Archive
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Churchyard is nature's hiding place
A RICHMOND churchyard has been voted one of the best in North Yorkshire for wildlife. The churchyard at St Mary's parish church has been named in the Living Churchyard awards, organised by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. Worshippers at the church were praised
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Access All Areas: Going up in the world down by the Riverside
A RECENT visit to the Riverside Stadium with my son and daughter for the game against Manchester City gave me the opportunity to try out facilities for fans with disabilities. Fortunately, I was able to meet Paddy Cronesbury, chairman of Middlesbrough
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Theatre renovators struck by stage fright
A BUILDER working on a £500,000 refurbishment to the Empire Theatre, in Consett, says a ghost is prowling in the shadows under the stage. His story has prompted a series of similar hair-raising tales from other staff. Dave Black, the builder who is co-ordinating
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Premium rate warning for Yuletide bargain hunters
SHOPPERS hunting for a Christmas bargain are being warned to be on their guard against a telephone scam that could leave them with nothing to show for their call but a big phone bill. The trading standards team in North Yorkshire is urging people not
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Job Search: Vacancies
Financial administrator, Bishop Auckland, 15hrs pw plus Mon-Fri, must have financial experience and excellent telephone skills, must be computer literate with knowledge of Excel and driving licence. Ref: BIS 12162. Chef, Spennymoor, 48hrs some split shifts
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Riders race for John
CYCLING competitors from across the country converged on Northallerton for a race in memory of a local cyclist. Professionals and amateurs completed a 13-mile course for the Hambleton Road Club's cyclo cross race. Cyclists met on the Stone Cross playing
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Captains Corner
MIKE Newell has been here a week or so now, but the new manager is still getting to know all the players and staff at the club. No doubt it will take time for him to assess us all as both players and people. He doesn't want to change things a great deal
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Spot the critic leads to very civil service
THERE was a competition, apparently, to rename the restaurant at the Eden Arms Hotel in Rushyford. "Bet you £5m," we offered as the car squelched up the A167, "that the new name has one word and ends in an 's'." She wouldn't be on. Hitherto, the restaurant
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Round Table bonus for battling Alicia
A YOUNG disabled woman has been given an early Christmas gift by fundraisers in Darlington. When Alicia Kitching, of Coniston Street, was diagnosed with the muscle-wasting disease MLD at the age of 12, she was given five years to live. Now, aged 22, she
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Church celebrates its 1125 creation
A CHURCH has celebrated its 877th anniversary with the help of an Army regiment. The inaugural service at St Andrew's Church, Haughton-le-Skerne, near Darlington, took place in 1125, although no one knows the precise date of the event. For years, the
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Council opts for green transport
ECO-FRIENDLY vehicles have been brought into operation by Durham County Council. A dual-fuel Citroen C5 and 21 commercial vehicles, which can run on either liquefied petroleum gas (lpg) or petrol, are to be used for business journeys. County council deputy
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Eleanor finds shop window for her creations
A FASHION boutique is displaying the work of a Darlington teenager after being impressed with her designs. Eleanor Riley, who attends Polam Hall School, Darlington, has had her fashion designs featured in fashion boutique, Leggs, in Skinnergate, following
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Murder charge against woman is dropped
A CHARGE against a woman accused of murdering a homeless drug addict was dropped yesterday. Defence lawyers said there was no evidence to convict Shelly Hill, of Lancaster Road, Grangetown, of the murder of Robert "Swampy" Parkin, 29. Last week, the prosecution's
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Bus targeted
Young thugs smashed the window of a moving bus in an attack on Friday. The 395 single decker service to Chester-le-Street was attacked at about 9.45am as it passed a bus stand in Kings Road, Consett. A youth threw a fist-sized lump of concrete through
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Three held over bingo hall blaze
THREE youths have been arrested in connection with an arson attack on a derelict bingo hall in the centre of a North-East town. Pubs, cafs, shops and flats were evacuated on the High Street, Stockton, on Thursday as smoke billowed from the Mecca Bingo
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Eight-year-old girl to give evidence at mother's appeal
An eight-year-old girl will give evidence before three senior judges today at her mother's appeal against conviction for the murder of her abusive husband. Donna Tinker, 32, jailed for life in April 2000 after being found guilty of murdering husband Richard
