Archive
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RSC to return to town
ONE of the country's leading theatre companies is to make another visit to Northallerton next year. Tickets for the Royal Shakespeare Company's visit to the town's leisure centre will go on sale next week - and staff are expecting them to disappear soon
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'Original carry on plot' promises to please with saucy comedy
THWARTED lovers and saucy humour promises to entertain a village hall audience when a touring theatre group performs a new version of a Moliere comedy. Dubbed the original Carry On plot by theatre lovers and performers, the NTC theatre group will put
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Councillors' son is among the victims
The son of two leading councillors is among 18 Britons confirmed dead in the bomb attacks. Clive John Walton, the 34-year-old son of Conservative councillors Jack and Lillian Walton, is one of the seven dead Britons who have been identified. His parents
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£10m to help accelerate the fightback
REGIONAL regeneration chiefs will today announce a multi-million pound cash boost for the region's economy. One NorthEast will be investing £9.8m into the programme - dubbed Accelerate North East - in the next five years. This investment, together with
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Views sought on plans to preserve village
A PUBLIC consultation on the future of an east Cleveland village began yesterday. People are being asked for their views on a consultants' report into how best to preserve Kirkleatham, near Redcar. The report suggests creating a multi-million pound museum
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St George puts out welcome mat for really old men of North Korea
A bit of unexpected football business for the St George Hotel at Teesside Airport over the next couple of weeks - and an enlightening example of how lucky we still are to live in Blighty. First to check in will be members of North Korea's 1966 World Cup
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Out with the old and in with the new
CHURCHGOERS are holding a celebration to mark the impending demolition of their Victorian-built church building. Sunday's service of thanksgiving will mark the end of one era and the start of another for Carrville Methodist Church, on the outskirts of
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Reducing stress from Christmas
A PROFESSIONAL "life coach" claims he can offer a less stressful Christmas period by giving guidance to planning the perfect festive period. David Moscrop, a life coach with a practice in Newton Aycliffe, claims he can offer a strategy for clients to
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Spreading the word about Excellence in Cities
PROJECTS aimed at tackling disaffection and raising pupils' achievements will be under the spotlight this week. As part of the first national Excellence in Cities (EIC) Week, the success and diversity of Sunderland's EIC projects will be highlighted.
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TV to highlight crime campaign
Two new television warnings are to be screened across the North-East, highlighting the times and locations when motorists are least likely to take crime prevention measures, such as paying for petrol or visiting the newsagent. It is part of a Home Office
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News in brief: Display flowers at exhibition
EXHIBITORS are invited to show their displays in the Darlington Chrysanthemum and Dahlia Society's next show. It will be held on Saturday, November 9. Anyone interested in joining can contact the club at 7 Heatherburn Court, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham
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Switch to Airbus by easyJet gives lift to UK workers
Planemaker Airbus was yesterday on the brink of securing a major order from low-cost airline easyJet in a deal which should sustain 10,000 UK jobs. The budget carrier is to switch allegiance from its usual supplier Boeing to order 120 planes from Airbus
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Man denies sex assaults on youth
A FORMER volunteer worker, who looked after witnesses at Newcastle Crown Court, subjected a teenage boy to a series of serious sexual assaults, a court heard yesterday. The youth was afraid to tell anyone and returned to his alleged attacker's flat in
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Carriage taken from field home
A FAMILY are appealing for the return of a horse-drawn carriage taken by thieves at the weekend. The carriage was built about six years ago by Mark Bielby for his sister, Andrea, who takes part in carriage-driving competitions. On Sunday evening it was
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Step closer to building police training centre
MORE than 400 rookie officers will move into Harrogate if a revamp of the town's police training centre is approved. The Home Office plans to demolish most of the training college in Yew Tree Lane, at Pannal Ash, and replace it with a complex of training
