Archive
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Equal access campaigners celebrate forum success
A CAMPAIGN for equal access for deaf people has won the backing of county councillors and a member of Parliament. A Question Time forum to raise awareness of the problems faced by deaf people has taken place at County Hall, Durham. Organised by the local
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'Why Carter is priceless to me'
The bond between guide dog and owner is one of the closest animal-human partnerships. Nick Morrison finds out how a blind man got to know his best friend. IT took about an hour for Gavin Atkins to realise that something was wrong. During that time, two
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Viana injury brings back bad memories for Bobby
SIR BOBBY ROBSON yesterday admitted he experienced a worrying feeling of dj vu when Hugo Viana suffered the dislocated shoulder which rules him out for several weeks and deals another blow to Newcastle United's Champions League campaign. The Portuguese
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Young cyclists boost hospice coffers
CATERING students dished up a treat for hospice staff by completing a coast-to-coast bike ride. The students from Darlington College of Technology joined forces with pupils at Beaumont Hill School to raise £1,500 for St Teresa's Hospice, after their fundraising
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You write: Planning insult
SIR - I am writing to voice my disappointment at the closing of Robin's cinema. I feel that this affects children in particular and this is a group that requires entertainment. The closure also affects non-motorists,who can find it difficult to get public
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Football's fishy stories
A SMALL village pub was the unlikely setting for the launch of a new book about footballing heroes last week. One Dead Ref and a Box of Kippers is sprinkled with anecdotes, opinions and memories of dozens of footballers who qualified to appear in Steven
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Caine is able to wait
NORTH-EAST cross-country champion Andrew Caine has a final run-out in this afternoon's Elswick Harriers Norman Woodcock Memorial Road Race before deciding whether to defend his regional crown at Chester-le-Street next week. The 25-year-old Tynedale Harrier
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Quakers see off Boro
Darlington are through to the third round of the FA Cup after comfortably beating Stevenage Borough 4-1 at Feethams. A Richard Offiong double and a goal apiece for Richard Hodgson and Barry Conlon sealed a thoroughly deserved win for Mick Tait's side
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07/12/02
FARMING: I AM a small-scale livestock farmer and I am convinced that the 20-day restriction of movement of livestock has little to do with disease control but a lot to do with the Government's Livestock Reduction Scheme. The Government is now in the position
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For Your Benefit: Help when too sick to work
Q I earn £320 a month but my job is getting too much for me. I have not always paid a full National Insurance (NI) stamp and wonder if I would get any benefit? A If you are too sick to work you might get Incapacity Benefit at a starting rate of £53.50
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Club ladies toast winning ways
ONE young golfer and three slightly older ones were the toast of the club when Woodham ladies held their presentation evening. Retiring captain Margaret Nisbet praised the achievements of the ladies' section's youngest member Isobel Foley who beat all-comers
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Health plan explained
A public meeting to explain changes in health care is being held in Darlington. The National Health Service is undergoing major upheaval as part of a ten-year plan to allow more decisions to be taken at a local level. The keystone of change is the Local
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News in brief: Bridge warning to motorists
MOTORISTS are being warned of bridge closures on the A1018 River Wear road crossing in Sunderland tomorrow night. Wearmouth Bridge, which is undergoing refurbishment and repainting, will be closed to traffic from 11.30pm tomorrow until 5am on Monday.Temporary
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Vehicle-sharing plans to be unveiled
PLANS for a vehicle-sharing scheme in County Durham will be unveiled next week. Durham County Council hopes voluntary and community organisations, schools, colleges and councils will take part in the scheme to boost public transport. It is hosting a seminar
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Hit-and-run driver sought
THREE more youngsters have been involved in hit-and-run accidents only 48 hours after Katie Scales was injured by a motorist who failed to stop at a red light. All four of the accidents occurred in York, the most recent involving two teenagers who were
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54-year-old held after father's death in nightclub