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Chaplain makes history at school
A WOMAN chaplain has been appointed at a school for the first time in its 600-year history. Anna de Lange joined Durham School as reader and part-time lay chaplain in October. She was installed in the post of chaplain by the Bishop of Durham, the Right
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Shop plan
PLANS to turn the former Kids Club 2K nursery, on the corner of Thompson St West and North Road, Darlington, into a Cartridge World franchise computer supplies shop, have been submitted to Darlington Borough Council, which is expected to approve the proposal
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Little boys with an awful secret
It is a trade which has long been confined to the shadows, hidden by the twin veils of abuse and shame. Now, the world of boys and young men in prostitution is about to be exposed. Nick Morrison reports. "AT this minute, there is a young man waiting for
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Solicitor 'kept fund in dark over charges'
A SALVATION Army worker told Teesside Crown Court how the charity was kept in the dark over charges made on money willed to it from a man's estate. The organisation's legacy officer, Deirdre Metcalfe, was giving evidence yesterday in the trial of solicitor
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Young Christmas card designers dig up prizes
THE artistic talent of five Sedgefield youngsters has won them a prize. More than 100 children from Sedgefield Primary School were invited by local beat officer PC Keith Todd to design a Christmas card. He asked the children to draw pictures showing him
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Garden planned
PLANS to create an ornamental garden and picnic area in North Yorkshire are in their final stages after months of public consultation. The scheme is planned for Centenary Way, in Norton, and almost £40,000 has been donated towards the project, which will
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Cyclist killed in accident
A woman was killed yesterday when her bicycle and a milk delivery van collided. Catherine Hield, a postal worker, died in hospital shortly after the accident, despite attempts by paramedics to save her. The 24-year-old had been on her way to work on her
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Floor collapses
A FLOOR collapsed while fire crews tackled a blaze in an empty house thought to have been started by arsonists. Ten firefighters were battling the blaze, which severely damaged two bedrooms in the house in Harcourt Road, South Bank, near Middlesbrough
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Fun in store for cast
A PANTOMIME cast added to the fun at a department store's celebrations. Co-op staff were marking a £3m investment in their Newgate Street premises in Newcastle - relaunched to coincide with the opening of the nearby Gate leisure complex. The store's redevelopment
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Illuminating exhibition of local history
VILLAGERS can turn the clock back with a visit to their local library this week. Photographs and memorabilia recalling the history of Brandon have gone on display in the village's Lowland Road library. Down Memory Lane features photographs lent from the
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News in brief: Restaurant is a rising star
A County Durham hotel's restaurant is among the first in the country to win a new award. The restaurant at Seaham Hall Hotel, in Seaham, is one of only 20 in Britain to win a Restaurant Remy Award, created by Remy Martin Cognac in association with Harden's
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Time to spruce up your Christmas display
FORESTERS have declared 2002 a vintage year for Christmas trees and hundreds are being chopped down for sale over the next three weeks. About 700 of the six million trees sold in Britain every year are from Hamsterley, a 4,000-acre forest in County Durham
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Dealer a Day successes
* A boy of 12 was charged with possessing £700-worth of heroin with intent to supply along with a 17-year-old after police foiled a drug deal taking place in two cars. * An illegal immigrant mother-of-six was jailed for three years for dealing in crack
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Deal will provide skills training
STAFF working for a large stationery chain can sign up for extra skills thanks to a new agreement being signed with an education organisation. Stationery Box has joined forces with Protocol Skills to deliver vocational training to staff in its network
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Vacancies available for 150 workers
Christmas has come early for the unemployed in Hartlepool. Jobs Build, a regeneration project geared to finding people work, is seeking 150 staff for two local companies in the service sector. The Hartlepool Borough Council-run project assists local businesses
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News in brief: Police link garage raids
THREE homeowners in the same street have been the victims of garage burglaries. Thieves struck overnight on Thursday at three houses in Woody Close, Delves Lane, near Consett. In all three cases, the burglars forced garage doors open. The thieves also