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Car vandal struck man with light tube
CRIME fighter David Farrow was hit over the head with a fluorescent light tube when he tried to catch a man he saw pulling a wing mirror off a car, a court heard yester- day. Simon Ostler, prosecuting, told Harrogate magistrates that Mr Farrow had been
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£35m scheme to build new college
A SCHEME to build a £35m college campus in the region was unveiled yesterday. A planning application will be submitted by York College in the New Year to build a new site, probably on the existing sixth-form campus, following consultation with local and
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Hitting the right notes for musical rehearsal
ASPIRING actors gathered for the first rehearsal of a show as part of a church's efforts to be involves the community. St Oswald's Church, in Durham, opened the rehearsal to anyone interested in performing as part of its Welcome Sunday event, at the weekend
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Opportunity for walkers to step back in history
AN initiative has been launched to encourage more people to step out and enjoy more than 3,000 years of history. English Heritage, the Cleveland Way Project and Ryedale Council have teamed up in an attempt to add to the 300,000 pairs of feet that cover
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Countryside training opportunity launched
YOUNG people are being given the chance to train in countryside management. The National Park Authority is offering its first-ever apprenticeships to people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are seriously interested in working on and learning about the
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Service of remembrance
A MEMORIAL service for families who have lost babies and children will be held in the chapel of the University Hospital of North Tees on Sunday. The service will be led by North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust chaplain the Reverend Lynn Purvis and begins
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Beating fireworks nuisance
PEOPLE are being urged to make use of a 24-hour telephone hotline to report firework nuisances in the run-up to November 5. Calls to the number - 0800 389 7223 - should be about illegal bonfires, fireworks nuisance or people selling fireworks illegally
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Boys airlifted from river
THREE teenagers suffering from hypothermia and shock were airlifted to safety yesterday after they became stranded on an island in a notorious stretch of water. The youngsters, aged 13, 14 and 15, were trapped after they waded to the island in the River
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Brickies get work (and Fish n' chips) by seaside
BRICKLAYERS from Teesside are being invited to work by the sea - with the promise of a free fish and chip supper on Fridays. Harrison Construction wants to recruit teams of brickies to work on a new apartments development on the waterfront in Whitby.
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Search for culprits after people are shot at in village
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after two people were shot at with a pellet gun while walking through a sleepy rural village. Detectives from Bishop Auckland CID are asking any residents in Staindrop, Barnard Castle and Bishop Auckland, in County Durham
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News in brief: Bottle holds clue to burglar
A BURGLAR was caught when he left his fingerprints on a Coca Cola bottle at the scene of his crime, a court was told yesterday. Andrew Monaghan's victim found the bottle in her home and tipped off police. He was arrested six months later after his fingerprints
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Grassroots: Crook
CHARITY NIGHT: Ken Harrison who for 30 years was secretary of Crook Cricket Club is organising a charity night at the Cricket Club on Saturday, November 9 with all of the proceeds going to the Ward Four Stroke Unit at Bishop Auckland's Hospital. Mr Harrison
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Grassroots: Weardale
GOING STRONG: Stanhope Folk Club, which meets on the first Sunday of each month at the Queen's Head pub, is going from strength to strength. The club, which was formed 15 years ago, has a strong winter programme lined up, starting with a Roll Out The
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News in brief: Duke to open Army camp
THE Duke of York is to open the new-look Army Foundation College on the edge of Harrogate later this week. A number of new buildings have gone up at the modernised base, which served as the Army Apprentice College until the mid-1990s. New facilities include
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Job Search: Vacancies
Bench hand joiner, Barnard Castle, £6.85ph, 40hrs pw, must be time served and able to use saws and planers. Ref: BAJ 4325. PCV driver, Spennymoor, £6ph, 20hrs pw plus, required to drive private hire minibus, may lead to full time. Ref: SPE 10177. Customer
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Job Search: Vacancies
