Archive
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Job threat steel plant breaks its record for output
STEELWORKERS threatened with unemployment have beaten performance records in a bid to prove their worth. Union bosses at Teesside's endangered Corus plant have revealed that last week was the plant's most productive ever. The Redcar plant last week turned
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N-E lucky for bingo players
NORTH-East bingo fans are being ranked among the nation's luckiest after two players scooped a total of £253,000. Within three days last week, players at the Buckingham Bingo Club, in Peterlee, and the Gala Club, in Washington, near Sunderland, each scooped
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Police target vice girls as business quits town
POLICE are to serve anti-social behaviour orders on prostitutes, banning them from areas of a North-East town. Cleveland Police are to launch the crackdown in red light areas of Middlesbrough, after a local firm left the town centre and relocated to North
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The new brooms of a french dynasty
Q WHO were the Plantagenets and how did they get their name? What connection did they have with the Normans and how did they come to acquire the English throne? - Doug McKenna, Stockton. THE Plantagenets, also known as the Angevins because they originated
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£8.1m grant aims to boost nurseries
A MULTI-million pound cash injection seems likely to create 744 new childcare places in Wearside. An £8.1m Government grant has been given to Sunderland Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership, to set up 19 neighbourhood nurseries in deprived
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One night stand for jailbird Otis
FRESH from a triumphant run on Broadway and last year's sell-out performances at the Edinburgh Festival, Otis Lee Crenshaw is coming to Hartlepool later this month. Otis - a fictional Tennessee jailbird created and played by comedian Rick Hall - has been
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Shopping centre's bobbies a success
A SCHEME putting bobbies on the beat in one the region's biggest shopping centre celebrated its first anniversary at the weekend. It is a year since Gateshead West area command officers took up their beat in the shopping malls of MetroCentre. The scheme
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MPs attend HQ opening ceremony
TWO MPs have attended the official opening of a primary care trust's (PCT) new headquarters. William Hague, MP for Richmond, and Anne McIntosh, who represents York, were on hand for the opening of the Hambleton and Richmondshire PCT headquarters building
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Workers waste three hours a day on average
NORTHERN workers are suffering because of their time being wasted in the office, a survey has revealed. The survey, by Learndirect, shows that UK office staff waste an average of two hours and 45 minutes a day, costing employers £158bn a year. Workers
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What should we tell the children?
As the conflict in the Gulf deepens and images of the battle are seen daily on our TV screens, Women's Editor Christen Pears asks what we should tell our children about the war IF the conflict in Iraq seems confusing and worrying to adults, imagine how
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Shopping bobbies a success
A SCHEME putting bobbies on the beat in one the region's biggest shopping centre celebrated its first anniversary at the weekend. It is a year since Gateshead West area command officers took up their beat in the shopping malls of MetroCentre. The scheme
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Navigator killed in forest rally crash
A WOMAN has died in hospital after the car she was driving collided with a lorry on Friday evening. The victim, who is believed to be in her fifties, suffered serious chest injuries in the accident and was rushed to Middlesbrough General Hospital where
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Boro fans warming to hard working Christie
FOR Malcolm Christie a new life at Middlesbrough could not have started much better - two goals in four starts are testament to that. And after the standing ovation the former Derby County man received when he was replaced late in the second half against
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Great advice - and laughter in hard times
When I think back to my school and student days, the quality of careers information was sadly lacking compared to what is around today. Last week, I had the pleasure of compering an event at Hartlepool College which was simply inspiring. A full lecture
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24/03/03
POST OFFICES - Recent letters in the Echo have given a misleading impression of the Government's plans to phase out order books and giros. Despite what people may have heard, the switch to paying benefits electronically is all about giving Post Office
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Gardening - Banana legs and pink ping pong
IT was a pleasant start to the morning. I opened my mail, whooped with delight and danced up and down the corridors with joy. I am sure that everyone else in the office at work thought that I must have won the Lottery or had been informed of a deceased
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Thief threatens pensioner for £5
A PENSIONER fought back tears as she relived the moment a thief threatened to kill her with a knife for just £5. Sheila Walton, 69, was at her home in the Netherfields area of Middlesbrough when the incident happened on Friday. A male caller came to her
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Magpies boss warns squad 'I'm not afraid to change it'
NEWCASTLE manager Sir Bobby Robson has warned that no player is exempt from his ruthless streak - not even his skipper Alan Shearer. Robson wielded the axe again on Saturday, bringing in Jonathan Woodgate, Aaron Hughes and Gary Speed with Andy O'Brien
