Archive
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Headteacher is mourned
TRIBUTES have been paid to the former headmistress of one of the region's leading private schools. Helen Hamilton, whose funeral is tomorrow, was headteacher at Polam Hall School in Darlington for 16 years before retiring in January due to ill health.
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Families anger at Royal visit to Deepcut
Families of soldiers who died in mysterious circumstances at Deepcut barracks last night expressed their anger that the base had been chosen for a Royal visit. Relatives - led by the father of North-East squaddie Geoff Gray - held a protest outside the
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Georgian park plan unveiled
PLANS to recreate a Georgian landscape are set to take a major step forward. A planning application detailing the first phase of restoration work by Durham County Council at the Grade II listed Hardwick Park, near Sedgefield, has been submitted. An exhibition
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Shouldering the burden of fatherhood
MUMS rarely get asked, but it's one of those questions us dads learn to dread: "Daddy, I'm tired. Can I ride on your shoulders?" There have been times when I've felt like a seaside donkey, although they probably get more sensitive handling. And there
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Teenage girl's assault nightmare
A TEENAGER is recovering after a man wrapped a dog collar around her neck and assaulted her. The 19-year-old, who has not been named, was walking alone through the Hallgarth estate in The Grove, from a night out in nearby Consett, County Durham, on Sunday
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Razkalla to scoop up the Stakes
DAVID LODER'S Razkalla is fancied to maintain his unbeaten record by scooping the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes on the final day of the Chester Festival. Despite being five years of age, Razkalla (2.55) has run just three times in his life. All three outings
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John North: Rising like a pheonix from the ashes
Spending almost £3m on restoring a small village church to it former glory after it was destroyed by fire might seem excessive to some, but villagers are certain they are doing the right thing. BRANCEPETH is what journalists call a sleepy village. It
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Adding colour to hospice fundraising day
FUNDRAISERS at the Butterwick Hospice are urging people to go yellow next month to raise funds. As part of Hospice Awareness Month, hospices around the country are inviting people to take part in a yellow activity day. Staff at the Butterwick Hospice,
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Labour rebels defeated - but warn of 'running party sore'
A LABOUR backbench rebellion against Tony Blair and Alan Milburn's controversial plans for foundation hospitals was defeated last night. An afternoon of arm-twisting by the Prime Minister and the Health Secretary paid off with the 130 MPs who signed a
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Call centre boom is set to continue, says recruiter
ADECCO, the world's largest recruiter, is looking for 80 call centre staff. Full-time and part-time positions are available in customer service and sales roles. Alice Bowles, of Adecco Middlesbrough, said: "There is a growing demand for call centre staff
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Tragedy of woman in pond a mystery
A CORONER recorded an open verdict yesterday on the death of a pensioner whose body was found in a pond. An inquest at Richmond Town Hall, North Yorkshire, heard Evelyn Margaret Graham had a history of depression and had psychiatric treatment months before
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Former soccer star kicks off summer walks
FOOTBALL legend Malcolm MacDonald has stepped out to launch a programme of walks aimed at promoting healthier living. The football pundit and former Newcastle United player helped to kickstart the Derwentside Doorsteps scheme in St Stephen's Church Hall
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Man questioned in prostitute murder case
Police are today questioning a man arrested on suspicion of murdering a Teesside prostitute. Detectives investigating the disappearance of 19-year-old Rachel Wilson swooped on an address in Sunderland in the early hours of Thursday morning. A 57-year-old
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Young people stage own show
YOUNGSTERS hope to make life more entertaining by staging their own music show. The 13 and 15-year-olds from Kelloe and Quarrington Hill, an area that lacks leisure facilities, were given almost £15,000 from the Princes Trust Millennium Award Fund for
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Celebratory school reunion
FORMER pupils of a village school are being asked to help with an anniversary. High Coniscliffe Primary School, near Darlington, will celebrate its 40th birthday on Saturday, June 14. A display of pictures from the early days of the school, work by past
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Youngsters learn to take care of smiles
YOUNGSTERS will learn how to look after their smiles in a series of roadshows next week. The oral health promotions team from Derwentside Primary Care Trust is visiting Sure Start projects to advise children and parents on dental hygiene, though songs
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Former pitman takes on council role
A FORMER east Durham pitman is the new chairman of Durham County Council. Father-of-seven Alan Fenwick, 72, from Seaham, will perform the ceremonial role for the next two years. He takes over from Charlie Magee, councillor for Ferryhill, after spending
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Museums help for teachers
TEACHERS can find out more about what Hartlepool Arts and Museums Service has to offer at an event on Tuesday. Staff from the service will be available to tell teachers what is on offer at Hartlepool Borough Council's arts venues and museums. Naomi Beeley
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Young boxers make their mark for club
THREE youngsters have won trophies to mark the revival of their boxing club. Tom Barker, 18, Liam Shaw, 11, and Joe McPartland, 12, represented Bishop Auckland Amateur Boxing Club at a Northern Clubs contest at The Ladle, in Middlesbrough. The club, on
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Youth teams move to cut fear of crime
Children have come up with ideas to improve communication with elderly people while reducing their fear of crime. They range from talking alarms warning old people to check identification cards to a mobile skate park, to help keep skaters off the streets
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Community group may get cash windfall
THE Mayor of Sedgefield borough has nominated a Ferryhill community group to receive a £5,000 windfall. The Ferryhill Community Partnership is made up of a broad mix of public, private, voluntary and community organisations, which work for the benefit
