Archive
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North's 'terrible' railway services
PASSENGER groups and MPs last night joined forces to launch a withering attack on the standard of rail services in the North-East. In a report MPs on the Commons Transport Select Committee said it was "intolerable" that the region was so badly served.
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The kitchen where it's Christmas every day
AS it's Midsummer this weekend, we thought we'd talk about Christmas puddings. Not as daft as it sounds. In Lewis and Cooper in Northallerton, they've had plum puds on display since Easter and make them all year round. No sooner have we taken the Christmas
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CIty's ship home for 25th anniversary
A BATTLESHIP sailed up the River Tyne yesterday for a 25th anniversary trip to its spiritual home. HMS Newcastle, which set sail from Portsmouth on Tuesday, will be berthed at Spillars Wharf, in Newcastle. Its programme includes an opportunity for members
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Blair to push asylum scheme at EU summit
PRIME Minister Tony Blair arrived for an EU summit in Greece last night and launched straight into talks on Europe's growing asylum and immigration problems. Mr Blair looked certain to win backing from fellow European leaders for his plan to set up "zones
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Police bid to cut out 'cancer' of dealers
POLICE have vowed to cut out the "evil cancer" of organised crime and tackle drug barons who think they are untouchable. A series of dawn raids was carried out across Middlesbrough yesterday aimed at targeting leaders of the drug-dealing world. Seven
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So Solid Crew gun man jailed
A LEADING member of controversial garage act So Solid Crew was jailed for four years yesterday after being found guilty of fleeing a suspected drugs deal with a loaded gun. Jason Joab Phillips had apparently taken the modified Brocock into a West End
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Tykes left embarrassed by Lancashire attack
Stunned Yorkshire Phoenix never got over the shock of finding themselves flapping on two runs for three wickets after only eight balls in their Twenty20 Cup match against Lancashire Lightning at Old Trafford last night. They managed to recover to 102
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Scotland targets region's teachers
Teachers in the North-East are being targeted by education officials seeking to overcome shortages in the region's counterpart in Scotland. Aberdeen City Council begins a four-day recruitment drive across the North of England in County Durham, on Monday
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Sale offers a fresh lease of life to dormant Sanyo site
THE Sanyo site in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, will be returned to its former manufacturing glory with the creation of 120 jobs. The news is a significant boost to a sector of industry left reeling earlier this week by British American Tobacco's shock
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Takeover is a piece of cake for revived toffee firm
A FATHER and son who saved a famous old toffee firm from extinction just six years ago are expanding into the cake business. Gary Marston and his son Peter rescued Farrah's Original Harrogate Toffee from oblivion in 1997 - only days after customers had
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Councils cracking down on claims
NORTH-EAST council chiefs have launched a fightback against the rising tide of compensation claims. The problem has been growing steadily in recent years, with claims for injuries from broken and damaged pavements running into millions of pounds for some
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Bellion's Sir Alex lunch date
SUNDERLAND forward David Bellion has a lunch date with Sir Alex Ferguson in the south of France on Monday to finalise details of his move to Manchester United. Free agent Bellion will chew the fat with Ferguson and the player's Monaco-based agent Mike
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Sir Liam promises 'every help' to Neale inquiry
BRITAIN'S most senior doctor arrived at the Neale inquiry yesterday and told The Northern Echo he wanted to assist the work of the inquiry in every way possible. Sir Liam Donaldson, the Government's chief medical officer, gave an exclusive interview before
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Recovery still not in sight, says CBI
HOPES of a recovery in the hard-hit manufacturing sector were dashed yesterday because of weak domestic and international demand, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). The CBI's monthly industrial trends survey showed the more competitive
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You're never too old to be a litter lout
STREET litter is an interesting concept. Everyone's against it, everybody insists they never drop it, yet it appears on a daily basis. The frustrating thing is that vast resources are wasted clearing up the totally needless mess. If people were just a
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Former addict wins damages after police meddled in his life
A former drug addict who lost his job, marriage and went back to using heroin because of a "meddling" policeman has been awarded £4,000 damages by a judge. Nigel Cross, 32, a self-confessed former heroin addict, took on Cleveland Police, alleging his
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How to get from beanpole to Bridget
RENEE Zellweger is once again facing the perhaps enviable task of piling on the pounds to play the role of plump, lovelorn Bridget Jones. The normally slimline Texan actress is trying to go from a size 6 to a size 14 in just three months for her new film
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Advertising Agency Wpp announces plans to acquire rival cordiant