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Lack of discipline stalls Mowden rise
AFTER six wins on the trot shot them up to sixth in National Three North, Darlington Mowden Park's hopes of climbing any higher were hit by a second successive defeat. With three games left they are six points adrift of fourth-placed Halifax, who beat
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Kieron keen to join up with England boys
KIERON DYER was last night named in the England squad for the Euro 2004 qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Turkey and admitted he was looking forward 'to the break'. The Newcastle United midfielder sees international football as a welcome respite from
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Football no longer fun for long-suffering fans
WATCHING football should be fun; an opportunity to escape from the horrors and worries of everyday life in this dangerous world. Following Sunderland, however, has become akin to seeing a loved one die a slow, agonising death in front of your very eyes
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Reprieve for bus service
A BUS service linking County Durham with the Lake District looks likely to be saved, after users objected to plans to scrap it. For several years, the x85 bus has operated every Saturday in the summer, leaving Durham bus station in the morning and travelling
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Port group's expansion plan could create up to 100 jobs
A PLAN to increase exports leaving Teesport could create more than 100 jobs at the docks by next year. Bosses at PD Teesport want to improve efficiency by unloading and reloading lorries within 30 minutes of arrival, and ensure ships that imports from
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Robson hailing Dynamic Dyer
SIR BOBBY ROBSON is fast running out of superlatives to describe his midfield dynamo Kieron Dyer. According to his manager, Dyer is a footballing phenomenon the like of which he has never seen in his half-century in the game. Football has always had its
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Long bar eradicates scrum
RUGBY players and fans of the sport are known to like the odd tipple - and now they have a bar big enough to keep them all happy. The Newcastle Falcons Rugby Union Football Club has installed a bar measuring 36 metres - about 100 feet - in the West Stand
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The one to one that's not for wimps
Personal trainers aren't just for celebrities and the super rich. Women's Editor Christen Pears discovers the benefits MY arms are wobbling and, as I lower my body into a press-up, I can feel the muscles burning. If I were working out on my own, I would
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Quakers show steel to claim valuable Iron win
It's been a funny old week for Darlington Football Club. If last Saturday's failure to beat fellow relegation candidates Exeter wasn't hard enough to take in then Wednesday's gloomy defeat at another team struggling to beat the drop, Boston, had many
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Strongest man contest moves outdoors
THOUSANDS of people will be able to watch England's Strongest Man contest free as the event moves outdoors. The contest, which is in its third year, is one of the biggest shows in the competitive calendar, and will be held this weekend. Organiser Stephen
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£100,000 special street care team for borough
PLANS have been finalised for a special street care team funded by a Darlington Borough Council cash windfall. The team will begin work next month, carrying out essential repairs around the borough. The new team is being funded by £100,000 of the £2.2m
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Women's Institute celebrates 80th anniversary
THE jam and Jerusalem myth that was once at the centre of the Women's Institute is long gone. The women of the Crook branch of the organisation laughed off the image as they celebrated the group's 80th anniversary with a party at the Helme Park Hotel,
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Tenants to be given benefits advice
COUNCIL and social housing tenants who receive a support service are being told how a Government scheme will affect them. Wear Valley District Council is sending letters to those people who will be affected by the Supporting People Programme, which will
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Students get advice on staying healthy
PUPILS at a Darlington school took part in a series of workshops to promote healthy living. Hurworth Comprehensive School's third annual social, moral, spiritual and cultural day for year eight students, took the form of workshops to "stretch the mind
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Martial arts group's fundraising challenge
PARENTS of youngsters at a Trimdon martial arts class are hoping to generate funds with the aid of chocolate eggs, whisky and footballers' autographs. Chun ji tae kwon do club, which is held at Trimdon Community Centre, will hold a raffle next month to
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Society digs deep to help Tom
SCHOOLBOY Tom Claxton has refused to let a life-threatening brain tumour ruin his teenage years. The 13-year-old, who was diagnosed with cancer last May, is still determined to continue with his passion for skateboarding, despite his illness. Thanks to
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Pair hope to feed the world
A CAF with a difference is helping put food on the table of Romanian orphans. The Feed a Child caf, in Ramsgate, Stockton, is the brainchild of Rod Jones, who runs Convoy Aid Romania. As well as offering food and drink, with most of the money raised going
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Police issue computer game to cut biker deaths