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New route to health for keen walkers
A FOUR-MILE walk around Bishop Auckland at the weekend is the latest in a series of events leading up to the Great North Walk in the summer. A Wear Walking for Health programme has been devised by Wear Valley District Council to get people fit for the
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Last Night's TV: Work scheme is just the job for homeless people
Headhunting The Homeless (BBC2) Apart from her name, Carol Thatcher has nothing in common with her more famous namesake and ex-Prime Minister's daughter. She's been homeless for a decade, unemployed for twice as long, suffered from mental health problems
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Family sought
POLICE are appealing for relatives of an 89-year-old man who died on Monday to contact them. Norman Smith died at Nessfield Residential Home in Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough. There are no suspicious circumstance surrounding his death. Relatives are asked to
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Interview advice offered
TIPS on making a good impression at job interviews were given by a beauty therapist in Chester-le-Street yesterday. Caroline Mason, 32, offered advice on clothes and make-up at the seminar for jobseekers at the Red Lion Hotel, in Chester-le-Street. The
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New service
BUS operator Go North-East has added the region's newest out-of-town shopping complex to its list of destinations. Dalton Park, at Murton, east Durham, has been included in timetables from Sunderland's Park Lane interchange. Buses that leave every ten
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News in brief: Burglar sneaks into home
A man in his 70s lost cash after a burglar sneaked into his home through an unlocked door. The crook targeted the home, in Heatherway, on the evening of Tuesday, April 22. He made a search of the whole house and stole cash that had been left in cupboards
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Puppet play
A GROUP of puppeteers from the former Soviet Union took to the stage at Darlington Arts Centre last night. The 11 artists from Tbilisi, in Georgia, were joined by three actors at the Darlington Arts Centre to retell the story of Faust. The show, which
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On foot to healthier lifestyle
A SERIES of healthy walks are being launched in Guisborough. The twice-weekly walks, part of the Walking the Way to Health scheme, start today. They will take place on Tuesday mornings and Thursday evenings each week until the end of the summer holidays
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Tributes after tragic death
FRIENDS and relatives yesterday paid tribute to a 29-year-old who died at home last month. The funeral of Paul Todd, of Westerdale Court, Darlington, took place on Tuesday with close family only. But yesterday more than 100 people packed Elm Ridge Methodist
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Tributes after tragic death
FRIENDS and relatives yesterday paid tribute to a 29-year-old who died at home last month. The funeral of Paul Todd, of Westerdale Court, Darlington, took place on Tuesday with close family only. But yesterday more than 100 people packed Elm Ridge Methodist
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Vibrant dale goal for rural lobby
CIVIC enthusiasts have set up a group to preserve attractive parts of Teesdale. Members of the local branch of the Council for the Protection of Rural England will challenge any plans they fear could harm the countryside or reduce people's quality of
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Recycling initiative
DOORSTEP recycling is being extended to every household in Darlington as part of a new green initiative. Darlington Borough Council will launch the scheme, called Time to Recycle, in September and everyone should have the chance to get involved by December
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Local history workshops
PEOPLE interested in local history can take part in a free workshop at Bishop Auckland Town Hall next week. David Butler, from the Durham County Record Office, and Winifred Stokes, from Durham County Local History Society, will lead an informal 90-minute
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Former pitman takes on county council role
A FORMER east Durham pitman is the new chairman of Durham County Council. Father-of-seven Alan Fenwick, 72, from Seaham, will perform the ceremonial role for the next two years. He takes over from Charlie Magee, councillor for Ferryhill, after spending
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Former pitman takes on county council role
A FORMER east Durham pitman is the new chairman of Durham County Council. Father-of-seven Alan Fenwick, 72, from Seaham, will perform the ceremonial role for the next two years. He takes over from Charlie Magee, councillor for Ferryhill, after spending
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Dedicated pensioner wins civic award
A PENSIONER has been recognised for her lifetime of fundraising work to help local charities. Hilda Phillips, of Dean Bank Grange, Ferryhill, was named Sedgefield borough's citizen of the year in a contest ran by the borough council. The 76-year-old has
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Museum creates wartime history archive
A MUSEUM is seeking help with plans to create a local history archive of the Second World War. Beck Isle Museum, in Pickering, is working on the archive, which relates to Pickering, northern Ryedale and the North York Moors, with help from the Local Heritage
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Nothing's black and white when it come to billboard advertising
SPORTS firm Adidas yesterday denied acting provocatively by advertising the new Newcastle United strip only a few hundred yards from the home of arch rivals Sunderland. Disgruntled fans attacked the billboard and daubed its black and white stripes with
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Party is reward for supporters
STAFF at one of the region's oldest theatres will say a big thank you to its supporters with a party this weekend. The Empire Theatre, in Consett, County Durham, re-opened in March after a nine-month closure and a £700,000 refurbishment. Venue bosses
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Postal vote hailed
LONDON Mayor Ken Livingstone sent his council officers to monitor a pilot electronic vote counting system used for the first time in County Durham. Three district authorities in County Durham - Derwentside, Chester-le-Street and Wear Valley - held a joint
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Teenager Luke wins England call-up
A student has been selected to represent his country in an international badminton tournament. Fifteen-year-old Luke Brudenell, from Northallerton College, is in the England team to play Denmark, Holland, Sweden and Belgium at Wimbledon tomorrow. The