Production line managers, Northallerton, 36-44hrs pw shifts, must have experience of high volume production preferably gained in food industry. Ref: NOE 17544. Sales assistants, Northallerton, £3.70 to £4.50ph dep on age, 37hrs pw Mon-Sat, required for
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Villagers call for debate on waste tip
A VILLAGE has been taken by surprise by a bid for a waste transfer station on a trading estate. Yorwaste has asked Richmondshire District Council for permission to set up the centre off Gatherley Road in Brompton-on-Swale. The project has been advertised
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Job Search: Vacancies
Care assistant, Chester-le-Street, £5.30ph, 16-37 hrs pw, shifts 7am to 4pm, 1-10-m over 7 days, temporary, required for residential care home, must have one year's experience working with dependent persons, must be flexible to cover extra hours. Ref:
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With one swift blow, the miners' way of life was axed
UNTIL the early 1990s, all of east Durham's industrial, employment and economic eggs were firmly in the basket of King Coal. For generations, fathers and sons had rarely looked further than the pits for work, their families were housed in the endless
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Housemaster sacked over improper contact claims
A HOUSEMASTER at a top college has been fired over claims of "improper physical contact" with a pupil. The teacher at Ampleforth College, near Helmsley, North Yorkshire, has been sacked following an incident with a sixth-former more than ten years ago
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Angel food bishops should eat their words
WHAT sort of suicidal lunacy from time to time possesses bishops and makes them deny central teachings of the Christian faith? Richard Harries, Bishop of Oxford, has just said: "People who are groping their way into Christianity can suddenly find themselves
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Facelift for town centre is welcomed
PLANS for a town centre revamp are forging ahead as the designing of shop fronts and landscaping get under way. Ideas for the regeneration of Spennymoor were discussed at a town forum meeting, when Sedgefield Borough Council updated traders on the project's
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Easing stress of Christmas
A PROFESSIONAL life coach claims he can offer a less stressful Christmas by giving guidance to planning the perfect festive period. David Moscrop, a life coach with a practice in Newton Aycliffe, says he can offer a strategy for clients to follow to guarantee
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Search for culprits after pellet gun shootings
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after two people were shot at with a pellet gun while walking through a village. Detectives from Bishop Auckland CID are asking residents in Staindrop, Barnard Castle and Bishop Auckland, to come forward with information
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Tuning up to find top young musicians
PREPARATIONS are under way for the ninth annual Young Musician of the Year Competition. The contest, organised by the Rotary clubs of Darlington and Northallerton, is split into three classes - piano, woodwind and brass or strings. More than 60 young
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Anguish for family as body is identified
The distraught family of a North-East father missing in Bali lost their last hope last night as his friend returned home and confirmed he had identified his pal's body among the dead. Ian Findley, a 55-year-old father-of-one, from Grange Villa, near Chester-le-Street
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The end of an era as Arriva prepares to cut motor links
TRANSPORT group Arriva signalled the end of an era yesterday when it announced plans to sever its ties with the motor trade. The North-East based international bus and train operator, which began as a back street motorbike repair business in the 1930s
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Delegation seeks US insight over technology park plan
A delegation heads to the US today on a fact-finding mission to boost a technology park development proposed in the North-East. Civic, economic and academic figures will visit County Durham's namesake twin in North Carolina to view its Research Triangle
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Cash offer on derelict buildings
DEVELOPERS are being offered money to bring derelict buildings back to life. Grants are to be made available to fund up to a quarter of the cost of renovation work - up to £44,000 and subject to availability. The offer is being made to businesses in east
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Ice rink job vacancies arise
AN outdoor ice rink which proved popular with thousands of visitors to Middlesbrough last Christmas is returning to the town next month. The rink will open at Victoria Park on November 5 and will stay there until January 5. Ten people are needed to work
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N-E researchers pinpoint spread of eating problems
