Archive
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Motorists in court to answer charges
THE following cases were dealt with at South Durham Magistrates' Court, in Darlington, yesterday. CASE ADJOURNED: Maurice Binks, 78, of West End, Witton-le-Wear, was charged with driving without due care and attention. The case was adjourned until June
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Month-long crackdown will target speeding blackspots
POLICE have launched a month-long crackdown on drivers who flout speed limits on County Durham's busiest roads. Over the next four weeks the county's 130 traffic officers will be taking the force's mobile speed camera to speeding blackspots. They will
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Pensioner's antique rings taken by bogus rose-seller
THIEVES stole antique rings and cash after conning their way into a pensioner's home. A man and a woman called on the 81-year-old at her flat in Oxclose, Washington, Wearside, on Thursday, at about 7.15pm. The man asked if the elderly woman how she was
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Buyers warned of doorstep traders
A DOOR-TO-DOOR furniture seller is being investigated by trading standards as officers continue to crack down on cold calling. The seller, known to operate in North Yorkshire by knocking at people's doors or stopping them in the street, has recently been
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Speeding drink-driver ignored friends' pleas
ROOFER Darryl Woodhouse ignored his friends' warnings about his driving before entering a town at 75mph,overturning his car, leaving two of his passengers lying injured, a court heard yesterday. Michael Hammond, prosecuting told Harrogate magistrates
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Giant step towards fitness
A GIANT footprint is being used to symbolise Leg-It! Day UK next week - encouraging people to use their legs to get to work or school. Boyes, in Northallerton, has joined forces with North Yorkshire County Council to support the event on Thursday, June
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Watch the language or you'll be barred
NORTH-East drinkers who use foul language in pubs could be asked to leave. JD Wetherspoons, which has 20 pubs in the region, has said it will evict people who use swear words that cause offence to others. The company plans to put warnings about using
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Forest virtually greener
AN interactive CD-Rom has been created which allows people to view the landscape of the Tees Valley and shows how virtual woodland can be created with a click of the mouse. The Tees Forest and the Virtual Reality Centre at the University of Teesside have
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Police launch operation to stop drivers breaking limit
POLICE have launched a month-long crackdown on drivers who flout speed limits on County Durham's busiest roads. Over the next four weeks the county's 130 traffic officers will be taking the force's mobile speed camera to speeding blackspots. They will
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Iraq war soldier fined
A SOLDIER just home from Iraq appeared in court yesterday accused of driving without insurance. Before South Durham magistrates in Darlington yesterday, Robert James Hewson, 22, of Cunbry Barracks, Catterick Garrison, admitted driving with no insurance
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New home for sports trophy
ONE of the region's oldest sporting trophies has found a new home. This year's Wilf Mannion Memorial Ellis Cup went to Normanby and Eston Social Club, which beat South Bank St Peter's 4-0 in the 106th final on Saturday. The goalscorers were Graham Baverstock
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Inquiry into estate blaze
A FIRE on an industrial estate is being treated as arson. A transit-type van was damaged after a fire started next to a skip on St Helen Industrial Estate, St Helen Auckland, near Bishop Auckland. Rubbish from the skip, which was next to Custom Design
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'Neighbour threatened to have police rape me'
A WOMAN threatened her neighbour that she would get police to rape her, a court heard yesterday. Marie Spenceley and Michelle Beech fell out over complaints about Ms Spenceley playing loud music until after 3am. Miss Beech, 33, told a jury that Ms Spenceley
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Political map on drawing board
DRAFT recommendations which could redraw the political map of North Yorkshire have been published after more than a year of research. Based on proposals from the county, they are designed to provide a better electoral balance across England's largest
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New home for sports trophy
ONE of the region's oldest sporting trophies has found a new home. This year's Wilf Mannion Memorial Ellis Cup went to Normanby and Eston Social Club, which beat South Bank St Peter's 4-0 in the 106th final on Saturday. The goalscorers were Graham Baverstock
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MP praises social housing development
FIFTEEN homes on the site of a former auction mart in Barnard Castle were praised yesterday when they were opened by MP Derek Foster. Mr Foster said the development for the over-50 age group was extremely tasteful and in keeping with other buildings in
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Marriage of convenience
THE battle for supermarket supremacy gained added impetus yesterday with the announcement that Sainsbury's will open 100 convenience stores across the country. The store chain has joined forces with Shell to develop the outlets at petrol stations and