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Four-year pavilion wait over
AFTER a four-year wait, plans to improve facilities at a bowling club have come to fruition thanks to a £23,900 grant. Ripon Bowling Club's pavilion at Ripon Spa Gardens, will be rebuilt after Harrogate Borough Council secured a grant through Landfill
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News in brief: School results bring reward
Staff at a school near Darlington school have been awarded £14,300 because of their improved results. Hurworth Comprehensive School has been given the School Achievement Award by the Minister of State for School Standards. The awards are given to schools
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News in brief: Speaker joins in celebrations
STAFF and volunteers at a charity shop were joined by Councillor Ken Hall, speaker of Middlesbrough Council, to help them celebrate its fifth anniversary. Coun Hall presented a community grant of £1,000 from Help the Aged in Dundas Street to an Age Concern
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Fliers ready to take the high road
A THREE-MAN team from RAF Leeming will be trekking across Scotland later this month in aid of charity. The challenge will see the team hiking across 220 miles of wilderness and mountainous areas in 14 days. The route, which starts at Torridon, on the
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Call for grant applications
COMMUNITY groups in the borough of Stockton are being urged to apply for a grant to help them carry out environmental work. The Elementis Landfill Small Grant Fund is funded through Elementis Chromium's Landfill Tax Credit scheme. It is managed by the
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News in brief: Speaker joins in celebration
STAFF and volunteers at a charity shop were joined by Councillor Ken Hall, speaker of Middlesbrough Council, to help them celebrate its fifth anniversary. Coun Hall presented a community grant of £1,000 from Help the Aged in Dundas Street to an Age Concern
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Goaly Helen achieves Olympic games dream
GOALKEEPER Helen Smith may barely reach five feet in her stocking feet but she'll be walking ten feet tall next month when she strikes out to play in an international sporting competition. The 43-year-old from Shildon, is one of 7,000 athletes from 162
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Artistic touches for village green
VILLAGERS who helped design their own doorstep green are now joining forces with two artists to add some distinctive finishing touches. Children and young people in Dene Valley, near Bishop Auckland, have joined in workshops with Neil Canavan and Graeme
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Gulf hero misses out on birth
A SOLDIER serving in Iraq could not be with his childhood sweetheart for the birth of their first child - because he missed the plane home. Private Tim West had hoped to join his fiancee Sarah Hutchinson when she gave birth to son, Reece, at Darlington
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Caring Jayne gets her reward
A MOTHER-of-two from the North-East has been named the Marie Curie Nurse of the Year. Jayne Unwin, who cares for cancer patients in their homes, will spend next year as an ambassador for the charity. The 34-year-old, from Ingleby Barwick, Teesside, received
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Board fight to the death
DURHAM Cricket Board had no intention of going quietly. Lord's may have decreed that this would be their last hurrah in the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy, but Durham went out with a bang rather than a whimper. After chasing leather around Feethams
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Vintage steam gathering
THE guardians of the bygone age of steam will gather in the North-East this weekend. Members of the National Traction Engine Trust from Britain, Europe and the USA, will be at a training weekend and traction engine display event at Beamish Museum on Saturday
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Bigamist is found dead on day of child sex case
A SERIAL bigamist has been found dead on the day he was due to appear in court on child sex charges. Police who had been sent to discover why 55-year-old Robert Hutchings was not in court identified his body, found slumped in the kitchen of his flat in
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Neale inquiry opens
THE long-awaited inquiry into the Richard Neale scandal began behind closed doors last week. Alan Milburn, Health Secretary and MP for Darlington, ordered the inquiry into how the NHS handled multiple complaints against Mr Neale. The former Northallerton
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Dalek in the opera
DAVROS, the evil genius who created the Daleks, is joining the English Touring Opera when it arrives in the region this month with a double bill of Strauss. England's largest touring opera company will be performing Die Fledermaus, by Johann Strauss,
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Labour keeps its grip
THE Chester-le-Street ruling Labour party is settling into a new term in office, after surviving an election that elsewhere in the region spelt disaster for the party. Labour's strong majority in Durham and York was toppled for the first time in about
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Shipyard work forging ahead
One of the world's biggest floating cranes was in action on the River Tyne yesterday, as part of a £140m Ministry of Defence (MoD) contract to build two landing craft continued apace. The Asian Hercules Two, which has a deck the size of a football pitch
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Soap Watch: Going straight
Albert Square is fast becoming the place to head as soon as you're released from jail. No sooner has ex-con Dirty Den Junior arrived in EastEnders (BBC1) than Martin Fowler returns - fresh from incarceration at her majesty's pleasure on driving offences
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Supporting Sunderland could endanger health
Supporting Sunderland this season could put you at greater risk of a heart attack or stroke, according to researchers. Health chiefs conducted a survey of fans of four Premiership clubs over the last five seasons. They discovered that deaths in male supporters
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Luke steps out to launch Strollers
TELEVISION presenter Luke Casey put his best foot forward yesterday to officially launch the Hambleton Strollers. The Dales Diary presenter joined more than 70 members of the group for a 30-minute walk around Northallerton, North Yorkshire. "Walking is
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'But it looks so easy on the telly... '
DIY is Britain's favourite hobby but it can have disastrous consequences, as one North Yorkshire family found out to their cost this week. Christen Pears reports. Linda Barker and Laurence Llewellyn Bowen rush into someone's house and, within 48 hours