A 54-year-old man has been arrested after a father was killed in front of hundreds of horrified clubbers as he danced with his girlfriend. Mark Thirsk, 40, was battered to death at De Niro's nightclub in Middlesbrough. Cleveland Police, who announced
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Constructive learning for pupils
COLLEGE students in Darlington have been building bridges in more ways than one. Year seven pupils at Carmel Technology College were given the opportunity to create large-scale structures, with the help of experts. At an event presented by Martin Jennings
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Golden couple celebrate
GOLDEN couple Leslie and Alwyn Weston celebrated 50 years of wedded bliss yesterday. The pair, who have lived in Darlington all their lives, marked their golden wedding with a celebration. Mr Weston, a retired engineer, and his wife, a former accounts
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Youth club members' success celebrated
YOUNG people from youth clubs in Weardale and Teesdale ended a year of achievement by collecting prizes at an Education in the Community awards night. The audience in Auckland Youth and Community Centre, Woodhouse Close, heard success stories from boys
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Girl's killer 'confessed before hanging himself'
A NORTH-EAST man killed himself shortly after admitting strangling his girlfriend at her home, an inquest heard yesterday. The hearing into the death of Lesley Anne Elizabeth Petch heard that the man was found hanging in his prison cell before he could
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Support sought for industrial estate revamp
COUNCILLORS are being asked to back a £225,000 revamp for an industrial estate. Plans for the refurbishment scheme on Chilton Industrial Estate will be unveiled at a meeting of Sedgefield Borough Council's Cabinet meeting on Thursday. In a report to be
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News in brief: School hit by vandalism
VANDALS have smashed 20 windows at Darlington's Eastbourne Comprehensive School in several incidents over the past week. Police also investigated an attempted burglary at the school. A Darlington Borough Council spokeswoman said the school was considering
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School site proposed
A PLAYING field could become the site for a £3m village primary school. The sports fields at the school in Middleton St George, near Darlington, is the preferred site for the development. If funding is granted for the school, Middleton St George Primary
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Fundraisers seek to turn trash to cash
HOSPICE fundraisers have joined forces with Sedgefield Borough Council to turn empty computer printer cartridges and old mobile phones into money to help patients. The council is urging all its residents to help support the work of the Butterwick Hospice
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Trainee medics bare all in raunchy Full Monty show
Trainee doctors sent pulses racing with a raunchy striptease for charity last night. Mischievous medics cast off their inhibitions, as well as their clothes, in a daring rendition of the Full Monty at Durham University's Stockton Campus. The show, proved
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Surgery silent on future of doctor
A GP's surgery has refused to reveal whether a family doctor, convicted of kerb-crawling twice, will remain at the practice. Dr Patrick Holmes, 33, who is employed by Felix House Surgery, in Middleton St George, near Darlington, was convicted for the
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Hospice issues call for big cash drive
PEOPLE are being urged to dig deep this Christmas to boost a campaign to create a 24-hour care unit for the terminally ill. The £250,000 St Teresa's Hospice Giving to Life appeal got off to a great start when it was launched earlier this year with the
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Historic transplant to go ahead this week
THE countdown has begun for what will be one of the most amazing organ transplants in the region. In four days, father-of-two Derek Marshall, 56, will give his lifelong friend Bill Brough, 54, one of his kidneys. It had been hoped that the two-hour transplant
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Campus gets a new constable
A COMMUNITY policeman has taken more than 8,000 students under his wing in his new role patrolling a city's college campuses. PC Jeff Barksby has just taken over as the dedicated liaison officer at the 14 colleges and societies of Durham University. PC
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Bright future promised for arts
THE arts have been given a boost thanks to a newly formed agency bringing entertainment to peoples' doorsteps. In a district that already has a strong creative reputation and boasts a number of successful festivals, residents can expect to see even more
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Top class two milers
WITH so many top-class two milers taking each other on there'll be no shortage of fireworks in this afternoon's mouth-watering clash for the £100,000 Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown, writes Colin Woods (Janus). It's a race that over the years has been dominated
