Archive
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Quakers boss refuses to contemplate defeat
Darlington boss Mick Tait has warned his players that defeat is not even an option ahead of this afternoon's crunch clash at Lincoln City. Tait takes his side to Sincil Bank on the back of just one League victory in nine - an alarming run which has plunged
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Monty's memoirs are going under the hammer
THE signed memoirs of Desert Rat war hero Field Marshall Montgomery are top of the pile in a history auction taking place today. Monty's account of one of the Second World Wars most famous tank battles is among thousands of treasures being sold off by
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Comment: Time to keep the lid on
ACCORDING to Hans Blix, progress is being made in the campaign to force Saddam Hussein to come clean about the weapons he has at his disposal. That proves that the pressure applied by George Bush and Tony Blair is working and must be maintained. Even
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PC gets the point of speeding striker's joke
SUNDERLAND striker Kevin Phillips found time for a joke when he was stopped for speeding. The former Golden Boot winner asked County Durham traffic bobby Nigel Craig if the fixed penalty of three points could be added to the relegation-threatened club's
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UN slams brakes on rush to start war
The United Nations chief weapons inspector Hans Blix last night applied the brakes on America's drive to war with Iraq, insisting that Saddam Hussein could still be disarmed without the use of force. Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and US Secretary of State
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Fingerprint expert awarded £61,000
A FINGERPRINT expert unfairly dismissed by a North-East police force has won more than £61,000 after failing to win her old job back. Gail Hunter had already had her application to be reinstated as team leader at Durham Police's fingerprint bureau rejected
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Clever pupils to tuck in
HIGH-ACHIEVING pupils are being rewarded with privileged access to their school tuck shop. Eastbourne School, in Darlington, held its first celebration evening this week to reward good behaviour and sporting and academic achievement. Each pupil was presented
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Woman jailed for burglary and car theft
A WOMAN has been jailed after taking part in a burglary at a family home. Linzi Elder, 23, was one of a group who broke into a house in Coronation Terrace, Springwell Village, near Washington, Wearside, to target the owner's BMW car. Once inside the house
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Backing culture campaign at touch of a button
SHOPPERS can show their support for the North-East's Capital of Culture bid at the touch of a button. For one month, people visiting the Gateshead MetroCentre can back the Newcastle Gateshead 2008 campaign on a custom-made, touch screen unit at the customer
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Scouts doing their best, despite the mud
HUNDREDS of Scouts from around the region are meeting for a weekend of activities, which organisers expect to be a muddy affair. More than 500 youngsters are converging on Camp Frostie, at Moorhouse, near Houghton-le-Spring, County Durham, to take part
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College and school cement relationship
DOZENS of children swapped plastic building bricks for the real thing, cementing further relationships between their school and a college. The construction department at Darlington College of Technology gave some expert tips to 30 youngsters, aged four
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Town gets high-speed connection
A HIGH-speed Internet connection is coming to a North-East town after hundreds of people demanded the service. BT is to install a broadband system in Stanley, County Durham, supplying a potential 12,700 users. The system uses existing phone lines, but
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Hospital shake-up hailed as 'model'
A CONTROVERSIAL plan to protect services at a North-East hospital is being hailed as a model for future health care. The new £67m Bishop Auckland General Hospital is one of three examples of good practice given by Health Secretary Alan Milburn in new
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Two men hunted for cabbie stabbing
POLICE are hunting two robbers who stabbed a taxi driver in the head and made off with his takings. The 50-year-old cabbie needed 18 stitches after the attack, which took place just before 9pm on Wednesday in Middlesbrough. The driver picked up the men
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£1-a-second Sting is richer than Elton
NORTH-EAST rock star Sting earns £1 every second and is now worth more than Elton John and Mick Jagger. The superstar's latest accounts show the son of a Newcastle milkman earned £25m in just eight months, pushing his fortune to an estimated £200m. Former
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University students win film awards
A film made by students in the North-East has won a prize at this year's Royal Television Society (RTS) Awards. The film, called Six Degrees, was directed by Northumbria University student Andrew Stretch and produced by Faye Donaldson. It won a prize
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TV actor returning home for stage role