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Hacking ring suspects back on bail
TWO North-East men arrested on suspicion of being members of an international computer hacking ring were put back on bail by police last night. Jordan Bradley, of Bates Avenue, Darlington, and Andrew Harvey, of Scardale Way, Durham City, were arrested
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Stately home hosts plant fair
THE gardens of a stately home will be hosting a spring plant fair at the weekend. Newby Hall, near Ripon, North Yorkshire, will join forces with BBC North Yorkshire and TV gardener Geoffrey Smith for the event on Sunday. As well as about 35 nurseries,
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Comment - Good headlines: not good justice
THE independence of the judiciary is enshrined in our system of government. The concept is vital to check the powers of an over-zealous executive. Because of that all-important role, a great deal of trust and faith is placed in judges. On occasions, sadly
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£21m boost will aid heart cases
NATIONAL Lottery cash is being released to speed up the diagnosis of heart disease at a North-East hospital. North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust is one of 19 trusts across England to be given cash to buy new cardiac angiography equipment. The New Opportunities
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Accountancy software group counts its profits
ACCOUNTANCY software group Sage has reported a 14 per cent rise in interim pre-tax profits, in line with market expectations. The company saw revenues grow as existing customers bought a broader range of software and services. Sage, which supplies accounting
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Long serving leader suffers shock defeat
THE Labour Party has moved quickly to appoint a new leader following the shock defeat of Brian Stephens in last week's Sedgefield Borough Council elections. Long serving council leader Mr Stephens was the biggest casualty on a bad night for Labour, which
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Ice cream firm has rivals licked
Ice cream maker Richmond Foods reckons it will soon have its biggest rival licked after business exceeded its most optimistic forecasts. The North Yorkshire company is bidding to overtake Walls as the nation's favourite purveyor of ices. Richmond, which
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Jake celebrates first seven 'collars'
DRUGS dog Jake has celebrated his first anniversary with the police with seven arrests under his collar. In May last year, the Durham and Chester-le-Street police division deployed its first passive drugs dog, Jake. The 21-month-old yellow Labrador is
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600 jobs could be created on site
MORE than 600 jobs could be created by the redevelopment of former steel factory land on Teesside. The £3m transformation in South Bank will introduce a road link, power, drainage and other utilities for freight operators and haulage businesses using
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Council first for Linda
CHESTER-le-Street District Council has elected its first woman leader. Coun Linda Ebbatson stepped into the position of council leader after the retirement of Malcolm Pratt, who spent the last 12 years as leader in 32 year service with the local authority
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Call for new centre to be fenced in
RESIDENTS have asked planning bosses to ensure that security fences are installed when a new two-storey medical centre is built. Members of Wear Valley District Council's development control committee last week approved plans for a one stop medical centre
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News in brief: Burglar sneaks into home
A man in his 70s lost cash after a burglar sneaked into his home through an unlocked door. The crook targeted the home, in Heatherway, on the evening of Tuesday, April 22. He made a search of the whole house and stole cash that had been left in cupboards
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Police to revive Watch schemes
A CAMPAIGN to revive Neighbourhood Watch teams in Darlington will be launched next month. Police believe more than 200 residents' groups in the town could be defunct because of lack of support. An audit to find out how many are still in existence is being
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Leisure centre is in fundraising top 100
CHESTER-le-Street Leisure Centre is currently one of the top 100 UK Swimming Pools in the Sharron Davies Mile Swim Challenge. The council-run leisure centre and pool is among 100 pools in the country with the highest number of participants registered
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Memorial to the victims of friendly fire
RELATIVES of DLI men killed in a Second World War friendly fire tragedy are being invited to the unveiling of a memorial to them. Forty-four men, captured during the North Africa campaign, died in November 1942 on the SS Scillin. They were among 810 prisoners
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Family policy criticised
PLANS for more family friendly policies for council workers have been criticised by a councillor. Durham County Council is developing its proposals in the wake of the Employment Act 2002, which is designed to help parents balance work and family commitments
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Thanks for the memories
THERE was a clamour for souvenirs at Darlington Football Club's final game at the Feethams ground on Saturday. All 2,000 of the £5 souvenir programmes were sold by 2.05pm - the club normally sells around 400 by kick-off. A crowd of 5,723 witnessed the
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Vaughan is caught cold but Yorkshire too hot for minnows
Yorkshire soon warmed up in the sunshine after new England captain Michael Vaughan had been dismissed cheaply by a 34-year-old fridge-freezer salesman at March yesterday and they became hot enough to set Cambridgeshire a 300 target in the third round
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Stay away from parks, bikers told
OFF road bikers are being warned that their vehicles could be seized in a bid to make the streets and parks of a south Durham town safer. After a flood of complaints from residents in Shildon, police have vowed to crackdown on irresponsible quad bike
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Theatre throws party
STAFF at one of the region's oldest theatres will say a big thank-you to its supporters with a free party this weekend. The Empire Theatre, in Consett, re-opened in March after a nine-month closure and a £700,000 refurbishment. Venue bosses have organised
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Going straight
Albert Square is fast becoming the place to head as soon as you're released from jail. No sooner has ex-con Dirty Den Junior arrived in EastEnders (BBC1) than Martin Fowler returns - fresh from incarceration at her majesty's pleasure on driving offences