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Young offenders waiting longer to be sentenced
THE average time from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders in the region is on the rise, according to new figures. The figures, released by the Lord Chancellor's department, show that in the Cleveland, North Yorkshire and Northumbria police
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Safety is improved at fatal crash site
THE DEATH of a woman motorist in wet conditions on a rural road has prompted new safety measures, an inquest was told. Muriel Taylor died from multiple injuries after her Renault Laguna was in collision with an oncoming Peugeot on the B6288, between Kirk
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Snow White is first show for children
AN amateur dramatics group for youngsters is treading the boards for the first time this month with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The Park-Kids Players was set up in the Parkfield area of Stockton by the Write to Read Project. With more than 30 young
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Charities facing cash crisis
UP to 300 charity organisations which help the elderly, disabled, homeless, children and other people in need on the Yorkshire coast face a funding crisis, according to the chief executive of the Scarborough Council for Voluntary Services. Colin Barnes
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Death of woman who championed lip speaking
A NORTH-EAST woman who invented a way of speaking that helped thousands of deaf people has died. Muriel Shepherd won an MBE for her work with the hard of hearing. She also founded the Darlington branch of the British Association of the Hard of Hearing
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England call-up for ice hockey player
A TEENAGER is skating to success as part of the England under-16s ice hockey team. Steven Pritchard, 15, from Sacriston, followed in his cousin and brother's footsteps to take up ice hockey at the age of six. After watching and playing games in Durham
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Everything you ever wanted to know about parenting
THE latest in a series of guides covering all aspects of bringing up children was launched this week. Copies of Durham for Under Eights, by Clever Clogs Publishing, were presented to youngsters in the district. The booklet follows the publication of previous
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Surgery woe for McAteer
SUNDERLAND'S midfield problems worsened last night when it emerged Jason McAteer could be out for another two months and faces the possibility of more surgery on his troublesome hernia problem. After coming close to a first-team return last month following
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Patrols target sneak thieves
EXTRA police patrols are being mounted to try to catch sneak thieves who have been preying on householders. Handbags, purses and cash have been stolen from homes in the Thirsk area since the beginning of November. The thieves have been taking advantage
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Support for grieving relatives
GRIEVING relatives will be helped to come to terms with the death of a loved one with a new bereavement support team at two hospitals. Donna Fairhurst and Susanne Law have been appointed as bereavement support officers at the University Hospitals of North
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Housing group's pride
TEES Valley Housing Group's latest development in Saltburn has been opened with the unveiling of a plaque for the scheme's first resident. The group has developed 12 two-bedroom apartments in Milton Street, on the site of a disused garage. When the garage
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Grassroots: Sunderland and district
EXERCISE TIME: Gymnastics classes for the over-fives are held from 4pm to 4.45pm on Mondays in the Washington Leisure Centre at the Galleries. For details, call 0191- 219 3400. GIVING BLOOD: A blood donor session takes place from 10am to 7pm on Friday
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College wins high praise
SEDGEFIELD Community College has been highly commended in a report by inspectors. The report from the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) describes the college as 'an effective and improving college in which students develop positive attitudes
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Plan to reverse decline in jobs
MINISTER for Work Nick Brown yesterday pledged Government backing to reverse economic decline in an area hit by massive job losses. The Newcastle East MP met partners drawing up a rescue plan for south Durham centred on the town of Spennymoor, where power
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Comment: A mistake of judgement
ACCORDING to the information in the public domain, it appears Cherie Blair did nothing improper during the purchase of two flats in Bristol. The involvement of a convicted fraudster in the transaction was unwise, or unwitting. But it was not illegal.