A NORTH-East television actor is returning to the region to star in a musical. Sarah Preston, who played nurse Karen Newburn in the BBC hospital drama Holby City, is performing in a musical adaptation of George Eliot's novel Silas Marner, at the Customs
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Police inquiry into blaze at indoor market
POLICE were last night investigating a suspicious fire that broke out in Darlington Indoor Market. The fire was started in the men's toilets at the back of the market shortly after 9am yesterday. Fire crews from Darlington who attended the scene evacuated
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Village hall website award
A FORMER Army officer and businessman has put his computer knowledge to good use by setting up an award-winning website to promote his local village hall. John Constable, who first encountered computers in 1967 while serving with the Army, has been awarded
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Summit to tackle region's poor health
THE poor health of people in the North-East will be addressed by a regional health summit next week. The event, in Darlington, will look at progress since the first health summit a year ago and aims to find ways of improving both physical and mental health
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At Your Service: Rood awakening
The new Archbishop of Canterbury, a small man with a big beard, chose Thirsk in North Yorkshire for his first parish visit. THEY'D borrowed chairs from the Methodists and parking cones from the polliss, printed 400 orders of service and feared still that
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Primera sales hit by drop in fleet trade
COMPANIES buying fewer fleet cars has hit sales of the North-East-built Nissan Primera. The plant, at Washington, on Wearside, has made more than 100,000 of the medium-sized saloons and estates, which went on sale 11 months ago. But the Japanese manufacturer
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Patience key to Young Devereaux's success
NATIONAL Hunt trainers often need the patience of a saint, just ask Paul Nicholls, responsible for this afternoon's Ritz Club Ascot Chase fancy, Young Devereaux (3.45). Up until the start of this season the talented yet injury-prone ten-year-old chaser
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Pollock casting around for new blood
Spennymoor boss Jamie Pollock is looking for new blood to help his side's promotion push. Pollock has seen his side play four times in the last fortnight, and he has decided that he must strengthen the team, although he is unlikely to succeed before today's
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Magpies fly out to meet crisis club Leverkusen
NEWCASTLE arrive in Germany tomorrow ahead of their Champions League battle against Bayer Leverkusen - a club lurching from one crisis to the next. The Germans, who less than 12 months ago lined up against Real Madrid in the Champions League Final at
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For Your Benefit: Extra boost of income support
Q My husband has a state pension of £90.92 a week and mine is £46.83. Our combined works pensions are £141.64 monthly and our savings are £4,500. We both get Attendance Allowance but no one receives benefit for looking after us. We get a full council
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New bishop - very old ideas
THE arrival of a new Bishop is the chance for a new start, a time to welcome newcomers and to embrace new ideas. The new Bishop of Durham arrived on Tuesday with old, old views on the well-roasted chestnut of homosexuality. Canon Tom Wright said he would
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Goal-shy striker Phillips sympathises with Owen
KEVIN PHILLIPS feels he has a kindred spirit in Michael Owen as the weight of expectation grows greater in Sunderland's winter of discontent. Phillips aims to lift some of the gloom around the Stadium of the Light this afternoon by shooting his side into
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'We will find the Valentine's Day killers'
A SENIOR detective investigating the murder of a playboy cocaine baron two years ago said last night he was confident the killers would be caught. Detective Superintendent Derek Storey spoke out on the second anniversary of Peter Beaumont-Gowling's murder
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Pair locked up days after they conned pensioner
SWIFT justice saw two teenage doorstep conmen locked up yesterday, less than a week after stealing property from a sick pensioner. Paul Kirkbride, 19, and 18-year-old Glenn Wilson struck at the home of a 65-year-old man in their home village of Wheatley
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Artificial racetrack plans put forward by course
MULTI-MILLION pound plans to redevelop Sedgefield Racecourse have been revealed by owners Northern Racing Limited. Northern Racing, which took over the County Durham racecourse two years ago, wants to build an all-weather artificial racing surface in
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Centre's proposal to new members
DARLINGTON'S Dolphin Centre celebrated Valentine's Day yesterday by introducing a deal for couples to keep fit. The leisure centre is introducing a gym membership for couples, or friends who visit the gym together, called Gym Buddies. The membership entitles
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Cafe uses its loaf as Prince wins Valentine's hearts
PRINCE CHARLES stole the hearts of caf staff in the region on Valentine's Day yesterday. Harrogate's famous Bettys tearooms welcomed the Prince of Wales, who joined schoolchildren, regular customers and suppliers at the Parliament Street premises at his
