Welcome to Newcastle course to enable students
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News in brief: Course to help minorities
A COURSE helping those of other nationalities to settle into communities has been launched. The English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) team at Newcastle's Westgate Community College has devised the Welcome to Newcastle course to enable students
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News in brief: Course to help minorities
A COURSE helping those of other nationalities to settle into communities has been launched. The English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) team at Newcastle's Westgate Community College has devised the Welcome to Newcastle course to enable students
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Youngsters sign up for college course
A GROUP of 14-year-olds have become the youngest students at Darlington College of Technology. The 75 pupils have been recommended by their schools to attend the college for lessons where they are offered a wider choice of subjects and a more flexible
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£1,500 thank you to baby unit
A LITTLE boy and his family have paid a £1,500 thank you to the special care baby unit which helped to save his life. Marc Todd, from Middleton-in-Teesdale, is thriving at 20 months old, but he owes his health to the nurses and doctors at Bishop Auckland
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Matthew hopes business move will bear fruit
A FORMER banana firm worker is hoping his new career will prove even more fruitful than his last. In his role as operations manager for Fyffes, in Scotland, Matthew Dobson, 33, helped set up a gas ripening centre enabling bananas to reach the shelves
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Link for victims of crime and police
A NORTH-EAST police force has taken on a new starter to provide an extra link between police and victims of crime who are from ethnic minority groups. Ivana Zatlouklova is the new community link worker for Northumbria Police at Newcastle East area command
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Orange workers angered by behaviour link to pay rise
UNION representatives were called in yesterday as a pay dispute erupted at telecommunications company Orange. The mobile phone company has announced a pay review for front-line staff, but is facing criticism from a large number of employees over the way
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Artist 'screamed and shouted at me . . . his veins were bulging'
A SACKED worker painted a picture of her famous artist boss as a bully who was prone to temper tantrums yesterday. Angela Davis, 43, was sacked for being incapable of doing her job in April last year, after she spent 33 weeks signed off with depression
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Judith's lucky find on the street turns into £750
AN eagle-eyed reader has hit the jackpot after picking up a discarded Northern Echo bingo card. Judith Whittaker is £750 richer after finding the card outside her work at the Electrolux factory in her home town of Spennymoor last week. She decided to
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Is this the final test for A-levels?
As confidence evaporates in the exam system after the row over A-level grades, Education Correspondent Lindsay Jennings looks at what could happen next. THE time for huge debates over the future of A-levels and whether they are getting easier usually
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Come on down for a coffee
WHERE are you having your fundraising Macmillan coffee morning tomorrow? This week sees the culmination of the annual World's Biggest Coffee Morning to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Relief. This year, organisers of the County Durham Macmillan appeal
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Noisy sex neighbour ordered out of her home
A WOMAN who drove her neighbours bonkers with her late-night sex sessions has been evicted from her home. Tara Campbell, 30, has been given 28 days to pack her bags after Joan and Fred McLauchlin said their once "perfect life" was ruined by her antics
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Asbestos programme is approved
COUNCILLORS have approved a programme to minimise the potential health risk posed by asbestos in school buildings. Durham County Council says it is 'grasping the nettle' and by-passing a legal grey area by drawing up asbestos management plans. Asbestos
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Hospitals hoping for plenty of recruits
YOUR hospitals need you - that's the message behind a careers day with a difference at two North-East hospitals. Job shops are being held at the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, and the Friarage Hospital, North-allerton, a week today. They
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News in brief: Motiveless attack on man
A 23-year-old man out strolling with a young woman in a Cleveland village was beaten-up by a gang of youths for no apparent reason. The man was taken to Middlesbrough General Hospital with a cut eye and broken finger. The woman was shocked but unharmed
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John North: Marching with the rat pack
SCOTCH Corner, Sunday, 6.30am. All manner of folk await all kinds of buses, comparing lapel badges like old sweats' campaign medals. "That was the Edinburgh march, that was the Newcastle..." The lady of this house says that she must have been dreaming
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Youngsters put green cars to race track test
ECO-FRIENDLY cars of the future have been given a test drive around a real race track. The electric cars were designed and created by secondary school children from around the country who are competing in the Ford Greenpower Electric Car Marathon Challenge
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Charles is told to keep out of politics
THE Prince of Wales came under renewed fire last night for writing letters to ministers - despite efforts by his office to defend the habit as "part of his role". Charles's private correspondence amounted to political interference, said critics, but St
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Operatic milestone
AN operatic society which is approaching its 100th year is looking for past members to join its centenary celebrations. Chester-le-Street Operatic Society was formed in 1903 and in its lifetime has survived the closure of two major theatres, the Hippodrome
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Diamond couple celebrate
A FORMER RAF fighter who was parted from his wife during the war is celebrating 60 years of marriage. Harry and Renee Gilbert, of Witton Crescent, Darlington, celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary last Thursday with a small family party at their
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Toddlers gear up for waddle
UP to 100 tiny tots are turning out on a Toddle Waddle tomorrow morning to raise money for the Menigitis Trust. Young walkers and their families should meet at the playground opposite Bishop Auckland's Kwiksave store at 10am, wearing yellow or fancy dress
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Streets are cleared as blaze hits garage
DOZENS of people, including schoolchildren, had to be evacuated from streets and alleyways close to a garage when flames threatened to ignite a gas cylinder on the premises yesterday. Emergency services were called when the blaze - sparked by a welder's