RESEARCHERS in the region have found that Western eating disorders are spreading to African women. New research carried out jointly by Northumbria University, in Newcastle, and the University of Zululand showed that the waif-like ideals promoted by the
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Nightclub spray attack may leave victim blind in one eye
A YOUNG reveller could lose the sight in one eye after being the victim of a spray attack in a busy nightclub. Christopher Armstrong, 26, was one of several hundred clubbers on the dance floor of Trades nightclub, in Consett, at about 1am on Sunday, when
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Comment: No escape from terrorism
THERE is barely a corner of the world untouched by the atrocity in Bali. The victims of this evil deed come from dozens of countries. The bombing illustrates how indiscriminate terrorism can be, and how no nation, no individual, can safely declare themselves
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Legal challenge over care home closure
CAMPAIGNERS against the closure of 16 North-East care homes have lodged a human rights challenge through the courts. Durham County Council has just days to respond to "a letter before claim" from human rights solicitor Alastair Wallace, over the authority's
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Reflexologist is jailed for sex assaults
A REFLEXOLOGIST who admitted indecently assaulting two of his female clients was jailed for four months yesterday. Divorced father-of-two Stuart Hill, 51, committed the offences while working at the Meridian massage and reflexology salon, at Neville's
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Verb Garden to resound to poetry's quick-fire beat
LIVE literature is soaring in popularity across the Tees Valley, with venues such as the Verb Garden in Middlesbrough drawing regular crowds for poetry performances. Tomorrow, the Verb Garden presents New York poet Dana Bryant in Area 2, of the Cornershouse
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'People were screaming - there was no anaesthetic'
A NORTH-EAST man has told how he helped desperate medical staff treat the injured in the wake of the Bali bomb blast. Nick Burgoyne, from Yarm, near Stockton, said he heard the noise and headed to the scene. Mr Burgoyne, 38, a photographer, lives two
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Dinner is served as captain beaky gets up to his old tricks
STAFF at a falconry centre have proved that you can teach an old bird new tricks - and remind it of one it had forgotten. Captain Beaky is an Australian kookaburra which is wowing visitors with a new stunt - taking food from the mouth of falconer Ben
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Banned drink driver jailed for six months
LEYBURN'S 'gentleman of the road' was sent to prison last week for a string of motoring offences. Vagrant Mel Bird appeared at Richmond magistrates court, where he admitted drink-driving, driving while disqualified and with no insurance. Recent guidance
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Ambulance fundraiser's high hopes
AMBULANCE boss John Sutherland is a man who has to live with a price on his head - a cool £1m. He is to lead the Yorkshire Air Ambulance charity's team of fundraisers, who need to raise more than £1m a year to keep the life-saving helicopter airborne.
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Manager tells of club raid terror
A SOCIAL club boss told of his shock yesterday in the wake of a terrifying armed robbery. Police are continuing their investigations into the raid at the Darlington and Simpson Rolling Mills Club, in Longfield Road in the town. A gang of masked men, one
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Rail franchise delay brings frustration
PASSENGER groups were facing fresh frustration last night with the race for the region's second biggest rail franchise likely to be delayed again. The Strategic Rail Authority was thought to be ready to announce its preferred choice for the Trans-Pennine
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Stores face factory fish farming protests
ENVIRONMENTAL campaigners are preparing to target supermarkets in the region in a protest against factory fish farming. Stores throughout the area will be the focus of demonstrations later this month to highlight the damage the intensive form of farming
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Teenagers' dance workshop generates positive energy
SCHOOLCHILDREN danced their socks off during a workshop in Redcar yesterday. Children aged between 14 and 16 from Laurence Jackson, St Peter's and West Redcar schools and Gillbrook Technology College took part in the session, organised by Redcar and Cleveland
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Exhibition celebrates investment in schools
AN exhibition, celebrating a £3.5m investment programme in primary schools, has opened in Durham. Durham County Council was awarded the Government grant through Sport England to build facilities for sports and arts at nine schools. Construction work on
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Have we lost the last paradise?