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Leader defends record
OUTGOING Labour leader Maurice Crathorne defended his party's running of Durham City. The council was dogged by controversy and what should have been its finest hour - the Gala Theatre and the Millennium City complex - hit the headlines for the wrong
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Chris gives talk
THE Northern Echo and Advertiser Series reporter Chris Webber will talk about the Stanley Pit Disaster of 1909, at next Wednesday's meeting of the Evergreens. New members are welcome to join for a £10 annual membership or just visit Bishop Auckland Town
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Protesting students send their shirts to PM
STUDENTS sent a delivery of dirty washing to the Prime Minister's Sedgefield home - after accusing the Government of taking the shirts off their backs with proposed tuition fees. Durham University students led a protest march through the city yesterday
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Schools win cash bonus
SCHOOL staff from caretakers to headteachers in 450 schools across the North-East are to get a cash bonus for helping pupils improve results. This year's School Achievement Awards - worth £5,700 for a primary school and £25,700 for a secondary - are being
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College open afternoon
A DARLINGTON college is holding an open afternoon as part of Adult Learners' Week. Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form, in Vane Terrace, will be open next Wednesday for an adult access to learning event. Visitors can meet staff and students and find out about
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Another slippery customer held
IT'S fast becoming a jungle out there for residents of a North-East neighbourhood. Just when they thought it was safe to venture out, another 5ft Columbian rainbow boa constrictor has crawled out from the undergrowth. And residents can be forgiven for
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Young boxers make their mark for club
THREE youngsters have won trophies to mark the revival of their boxing club. Tom Barker, 18, Liam Shaw, 11, and Joe McPartland, 12, represented Bishop Auckland Amateur Boxing Club at a Northern Clubs contest at The Ladle, in Middlesbrough. The club, on
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Spotlight on emergency planning
PLANS for dealing with an emergency were put under the spotlight yesterday. An awareness day at Cleveland Fire Brigade's training centre in Grangetown, was aimed at increasing knowledge of procedures for dealing with chemical, biological, radiation and
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Health trust wins recruiting accolade
A HEALTH trust has won national acclaim for attracting consultant psychiatrists from all over the world at a time when the profession is struggling to recruit. Attractive jobs, good working conditions and excellent prospects are just some of the reasons
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Labour loses votes but maintains control
THE Labour Party has appointed a new leader following the shock defeat of Brian Stephens in last week's Sedgefield Borough Council elections. Long serving council leader Mr Stephens was the main casualty on a night which saw significant gains for the
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Artist's work brightens up children's stay in hospital
YOUNG hospital patients are never alone when it comes to bath time. Polar bears, penguins and dolphins adorn the bathroom walls of two suites on the children's wards at the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, thanks to artist Steve Robson.
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Youth teams move to cut fear of crime
Children have come up with ideas to improve communication with elderly people while reducing their fear of crime. They range from talking alarms warning old people to check identification cards to a mobile skate park, to help keep skaters off the streets
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Police hunt for attacker
POLICE are hunting a sex attacker who seriously assaulted a woman after she left a club. The 22-year-old had been in Chester-le-Street early Monday evening, April 28, before going to Greenbank Working Man's Club on Picktree Lane at about 8.30pm, where
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Black grouse focus of advice morning
LEADING landowners, farmers, land agents and estate managers have been invited to see how they can help bring the black grouse back to their land. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), with the Black Grouse Recovery Project,
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Fundraising splash
CHESTER-le-Street Leisure Centre is one of the top 100 UK pools in the Sharron Davies Mile Swim Challenge. The council-run leisure centre and pool is among the 100 with the highest number of participants registered to swim in the event. The swim challenge
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Council seeks parking plan
A COUNCIL is looking into what action can be taken to help reduce problems with parking in town centre car parks. Car parks in Thornaby will be visited by attendants from Stockton Borough Council during a week-long enforcement campaign that begins today
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Delay forces change of name
The planting of a three-acre woodland which had to be stopped by the foot-and-mouth disease crisis, will go ahead soon. But the delay has forced a change of name on the project. Members of the Bilton Conservation Group, in Harrogate, had planned to call
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Nurses to the rescue in hospital blackout
NURSES fought to keep critical care patients alive by hand yesterday when a brand new £67m North-East hospital suffered a total power failure. MPs last night demanded to know how the hospital, in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, could be left without power
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Police hunt petrol thief
POLICE are hunting a man who made off from a petrol station without paying. The man was in a white Ford Sierra which pulled into the Jet Service, at Wheatley Hill, on Sunday, March 23, at 9pm. A man and a woman stayed in the car, while another man got
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Police asked to investigate allotments closure decision
POLICE have been called in over a dispute about the future of village allotments. Barton Parish Council ran up a £15,000 legal bill during an unsuccessful attempt to force the landowner to sell. Now, police have been asked to investigate the circumstances
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Grassroots: Scorton Parish Council
QUARRY PLANS: Quarrying in the village was discussed at length following a planning application from Tancred Quarry, Scorton. The quarry is seeking a variation in planning conditions relating to revised methods and phasing of mineral extraction. Councillors