ADVERTISING agency WPP yesterday unveiled plans to buy its debt-laden rival, Cordiant, in a deal that will value the company at only £10m. WPP, which is headed by Sir Martin Sorrell, beat off competition from French advertising group Publicis to secure
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Another day, another double for Johnston
ROYAL Ascot once again provided a memorable - and profitable - day for Mark Johnston when the Middleham Maestro made it two doubles in as many days. After Attraction and Pearl of Love came home on Tuesday, yesterday was the turn of Russian Valour in the
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Vicky organises memorial bike ride
A FUNDRAISING bike ride through a North-East beauty spot next month is another way for Vicky Chilcott to say thank you. The County Durham businesswoman was so impressed by the way the Macmillan Cancer Relief charity helped her dying father that she has
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Police rule out church connection to Dowler case
Detectives investigating the murder of 13-year-old Amanda Dowler have finally ruled out any connection to a church where a mystery DNA link was discovered. The Surrey schoolgirl, also known as Milly, disappeared on her way home from school in Walton-on-Thames
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Scientists to explore secrets of attractiveness
The secrets of sexual attractiveness are to be explored by North-East researchers at a major scientific event next month. A team of scientists from Newcastle University, who are studying the underlying genetic mechanisms which determine who we 'fancy'
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Fun lined up for village's annual show
ORGANISERS of this year's Great Aycliffe Show say they have lined up a weekend of fun for all the family. The 22nd annual show will be held on June 21 and 22, from 11am to 5pm both days. Competitions include handcraft exhibition, a five-a-side football
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Pyjama party
A PYJAMA party is to be a feature of the annual fun weekend at Cotherstone, near Barnard Castle, tomorrow. Carnival queen Rachael Allinson will attend the party in the village hall in the evening, after leading the procession at 1pm. On Sunday there will
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Upgraded barricade foils travelling families
A STRONGER barricade put up to prevent travelling people from getting on to riverside land with lorries and caravans has been hailed a success. Residents were delighted to see the Demesnes, a wide pasture by the Tees at Barnard Castle, had been kept clear
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Council scheme blamed for firm's closure
THE man who brought kerbside recycling to Darlington is closing his business after claims of unfair competition from Darlington Borough Council. Michael Grey, of Treesavers, had hoped to continue running his eight-year-old business after the council announced
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Pigeon dies after it becomes ensnared
The RSPCA is urging businesses to ensure that spikes and wire devices used to deter pigeons from nesting on their window ledges are in good condition. The appeal follows the death of a pigeon which became entangled in loose wire on the third floor of
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Inquest verdict on 22-year-old
A MAN found dead on a railway embankment by passing youths was believed to have taken a mix of alcohol and drugs, an inquest was told. Two teenagers came across the body of Dean Timms lying by the side of a track at a junction between the Drum Industrial
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Firm fined after it sold fireworks to child of 14
SELLING fireworks to a 14-year-old working on an undercover sting has cost a firm of newsagents £2,800. United News, of Marshall Avenue, Brambles Farm, Middlesbrough, sold two boxes of fireworks to a 14-year-old only two days after staff were given advice
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Charity is quids in
CAR dealership colleagues lent a charity their support by taking donations to work yesterday. Staff at Reg Vardy's five dealerships on Wearside and at Houghton House, Doxford Park, Sunderland, gave cash as part of Macmillan Cancer Relief's Bring a Pound
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N-E leader maps out priorities
THE new chairman of an influential group representing 25 North-East councils has mapped out his priorities for the coming year. Bob Gibson, leader of Stockton Borough Council, was yesterday appointed chairman of the Association of North East Councils,
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Cornfield sex attack schoolboy locked up
A SCHOOLBOY who carried out a sex attack on a student in a cornfield was locked up yesterday and ordered to register as a sex offender. The 18-year-old victim tried to escape but 15-year-old Dale Hutchinson pinned her down, said prosecutor Shaun Dodds
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Study reveals drinkers suffer memory loss
EVEN moderate drinking affects everyday memory, a study by North-East scientists has shown. Dr Jonathan Ling, senior lecturer in psychology at Teesside University, said he found a significant increase in memory problems among people who said they drank
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Injured boy in tree rescue
An eight-year-old boy was taken to hospital last night after he slipped while climbing a tree, impaling his thigh on a branch. Firefighters last night praised a member of the public who stood on steps to support the boy's weight for ten minutes as he
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Bus driver Raymond picks up a prize motor