It took just a few seconds to transform a tropical paradise into a nightmare of devastation. Nick Morrison looks at how the Bali bombing might affect international travel. IF ever a holiday destination deserved a reputation as a safe and peaceful haven
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Council cabinet to face inquiry
A COUNCIL'S entire cabinet is under investigation after claims that members broke a national code of conduct. The complaints against seven members of Sedgefield Borough Council, including leader Brian Stephens, have been referred to the Standards Board
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New laws to target Internet perverts
PAEDOPHILES who stalk children on the Internet are to be targeted by new laws, a North-East barrister told a packed meeting last night. Criminal justice expert Alisdair Gillespie delivered a lecture at the University of Teesside, where he is a senior
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Health trust website relaunched
NORTH Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust has relaunched its website. As well as information about board members, meetings and the trust's business plan, the site - www.northteesandhartlepool.nhs.co.uk - it also has a section for career opportunities and allows
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Inquiry at a halt in hunt for rapist
POLICE admitted last night that the inquiry into the rape of a woman had failed to find any fresh clues. Eighteen months after the 30-year-old was attacked as she walked home from a night out with friends, detectives are no closer to catching the offender
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Ontrack officer gains promotion
A POLICE sergeant has been promoted to inspector after working as the sole police officer in a multi-agency project to help children. Sergeant Karen Winn worked with Ontrack, a Government-funded crime prevention initiative aimed children aged from four
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Radio staff under aerial attack as birds drop in at station
A RADIO station's staff have been ducking and diving more than most during the past few weeks - and it has not been a matter of choice. Berries growing on the bushes which surround the fields overlooked by the Fresh! studios in Richmond, North Yorkshire
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'I'll keep my memories of beautiful Bali'
The bombings on the paradise island of Bali have shocked people who have holidayed there. Katie Barlow, who spent her honeymoon on the island recalls her happy memories. BALI'S image of a palm fringed paradise is certainly true - it is definitely the
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Football club seeks support
A JUNIOR football club is hoping the local community will step in to help it achieve its new objectives. Richmond FC's junior section has enjoyed business backing from Amey Plc, which has covered the cost of six new strips. But the club has its sights
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Wartime bomb find forces 800 from homes
Hundreds of families are facing a second night in two inner-city schools after being evacuated from their homes when workmen unearthed an unexploded Second World War bomb. More than 800 people were moved from their homes to the schools last night after
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Ride-to-work project to be expanded
A SCHEME pioneered in the Richmondshire and Hambleton districts is to be extended to help more people in remote areas of the county find work. The Wheels 2 Work scheme already supplies mopeds to those who would otherwise struggle to reach a job or college
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Myhre on the mend
SUNDERLAND were yesterday anxiously awaiting the results of a scan on goalkeeper Thomas Myhre's thigh injury. Fears were raised that Myhre would miss Saturday's home game with West Ham - Howard Wilkinson's first in charge of the Black Cats - and plunge
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Shildon's birthdays all come at once
ANOTHER birthday, and time to touch base. We celebrated last Tuesday evening at Andrea Savino's stupendous little Italian caf in Shildon. Without baring too much of the birth certificate, it is possible to recall that in the column's raggy-arsed infancy
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News in brief: Signed cricket bat up for sale
A BAT signed by Durham County Cricket Club players is being offered to the highest bidder to help raise funds for a Christmas dinner for elderly villagers. The club gave the bat to Jim Affleck, sub-postmaster in Newfield Village, near Pelton, and he plans
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Scouts move
The 2nd Chester-le-Street Scout Group has asked us to point out that the Scout hut they must leave to make way for a supermarket is not dilapidated, as reported last week, but well-maintained and they are sorry to be losing it. We apologise for the error
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Help needed at historic house