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News in brief: Burglar sneaks into home
A man in his 70s lost cash after a burglar sneaked into his home through an unlocked door. The crook targeted the home, in Heatherway, on the evening of Tuesday, April 22. He made a search of the whole house and stole cash that had been left in cupboards
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Police seeking woman
POLICE investigating a theft from a chemist in Darlington want to speak to a woman caught by security cameras. The woman went into Rowlands Chemist in Neasham Road on March 3. She selected toiletries from the shop and put them inside her jacket before
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Learning achievers to receive awards
A GROUP of adult learners will receive awards marking their achievements tomorrow. The students from Darlington have been invited to attend a ceremony at the town's Arts Centre, which will start a week of activities to highlight the benefits of learning
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Police seeking radio thief
POLICE are trying to identify a man who stole a number of hand-held radios and chargers from the reception of a Darlington hotel. The man stole the radios from Blackwell Grange Hotel between 5.30pm and 5.50pm on March 8. He climbed over the reception
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Dedicated pensioner wins civic award
A PENSIONER has been recognised for her lifetime of fundraising work to help local charities. Hilda Phillips, of Dean Bank Grange, Ferryhill, was named Sedgefield borough's citizen of the year in a contest ran by the borough council. The 76-year-old has
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Sex charges
A MAN has appeared in court to deny charges of indecent assault against a girl. Peter Houry, 38, appeared before Newcastle Crown Court yesterday and denied indecency with a girl under the age of 16, dating back almost eight years. Mr Houry, who is currently
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Scheme aims to cut car use
PEOPLE are being encouraged to leave their cars at home as part of a pilot scheme to reduce traffic volume. Intelligent Travel is a transport project from Australia that aims to persuade families to walk, cycle and use buses rather than their cars. The
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Police called in to probe allotments decision
POLICE have been called in over a dispute about the future of village allotments. Barton Parish council ran up a £15,000 legal bill during an unsuccessful attempt to force the landowner to sell. Now, police have been asked to investigate the circumstances
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News in brief: Fresh appeal for witnesses
Police have issued a fresh appeal for witnesses to a fatal road accident on the A168, Thirsk to Northallerton road, in the early hours of Sunday. Neil Graham was walking on the road when he was in collision with a Ford Mondeo. He died from his injuries
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Setback for campaigners fighting to save land
CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save land used as a sports ground from development suffered a blow when the European High Court of Human Rights ruled against them. The court ruled that the human rights of Washington First Forum - set up to oppose plans by the
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Bags of fun for youngsters with difficulties
YOUNG children with learning difficulties are getting bags of fun thanks to County Durham community groups. About 70 children aged up to three will be able to develop their skills using individually created Storybags. The project, which is funded by the
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Party leaders look to form coalition
Party leaders at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council were due to meet last night in the latest attempt to form a ruling coalition. Labour lost its slender majority in last week's council elections and it could still be days before agreement is reached
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News in brief: School results bring reward
Staff at a school near Darlington school have been awarded £14,300 because of their improved results. Hurworth Comprehensive School has been given the School Achievement Award by the Minister of State for School Standards. The awards are given to schools
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Shipyard work forging ahead
One of the world's biggest floating cranes was in action on the River Tyne yesterday, as part of a £140m Ministry of Defence (MoD) contract to build two landing craft continued apace. The Asian Hercules Two, which has a deck the size of a football pitch
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Young people create a place they can meet
A GROUP of young people fed up of residents calling police to move them on from street corners, raised £14,000 for their own youth shelter. It took two years for Angela Eyre, Gary Harker and Amanda Dixon, now all aged 18, to raise the money needed to
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School continues to isolate students
A TOP public school is continuing to quarantine a number of its Far East students until fears over the Sars virus subside. Polam Hall, in Darlington, has confirmed that a number of students and staff who were among the last to arrive back after Easter
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Postal vote is hailed a success
LONDON Mayor Ken Livingstone sent his council officers to monitor a pilot electronic vote counting system used for the first time in County Durham. Three district authorities in County Durham - Derwentside, Chester-le-Street and Wear Valley - held a joint
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Catch the vandals
A VANDALised school is urging residents in nearby houses to help them to catch the youths who are causing thousands of pounds worth of damage. Youngsters smashed more than 30 windows at Greenlands Junior School in South Moor, near Stanley, at the weekend
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Boxing trio lead the way
A TRIO of young sports stars have landed trophies to get the new era in their boxing club off to a flying start. Tom Barker, Liam Shaw and Joe McPartland stepped into the ring to represent Bishop Auckland Amateur Boxing Club at a Northern Clubs contest
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Nostalgic trip to top of the world
EVEREST conqueror Chris Brown is back in the country after a nostalgic return to the scene of his triumph on the world's highest mountain. The 56-year-old North Yorkshire farmer and councillor made a trip to Everest with a team of fellow climbers as part
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Thief cons footballers
FORMER Darlington FC players have appealed for help in catching a thief who ransacked their dressing room. Darlington old boys David Speedie and Kevan Smith said they were prepared to offer a small reward. The pair were among a team of former Quakers