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Beardsley no bully, rules FA inquiry
FOOTBALL legend Peter Beardsley was last night in the clear after an FA Premier League inquiry rejected claims of bullying and intimidation at Newcastle United. The former United and England striker had been at the centre of allegations made by youth
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Chefs are invited to show off curries
CURRY chefs from Middlesbrough are being urged to take part in an annual competition. Middlesbrough Council is inviting applications from curry chefs across the town to take part in this year's competition, which will be held the week beginning June 23
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Setting sail for the Boat Show
A SMALL family-run North-East boatyard is to unveil a new luxury motor yacht at the Boat Show, in Southampton. The 12 metre-long craft is the first to be developed by Wilstream Luxury Yachts and is the brainchild of Jonathan Wilson, 26, who has taken
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Play area will be a tribute to councillor
A LASTING tribute has been created in memory of a parish councillor who served his local community for more than 40 years. Ross Thompson, who died in June last year, had lived in and worked for the village of Copt Hewick, near Ripon, since 1956. After
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Pop star's brother back in trouble
THE wayward brother of Girls Aloud star Cheryl Tweedy has ended up in court again - weeks after vowing to turn his life around for her sake. Andrew Tweedy, 22, embarrassed his sister with a court appearance just a day before her triumphant homecoming
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Xpansys beats off software giants
SOFTWARE company Xpansys Limited has beaten off competition from global software giants Microsoft and Oracle to win public sector contracts in the North-East. The Middlesbrough firm, established under two years ago, spent nearly 18 months developing an
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Tennis club has home after facilities are upgraded
A TENNIS club is hoping to go from strength to strength now its new facilities are complete. Sedgefield Tennis Club opened in 1994, using courts at the former Winterton Hospital, but there were no changing rooms, toilets or other facilities. After a spell
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Tracey launches team to cut down travelling
TEENAGER Tracey Wond has a passion for football - so much so that she has started a team. The 18-year-old, from South Otterington, near Northallerton, used to travel to Darlington twice a week to play in a ladies' side. But she wanted a base closer to
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News in brief: Appeal issued after death
POLICE are trying to trace the relatives of a 76-year-old woman found dead on Saturday. Margaret Barwick was found in a bedroom at the Grand Duke pub, in Eston. Police said her death was not suspicious. She lived in the Grangetown area and a check through
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News in brief: MP volunteers her name
Vale of York Tory MP Anne McIntosh plans to make a practical contribution to back up her support for National Volunteers' Week. She officially opened the Thirsk and Sowerby Volunteer Bureau a fortnight ago - and now plans to put her name forward as a
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White is back for Yorkshire
England all-rounder Craig White makes his first appearance of the season for Yorkshire at Bradford Park Avenue tomorrow in the three-day match against Bradford-Leeds Universities' Centre of Excellence. White, who played in the Ashes series and the World
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73-year-old locked out of home in bill mix-up
A PENSIONER returned from a shopping trip to find she had been locked out of her flat by British Gas following a mix-up. Jean Llewellyn, 73, had popped out for an hour to do her shopping but when she returned she found her flat in Anson House, Thornaby
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Crocodiles, alligators, snakes and rats found in squalor, court told
A MAN went on trial yesterday accused of keeping crocodiles, alligators, pythons and terrapins in squalid conditions in an old outbuilding. Colin Shaw, 41, is facing 27 separate charges of causing unnecessary suffering to the exotic animals. Lawyers for
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Colliery goes from black to green
THE transformation of a former County Durham mine and cokeworks into a landscaped open public space has been completed. Hawthorn Colliery and Cokeworks, near Murton, east Durham, has been the focus of a £17.7m clearance and reclamation scheme. The project
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Air show visitors invited on a virtual tour
YORKSHIRE Forward, the regional development agency, will showcase Engineering of the Future at the world's largest air show. Paris will be the venue for the unveiling of a virtual tour of the agency's Advanced Manufacturing Park, which is expected to
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Tanya gets vote in sexy women list
SIX months ago, 21-year-old Tanya Robinson led an ordinary life - now she has been voted one of the sexiest women in the world. Following her success in FHM magazine's High Street Honeys modelling competition, Tanya, from Richmond, North Yorkshire, has
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Bastia cool on Lilian
SUNDERLAND were last night warned that Bastia will not break the bank to sign Lilian Laslandes. After Laslandes claimed that Sunderland were demanding £1m for his signature, the French club confessed they were working within a financial straitjacket.