VOLUNTEERS are being sought to run a new visitor attraction in a vandal-hit 16th Century house. Thorpe Prebend House, in Ripon, is being transformed into an education and pilgrim interpretation centre. The building is the sole survivor of seven prebend
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Council strategy to develop town's day-tripper potential
PLANS for a strategy to make Seaton Carew, near Hartlepool, more attractive to visitors and residents will be discussed later this week. The strategy will provide a framework for economic, social and physical development in the town. Its aims will include
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Focus turned on building's future
A MEETING next week aims to shed more light on the future of Thirsk's old courthouse. The building has been earmarked as an arts centre, with space for meetings and training, as well as a resource base. However, it is hoped local people will also be involved
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Cobalt takes 40 acres to be the biggest
A DEAL to make a North-East business park the biggest of its kind in the UK has been announced. Cobalt Business Park, North Tyneside, is set to become the largest office park in the country, after buying a further 40 acres of land from its next door neighbour
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Fresh call for action over busy route
A NEW plea for the notorious A64 York to Scarborough road to be made a dual carriageway has been made by Ryedale MP John Greenway. It follows a spate of death crashes, the latest being earlier this month when a 50-year-old American tourist died when his
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Club's future secured
THE future of one of the country's most famous amateur football clubs was secured this week with the offer of a £250,000 grant towards their new out-of-town stadium. Ten times FA Amateur Cup winners Bishop Auckland FC quit their historic Kingsway ground
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News in brief: Signed cricket bat up for sale
A BAT signed by Durham County Cricket Club players is being offered to the highest bidder to help raise funds for a Christmas dinner for elderly villagers. The club gave the bat to Jim Affleck, sub-postmaster in Newfield Village, near Pelton, and he plans
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It's all go for Indigo
Redecorating your home can be a daunting and expensive task but Women's Editor Christen Pears meets two sisters who aim to take the hassle out of interior design. WHEN friends and family kept asking Debbie Westgarth and Sam Mackenzie for advice on redecorating
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Last Night's TV: Sirens (ITV); Dalziel And Pascoe (BBC1)
Listen out for the warnings in Sirens drama Like Ken Stott in The Vice and Messiah, Daniela Nardini has perfected the pained expression. This involves staring into space while looking glum and frowning a lot. It signals that her mind is in turmoil which
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Free learning opportunities
Darlington College of Technology is offering people the chance to learn on some free courses. The college's Catterick site is offering Chartered Institute of Environmental Health courses this Friday in basic food hygiene and health and safety. NVQ Level
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Shop fronts to be redesigned in facelift
PLANS for a major town centre revamp are forging ahead as the designing of shop fronts and landscaping get under way. Ideas for the regeneration of Spennymoor were discussed at a recent town forum meeting where Sedgefield Borough Council updated traders
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Front-running Young Tomo can boost Sedgefield record
YOUNG TOMO bids to add to an already impressive course record at Sedgefield by winning today's £5,000 three-mile-and-three-furlong St Mowden Handicap Chase. Howard Johnson's ten-year-old gelding has lost none his of enthusiasm. His "take no prisoners"
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Job Search: Vacancies
Commis chef, Eaglescliffe, 40hrs pw split shifts between 10am and 10.30am 5 days out of 7, required for restaurant, experience and Health and Hygiene certificates preferred. Ref: STC 35212. Recruitment co-ordinator, Stockton, 37.5hrs pw 9am to 5pm Mon-Fri
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Dyer forced to pull out of squad for Southampton qualifier
NEWCASTLE United's Kieron Dyer faces a fitness battle for this Saturday's trip to Blackburn Rovers after having to withdraw from the England squad. Dynamic Dyer returned to Tyneside yesterday for intensive treatment after suffering a recurrence of a back
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Pool defeat is a sickener for Robinson
SHELL-SHOCKED Mark Robinson was last night still trying to come to terms with Hartlepool United's far-from Super Sunday. Pool lost 2-1 to Bournemouth in front of the Sky Sports cameras, the winner coming in the closing stages as Chris Westwood's attempted
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Cheesed off with Wallace and Gromit