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Mother's plea for tragic son's friend
A MAN jailed for four years after killing his best friend in a boating accident is to be released early, after the Court of Appeal reduced his sentence. It was a plea from the dead man's mother which persuaded judges to cut the sentence. Sean Robinson
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'Scream' attacker launches new appeal bid
A TEENAGER who re-enacted a murder scene from the horror movie Scream and left his friend for dead has launched a new bid to clear his name. Robert Fuller and his friend Daniel Gill were found guilty of attempted murder at Hull Crown Court, in 1999. The
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£100,000 fine over clinical waste
A NORTH-EAST clinical waste disposal company has been fined £100,000 for offences including leaving human waste to rot in lorries. Eurocare Environmental Services was fined £35,000 by a judge at Chester Crown Court for illegally storing clinical waste
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Frost threat to the Tote Eider
FREEZING overnight temperatures threaten Newcastle's Tote Eider Northern National, but if the meeting does beat the frost Kit Smartie (3.35) has the right credentials to keep the £70,000 contest in the North-East for the first time since Jelupe was successful
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Brother of Girls Aloud singer in court for breaking into car
THE brother of Girls Aloud star Cheryl Tweedy appeared in court yesterday. Andrew Tweedy, 22, was arrested for breaking into a car. Tweedy, of Langhorn Close, Walker, Newcastle, denied touching the Ford Sierra Sapphire when he was apprehended by police
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Plea to make more use of village hall
A VILLAGE hall committee is rallying support to save the building from closure. Committee members at Hurworth, near Darlington, have posted letters through every door in the village urging people to attend more events at the hall. Chairman John Gent said
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Murder charge after birthday death
A YOUTH was last night charged with murder after a teenager died while celebrating his 18th birthday at home. David Mitchell, 18, of North Crescent, Easington Village, County Durham, will appear before Peterlee magistrates today. On Thursday night, paramedics
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Boro's spending is far from over - Gibson
AMBITIOUS Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson has told manager Steve McClaren to carry on spending in a bid to establish the club as a top-six force. Multi-millionaire Gibson's sights are still firmly fixed on European qualification and a major trophy
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Why we're still marching for peace
As hundreds of thousands of Britons flock to the capital today to protest against war in Iraq, Paul Wllis reports from the front line at a peace demonstration he attended earlier this week. OUTSIDE the nondescript north London tube stop, a small but vocal
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Romance is in the air for Michelle and Gareth after win
VALENTINE'S Day was extra special for mother-of-three Michelle Young. For Mrs Young, 29, of Brandon, County Durham, won a day of pampering in a competition run by The Northern Echo in conjunction with the Prince Bishops Shopping Centre, in Durham. Mrs
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Bogus calls: woman held
POLICE investigating a series of bogus caller incidents are questioning a woman. The 25-year-old, from Dormanstown, east Cleveland, was arrested as part of an investigation of at least ten burglaries in Middlesbrough. The incidents, in which vulnerable
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Mixed emotions as TA unit told to prepare for conflict
THE first group of Territorial Army soldiers from the region are preparing to leave their family and friends for possible deployment in the Gulf. More than 30 engineers based in the Aycliffe Armoury, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, are being mobilised
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Cancer charity needs bowlers
A CHILDREN'S cancer charity is looking for teams of six people to take part in a special bowling night. The Katie Trust is organising a ten-pin bowling challenge at Hollywood Bowl, Teesside Park, on Monday, March 10, at 7pm. Organisers are looking for
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Cigarette blamed for blaze tragedy
A DISCARDED cigarette is believed to have caused a fire which led to the death of a 47-year-old man yesterday. Frank Bernard Timney was rescued from his burning flat by firefighters in the early hours of the morning but was later pronounced dead at hospital
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Appeal over dead man
Police are trying to trace the family of a 66-year-old man found dead in his east Cleveland home on Wednesday. Officers said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of William Tiplady, of Fabian Road, Eston, but anyone with information
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Child exhumed after 28 years in probe into organ removal
A GRIEVING mother faces an anxious wait to find out what state her son's body was in when he was buried. Before first light yesterday, the tiny coffin of Simon Pearson was exhumed, more than 28 years after he was laid to rest in Castletown Cemetery, Sunderland
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In The Picture: Can this man cure ITV's ills?