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Last Night's TV: Spooky goings-on at the top of the intelligence tree
Spooks (BBC1) : MI5 man Tom Quinn really knows how to sweet talk a woman. "Thirty-six per cent of all detonators fail on improvised explosive devices," he told girlfriend Ellie. "That's very reassuring," she noted, with more than a trace of saracasm.
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Comment: Avoiding the cultural divide
THOSE who question the status of being European Capital of Culture should look closely at Glasgow. The general perception of the Scottish city was of a rather drab urban sprawl, renowned for social deprivation rather than tourist attractions. That image
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New number plate scanners set to stop crooks in their tracks
A NEW crime-fighting system is to be piloted in the region after trials elsewhere proved to be hugely successful. The North Yorkshire, Cleveland and Northumbria forces are among 23 across the country that will be using sophisticated vehicle number plate
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On your blocks ladies, please
WOMEN from all over the region are being asked to walk, jog or run five kilometres to raise money for Cancer Research. Our sister paper The Northern Echo is supporting this year's Race for Life in Darlington, which aims to raise thousands of pounds for
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Press one if you no longer exist
WE live in the age of instant communication. Sorry, let me rephrase that: we live in the age of instant non-communication. My last week's experiences rival anything in George Orwell's 1984 or Franz Kafka's paranoid social satire The Trial. First thing
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03/06/03
EUROPE: WITH the prospect of the EU Constitution being signed up to without the consent of the British people, I will follow with interest the position of the elected representatives of the people of the North-East, both MPs and MEPs. Who amongst them
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Minister to attend RAF base meeting
A GOVERNMENT minister is stepping into the controversy surrounding the planned upgrade of an RAF base for the US Son of Star Wars missile defence programme. Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram will be discussing the implications of the upgrade of RAF Fylingdales
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So where were you, Dr Bridge?
CASTING an eye over a not inconsiderable panel of heavyweight politicians, union leaders and businessmen at Sunday's steel summit, it was painfully clear there should have been two extra seats. Closing that eye and listening for a second instead, it became
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Search launched for best bobby
A SEARCH has been launched to find North Yorkshire's best bobby. The county's 2003 Community Police Officer of the Year competition seeks to identify the officers who have contributed most to life in the county's local areas. Local people and organisations
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Teenagers take over home on show
Michael and Suzanne Nugent have let themselves in for every parent's nightmare - having teenagers run their home. The Hartlepool couple have agreed to let their children Nathan, 16, and Tobias, 12, redesign their home for the TV cameras. The result -
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Job Search: Vacancies
RGN Grade D, Durham. £9.20ph, 30hpw, 8am-4pm/4pm-9pm on rota basis. Ref: DUR36120. Warehouse operative. £4.80ph, 40hpw, 5/7 days. Experience with forklift essential. Will be responsible for cleanliness of warehouse. Ref: DUR36232. Hairstylist, Durham.
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Starring role for campus
A company set up to help fund and support technology projects in the region has chosen Gateshead's Knowledge Campus as its headquarters. North Science and Technology Application Resource (NorthSTAR) opted for the Tyneside site ahead of NetPark in Sedgefield
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Waste firm hopes village will do a deal
A DEAL is likely to be struck with village residents and business people who have campaigned against the building of a waste transfer site on their doorstep. It is hoped that the hundreds of people who wrote letters of complaint over plans to build the
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Leisure staff log on
A NEW computer system is being installed at four Hambleton leisure centres. Receptionists at centres in Thirsk, Bedale, Northallerton and Stokesley are this week getting to grips with the new Leisure Management System that has replaced the ageing software
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Tensor takes star billing in a catalogue of inventive ideas
PICK up a Sunday newspaper or weekly television guide and you will often be astounded at what falls out of their glossy confines. Usually, it's a mix of gadget catalogues, selling everything from cat and dog garden scarers to limescale removers and mousetraps
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Eating Owt: Taking Cover from the kelpie
Fantastic food and the smiliest of service... all that was missing was the violins. SINCE last week's column, the region appears to have talked of little else than the name of the Woodentops' dog. Was it simply Spotty, as a docile Dalmatian might reasonably
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Sharp rise in complaints by rail users
THE number of complaints made by disgruntled passengers to the North-East's railway watchdog shot up last year by more than 16 per cent. The Rail Passengers' Committee (RPC) for the North-East reveals in its annual report that it received 1,461 complaints
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Our cultured pearl?