WALLACE and Gromit, the loveable inventor and his smart dog, have done much to further the good name of Wensleydale cheese across the world. But not any more. For now it appears that the pair have forsaken their favourite cheese in favour of a foreign
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Boro boss sings Carlos's praises
STEVE McCLAREN has singled out Argentinian Carlos Marinelli as a star in the making at Middlesbrough. Marinelli was among the goals in the youthful Boro line-up that won 4-1 at Brentford in the Worthington Cup a fortnight ago. Manager McClaren has admitted
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Facial hair remover lands company in court
A BEAUTY machine's failure to live up to its promise of permanently removing unwanted hair has landed its distributor with fines totalling £20,000. And yesterday Middlesbrough Borough Council's head of Trading Standards, John Wells, praised the customer
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Towns set to be wired up to broadband
THE high-tech broadband revolution is rolling out across North Yorkshire as a £12m internet investment starts to bear fruit. Part of the county council's operation in the west has now been connected and Northallerton and Richmond will be following suit
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Brave traffic cop commended
A TRAFFIC officer who risked his life to save other motorists from a fugitive who was speeding the wrong way down a dual carriageway has been honoured with a Chief Constable's Commendation. Traffic constable Michael Hancock was patrolling the A1 in June
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Eating Owt: Shildon's birthdays all come at once
ANOTHER birthday, and time to touch base. We celebrated last Tuesday evening at Andrea Savino's stupendous little Italian caf in Shildon. Without baring too much of the birth certificate, it is possible to recall that in the column's raggy-arsed infancy
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Youngsters are allowed to develop creative skills with pottery class
YOUNGSTERS put their craftsmanship to the test when they took part in a workshop. Youngsters aged eight years and upwards spent Saturday afternoon learning the finer points of ceramics at Darlington Arts Centre. The session, Saturday Ceramics, is a regular
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Woman fears compensation will not be paid
A WOMAN who won compensation for unfair dismissal from a Darlington photography firm claims she has not received a penny. Suzanne Todd, of Darlington, a former worker at Risbey's shop in Skinnergate, said she will not receive any of the £6,000 compensation
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News in brief: Show off your best blooms
EXHIBITORS are invited to show their displays in the Darlington Chrysanthemum and Dahlia Society's next show. It will be held on Saturday, November 9. Anyone interested in joining can contact the club at 7 Heatherburn Court, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham
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Hope fades for foot service
VILLAGERS are losing hope that a chiropody service can be spared from the axe. Residents of Sadberge were told recently that the village hall did not conform to health and safety rules - meaning the popular service had to be scrapped after 36 years. The
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Anne's in the money
WHEN Anne Bailes announced that she had won £550 on The Northern Echo's Bingo game her husband and two daughters did not believe her. The 49-year-old, of Blagden Grove, Greenfields Dene, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, even had to double check her numbers
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Road rage costs lorry driver £1,000
A LORRY driver tried to throw a motorist off a bridge in a road rage incident, a court heard yesterday. Barry Oliver believed his truck had the right of way but the car driver beat him to it, said Aisha Wadoodi, prosecuting. Oliver told the police that
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Bad weather forces plane to land in field
A PLANE had to make an emergency landing after running into dense cloud in the region. The two-seater light aircraft landed in a field off the A66, near Ravenscroft, North Yorkshire, at about 5pm on Sunday. It is believed the pilot decided to land the
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Autism care home planned
THOUSANDS of pounds are needed to open a second autism care home in North Yorkshire. Clare Ballam and her husband Roy, of Sowerby, have already helped to create Green Gables, a group home for four people with autism in their area. That opened in spring
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On a musical voyage down memory lane
FOUR cruise ship singers have swapped a life at sea for dry land, to form their own production company. Colin Francis, from Pelton, and his partner, Marie Adele, have joined up with husband and wife team Tony Markey and Christine Milburn, from Wallsend
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Pub regulars get chance to surf the net