TRAFFIC police in North Yorkshire have released a realistic computer game in a bid to cut the number of deaths on the county's roads caused by speeding motorcyclists. Officers from North Yorkshire Police have issued the game in an attempt to educate bikers
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Gifts your mum will love
The tradition of giving presents to your mum on Mothering Sunday goes back to the Ancient Greeks and Romans. Here, Nick Foley looks for some gifts to please a modern-day mother BUYING a present for your mum on Mother's Day is the perfect way to say thank
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Conference to discuss funding future of schools
A CONFERENCE to discuss how private investment could help repair crumbling school buildings is being held in County Durham. The topic will be discussed at the Durham County Association of Governors conference, at County Hall on Saturday. School governors
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Local history trail
MEMORIES of a Darlington school have been featured on a local history trail website. The National Grid for Learning is running an online local history trail and has been inviting people to visit the website and share their discoveries about their local
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Green scene put in the spotlight as villagers organise information day
RESIDENTS focused on green issues at West Rainton's first environmental information day on Saturday. The event, organised by Millennium Award winner Lesley King, took place in the village hall. Another award winner, Doris Fawcett, is pictured demonstrating
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Reprieve for bus service to Lakes
A BUS service linking County Durham with the Lake District looks likely to be saved, after users objected to plans to scrap it. For several years, the x85 bus has operated every Saturday in the summer, leaving Durham bus station in the morning and travelling
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Taxi chief appeals to MP over drivers crisis
A TAXI chief is appealing to MP Alan Milburn to intervene in the crisis over the shortage of cabbies in the town. John Singh, proprietor of Abbacab Taxis, has written to the Darlington MP telling him there has never been such an acute shortage of drivers
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Appeal made in Milly DNA link with burglary
DETECTIVES hunting the killer of Amanda "Milly" Dowler have revealed more details of a link between her murder and a village church near Sunderland. DNA samples, believed to be male sweat, on a bodice found in the teenager's bedroom, matched a DNA sample
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Union offers legal advice at new 'shop'
A service offering union members a "one-stop shop" for help and legal advice has been officially launched. Kevin Curran, GMB northern regional secretary and Phillip Browell, partner in Browell Smith solicitors, opened their shared offices in Wallsend,
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Grant will boost region's childcare provision
A GRANT of £148,180 has been awarded to an east Cleveland village to create a neighbourhood nursery. The money has been given to Skelton Out-of-School Club and the nursery will be built on the Skelton Junior School site. The money has been provided by
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Information system for motorists
THE first phase of a £1.5m information system to help motorists beat congestion has been unveiled. The first elements of City of York Council's Traffic Congestion Management System (TCMS) was switched on last week. Councillor Tracey Simpson-Laing, council
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Seven hurt in stolen van accident
Seven people, including a mother and her two young sons, were taken to hospital after a stolen van smashed head-on into their family saloon, police said today. The small Peugeot 205 van, driven by a 16-year-old boy, went out of control on the brow of
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Body found is missing womans
A MOTHER who went missing from her east Durham home last week has been found dead. Julia Graham, 40, who lived with her mother and teenage daughter, went missing from her home in Kipling Avenue, Blackhall Colliery, near Peterlee, on Thursday afternoon
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Stepping out to woo keep-fit fans
FITNESS instructors went through some crowd-stopping routines to promote a series of free open days. The five instructors, from Durham City Council's leisure centres, performed for passers-by at Durham's Millennium Square, on Saturday. They were promoting
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Keltie cracker adds gloss to victory
When it comes to scoring goals Clark Keltie certainly doesn't do things by halves. The 19-year-old very rarely ventures into opposition boxes, but when you have a right foot like his you don't really need to. As Saturday's wonder strike will prove, Keltie
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Newell facing title test as Pool fade
YOU will have to cast your minds back a long way to recall a performance as inept as Hartlepool United's first-half offering on Saturday. At Bristol Rovers they looked anything but the team which has led the table for 99 per cent of the season. Boss Mike
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Last Night's TV
Monk (BBC2) - William And Mary (ITV1) - My Dad's The Prime Minister (BBC1) ADRIAN Monk is a detective for the 21st century - a man so messed up by life it's surprising he can function at all, never mind solve complicated police investigations. Still suffering
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The new brooms of a French dynasty
Q WHO were the Plantagenets and how did they get their name? What connection did they have with the Normans and how did they come to acquire the English throne? - Doug McKenna, Stockton. ATHE Plantagenets, also known as the Angevins because they originated
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Ex-yard workers to get £2m payout