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New Co-op store opens
A NEW £760,000 supermarket has opened in Trimdon. The development, at Church Road, is a partnership between North Eastern and Cumbrian Co-op and Durham County Council. Some of the first customers to the store were children from the neighbouring infant
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Support sought for industrial estate revamp
COUNCILLORS are being asked to back a £225,000 revamp for an industrial estate. Plans for the refurbishment scheme on Chilton Industrial Estate will be unveiled at a meeting of Sedgefield Borough Council's Cabinet meeting on Thursday. In a report to be
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Bid to quash conviction is rejected
THREE members of a criminal gang failed yesterday in an Appeal Court bid to have their convictions overturned. But Paul Ashton, Robert Webber, and Paul Lyons, from Newcastle, all received cuts in their prison sentences. The three were found guilty at
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Building for a greener future
A SEMINAR to stimulate interest in environmentally-friendly housing and architecture will be staged in the North-East next week. Award-winning architect Bill Dunster has been invited by Newcastle City Council to present and discuss the work of his Surrey-based
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News in brief: Worn bridge 'could fall'
A £200,000 repair scheme is to be carried out on the twin bridges which span the River Derwent at East and West Ayton near Scarborough. North Yorkshire County Council's highways department said the stone bridge which carries traffic eastwards to Scarborough
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Robson has Star ranking
PAUL ROBSON, the brilliant young northern-based conditional rider with an ever-expanding fan club, is re-united with Star Jack (1.40) in the feature race at Wetherby today, the £16,000 Cumbrian Challenge Handicap Chase. Robson rode the socks off some
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Petition given to councillor
LOCAL people have turned the tables on Councillor Mike Bury - in the nicest possible way. Coun Bury, 51, is renowned for the petitions he organises to try to help his constituents. But now he knows what it feels like to be on the receiving end after dozens
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Writers dust off second comedy
TWO writers look set to beat their own box office record when their second play opens in the region in the New Year. North-East duo Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood, were responsible for the horse racing comedy, Good to Firm, which became the first sell-out show
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News in brief: Bridge warning to motorists
MOTORISTS are being warned of bridge closures on the A1018 River Wear road crossing in Sunderland tomorrow night. Wearmouth Bridge, which is undergoing refurbishment and repainting, will be closed to traffic from 11.30pm tomorrow until 5am on Monday.Temporary
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Falcons can relax against Treviso
NEWCASTLE Falcons have the opportunity to play some relaxed rugby over the next two weeks as they take on Italian club Treviso in the Parker Pen Challenge Cup. While this may well help them return to winning ways following a run of five Premiership defeats
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You write: Planning insult
SIR - I am writing to voice my disappointment at the closing of Robin's cinema. I feel that this affects children in particular and this is a group that requires entertainment. The closure also affects non-motorists,who can find it difficult to get public
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Points win prizes for good pupils
A PILOT scheme to reward children for good behaviour and outstanding schoolwork with a Smartcard was approved by councillors this week. Students in the Derwentside district will be able to redeem points awarded to them to gain free access to leisure facilities
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Children dig deep for others
STAFF and pupils at Greenfield School Community and Arts College in Newton Aycliffe designated a full day to fundraising for Children in Need. The non-uniform and silly hair day was organised by the student council, with support from teacher Janet Adamson
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Surgeon meets inquiry team as patients continue boycott
DISGRACED surgeon Richard Neale held a behind-closed-doors meeting with inquiry officials yesterday. The meeting, at a York hotel, was the first face-to-face encounter between the former Friarage Hospital surgeon and the team which is investigating how
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Tait calls on fans to back Feethams Cup farewell
Caretaker boss Mick Tait is hoping the attraction of the FA Cup will bring fans back for this afternoon's second round clash with Stevenage Borough. Quakers narrowly missed out on a mouthwatering fourth round tie with neighbours Newcastle last season
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School soars ahead in SATS
A SCHOOL received a pat on the back last week for improved test results. The school's Standard Assessment Tasks (SATS) scores soared for the year 2000-2001, ranking it the 71st most improved centre in England. Officers from Durham County Council presented
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Stolen bike is very distinctive
POLICE are appealing for information about the theft of an unusual bike. The Iron Horse mountain bike is one of only two of its type in the town and one of only 20 in the North-East. The white framed bike, valued at £750, was stolen from a garage in Greenbank
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You write: Planning insult
SIR - I am writing to voice my disappointment at the closing of Robin's cinema. I feel that this affects children in particular and this is a group that requires entertainment. The closure also affects non-motorists,who can find it difficult to get public
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Dad dives for caring project
A FATHER is hoping to make a splash in his first diving competition this weekend, in memory of his wife. Stephen Pattinson, 42, will compete against divers from across Northumbria and County Durham at the Dolphin Centre in Darlington on Sunday. Mr Pattinson
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Future 'is safe' at TV makers
AN electronics firm has insisted it is committed to a North-East plant's future despite announcing 90 job losses. LG Philips, which makes tubes for televisions and computer monitors, said the cuts would be made at its Durham plant, which employs 950 people
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The Albany Northern League Today: Shoulder ready for challenge
Willington's new manager Alan Shoulder admits that he's taken on a big challenge as he prepares for his first game in charge at Eppleton. The former Newcastle player takes over at a club which is third from bottom of the table and desperately in need
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History group wins cash
A LOCAL history group is celebrating after it received an early Christmas present. Annfield Plain Family History Society learned this week that its £2,750 bid to the National Lottery Awards for All fund was successful. The cash will go on equipment and
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Harrogate's high hopes . . .