TOMORROW is D-Day for the North-East when it is revealed who will win the European Capital of Culture 2008 title. After years of hard work and preparation, the Newcastle-Gateshead bid has become the bookmakers' favourite to be named as the winner from
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Film challenging disability cited in 2008 capital bid
A PIONEERING film is earning national recognition for the way it challenges disability. Black comedy Killer Cure is the third film made by Shout Your Mouth Off, a group of disabled people in Middlesbrough. It will be shown at the National Film Theatre
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Pendragon overtakes expectations
PENDRAGON, the UK's largest car dealership group, saw its shares jump 22p to 393p after telling the City that profits for the full year were likely to be ahead of market hopes. There had been concerns that the short-term outlook for new car demand would
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Hunt's short trip from Tantobie to Test duty
DURHAM scorer Brian Hunt makes his Test debut on Thursday after starting in an Evenwood second team match at Tantobie. "It's when I look back on that it really hits home what Durham have achieved and how lucky I am to have been a part of it," he said.
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Detective in court over brain damage husband
A DETECTIVE left a man permanently brain damaged when he felled him with a single punch during a stag night out, a court heard yesterday. Detective Constable John Beresford, 43, lashed out after father-of-three Graeme McMillan sprang to his wife's defence
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Murder bid charge dropped
A CHARGE of attempted murder has been dropped against a North-East man. Alan Rees, 37, from Darlington, was declared not guilty of the offence at Teeside Crown Court yesterday. The case comes after a shopkeeper was injured during an incident outside his
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BA sells German arm for 72p
BRITISH Airways has sold its German arm for 72p - just over two months after low cost carrier easyJet scrapped plans to buy it. Nuremburg aviation consultancy Intro Verwaltungsgesellschaft has agreed to pay one euro for dba (formerly Deutsche BA). Under
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Job Search: Vacancies
Hairstylist: Bishop Auckland, national minimum wage, 16 hours per week. Must have at least two years' salon experience and be qualified to NVQ Levels 1 and 2. BIS11569. Youth worker: West Cornforth, £16,515 to £17,442 pro rata, 20 hours pw, youth and
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Dairy bid to be debated
A BID has been submitted to build a dairy and milk distribution depot on the Drum Industrial Estate, in Chester-le-Street. If the plans receive approval, a storage building will be created from where milk would be sent to retailers. At a later stage,
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In celebration of volunteers
EGYPTIAN and flamenco dancers will entertain hard-working volunteers in Darlington on Thursday. People from more than 20 organisations will have the chance to try activities including Morris and clog dancing and Indian head massage. The event has been
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Teenage robber threatened victims with knife
A TEENAGER who produced a Stanley knife during a street robbery was given an 18-month detention order at Teesside Crown Court yesterday. Paul Newcombe, prosecuting, told the court that on December 16 the 15-year-old had approached a youth in Conniscliffe
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Food winners are rewarded
ART competition winners were rewarded for their efforts with certificates and prizes yesterday. To mark National Food Safety Week next week, youngsters from schools across Sunderland were invited to design posters. The competition's 24 winners received
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News in brief: Appeal issued after death
POLICE are trying to trace the relatives of a 76-year-old woman found dead on Saturday. Margaret Barwick was found in a bedroom at the Grand Duke pub, in Eston. Police said her death was not suspicious. She lived in the Grangetown area and a check through
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Season ends with third cup triumph
THE most successful primary school football team in Darlington's history has won its third cup of the season. The Darlington Primary Schools football squad, which is made up of pupils from across the borough, has proved to be a real winner. The team finished
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Police launch operation to stop drivers breaking limit
POLICE have launched a month-long crackdown on drivers who flout speed limits on County Durham's busiest roads. Over the next four weeks the county's 130 traffic officers will be taking the force's mobile speed camera to speeding blackspots. They will
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Tennis club has home after facilities are upgraded
A TENNIS club is hoping to go from strength to strength now its new facilities are complete. Sedgefield Tennis Club opened in 1994, using courts at the former Winterton Hospital, but there were no changing rooms, toilets or other facilities. After a spell