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Steelmaker's suppliers told they must tighten their belts
METAL workers on Teesside will be chasing a share of a 20 million-tonne steel market in an effort to save their jobs, a business delegation has been told. Management at Corus's North-East operations has assured the North-East Chamber of Commerce that
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Wellwishers celebrate Hilda's 100th
A FORMER tailor has celebrated her 100th birthday. Friends, family and local politicians have beaten a path to Hilda Close's door, to wish her a very happy birthday. Mrs Close was born and brought up in Stanley. After leaving school she followed in her
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Young cellist wins top music award
A LOCAL musician has won the James Etherington Award. Joanne Keithley, a 17-year-old cellist and pupil of Durham Johnston School who plays in the Young Sinfonia Orchestra, came top in the finals of the competition last Wednesday. She won the £300 first
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Woman's death was suicide
A CORONER yesterday recorded a suicide verdict on the death of Rebecca Alice Murray, found dead at home in Richmond, North Yorkshire, last October. The inquest heard Ms Murray had a history of depression, and despite support from family and friends had
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Why you can't put a price on love
STUNNED bride Andrea Wylie must have felt she'd just wed a man in a million when her new husband surprised her by having Ronan Keating turn up at their wedding reception in Northumberland to sing his hit song from the film Notting Hill, which the couple
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Dad At Large: Shouldering the burden of fatherhood
MUMS rarely get asked, but it's one of those questions us dads learn to dread: "Daddy, I'm tired. Can I ride on your shoulders?" There have been times when I've felt like a seaside donkey, although they probably get more sensitive handling. And there
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A label of distinction
LABEL producer GSM Graphic Arts has completed one of its more unusual commissions - stainless steel labels for bottles of vintage malt whisky. The label and nameplate producer was commissioned to create stainless steel labels for the first single cask
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Plea over petrol station robbery
DETECTIVES have renewed an appeal to the public to help them with their investigation, following a garage robbery in which a man was assaulted. A group of men walked into the Jet filling station on the A181 at Wheatley Hill, east Durham, on Bank Holiday
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Open verdict on fitter's death
A coroner recorded an open verdict on an aircraft fitter found dead in his lounge. Alan Iles, 42, of Fife Street, Middlesbrough, was found at his home on September 12 last year after he failed to respond to his former girlfriend's telephone calls. An
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Day of yore
BIRDS of prey and medieval knights will be featured in a medieval fair in the region on Saturday, May 17. Sedgefield's annual fair will feature a tug of war, dancing displays, and children's entertainment. The Flower Queen will lead a parade of floats
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Groups cash in on lottery award
COMMUNITY groups across the Wear Valley are sharing in a £500,000 National Lottery giveaway announced for the North-East this week. The latest round of Awards for All lottery grants have benefited a total of 135 school projects, sports clubs and other
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Police issue warning after missile attacks on wardens
YOUNG yobs have been targeting street wardens by throwing bottles and other missiles at them while they patrol housing estates. Over the past four weeks, five attacks have been reported by the team, which was set up to tackle anti-social behaviour caused
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Party guest
FORMER Chester-le-Street and Durham North MP Lord Radice and other dignitaries were among guests at a retirement party held for Malcolm Pratt on Friday, who last week retired from Chester-le-Street District Council after 32 years, 12 of which were spent
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Pupils help to break a record
SCHOOLCHILDREN from across the region have helped to smash the world record for a simultaneous sing-a-long. Youngsters in County Durham helped to break the Guinness record for the largest-ever sing song which involved children from right across the UK
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Bond's gun handed in during amnesty
POLICE have been shaken, not stirred by the response to a gun amnesty. James Bond's favourite weapon - a Walther PPK automatic pistol - was one of the last weapons to be handed over to officers at the end of the month- long truce. The firearm was surrendered
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An old model army for £500,000
AT a time when defence cutbacks have pared Army ranks to the bone, £500,000 seems a small price to pay for an army of 150,000 men. But this is no ordinary army, and these are no ordinary soldiers. Despite their numbers, this fighting force can be housed
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Community order for woman who made nuisance calls
A 22-year-old, who bombarded her love rival with nuisance phone calls for over a month, was ordered to complete a 100-hour community punishment order today. Magistrates heard Kristin Thompson was furious when she suspected he boyfriend had rekindled an
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Betts to quit over Quakers 'pay cut'
DARLINGTON defender Simon Betts last night claimed he can no longer afford to stay with the club after being asked to take a pay cut. Betts looks certain to the leave Quakers in the summer after rejecting a reduction which he says represents a third of
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08/05/03
FOOTBALL FANS: I WAS pleased to read the editorial (Echo, May 5) highlighting the special treatment given to the English FA compared to punishment meted out to Slovakia and Georgia. English fans have caused mayhem for years and a severe lesson should
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Budget airline makes a £48m loss
A LATE Easter and conflict in Iraq have both been blamed for low-cost airline easyJet's recent poor performance. The budget flyer reported pre-tax losses of £48m for the six months to March 31, but insisted its low-cost model was still "robust". While
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County backs science centre
A BID to establish a high-profile science centre has been boosted by a council's pledge to donate up to £2m. Framwellgate Comprehensive School in Durham, is one of two sites in the North-East being considered as a regional science learning centre. Its