THEY'VE been dubbed the footballing minnows - the soccer underdogs who have battled their way into what promises to be one of the most extraordinary FA Cup matches ever. Humble Harrogate Railway will undoubtedly be stretched to the limit when they welcome
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In The Picture: Watching the detectives
You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to solve the mystery of why TV tecs are so popular - and that's why ITV has signed a four-year deal winning exclusive rights to all Agatha Christie's novels. FOR many of us, the most baffling thing about Agatha Christie
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Cleared nursery workers taken off paedophiles list
Two former nursery workers who were falsely accused of child abuse have finally had their names removed from a Government paedophiles list - eight years after they were acquitted by a judge. Dawn Reed and Christopher Lillie were each awarded £200,000
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Watching the detectives
You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to solve the mystery of why TV tecs are so popular - and that's why ITV has signed a four-year deal winning exclusive rights to all Agatha Christie's novels. FOR many of us, the most baffling thing about Agatha Christie
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Bogus callers steal £9,000 in cash from pensioner's home
A GREAT-GRANDMOTHER tricked out of her life savings by doorstep conmen says she now faces a penniless Christmas. Hilda Wilson, 81, had saved up nearly £9,000 in cash over the years to help her pay for a kitchen conversion and her great-grandchildren's
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Ehiogu salvages point for Boro
Defender Ugo Ehiogu rescued a point for Middlesbrough to preserve their unbeaten run at home this season. The England international headed home Geremi's corner in the 88th minute after Ian Pearce looked to have earned the Premiership basement boys a vital
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Village welcomes the world with web site
A GROUP of young people are beaming out details of their small County Durham village to the rest of the world, after creating their own website. Craghead Youth Club decided they wanted to create an internet site for the community to convey the people
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Festive parade
HUNDREDS of primary school children joined Father Christmas at a town's annual festive parade. The youngsters from schools in Bishop Auckland gathered with member of churches and the town's retailers for the procession, on Thursday night. Many dressed
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Accident verdict on road death man
A PEDESTRIAN killed in a late night accident was on his way home after a night with friends, an inquest heard yesterday. Christopher Thompson died in Bishop Auckland Hospital as a result of head injuries, two days after he collided with a car near Tindale
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Health club wins cafe award
A HEALTH club in Darlington has been given an award for its caf bar. Bannatyne's Health Club in Darlington has been presented with the Heartbeat Award from Darlington Borough Council. The award recognised the club's healthy food, high standards of food
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Burglar gets ten years jail for fatal car crash
A BANNED driver was jailed for ten years yesterday for killing a grandfather as he fled the scene of a burglary in a stolen car. Daniel Reay, 23, had been released from a four-year sentence for just over two months when he crashed a stolen Saab into a
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News in brief: Bridge warning to motorists
MOTORISTS are being warned of bridge closures on the A1018 River Wear road crossing in Sunderland tomorrow night. Wearmouth Bridge, which is undergoing refurbishment and repainting, will be closed to traffic from 11.30pm tomorrow until 5am on Monday.Temporary
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News in brief: Car boot sale bid is made
THE Wellington Square Development Company has applied to Stockton Borough Council for permission to use the Square's car park for a Sunday car boot sale, or market, from 9am to 5pm each week. TEMPORARY CLOSURE: The reference library at Hartlepool Central
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Nurse is struck off for 'humiliating' pensioners
A NURSE has been struck off for abusing and neglecting elderly residents in a care home. Maureen Brown, 57, of Kirklevington, near Yarm, was dismissed from her post at Dalby Court Nursing and Residential Home, in Coulby Newham, near Middlesbrough, two