THE Government is to pay a £2m shortfall in compensation for many former shipyard workers suffering industrial diseases. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has announced it will pay the compensation for former employees of companies which belonged
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North-East youngsters rise to festival challenge
YOUNGSTERS from across the North-East took part in a performing arts festival at the weekend. Children and young people competed in more than 50 classes, ranging from acting classes to poetry recitation, bible reading and public speaking at the Darlington
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Conference to discuss funding future of schools
A CONFERENCE to discuss how private investment could help repair crumbling school buildings is being held in County Durham. The topic will be discussed at the Durham County Association of Governors conference, at County Hall on Saturday. School governors
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Comment from The Northern Echo: Time is of the essence
IT is unrealistic to send British men and women into war against Iraq and expect no casualties. The smart-bombs and laser-guided missiles do not remove the human factor from modern warfare. The collision of the two Sea King helicopters and the shooting
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Heart attack theory over fatal car crash
POLICE believe a man who died after crashing his car into a lamppost may have had a heart attack at the wheel, it emerged yesterday. Kenneth William Ainsley, 39, of Hambledon Avenue, in Chester-le-Street, was travelling south on the A167 north of the
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Juninho won't be kept quiet, McClaren
STEVE McCLAREN last night issued a warning to Premiership managers hoping to diminish the creative flair of Juninho by insisting: 'You can't track him all game'. Charlton boss Alan Curbishley handed Radostin Kishishev the difficult task of man-marking
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Forensic expert's doubts on rifle
A FORENSICS investigator has requested a meeting with the Prime Minister after discovering a defect with the British Army's main assault rifle. Independent expert Frank Swann made the discovery while conducting an investigation into the deaths of four
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Milly DNA mug picture released
DETECTIVES hunting the killer of Amanda "Milly" Dowler this afternoon released a picture of a mug which forms a vital link in their investigation. Detectives from the Surrey force have been working in Sunderland for a number of weeks, following the discovery
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Youngsters keen to take up aerobics lessons
AN AEROBICS class introduced for young people is proving so popular that organisers are thinking of keeping it going indefinitely. Wear Valley District Council has started the classes at Glenholme Leisure Centre, Crook, as part of the Sport Action Zone
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Firms to issue e-mail alerts
BUSINESSES and traders in a North Yorkshire town are joining forces to fight crime using e-mail. Harrogate Chamber of Trade and Commerce, in partnership with North Yorkshire Police, has launched a security alert system. Business Watch will operate on
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Achievers honoured at awards ceremony
STOCKTON'S outstanding youngsters have been honoured in an awards ceremony. Young people who have excelled in a number of fields were given their awards at the Stockton Mayor's Achievement Recognition Trophy (Smart) ceremony on Friday night. Set up last
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Protestors make a point in Tony Blair's heartland
A WEEKEND of protests and prayers in the region sent out a defiant anti-war message to Tony Blair. As 100,000 peace protestors converged on London for a mass rally, opponents to the war took their banners and slogans deep into the Prime Minister's heartland
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Port group's expansion plan could create up to 100 jobs
A PLAN to increase exports leaving Teesport could create more than 100 jobs at the docks by next year. Bosses at PD Teesport want to improve efficiency by unloading and reloading lorries within 30 minutes of arrival, and ensure ships that imports from
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Time is of the essence
IT is unrealistic to send British men and women into war against Iraq and expect no casualties. The smart-bombs and laser-guided missiles do not remove the human factor from modern warfare. The collision of the two Sea King helicopters and the shooting
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Hendo hopeful of recall
KEVIN Henderson has been sat on the bench so much this season he could have splinters in his backside! In 23 outings for the striker, 22 have come from the substitutes' bench. But the arrival of Paul Smith and Henderson galvanised Pool on Saturday and
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Council's site in web top ten
A LOCAL authority website has been recognised as one of the country's top ten. The Society of IT Management (Soctim)'s Better Connected report 2003 names Sunderland City Council's site as among the ten best. Since its relaunch in July 2001, the number
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Birthday fun for battling James
AS little James Wilkes got into the full swing of his birthday party he was unaware of why it was such a happy sight for his parents. Four years ago today Michelle Jones and Wayne Wilkes celebrated the birth of their second child. But hours later they
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Phillips' days on Wearside look numbered
KEVIN PHILLIPS paved the way for his departure from Sunderland last night when the striker confirmed he expects to leave if the club go down. After almost six seasons on Wearside, Phillips knows the financial penalties of relegation are likely to bring