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News in brief: Police link garage raids
THREE homeowners in the same street have been the victims of garage burglaries. Thieves struck overnight on Thursday at three houses in Woody Close, Delves Lane, near Consett. In all three cases, the burglars forced garage doors open. The thieves also
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News in brief: Children take the biscuit
THOUSANDS of schoolchildren will be getting a tasty birthday treat this week to help the North York Moors celebrate its 50 years as a National Park. The 2,280 youngsters at the 26 schools within the park's boundaries are each being presented with a commemorative
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£3m primary school scheme put forward for villages
PLANS have been revealed to close two schools on the outskirts of Darlington and replace them with a £3m primary school. The new building would replace Middleton St George Primary School with a voluntary-aided school built in conjunction with the Anglican
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Youngsters make their final preparations for nativity play debut
YOUNG performers are preparing for their first taste of the stage. Durham Chorister School's pre-prep department is putting the final touches to its Nativity play which will be performed this week. Older pupils are preparing for the schedule of Durham
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News in brief: Police link garage raids
THREE homeowners in the same street have been the victims of garage burglaries. Thieves struck overnight on Thursday at three houses in Woody Close, Delves Lane, near Consett. In all three cases, the burglars forced garage doors open. The thieves also
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Trophy hat-trick is Faye's Latin quota
LIGHT-FOOTED teenager Faye Dawson is proving she is a force to be reckoned with in the competitive world of Latin dancing. The 15-year-old, from Skelton, near York, has been winning awards for her dancing since she was seven, but even she was surprised
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Assembly vote a step closer
THE prospect of an elected North-East Assembly edged closer yesterday when the Government announced that they are to question voters on whether they want home rule. Voters across the North-East and North Yorkshire will be asked if they are keen to see
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Panto prize just ticket for charity
A CHARITY for people with learning disabilities has scooped the top prize in a theatre's Christmas contest. Darlington Mencap won 250 tickets for Newcastle Theatre Royal's Christmas pantomime, Aladdin, starring ex-Big Brother star Jonny Regan, John Inman
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Debate on future of town rail station
PEOPLE worried about how an £8m railway village will affect their town station have called a meeting to discuss the future. The New Shildon Residents' Association has invited Dr Paul Salveson, general manager of the Association of Community-Rail Partnerships
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Drugs battle death threats
AN anti-drugs crusader has been forced to change his routine after receiving death threats. Councillor Ken Walker, who is campaigning to have the houses of racketeering landlords confiscated, began alternating his routes even before receiving the latest
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Children trick woman, 80, out of money
TWO children duped their way into an elderly woman's home and stole money. The duo struck on Saturday, November 23, at about 4.45pm, at a house in the Aged Miners' Homes in Blackhall, County Durham. Information only just been released by police. A boy
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Manufacturing struggles to get through economic gloom
The UK's fragile manufacturing sector was stagnant last month as firms battled the economic gloom, according to a report. A fall in production growth as companies cut costs to cope with weak markets meant manufacturers suffered their weakest month since
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Woman sold raffle tickets to buy drugs
A CHARITY cheat pleaded guilty yesterday to conning the public. Dalisa Lister appeared before Harrogate magistrates, having been arrested on a warrant issued after she failed to appear at court on May 29. She was due to be sentenced for obtaining £35
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Town to offer degree courses
HEALTH Secretary Alan Milburn has thrown his weight behind moves to make a North-East town a centre of educational excellence. Officials are planning to create a university centre in Darlington as part of a £27m redevelopment of the town's College of
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Appeal for arson attack information
A TOWN'S residents are being urged to come forward to help police following the arrest of a suspected arsonist. A 17-year-old has been charged with arson with intent to endanger life and was remanded in custody for a week by Teesside Magistrates. The
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£19m seals Synetix sale to Johnson
The sale of ICI's Synetix division has been completed with Johnson Matthey handing over the final £19m for the Indian arm of the business. UK-based Johnson Matthey bought Synetix, including a site at Billingham, Teesside, for £260m earlier this year.