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Inmate given life sentence for knife attack
AN inmate who knifed another inmate over socks was given a life sentence yesterday. Peter Michael Watson, 21, was angered when he was woken at 9.30am by laundry deliverer Andrew Mann, 20, banging on his door at Deerbolt Young Offenders Institution, Barnard
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Reward in hunt for masked robbers
A DAIRY is offering a £500 reward for help to catch robbers who escaped with cash after threatening a milk round collector at knifepoint. The masked pair, wearing dark green hooded coats, struck as a 16-year-old female collector and her 22-year-old male
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Administrator offers ray of hope for doomed steel plant
Steelmaking in Weardale was handed a lifeline last night with the news that a 140-year-old business might be saved. Weardale Steel in Wolsingham, County Durham, was facing oblivion after a disastrous takeover left more than 80 workers facing a bleak future
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News in brief: Woman injured in car crash
A 24-YEAR-OLD woman driver suffered serious head injuries yesterday morning when her car hit a wall on the outskirts of Bishop Auckland. The woman, from Bishop Auckland, has not been named, but was said to be poorly but stable in Middlesbrough General
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Ex-Echo editor is 'greatest'
Harold Evans, the legendary former editor of The Northern Echo, has been voted the greatest of all time in a poll. Mr Evans, who drove forward The Echo's famous campaigning traditions during the 1960s, won the British Journalism Review/Press Gazette poll
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Village is left in shock by double death tragedy
A FARMER'S wife who was killed after being struck by a van was picking up litter just yards from her home, her devastated husband said last night. Irene Stephenson, 57, died on Thursday afternoon when she was hit by a blue Vauxhall van on the A67 between
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An unusual plea to old foot sole-diers
ONE of Britain's most famous regiments has issued an urgent appeal - for a second-hand pair of boots. But it's not just any old footwear the Green Howards are after - they need genuine soldiers' boots from the Crimean War. The regimental museum in Richmond
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Man denies murdering drug addict
A MAN on trial for the murder of a homeless drug addict told police that he was his Good Samaritan and not his killer, a court heard yesterday. Brian Lancaster, 32, told detectives that he drove drug addict Robert Parkin, nicknamed Swampy, to hospital
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Sleeping beside baby OK despite fears, says expert
AN expert on infant sleep patterns has urged North-East parents to carry on sleeping beside their babies, despite a warning from a coroner. West Yorkshire coroner Roger Whittaker raised doubts about the wisdom of the practice after the death of four-week-old
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£8m extra funding for drugs projects
THE North-East is to receive an extra £8m from the Government for community projects which tackle drug abuse. Twelve drug action teams across the region will see their funding increase from the current annual total of £11.7m to £19.7m in 2005/6. The National
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Silent night at the movies
SILENT movies will be shown at a festive fundraiser at Elvet Methodist Church this Friday. The eight classic films will be accompanied by a soundtrack that is to be improvised on the night by pianist Stephen Dutton. Many of the films to be screened at
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Travel scheme for disabled likely to be approved
A SCHEME enabling disabled people to take a taxi instead of a bus should be operating by the spring. Hambleton District Council is expected to approve a system whereby certain people will qualify for travel vouchers worth up to £30 a year. Vouchers will
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Aim is to shorten the food chain from gate to plate
FARMERS have pledged support for a new co-operative which, they heard, could help restore prosperity to a depressed dale. A steering group could meet before Christmas in Weardale, County Durham, where major job losses have followed last year's foot-and-mouth
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Carnival sounds
NOTTING Hill Carnival veterans, Channel One Sound System, will perform in Stockton this month. The group will play at the Georgian Theatre, in Green Dragon Yard, on Saturday, December 21. Tickets, priced £6, are available on (01642) 674115.