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News in brief: School fields sale meeting
GOVERNORS at a Darlington school will meet education chiefs today to discuss the proposed sale of playing fields. Darlington Borough Council wants to sell playing fields at Longfield Comprehensive School to fund a tennis centre. Residents have until Saturday
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Motorists in court to answer charges
THE following cases were dealt with at South Durham Magistrates' Court, in Darlington, yesterday. CASE ADJOURNED: Maurice Binks, 78, of West End, Witton-le-Wear, was charged with driving without due care and attention. The case was adjourned until June
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Signing on dot.com line
LOCAL government is big business and councils spend billions of pounds a year on goods and services. Now, Best Value Procurement (BVP), in Barnard Castle, County Durham, is cashing in on the growth of e-procurement - the buying of services over the Internet
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Protests at shopping centre plan
RESIDENTS who will be affected by the creation of a £45m shopping complex have launched a petition against the development. Nearly 200 people have protested against the centre, which will incorporate Darlington's Queen Street arcade. Plans have been submitted
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Boy mugged for £13 in piggy bank
A CHILD was robbed of his piggy bank containing £13 in small change in Hartlepool at the weekend. The 11-year-old was with a friend outside Barclays Bank, in York Road, when two older boys on mountain bikes approached him. One of the boys held the victim
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Five more staff needed for maternity unit to re-open
A MATERNITY hospital is on course to re-open after a successful recruitment drive, but more midwives must be employed first. Campaigners joined forces across east Cleveland and north-east Yorkshire when South Tees NHS Trust closed the maternity unit at
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Five are arrested over village shooting
FIVE people were arrested yesterday after a man was shot in the centre of a North-East village. The 35-year-old victim, who has not yet been named, was taken to hospital with a bullet in his liver. The shooting took place in the early hours in High Street
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Holiday business passes on advice
A SUCCESSFUL e-business in north-west Durham is giving tips on the growing industry to pupils. Youngsters from St John's RC Comprehensive, in Bishop Auckland, visited Holiday CD, based in the E-Business Centre in Consett. The company puts holiday brochures
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Hospital unit stays closed in midwives shortage
A MATERNITY hospital is on course to re-open after a successful recruitment drive - but more midwives must be employed first. Campaigners formed a "Mums Army" across east Cleveland and north-east Yorkshire when South Tees NHS Trust closed the maternity
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Tennis course for children
TWO ten-week tennis coaching courses for under-nines and under-13s have been organised at Saltburn and Redcar. Saltburn Tennis Club has Saturday sessions for under-nines from 11am to noon, and under-13s from noon to 1pm, starting on Saturday. Zetland
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News in brief: Probe into two village fires
AN investigation has been launched after firefighters were called to two blazes in Dawdon, which are suspected to be linked. In the first, late on Sunday night, an unoccupied house in Staverdale Street West was severely damaged, and in the second, minor
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Secret garden display sheds light on glass artist's work
DECORATIVE gardens surrounding a Medieval manor house have become something of a crystal maze. Fourteen glass artists from across the North-East are displaying examples of their latest work in the walled gardens of Crook Hall, in Durham. Members of the
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Watch the language or you'll be barred
NORTH-East drinkers who use foul language in pubs could be asked to leave. JD Wetherspoons, which has 20 pubs in the region, has said it will evict people who use swear words that cause offence to others. The company plans to put warnings about using
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Pop star's brother back in trouble
THE wayward brother of Girls Aloud star Cheryl Tweedy has ended up in court again - weeks after vowing to turn his life around for her sake. Andrew Tweedy, 22, embarrassed his sister with a court appearance just a day before her triumphant homecoming
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'200,000 jobs to go at call centres'
UP to 200,000 UK call centre jobs could go abroad in the next five to ten years, it was claimed last night. The Communication Workers Union (CWU) warned that rock-bottom wages for workers at Indian call centres could see companies move customer service
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Village school awarded skills quality mark
ONE of County Durham's smallest village schools has been awarded the quality mark of the Basic Skills Agency for the high standard of its teaching. The award has been presented to the 30-pupil school at Woodland, near Barnard Castle. Headteacher, Marilyn