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Reality of a bigger EU just 500 days away
Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewill is today expected to go on the offensive in the North about the reality of an enlarged European Union. With just over 500 days to go until a further ten countries join the EU, Ms Hewill will tell North-East
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Grassroots: Catterick
CHILDREN IN NEED: Staff and students at Darlington College of Technology's Catterick campus held a fundraising day for Children in Need. Staff had a dress-down day. Students designed web pages linked to the specially-created Hitpudsey website, and were
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We must keep the pressure on drug dealers, say police
POLICE have thanked the public for helping them put a significant dent in the Middlesbrough drug market a year after the high-profile Dealer A Day campaign was launched. During the past 12 months, 500 dealers' houses have been raided and drugs worth £150,000
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News in brief: Public inquiry cancelled
A public inquiry into Darlington Borough Council's decision to refuse permission for a betting shop has been cancelled. Bookmaker William Hill will instead proceed with an appeal against the decision, relating to a retail outlet at 57-58 Skinnergate,
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Police launch campaign to cut drink-driving
Police across the North-East today formally launched their crackdown on drink-driving in December. Durham, Cleveland and Northumbria police forces have thrown their weight behind a joint awareness campaign. Police were joined yesterday by firefighters
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Eating Owt: Spot the critic leads to very civil service
THERE was a competition, apparently, to rename the restaurant at the Eden Arms Hotel in Rushyford. "Bet you £5m," we offered as the car squelched up the A167, "that the new name has one word and ends in an 's'." She wouldn't be on. Hitherto, the restaurant
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Girls are on the ball
THE under-14 netball team from St Francis Xavier School, Richmond is pictured after finishing fourth in the North Yorkshire county tournament last month, beating teams from Harrogate, Scarborough and Craven. The Richmond players - Kirsty Livingstone,
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Historic building will be demolished
One of the oldest buildings in Stockton's High Street is set to be demolished following a devastating fire. The former Top Rank bingo hall, which dates back to the 1880's, was destroyed by fire last Thursday. Shops and pubs nearby had to be evacuated
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Village evacuated following gas leak
More than 100 villagers were evacuated today as a cloud of flammable gas hung over their North Yorkshire homes. A two tonne liquid petroleum gas storage tank leaked, sending fumes into the air at Crambeck, near Malton, North Yorks. Firefighters who attended
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D-day for estate plan
COUNCIL chiefs sent managers on a controversial £4,000 adventure training jaunt - only to discover the centre did not have planning permission. Taxpayers were furious when a 11 senior managers spent two nights at a hotel as part of a team-building exercise
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Captains Corner: Taking the Mick
MIKE Newell has been here a week or so now, but the new manager is still getting to know all the players and staff at the club. No doubt it will take time for him to assess us all as both players and people. He doesn't want to change things a great deal
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Job Search: Vacancies
General assistant, Billingham, 16hrs pw, required for butchers, must have experience. Ref: BIG 12658. Payroll administrator, 9am to 5.30pm Mon-Fri, must have experience in all aspects of payroll and ability to process various payrolls, experience. Ascent
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Sales boom for growing homes firm
HOUSEBUILDER Dunelm (Castle Homes) is looking to continue going from strength to strength after increasing sales 31-fold in the past five years. The business, established in 1995, sold only five homes in its first year of trading, but last year completed
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Sordid trade in boys on Internet
SEX with boys as young as 13 is being advertised for sale on the Internet, according to research by a leading children's charity. Work carried out on Teesside has pointed to an extensive maze of web chatrooms which conceal a network of boys and young
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Theatre launches support group
ONE of the region's historic theatres has chosen a hiatus in on-stage activity to launch a 'friends' group. A £1.1m restoration project is currently under way at the Georgian Theatre Royal in Richmond. The theatre's supporters have decided that, as the
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Zaajer can salvage something from the wreckage