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Pioneer returns home
A bronze statue of Timothy Hackworth, one of the pioneering sons of the railway, took up its rightful place in the park that was named after him. The statue was unveiled at Shildon's Hackworth Park last week. The unveiling marks the second phase in the
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Sex charges
A MAN has appeared in court to deny charges of indecent assault against a girl. Peter Houry, 38, appeared before Newcastle Crown Court yesterday and denied indecency with a girl under the age of 16, dating back almost eight years. Mr Houry, who is currently
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Porton Down family fight on
FRIENDS and relatives vowed last night never to give up the fight for a North-East airman - 50 years after he died when a lethal nerve agent was tested on him. The anniversary comes as Wiltshire Police revealed they are arranging a review to prepare for
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Students' clock tower is a work of art
BRICKWORK students have proved their talent by creating their own clock tower. The students from Bishop Auckland College were set the unusual task as part of their modern apprenticeship course. The design was based upon a typical brickwork clock for the
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New wheels for trek
FIFTEEN firefighters are cycling the length of France for charity with the help of two Chester-le-Street firms. The group set off from Calais on Monday and are spending five days cycling about 1,000 miles to Monte Carlo. Two of the bikes, worth about
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Schoolboy guilty of indecent assault
A schoolboy who attacked an older girl in a cornfield was remanded on bail after appearing in court yesterday. Dale Hutchinson, 15, attacked the girl by grabbing her sweater and sitting on her. His 18-year-old victim told the jury at Teesside Crown Court
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Work scheme is just the job for homeless people
Headhunting The Homeless (BBC2) Apart from her name, Carol Thatcher has nothing in common with her more famous namesake and ex-Prime Minister's daughter. She's been homeless for a decade, unemployed for twice as long, suffered from mental health problems
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Refinery to process 'green' oil
AN oil company is pioneering an environmentally-friendly green fuel on Teesside. Petroplus, the Dutch-owned oil group which owns and operates the Teesside Refinery, has begun blending its Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel (ULSD) with oil from a renewable fuel
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Please let me spend some money
It's strange to observe how otherwise successful companies can remain oblivious to a chink in their armour that can turn success into failure. I remember several years ago when Marks & Spencer were going through a major blip which was knocking them
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Demo planned at Test match
A SHADOW of political protest hangs over next month's historic first cricket Test match at Chester-le-Street. Durham's Riverside ground in Chester-le-Street will stage the second Test of Zimbabwe's cricket tour of England. But members of the Stop the
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Swim for charity
AN annual Swimathon which has raised thousands of pounds for charity will be held at the weekend. The event, organised for the last 22 years by the Rotary, Lions and Rotaract Clubs, has raised £260,000 for charities in Sedgefield borough. This year's
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Councillor faces the axe
A COUNCILLOR faces the axe because he has not attended enough meetings. Labour man Keith Murray-Hetherington, who has represented Stanley on Durham County Council since 1997, has been at eight meetings in the past two years. Now he stands to lose his
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Youngsters help to build bird homes
NATURE reserve birds are enjoying new homes thanks to a youth project. Young people from Quarrington Hill worked with Durham City Council's community team and Durham County Council's countryside team to build around 40 bird boxes for the village's new
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Lib-Dems seize power
DURHAM is under new management after the Liberal Democrats sensationally ended Labour's 20-year grip on the city council. The troubled authority's new masters, who campaigned against cronyism, mismanagement and secrecy, pledged a new style of administration
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£45m shops plan submitted
PLANS for a £45m shopping development, first revealed in The Northern Echo last month, have now been submitted to council chiefs. St Martin's Property Investments is seeking formal approval from Darlington Borough Council for a project which would transform
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Music festival returns
BRASS bands, choirs and budding young musicians from across the region will come together this weekend, for a popular music festival. The Consett Music Festival starts in Blackfyne Community School, Consett, this Friday. The brass band contest is first
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Seminar on technology
FIRMS on Teesside struggling to get ahead on the information superhighway are being offered help. Computer expert Dr Alan Jones is inviting medium-sized and large companies to a free seminar. He said: "Broadband is close to reality for most businesses
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Nothing's black and white when it come to billboard advertising
SPORTS firm Adidas yesterday denied acting provocatively by advertising the new Newcastle United strip only a few hundred yards from the home of arch rivals Sunderland. Disgruntled fans attacked the billboard and daubed its black and white stripes with
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Grassroots: Chester-le-Street, Birtley and District
PICTURE MEMORIES: David Calvert will hold a postcard fair from 10.30am to 4pm on Saturday, May 17 in the North Lodge Annexe of Park View Community Association. INSPIRING STAFF: Durham Business Club will hold a workshop about motivating staff at Durham
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Congregation says farewell to a bishop
A PACKED cathedral said a final farewell to a clergyman who died last week shortly before he was due to retire. The Bishop of Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, the Right Reverend Frank Weston, had a reputation as a trouble-shooter, stepping in times of
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Campaign pays off as play park opens
RESIDENTS reaped the rewards of a four-year campaign when they celebrated the opening of a £120,000 play area. The Park House Play Area in Lanchester, came about after people joined the parish council in raising money for community facilities and formed