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Youngsters set off on charity run
PRIMARY school pupils have promised to complete the region's biggest race, even if it takes them weeks. During the summer term, pupils at Ox Close Primary School, Spennymoor, will run the distance of the Great North Run. They began yesterday and aim to
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Brass masters help children
YOUNG musicians will get a masterclass in brass before performing in a concert. Players from Consett Junior Brass will work with White River Brass in a workshop in Consett Junior School. White River is a six-piece made up of leading members of the Black
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Sisters fall victims
POLICE are urging pensioners to watch out after two elderly sisters fell victim to thieves. A man and a woman got away with a handbag containing £170 from a house in East Street, Blackhall. The sisters, aged 87 and 73, had returned from shopping and were
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Youth justice group gets Czech visitors
THE workings of the youth justice system on Teesside come under international scrutiny this week. A group of civil servants and policy-makers from the Czech Republic will be in the area to study the work of the South Tees Youth Offending Team (YOT). The
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Aboriginal artist teaches youngsters about culture Down Under
YOUNGSTERS in Hartlepool explored the magic of aboriginal culture yesterday. Children from West View Primary School met aboriginal artist Francis Firebrace at a workshop, where Mr Firebrace combined stories and traditional dancing with philosophy. Mr
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Study looks at chapel future
Wider community use of a 137-year-old chapel and its adjoining schoolroom will be looked at in a feasability study. A decision on the future of Grewelthorpe Methodist Chapel, near Ripon, is expected at the end of this year. Ripon area Superintendent Methodist
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Magpies consider Kon man
NEWCASTLE UNITED target Paul Konchesky has revealed he could be forced to quit Charlton Athletic. The Magpies have been monitoring the 20-year-old's services in recent months and manager Sir Bobby Robson has been considering a swoop. Robson is keen to
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Mayor's charity boost for craft workshop
A SMALL craft workshop which employs four people with learning disabilities and sells its products in visitor centres, shops and by mail order, has been given a financial boost. The newly installed Mayor of Harrogate, Councillor Ian Galloway, who represents
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Fortunes changing for team in FA row
IT was nearly a tale of dashed hopes and crushing defeat. But a woman's football team who had their sponsorship deal disallowed have found their saviour - in the form of a hypnotist. Chester-le-Street Ladies' Football Club thought their financial worries
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News in brief: Cancer group boosts funds
A MILLIONAIRE'S night organised by Teesdale Cancer Research committee at Barnard Castle Cricket Club raised £472. A stall at the annual Meet raised an additional £170. The next committee meeting will be on Tuesday, June 24, at 7pm. On Wednesday, July
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News in brief: Probe into two village fires
AN investigation has been launched after firefighters were called to two blazes in Dawdon, which are suspected to be linked. In the first, late on Sunday night, an unoccupied house in Staverdale Street West was severely damaged, and in the second, minor
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Anger as popular green is invaded
THE annual pilgrimage to a famous horse fair has left residents of a market town angry after travellers descended on an area of public land. More than 20 travelling families on their way to Appleby, in Cumbria, have parked their caravans and started grazing
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Southgate dreams of European nights
GARETH SOUTHGATE last night gave Middlesbrough some more worrying words by warning: 'I'm desperate to play in the Champions League.' The Boro skipper will play at the heart of England's defence against Serbia & Montenegro tonight, as he is given another
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Pensioner's antique rings taken by bogus rose-seller
THIEVES stole antique rings and cash after conning their way into a pensioner's home. A man and a woman called on the 81-year-old at her flat in Oxclose, Washington, Wearside, on Thursday, at about 7.15pm. The man asked if the elderly woman how she was
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Dunlop hits right Note
JOHN DUNLOP'S runners are always to be feared at Lingfield so bookmakers will most likely be running scared of Winning Note (2.45) in the seven-furlong First Title Stakes. Despite starting at the relatively unfancied odds of 16-1 on her seasonal reappearance
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Rare camera is focus of a lot of attention