THE spectacular fall from grace of one-time Epsom Derby fancy Zaajer is just about complete now that trainer Jim Old has opted to run the six-year-old in the lowly Stan James Selling Hurdle at Hereford. A little over three-and-a-half years ago Zaajer
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Last Night's TV: Merseybeat (BBC1)
The show where soap stars go to live again IF you ever wondered what happens to soap stars when their characters are killed off all you have to do is tune into Merseybeat. It seems that whether you've been in Hollyoaks, Casualty, Brookside, Emmerdale
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Young drinkers face crackdown
A SCHEME to crack down on drink-fuelled disorder is to go ahead. Members of Hambleton Council's cabinet agreed to bring in special orders to give police the power to take action against people drinking in public places. Three areas are to be targeted
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Sergeant major: My conscience is clear
A SERGEANT major named on television as the man at the centre of bullying allegations at a controversial Army camp insisted last night: "My conscience is clear." Sgt Major Andrew Gavaghan, an Army welfare officer at Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire
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Bobby has no case for defence
OF all the Premiership managers, Sir Bobby Robson seems the most fireproof and immune to censure. But the Newcastle United boss has left himself wide open to criticism for one comment he made in the wake of the Old Trafford horror show. "We don't defend
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Guided walks boost attractions
TWO of Richmond's tourist attractions have benefited from visitors taking part in guided walks around the town. Over the past year, the Richmond Volunteer Guides received more than £530 from visitors and the money is to be put towards the running costs
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Return of the 'posh dosser'
THROUGH the dirty windows of the North Yorkshire bus shelter there was no mistaking the shape of its most colourful resident yesterday. After a six-week stint at Stockton's Holme House Prison, where he was sent after a drink-driving offence, town vagrant
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Heritage group faces closure
AN ORGANISATION founded almost 20 years ago to foster interest in local heritage in and around Bedale is facing extinction unless it can find new members and office holders. Bedale District Heritage Trust has been concerned for the past two years that
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McClaren warning
MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren has issued a stark warning to his players to stop believing their own publicity and start performing with consistency. McClaren classed Boro's 1-0 defeat at struggling West Brom on Saturday as his side's worst display
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People urged to visit their chemists instead of GPs
PEOPLE in East Durham are being urged to ease their GPs' workload by visiting a chemist if they have a minor illness. The Easington Primary Care Trust has launched its Care at the Chemist scheme to take the pressure off family doctors whose workload traditionally
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Job Search: Vacancies
Administration assistant, Leeming, £5,648pa, 20hrs pw, must have minimum two GCSEs at Grade C or above or equivalent or NVQ Business Administration Level 1. Ref: NOE 17928. Language tutor, Leyburn, £15ph, 2hrs pw, temporary, must be competent in spoken
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Why man, it's Charlie
To begin at the end, the Chilton lad who scored 252 goals in 384 Football League appearances for Newcastle, Southampton, Preston North End, Middlesbrough and Darlington (Backtrack, November 29) was the great Charlie Wayman, now 80. Among several readers
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Inquiry invite angers Neale campaigners
CAMPAIGNERS have reacted angrily to news that disgraced surgeon Richard Neale has been invited to take part in the forthcoming inquiry into the scandal surrounding his work. It raises the prospect of the struck-off former consultant at the Friarage Hospital
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City's MP announces decision to stand down
A NORTH-EAST MP has announced he will stand down at the next General Election. Gerry Steinberg, 57, who represents Durham City for Labour, revealed his intentions at a constituency party meeting at the weekend, saying he had thoroughly enjoyed his Westminster
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Blades too sharp for Black Cats
HOWARD Wilkinson, for so long the bete noire of the Bramall Lane faithful after establishing Sheffield Wednesday as a leading force in the 1980s, saw his proud unbeaten record at Bramall Lane crumble on Tuesday night. After seeing his shadow side recover
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No easy answer to our lack of mental toughness
AS a troubled England embarked on the 1986-87 Ashes series, a critic decided the little urn had been lost before a ball had been bowled. "There are only three things wrong with this England team," he said. "They can't bat, they can't bowl and they can't
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Straight from the budgie's beak . . .