A sudden boost in the ratings has made Nigel Pickard's job as ITV's director or programming seem a little less like a poisoned chalice. But he still has an image problem. Heartbeat spin-off The Royal has not only earned ITV Sunday night superiority in
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Chef David impresses Roux judges
A CHEF who trained in the North-East has cooked up a storm in a culinary competition. David Carr, 29, went to Yarm Grammar School before taking a cookery course at Darlington College of Technology. He has since moved to Keighley, in West Yorkshire, where
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Auction of poet photo fails to get bid frenzy
A BLACK and white photograph of a North-East poet was sold for just under £500 in New York, despite estimates that it would fetch £3,000. The 1860s' photo of Sir Henry Taylor, from Bishop Middleham, in County Durham, was auctioned by Christie's at the
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The Albany Northern League Today: Sharing out for Shildon
Northern League chairman Mike Amos has warned that the league won't accept some groundshares as he revealed that Shildon were facing relegation to the Wearside League if they had gone ahead with a groundshare plan at Bishop Auckland's new stadium. The
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£245m A1 dual carriageway project may start within weeks
THE winner of a £245m contract to upgrade a 33-mile stretch of the A1 to motorway standard has been confirmed by the Highways Agency. Road Management Services (Darrington) Ltd has been awarded the task, and hopes to start work on the stretch of dual-carriageway
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Darlington aim to beat frost and rust in play-off bid
WITH a four-match backlog to catch up on, Darlington are praying that their rearranged North Division One game at Aspatria is not frozen off again today. While dates have been found for all the matches, another postponement would start to cause real problems
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Studios' love affair with North has reel potential
THE world premiere of The One and Only will be staged in Newcastle next week - the first in a string of high-profile films focusing on the region. Dubbed the Notting Hill of the North and featuring Patsy Kensit, The One and Only has been shot almost entirely
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Parent who knocked out headteacher goes free
TEACHERS' unions reacted angrily last night after a father who floored a headteacher was spared prison. John Wilkinson, 28, attacked Michael Carter after accusing him of striking one of his daughters on the arm the previous afternoon, last November. Durham
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A pair of Newell signings for table-topping Pool
MIKE Newell last night made his first signings as Hartlepool United boss. Ahead of tonight's televised game at York, Newell extended the contracts of skipper Micky Barron and home-grown prodigy Adam Boyd until June 2005. Barron's current deal was due
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Morpeth defends Signals
POWERFUL Morpeth Harriers are expected to underline their undisputed status as the region's top senior men's club by retaining their title in today's North-East Royal Signals Road Relay Championships at the Team Valley. As North-East cross country champions
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Watson's first-team return is put on hold
HARTLEPOOL UNITED striker Gordon Watson last night admitted he is no nearer to a first-team return. Watson has been sidelined since the win over Darlington on September 14 after breaking a leg in a collision with Matt Clarke. Watson initially forecast
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Harmison aims to silence the critics
THE Australian cricketing public like nothing better than a spot of Pommie-bashing, so Steve Harmison ought to have expected to be the butt of jokes from Adelaide to Alice Springs after his disastrous debut Down Under. The Durham paceman, suffering from
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Premier Commentary: Lacklustre England are still reeling from Shearer's absence
A REAL challenge to Alan Shearer's position as the greatest England centre-forward of his era shows little sign of materialising more than two-and-a-half years since his retirement from the international scene. Strong, uncompromising, powerful in the
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No-win situation for Wilko
SUNDERLAND manager Howard Wilkinson insists his side are in a no-win situation today when they host First Division Watford in the fifth round of the FA Cup. Many feel that the Wearsiders' cup run is hindering their hopes of Premiership survival. And Wilkinson