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Muslim group re-launches
A WOMEN'S group for Muslims in Teesside is having a double celebration. The group is changing its name from Mel G to El-Muskabel and one of its first activities will be a party to celebrate the Eid Festival. More than 70 children and 40 adults from Middlesbrough
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Apology over guns advert in paper
THE Northern Echo apologised yesterday after an advertisement for air guns was inadvertently published. The paper, which has been a consistent campaigner against handguns, has launched an internal investigation into how the advertisement appeared. A decision
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More than 1,000 animals at primestock show
The Christmas primestock show and sale of cattle and sheep in Darlington this week presented 141 cattle, including 35 bulls, and 927 sheep including 282 cull ewes. DARLINGTON - Thursday: Cattle: judges were W Piper (Houghton-le-Spring) and J. Higginson
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Ian's romantic acceptance speech wins him a bride
A LOVESTRUCK jobseeker stunned an awards ceremony by proposing to his girlfriend when he took to the stage. Romantic Ian Bell, 36, of Horden, east Durham, wanted to make his proposal to Ann Law, 38, also of Horden, something she would never forget. He
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Recognition for employer who does his best to help the jobless
A BUSINESSMAN who has recruited more than 20 long-term unemployed people was among those recognised at an awards ceremony. Darshan Gill, the owner of Quality Inspection, has recruited two thirds of his workforce through the Easington Action Team for Jobs
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Hospice issues call for big cash drive
PEOPLE are being urged to dig deep this Christmas to boost a campaign to create a 24-hour care unit for the terminally ill. The £250,000 St Teresa's Hospice Giving to Life appeal got off to a great start when it was launched earlier this year with the
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Boost for hospital unit
A CANCER unit has received £250 thanks to the efforts of the Northallerton and District Lioness Club. The Mowbray suite at the town's Friarage Hospital is a medical day unit that treats mainly cancer patients and also cares for day case patients. The
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Youth theatre comes to town
YOUNG actors will benefit from two workshops which have opened in North Yorkshire. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, a youth theatre yesterday launched classes in Whitby. The Stephen Joseph Youth Theatre, in Scarborough, is to give youngsters between
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Marking £2.5m revamp with park celebrations
one of Teesside's finest parks will herald the start of a new era with a variety of entertainment. Plans are being made to restore Stockton's Ropner Park to its former Victorian glory after Stockton Borough Council secured a £2.5m grant from the Heritage
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Chance to help reshape valley gardens
THE future of Hartlepool's Burn Valley Gardens will be discussed at a meeting next week. The meeting has been called by the town's New Deal for Communities (NDC) initiative, which is hoping to begin an improvement scheme next year. Officials from NDC
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A vin less ordinaire
A NORTH-EAST museum has strengthened its cross Channel connections by launching its own range of French wines. The 19th Century Bowes Museum, near Barnard Castle, which was founded by an Englishman John Bowes and his French wife, Josephine, has developed
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Weaving some festive craftwork
THE chance to make a Christmas decoration was on offer on Thursday. Albert Park development officer Tansee Cartwright held a Christmas wreath-making workshop at the new visitor centre in the Middlesbrough park, and Debbie Cook, of Darlington was one of
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Walking scheme is launched at school
AN innovative scheme to improve the health and safety of children has been launched in Hartlepool. Rossmere Primary School has introduced a car-free zone to encourage pupils to walk to school. Parents are being asked to help ensure the six-week pilot
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Shearer strike sinks Villa
ALAN Shearer showed his Newcastle teammates just what they'll be missing at the Nou Camp on Tuesday night with the only goal of a pulsating game at Villa Park on Saturday. Shearer, who starts a two-game Champions League ban this week for his elbow on
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Vicar prays for presents
A North Yorkshire vicar has drawn up a wish list of Christmas presents that his church cannot afford. And the Reverend John Colston, of Christ Church, Harrogate, has suggested members of his congregation might want to put them on their list. The hopeful
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Fun scheme cuts crime
PROJECT to keep youngsters off the streets in a crime-hit village has paid dividends. Youth workers spent the autumn organising a series of outings for teenagers in Pont Head, Leadgate, near Consett. Latest police figures show that reports of crime and
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Man jailed over 75m cigarettes
A TEESSIDE man was jailed yesterday following an investigation by Customs officers in Glasgow into attempts to smuggle up to 75 million cigarettes. Nashtar Singh, 35, of The Wynd, Wynyard Park, Billingham, who stored and distributed the cigarettes once
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Choir prepares for performance
YOUNG choristers are fine-tuning their performance in readiness for a charity concert. The 24 members of the Chapel Choir at Queen Mary's School, near Topcliffe, will take part in the concert, at St Andrew's Church, Aldborough, near Boroughbridge, tomorrow
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It all goes to Angel's head after wine rack discovery
A PINT-SIZED pup found it had no head for drink by getting itself stuck in a wine rack. It took five firefighters to free Angel after her family tried for 90 minutes to free the Jack Russell/Springer Spaniel cross. Owner Dawn Robinson, 32, said she and
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Teachers serve up a cash helping
TEACHERS at a comprehensive school served up lunches to pupils to help a children's charity. Paul Harrison, headteacher at Teesdale School, Barnard Castle, his deputies Shaughan Tighe and Janet Linsley, and teachers Peter Elliott and Phil Dukes were sponsored
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EasyJet drops hint about warmer destinations
Warmer climates are hot favourites for easyJet's long-awaited decision on where its new route from Newcastle Airport will be bound for. The news came on the day the airline announced that passengers were flocking to take advantage of low cost flights.