SPARKIE the budgie appeared to have it all. His remarkable ability to repeat words, and even whole sentences, made him the top bird in British television during the 1950s. His vocabulary consisted of ten rhymes, 383 sentences and 531 words, greater than
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Golfers' big charity effort
WOMAN golfers in County Durham have raised £18,585 to buy equipment for a breast screening service. Durham Ladies' Golf Association captain Rita Foy presented a cheque to consultant radiologist Dr Bill Thompson of the County Durham Breast Screening Service
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Bingo bonus for charities
The Top Ten Bingo club in Spennymoor raised over £400 for charity last month. Staff created two mixed teams for a five-a-side football match, which raised £130 for Children in Need. The score was Bingo Checkers 20, False Callers 13. The club also netted
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Murder charge against woman is dropped
A CHARGE against a woman accused of murdering a homeless drug addict was dropped yesterday. Defence lawyers said there was no evidence to convict Shelly Hill, 24, of the murder of Robert "Swampy" Parkin, 29. Last week, the prosecution's chief witness,
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Relief as fire strike called off
Unions, the Government and local authority employers last night welcomed a decision to call off a second, eight-day strike by firefighters following the surprise intervention of the conciliation service Acas. Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) had
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Development agency chief to bow out
The chief executive of the regional development agency last night announced he will step down from his role in May. Mike Collier will retire from One NorthEast two months after his 60th birthday after four years in the post. He was warmly praised for
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Message targets festive drinkers
IT COULD be a costly Christmas if you drink and drive. That is the message from a new kind of anti-drink-drive campaign launched in the North-East yesterday. Instead of the Government's traditional hard-hitting warnings that come with graphic images of
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Comment: Listening to common sense
AFTER a weekend of truculence there appeared to be no end in sight for the firefighters' strike. We seemed destined for wave after wave of industrial action well into the new year. Both the FBU and Government ministers seemed to prefer trading insults
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Film stars' Oscars night
TALENTED youngsters from Wear Valley who attended the premiere of their first film received "Oscars". Applause greeted the teenage cast and crew of Off The Rails when they arrived at the New Victoria Centre, in Howden le Wear, in a white limousine. Family
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Trees removed to curb substation vandals
SECURITY has been upgraded to stop children risking their lives by vandalising an electricity substation, at a cost of £60,000. Youngsters could have been electrocuted when they set fire to the doors of the power centre at Middlesbrough College, in Acklam
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Night viewing at Museum and Winter Gardens
VISITORS to Sunderland will be able to take advantage of late opening at the city's Museum and Winter Gardens on Thursday. As part of the city's festive celebrations, the Museum and Winter Gardens will stay open until 7.30pm, for an evening of Victorian
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Woman facing ban for animal cruelty
A WOMAN faces a ban from owning animals after pleading guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to her dog. Gillian Hutton, of Rydal Road, Darlington, accepted that she should have sought help from a veterinary surgeon when her pet labrador-cross, Cassie
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Death crash driver named
A MAN who suffered fatal injuries after being involved in a car crash in thick fog has been named as Raymond Bulmer, 78, of Warden Grove, Houghton-le-Spring, Wearside. The car he was driving collided head-on with a Vauxhall Astra, in Gillas Lane East,
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Accolade for high standard of service
A NORTH-EAST business school programme has been awarded "kite mark" style approval for its services. Durham Business School was named as an approved centre, which gives firms the reassurance they are dealing with recognised experts when seeking advice
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Health club members step up for cancer charity's advent challenge
A challenge was launched yesterday to help raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care. The Advent Calendar 25 Day challenge is taking place at the Springs Club at Teesside Park, Stockton. Each day, for 25 days, members of the club will be sponsored to try
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Students unharmed as vehicle hits house
THREE people had a lucky escape when a car mounted the pavement and crashed into a terraced house. Two student teachers had just gone to bed in their Garfield Terrace house, off Leeman Road, York, when the accident happened. They and the motorist escaped
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Alison delighted with Echo's £5,000 kitchen makeover prize
A LUCKY mother-of-two has won a £5,000 fitted kitchen thanks to The Northern Echo. Alison Comett, from Darlington, won the kitchen courtesy of The Gallery in a competition last month as part of The Northern Echo's £10,000 Home Makeover promotion. She
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Fraud plotting case man jailed
A THIEF searched petrol stations and supermarkets for discarded credit card receipts to use in a shopping scam, a court was told yesterday. Kristian Weightman, 28, admitted that credit details were used to obtain goods from a Home Shopping television
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Fishnets catching the eye in a port
Whitby's traditional seafaring industry has had shockwaves sent rippling across it by nets of a different kind. Fishnets Lingerie has opened in the town, offering a range of fashionable underwear. Owner Olivia Wells has called upon 18 years of Oriental
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Greenery threatens steeple stonework
STEEPLEJACKS are being called in to remove grass and shrubs that have taken root at the top of a church spire. The plants, thought to have grown from seeds deposited by perching birds, are threatening the stonework of the 160ft steeple at St James's Church
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Veterans ready to fly the flag
VETERANS and their supporters will soon be able to fly the Union Jack flag next to a community's war memorial. Members of Grewelthorpe Royal British Legion asked the church council at St James's Parish Church, near Ripon, for permission to erect a 25ft