A RARE camera used by the Germans during the Second World War is expected to spark a lot of interest at an auction later this month. The Leica camera, hand-painted blue-grey and used by the German military, will go under the hammer at Tennants auctioneers
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White Helmets thriller on way
ONE of the world's most famous motorcycle stunt teams will be among the highlights of this year's open day at Britain's biggest military base. The Royal Signals Motorcycle Display Team, better known as the White Helmets, will be in action at Catterick
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£8m display of bike power
HUNDREDS of bikers roared across the North-East at the weekend. More than 200 Harley-Davison owners from the region met up with 420 fellow bikers from Norway at North Shields, North Tyneside, on Friday night. The bikers then headed to a festival in York
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Making new friends is good business
AN event to help companies identify potential business partners takes place next month. The event, being run by Service Network, at the Gosforth Park Hotel, is part of the Growing Business Conference hosted by the Whyman Group. The event is free and will
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Training provider in £40,000 office move
ONE of the region's leading training providers has invested more than £40,000 in a move to refurbished premises in Sunderland. The North East Chamber of Commerce plans to improve training opportunities on Wearside by centralising its Sunderland operations
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Falcons switch on to power sponsors
Newcastle Falcons rugby club is receiving an electrical surge of sponsorship for next season. LG Electronics UK and Northern Electric have teamed up as joint associate sponsors of the Kingston Park club. The two-year sponsorship deal kicks off from the
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Mowbray fancies a crack at Pool job
TONY Mowbray is ready to make his move to become Hartlepool United's new manager. The Ipswich Town coach is currently mulling over his options at Portman Road after being offered a new contract by boss Joe Royle. But, following the departure of Mike Newell
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Senior college staff to brief politicians
COLLEGE staff will travel to London today to brief politicians on their progress in training the nation's workforce. Darlington College of Technology is one of two in the North-East invited to attend a parliamentary reception. Senior staff from Darlington
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Job Search: Vacancies
Sales representative, Northallerton, 40hpw, 10am-8pm, flexible. To work for international wine company. Must have driving licence and own car to start. Must have good customer care skills. Ref: NOE19192. Administrative assistant, Northallerton. 37hpw,
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Five are arrested over village shooting
FIVE people were arrested yesterday after a man was shot in the centre of a North-East village. The 35-year-old victim, who has not yet been named, was taken to hospital with a bullet in his liver. The shooting took place in the early hours in High Street
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Spooky goings-on at the top of the intelligence tree
Spooks (BBC1) MI5 man Tom Quinn really knows how to sweet talk a woman. "Thirty-six per cent of all detonators fail on improvised explosive devices," he told girlfriend Ellie. "That's very reassuring," she noted, with more than a trace of saracasm. She
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School pioneers brain gym for pupils
A NORTH-EAST school is testing a revolutionary "brain gym" exercise scheme which aims to help pupils hit new academic heights. Youngsters at Polam Hall School, in Darlington, regularly take part in simple classroom exercises which are said to integrate
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Funeral director cheated rival
A FUNERAL director who diverted calls from a former business partner to win work has been warned he faces jail. Christopher Westcott, 38, was described as "a conman and fraudster" by a judge after he admitted obtaining funeral work by claiming a former
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Absent walkers threaten famous race
ONE of the biggest events in the fell-racing calendar is in danger of being cancelled because the number of people wanting to take part has plummeted. Only six people have so far signed up for the famous Lyke Wake Race this year, putting the future of
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Doctors help out in Iraq
TWO doctors are spending two weeks in Iraq to help with the post-war humanitarian crisis. Consultant anaesthetists Steve Benford and Karim Hussain, who work at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, are part of the Human Relief Foundation's aid programme
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Port honours hedge tradition
THE 800-year-old tradition of planting a Penny Hedge in Whitby Harbour has taken place. According to local legend, the hedge has to be built and withstand three tides as a penance for the murder of a hermit by three noblemen. The Abbot of Whitby ordered
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Taking Cover from the kelpie