REGULAR Northern Echo reader Raymond Stuart had been thinking of trading in his ten-year-old hatchback - and then discovered he had won a new car in a competition run by the newspaper and motor dealership Suzuki Stoneacre. The 58-year-old bus driver from
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Fire crews answer call to meet local children
A NEW support group for childminders working in the Richmond and Catterick area had to call in the fire brigade - but only so the children could see one of the North Yorkshire brigade's appliances up close. Richmondshire Childminding Support Group invited
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Cash for community
COMMUNITY groups are being urged to apply for grants of up to £25,000. The Tees Valley Joint Strategy Unit will provide the money, with priority given to groups that do not have access to European funding. It has acquired £250,000 from a European regional
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Pupils praised in national competition
PUPILS at a Teesside school have come second in a national European Young Consumer competition. Norton School, Norton, near Stockton, which came third in the same contest last year, have been praised by organisers, this year. Their entry had to be submitted
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Open verdict on ex-butcher
A RETIRED butcher died of an overdose of drugs and alcohol which he had used for years to ease back pain, an inquest heard yesterday. Charles Jenkins Mason, 58, died at his home in Ullswater Close, Spennymoor, last June after taking more than three times
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Canoeists lose planning fight
CANOEISTS have lost their fight to prevent a hydropower plant from going ahead in a scheme to sell electricity to the National Grid. The canoe enthusiasts, including the Lower Wharfe and York clubs, objected to plans by the Throup farming family to divert
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Fearless friends are flying high to raise funds
A PARAMEDIC with the North-East Air Ambulance has set off on a death-defying microlite flight to Russia to raise money for the rescue service. Jon Ker, a member of a rapid response team based at Teesside Airport, has joined forces with three friends to
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Virtual village is created at eco event
AN action-packed event to highlight the advantages of green and modern living will be held in the North-East this weekend. The Riverside Cricket Ground, at Chester-le-Street, County Durham, is hosting the family event on Sunday, from 11am to 3pm. Activities
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Entry forms available for floral contest
ENTRY forms are now available for the annual Ferryhill in Bloom competition. The town's floral reputation has grown in recent years, with success in the Northumbria in Bloom competition. Council officials believe that is due, in part, to the high standard
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Woman tried to steal from school
A WOMAN burglar who broke into a school was jailed for two years yesterday. After Anne Marriner, 34, broke into Polam Hall School, Darlington, a broken and bloodstained window was discovered in the early hours and she was arrested nearby. She was bleeding
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Good causes share in record fundraising
Money raised for good causes by last year's mayor of Northallerton was a record £7,000. Hospice Homecare and Northallerton Silver Band have both been presented with cheques for £3,500. Former mayor Jack Dobson organised coffee mornings in the town hall
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A big green monster
MONTI the Recycleable Monster is promoting a scheme to collect cans and glass bottles for recycling at 25,000 homes in east Cleveland. The character has been constructed by children from Kirkleatham Hall School, in Redcar, for the launch of the Green
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Police drop sex attack inquiry
POLICE have dropped their inquiry into a teenage girl's claims that she was sexually assaulted by two men in a late-night attack. The 16-year-old had told detectives that she was subjected to the ordeal as she walked home through Darlington last Wednesday
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Objections dropped to £1.4m bypass scheme
WORK starts in August on a £1.4m bypass which should boost business in a market town. Final objections to the new route through Crook, County Durham, have been dropped, meaning that a public inquiry will not be needed and contractors can start in about
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Cycling innovation helps fundraisers stay safe
A NORTH-EAST invention has helped keep four cycling fundraisers safe in the saddle. The four riders, Paul Mackintosh, Steven Emmerson, Martin Jackson and Bob Hugill, who work at Safeway stores in the Teesside area, joined about 60 other cyclists on a
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Cycle rally to attract 20,000
A MAP which illustrates a two-wheeled tour of part of the region will be launched this weekend. The biggest event of its kind, the York Cycle Rally is expected to attract more than 20,000 people tomorrow and Sunday. The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
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Cultural fun day to be held
PEOPLE are being invited to meet their neighbours this weekend. National Refugee Week will be celebrated with a cultural fun day in Middlesbrough's Stewart Park tomorrow. More than 20 cultures are expected to be represented at the event. Organised by
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Grant help for food workshop
YOUNG people will be taught cookery basics after a workshop received funding from the National Lottery. The Hands on Cookery Workshop, in Durham, has been given £4,567 from the Awards for All programme. It will allow the group to run a free 14-week pilot
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Businessman backs campaign to stop bullying