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Euro floods caused delivery hitch
HEAVY flooding in Europe failed to stop a County Durham firm taking a major step forward in its expansion plans. Formula Plastics was awaiting an advanced moulding machine to form the centrepiece of its operations. The company has just doubled its existing
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Bogus council officials target traders
TRADERS are being urged to be on their guard against bogus officials. The trading standards department at Stockton Borough Council has received a number of reports that people posing as trading standards officers are attempting to con their way into shops
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News in brief: Man collapses outside home
A PENSIONER collapsed with breathing difficulties when he arrived home to find his kitchen on fire. The elderly man suffered a severe asthma attack outside his home in Bedford Terrace, Billingham, yesterday afternoon. Firefighters gave him oxygen before
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Surprise in store for Liz
LIZ Montgomery is one in a thousand - that is why her bosses presented her with flowers and chocolates on her arrival at work. It was a big surprise for the 59-year-old, who works at Asda, Hartlepool, as a greeter - welcoming customers and families to
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Warder tried to seduce prisoner's wife
An art expert has launched a £50,000 legal battle against the Home Office after a prison officer tried to seduce his wife while he served a jail sentence. Mary Duddin was repeatedly sexually harassed by the warder as she visited her husband, David, in
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Five escape unhurt after fire at house
POLICE are appealing for witnesses following a suspected arson attack. A neighbour raised the alarm after spotting the blaze at about 1.15am on Saturday, in a terraced house in Haig Street, Ferryhill Station, County Durham. The man, who is in his 50s,
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Gaining foothold on export ladder
A firm from the region is expanding overseas thanks to a European funding scheme. Gilderol Roller Doors, a division of Gliderol International, has gained a passport to European markets and overseas trading success thanks to the scheme available through
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Repeat dispensing system to be piloted
PART of County Durham has been chosen to take part in the first wave of a national pilot programme to improve health services. Durham Dales pharmacists and Durham Dales Primary Care Trust have been selected for a repeat dispensing programme, which aims
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Gas warning after plumber is fined
A SAFETY expert warned of the dangers of employing unregistered gas fitters after a plumber was fined for installing a central heating system. William Wood, 51, of Pine Ridge Avenue, Sedgefield, County Durham, carried out a contract in a house in Station
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Golfers' big charity effort
WOMAN golfers in County Durham have raised £18,585 to buy equipment for a breast screening service. Durham Ladies' Golf Association captain Rita Foy presented a cheque to consultant radiologist Dr Bill Thompson of the County Durham Breast Screening Service
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Man is found dead in backyard
POLICE have launched a murder investigation after a man was found dead in a backyard. Detectives were called to the house in Maple Terrace, Shiney Row, near Washington, Wearside, where they found the body of David Brent Lilley, 36. Police believe that
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Council opts for Green transport
ECO-FRIENDLY vehicles have been brought into operation by Durham County Council. A dual-fuel Citroen C5 and 21 commercial vehicles, which can run on either liquefied petroleum gas (lpg) or petrol, are to be used for business journeys. County council deputy
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Four jailed over bar brawl death
FOUR people have been jailed after being convicted in connection with a bar-room brawl which ended in the death of a mother of five. Teresa Mennell, 59, of Scarborough, died from a single blow inflicted by Colin Mattinson, in February, while drinking
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National success for horse rider
A KEEN horsewoman from Crook has achieved success in a national event. Sandie Minto, 18, of Crook, has scooped a top award in her first Pony Club National Championship. Competing against 30 teams of riders from all over the UK and Ireland, Sandie and
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Students to sell wares
HUNDREDS of young entrepreneurs from the North-East are to sell their wares at a trade fair this week. Young Enterprise, a national education-business charity, which aims to help students aged five to 25 understand business and entrepreneurship, is holding
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Bomb team blew up military gear
AN investigation is under way after a bomb disposal team blew up a suspect package which turned out to be military equipment. The security scare happened on Sunday outside the Territorial Army base in North Tyneside. Bomb experts were called in to destroy
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Bingo bonus for charities
The Top Ten Bingo club in Spennymoor raised over £400 for charity last month. Staff created two mixed teams for a five-a-side football match, which raised £130 for Children in Need. The score was Bingo Checkers 20, False Callers 13. The club also netted
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Three held in raids on tobacco smugglers
MORE than 500,000 contraband cigarettes have been seized by customs officials in raids across the North-East. Customs and Excise investigators revealed that premises in Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham and Darlington were raided over five days last month
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03/12/02
PUBLIC FINANCES: IT has become clear that Gordon Brown is no longer in possession of the economic good news he inherited in 1997. When New Labour was elected, unemployment was falling and there were fewer taxes. Today we can see that Gordon Brown, despite
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Historic quay wins national recognition
ONE of the region's top tourist attractions is celebrating after winning another national award. Hartlepool Historic Quay and Museum has been named Living Museum of the Year 2003 by the Good Britain Guide, gaining the award on the strength of visitor
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News in brief: Man collapses outside home
A PENSIONER collapsed with breathing difficulties when he arrived home to find his kitchen on fire. The elderly man suffered a severe asthma attack outside his home in Bedford Terrace, Billingham, yesterday afternoon. Firefighters gave him oxygen before
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Sharon Griffiths Meets...