Fantastic food and the smiliest of service... all that was missing was the violins. SINCE last week's column, the region appears to have talked of little else than the name of the Woodentops' dog. Was it simply Spotty, as a docile Dalmatian might reasonably
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£5m boost for adult learning
A MULTI-million pound learning programme has been given the go-ahead in North Yorskhire to help adults, many of who live in remote areas of the county. A range of ideas, including on-line learning in pubs, is part of the North Yorkshire education service
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Woman jailed after dog is left to starve to death
A DOG owner was jailed for two months yesterday after allowing one animal to die and leaving another emaciated. Durham Magistrates' Court heard that Tracy Turnbull, 41, of Oxhill Villas, New Kyo, Stanley, County Durham, inherited her partner's Staffordshire
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House prices prop up consumer confidence
ECONOMISTS are tipping the Bank of England's rate-setting committee to keep UK interest levels at a 48-year low of 3.75 per cent when it meets on Thursday. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is expected to heed recent economic indicators which show the
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News in brief: Truant boy's mother fined
THE mother of a 15-year-old boy from Station Town, east Durham, was fined £100 and ordered to pay £80 costs yesterday for failing to ensure that he attended school. Durham Magistrates' Court heard that in a five-month period, from last November to March
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Quakers skipper might look elsewhere
Darlington skipper Craig Liddle last night admitted he fears next season may be his last with the club after failing to land a new contract. The influential defender, whose current deal expires at the end of next season, is keen to see out his playing
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'Cut-backs' county considers big rise for its councillors
COUNCILLORS are about to vote themselves an inflation-busting 13 per cent pay rise in the face of school and care home closures. The Northern Echo understands that Durham County Council's 61 members could end up seeing their basic allowances boosted by
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Harmison's debt to Hussain
STEPHEN Harmison last night thanked Nasser Hussain for making his Riverside Test dream come true. Harmison, 24, will line up in Durham's debut Test on Thursday after being helped through a welter of troubles by England captain Hussain. The Ashington Express
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Performers go outdoors
THE Chapterhouse Theatre Company is going outdoors. It will perform Romeo and Juliet, on July 17, and Much Ado About Nothing, on August 20, from 7.30pm, at Palace Green, Durham. Tickets and information are available by calling 0191-334 4119 or 0191-384
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Fortunes changing for team in FA row
IT was nearly a tale of dashed hopes and crushing defeat. But a woman's football team who had their sponsorship deal disallowed have found their saviour - in the form of a hypnotist. Chester-le-Street Ladies' Football Club thought their financial worries
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Jailed for child abuse 30 years ago
A MAN was jailed for six years yesterday for sexually abusing a child 30 years ago. The schoolboy victim of George Sirrell kept silent until he saw him again last year, said Stephen Ashurst, prosecuting. Sirrell, now 60, was found guilty after a Teesside
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Charities receive cash boost
TWO charities have been given a boost by the former chairman of Richmondshire District Council, James Kendall. The North Yorkshire branch of Motor Neurone Disease Association and the Northallerton and District Diabetic Association received £3,116 between
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Those WMDs, they seek them everywhere
Six weeks after the fall of Saddam, there's still no sign of those weapons of mass destruction. Nick Morrison asks if we were conned into going to war - and what that means for Tony Blair. WITH the most formidable military power the world has ever seen
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Dewhirst jobs still hanging in the balance
HUNDREDS of clothing comp-any workers were still in the dark about their futures last night as union representatives and bosses continued to discuss plans for 380 job losses. Company bosses at Dewhirst and leaders of the GMB union met yesterday to launch
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New force set to patrol
POLICING in North Yorkshire has moved into a new era with the appointment of 38 community support officers. They will be deployed across the county and are part of Chief Constable Della Cannings' drive to put more people on the beat. "They will provide
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Pupils under charity run starting orders
PRIMARY school pupils have promised to complete the region's biggest race. During the summer term, pupils at Ox Close Primary School, Spennymoor, will run the distance of the Great North Run - 13 miles for juniors and the 4km children's run for infants