ENJOYING a pint while surfing the Internet will soon become reality at a village pub. Owners have transformed an old store room to create an Internet pop-in shop for regulars and villagers. Six computers have been installed in the online room at the Crown
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News in brief: Signed cricket bat up for sale
A BAT signed by Durham County Cricket Club players is being offered to the highest bidder to help raise funds for a Christmas dinner for elderly villagers. The club gave the bat to Jim Affleck, sub-postmaster in Newfield Village, near Pelton, and he plans
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News in brief: Bottle holds clue to burglar
A BURGLAR was caught when he left his fingerprints on a Coca Cola bottle at the scene of his crime, a court was told yesterday. Andrew Monaghan's victim found the bottle in her home and tipped off police. He was arrested six months later after his fingerprints
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Newlywed couple give up honeymoon to help
A NORTH-EAST couple, who were visiting Bali on their honeymoon, are helping identify victims of the bomb blast. Newlyweds John and Eugenie McCreanor, of Darlington, immediately put aside their wedding celebrations to assist emergency workers in the resort
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Hear All Sides: Regional Government
IT is necessary to have a serious debate on the future shape that the elected assembly for the region will take. But isn't the main question where we want decisions about this region to be taken? The Government position is a starting point. The current
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Holidaymakers can return early
TRAVEL agents said holidaymakers in Bali with British companies were being given the option to return home early. Anyone due to travel can amend or cancel travel plans free of charge, although the situation is being reviewed. Kimberley Kay, a spokeswoman
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Man sentenced for punching neighbour
AN east Cleveland man was jailed yesterday after a punch in the street left his neighbour in hospital with a fractured skull and suspected brain damage. Terence Harford, 44, spent 11 days in hospital before doctors gave him the all-clear and he was discharged
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Fire cracker explodes in baby's cot
A FIRE cracker exploded in a cot just minutes after a baby had been sleeping in it. The incident happened at a house in Lambton Road, Stockton, at the weekend. It is believed someone had thrown the firework into the living room of the house. The six-week-old
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Saving energy
Action Energy, a government backed initiative, is offering to help North-East businesses become more energy efficient. It can help reduce energy bills by up to 20 per cent by offering free, practical advice. Call 0800 58 57 94 for a free review or starter
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Fireworks seized in home raid
A RESIDENT has been given a rocket after being caught selling fireworks from home. More than 150 fireworks were seized in a raid on the privately owned house on Middlesbrough's Thorntree council estate. It is illegal to sell fireworks without an explosives
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My best friend died - and saved my life
A SURVIVOR of the Bali terrorist outrage flew back into the North-East last night to tell of his horror at witnessing the death of his best friend. Still bloodied from the atrocity which has so far claimed more than 180 lives, Ian Stafford arrived at
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New appeal for Neale's patients
MORE than two years after he was struck off for botching operations the long-awaited inquiry into Richard Neale is finally getting under way. The inquiry chairman, Suzan Matthews QC, has invited former patients of Mr Neale to come forward and give evidence
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Surgeon's former patients urged to provide evidence
MORE than two years after he was struck off for botching operations, the long-awaited inquiry into Richard Neale is finally getting under way. The inquiry chairman, Suzan Matthews QC, has invited former patients of Mr Neale to come forward and give evidence
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Tonic for patients in dale with quicker call-out cover
A NEW partnership, which aims to improve emergency cover for North Yorkshire's more isolated communities, is to be pioneered in Richmondshire. The Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service (Tenyas) has already increased its manpower in Upper Wensleydale
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Sports facilities and play areas are poor, says report
THE condition of outdoor sports facilities, including children's play areas, run by Darlington Borough Council have been described as poor by the Audit Commission. An independent report into the council's sport and recreation division said that the facilities