THE Holistic Cancer Care Project, about to open at the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, is a pioneering purpose-built centre, offering complementary therapies that support orthodox cancer treatments. The new building has cost £500,000
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News in brief: Public inquiry cancelled
A public inquiry into Darlington Borough Council's decision to refuse permission for a betting shop has been cancelled. Bookmaker William Hill will instead proceed with an appeal against the decision, relating to a retail outlet at 57-58 Skinnergate,
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Slaughterhouse scheme proposed for cement works
A REDUNDANT cement works could be turned into a slaughterhouse if plans to create a farmers' co-operative come to fruition. People living in Weardale have already said that redevelopment of the former Blue Circle cement works in Eastgate is the key to
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Appeal for arson attack information
A TOWN'S residents are being urged to come forward to help police following the arrest of a suspected arsonist. A 17-year-old has been charged with arson with intent to endanger life and was remanded in custody for a week by Teesside Magistrates. A TOWN'S
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Cracking crime could save £19bn
The Government today launched a nationwide consultation exercise aimed at stopping criminals robbing the UK economy of £19bn every year. Business crime outweighs crime against individuals by two to one, often because it is perceived to be "victimless"
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Fraud plotting case man jailed
A THIEF searched petrol stations and supermarkets for discarded credit card receipts to use in a shopping scam, a court was told yesterday. Kristian Weightman, 28, admitted that credit details were used to obtain goods from a Home Shopping television
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Possibly the best farce in the world
EVERYBODY down here in London is saying that the best farce in town is the Morecambe and Wise spoof The Play What I Wrote. We took the kids to see it and I must say it is really very funny; but I can't agree that it's the best farce going. Surely the
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Shearer accepts his Champions ban
NEWCASTLE United threw in the Champions League towel last night when they resigned themselves to being without Alan Shearer for their next two European games. With Newcastle already facing a huge battle to qualify for the quarter-finals after the 4-1
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Doctor fails to block inquiry
A HOSPITAL doctor accused of bullying and attacking fellow staff has failed in a legal bid to halt a General Medical Council inquiry. Dr Lukas Van Vuuren, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, launched a legal challenge
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Time for Thome to show what he can do
BRAZILIAN defender Emerson Thome concedes he is playing for his future at Sunderland in tonight's Worthington Cup fourth-round tie with Sheffield United at Bramall Lane. Like Black Cats' boss Howard Wilkinson, who spent five years in charge at Sheffield
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Stevenage will scrap for big third round prize, warns Tait
CARETAKER boss Mick Tait is expecting anything but an easy ride when Conference side Stevenage Borough are the visitors to Feethams on Saturday. Stevenage, who famously took Kenny Dalglish's Newcastle to a fourth round FA Cup replay in 1998, return to
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Society hit with large legal bill after inquiry
THE British Horse Society and another objector at a inquiry into a bridleway issue near Bedale have been landed with a bill for thousands of pounds. Graham Laslett, who conducted a five-day inquiry earlier this year into the status of Jack Lane, a public
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Going up in the world down by the Riverside
A RECENT visit to the Riverside Stadium with my son and daughter for the game against Manchester City gave me the opportunity to try out facilities for fans with disabilities. Fortunately, I was able to meet Paddy Cronesbury, chairman of Middlesbrough
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Phone bargain scam exposed
SHOPPERS hunting a Christmas bargain are being urged to be on their guard against a telephone scam that could leave them with nothing to show for their call but a big phone bill. The trading standards team in North Yorkshire is urging people not to call