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Help at hand
A NEW web site has been launched to provide practical help and advice to victims of domestic violence. The site provides links to all the domestic violence support groups and organisations in Darlington and County Durham. The site can be reached on www.dv-realityrevealed.org
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Backing for development
A PLAN to build 215 homes on Harrogate Rugby Union ground at Claro Road has been backed by councillors. Members of Harrogate Borough Council's district development control committee voted 10-5 to back the scheme which has been called in by deputy prime
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Job vacancy could see Marinelli get a chance
ARGENTINIAN midfielder Carlos Marinelli is pushing for a first-team recall at Middlesbrough following the shattering loss of fractured skull victim Joseph Job. Marinelli has so far failed to fulfil the prophecies which greeted his £1.5m arrival from Boca
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Vision of the future a step closer to reality
OVERCOAT weather in Whitburn, where the icy wind howls in from the North Sea and sends dark, brooding clouds scurrying across the skyline. Mechanical diggers transport materials across a building site; the piercing sound of drills cuts through the crisp
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FA Vase: Ord loss massive, Cruddas
Durham City manager Billy Cruddas has admitted that the loss of central defender Dickie Ord is a massive blow ahead of their FA Vase third round tie with Gedling today. The former Sunderland player announced his retirement from competitive football during
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News in brief: Car boot sale bid is made
THE Wellington Square Development Company has applied to Stockton Borough Council for permission to use the Square's car park for a Sunday car boot sale, or market, from 9am to 5pm each week. TEMPORARY CLOSURE: The reference library at Hartlepool Central
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Crackdown is launched to reduce school truancy rate
SCHOOL truants will have no hiding place next week when a council launches an operation to track them down. Darlington Borough Council is planning a series of sweeps at locations throughout the town where truant children are known to gather when they
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Fundraisers seek to turn trash to cash
HOSPICE fundraisers have joined forces with Sedgefield Borough Council to turn empty computer printer cartridges and old mobile phones into money to help patients. The council is urging all its residents to help support the work of the Butterwick Hospice
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Anti-burglary campaign brings results
ABOUT 6,000 homes in Sedgefield borough have received security advice in the four weeks since the Sedgefield Burglary Action Group launched Operation Lancelot. The police awareness leaflets have been posted through the homes as part of a major anti-burglary
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Dublin a big threat - Shearer
ALAN Shearer fears Dion Dublin will hit his century today and derail the Newcastle United striker's hopes of signing off in style. A fortnight after Shearer scored his 100th Premiership goal for Newcastle, Dublin will try to reach his top-flight ton this
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Golfers see off roving gunman
OUTRAGED golfers have seen off a camouflaged gunman after he got in the way of their game. The three players, who have not been named, came across the man armed with a rifle on the 12th hole at Consett Golf Club. They were so incensed to find a trespasser
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Marking his silver screen anniversary
ENSCONCED in a darkened room, surrounded by film reels and watching movies back-to-back all day long - it sounds like a pretty cushy number. But that's not quite the whole picture, according to Stan Glendenning, who yesterday celebrated a quarter of a
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He's the boss
SIX-year-old Henry Saunders plays the title role in Durham Chorister School's pre-prep department's Nativity play, The Bossy King. Performances have been staged this week in the cathedral Chapter House, with a collection for the Starlight Children's Foundation
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At Your Service: High hopes
Taking to the roof of his parish church was no mean feat, even for a vicar who has been compared to Spiderman by his congregation... but it was all in a good cause. WEATHER permitting, it had been suggested, Fr Gary Nicholson would have his picture taken
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City MP to stand down
DURHAM City Labour MP Gerry Steinberg plans to stand down at the next election. Mr Steinberg, 57, who has represented the city since 1987, revealed his intentions at a constituency party meeting at the weekend. The timing of the announcement gives the
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Paper relic from birth of railways may fetch £10,000
A slip of paper commemorating one of the most important events in British railway history is likely to fetch more than £10,000 at auction later this month. Experts believe the share certificate marking the Stockton and Darlington Railway is the earliest