A BUSINESSMAN who left school without any qualifications after being bullied is backing a campaign to stop the practice. Scott Hillary played truant from school because of bullying and left at 16. However, he was determined not to let the bullies beat
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Residents win campaign to get connected
BROADBAND, the high-speed Internet connection, is to be installed in Richmond following a successful campaign by residents. The Richmondshire Broadband Group persuaded 300 people in the town to sign a register requesting the facility from BT and the company
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Abseil will prove real spectacle
A TEAM of daredevil opticians will be stepping into the unknown this weekend to raise funds for the Royal National Institute for the Blind. A five-strong team from Specsavers in Northallerton plan to put their trust in ropes - and training - when they
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Boy of 12 knocked over by off-road bikers
A 12-YEAR-OLD boy has been run over by an off-road motorbike only a week after police launched a crackdown on the problem. The youngster was hit by the bike in the Eastbourne area of Darlington and needed hospital treatment. The incident followed an unprecedented
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Sport briefs
RUGBY UNION: England have agreed a lucrative new four-and-a-half year deal with Nike as official kit suppliers to the national team. Although the existing sponsorship arrangement does not expire for another six months, Nike have put pen to paper until
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Domestic violence rethink is welcomed
ONE of the North-East's leading domestic violence experts has welcomed the Government's proposals to crack down on violence in the home. Rachel Green, County Durham's strategic domestic violence co-ordinator, described the consultation document as "very
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The sounds of summer
The sound of tennis ball on racquet, the roar of the crowd and Dan Maskell going "Oh I say!".... it takes me back to when I was little, coming home from school during Wimbledon fortnight. My mum, normally in perpetual motion and possessing boundless energy
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Choristers go on the road
CLERGY and choristers from Ripon Cathedral will travel the diocese next month. On Friday, July 4, Aske Hall in Richmond hosts a Midsummer's Eve Concert by the Boy's Choir and Lay Clerks, which starts with a champagne reception at 6.45pm, and performance
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Sailor relishing Cohen showdown
The biggest attendance ever at Melbourne's Telstra Dome was for a WWF wrestling extravaganza, but Wendell Sailor has promised the bumper crowd expected for tomorrow's Cook Cup Test a very different 'clash of the titans'. The former rugby league superstar
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Echo reporter's award success
ONE of The Northern Echo's young reporters has come runner-up in a major national competition. Liz Lamb came second in the News Reporter of the Year category of the Newsquest Editorial Awards 2002, which were held in London yesterday. Newsquest owns The
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Comment: Hear our case, Sir Michael
THE Government yesterday began an investigation into the pros and cons of moving some of its departments from London and the South-East to other regions around the country. Our message to the Government today is that Darlington is a leading contender
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Just when you thought things couldn't get worse...
Murder In Mind (BBC1) LIFE wasn't going well for Tom Robbins. He wasn't so much having a bad day as several months of bad days. He'd lost his business and was having to work for the man who bought it. He'd lost his wife and daughter. He'd lost his home
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In Brief
Publican jailed for killing wife A LOVE-CHEAT publican was jailed for life yesterday for murdering his wife to avoid sharing the money from the sale of their country inn. James Garside boasted to one of his girlfriends that he would shoot his wife Marilyn
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"It's ova, it's ova, it's ova"
IT'S high time Wimbledon opened the ladies' singles with Roy Orbison singing: "It's ova, it's ova, it's ova." There are 15 players already in the women's first round draw whose surnames end in ova, while a further nine won their first round qualifying
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Painting sets auction record for North-East
A PAINTING by Victorian artist Atkinson Grimshaw has sold for £242,000 - a record for an artwork sold in the North-East. The painting, Autumn Gold, was bought by a North-East collector at an auction at Anderson and Garland, in Newcastle. Collectables
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Stabbed farmer's final call to lover
A FARMER spoke to his lover on the telephone just minutes before his estranged wife stabbed him to death in front of their ten-year-old daughter, a court heard yesterday. The jury was told how John Lovegreen sent girlfriend Susan Burnett a text message
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'Failures' led to suicide bid
A NUMBER of "serious systems failures" at a high security jail led to Ian Huntley's suicide bid. Home Office Minister Paul Goggins said an internal report on last week's overdose by the 29-year-old, accused of murdering schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica
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MS sufferer's court battle for cannabis
A MULTIPLE sclerosis sufferer told a court yesterday how she developed cannabis chocolate to help alleviate the symptoms for others suffering from the condition. Elizabeth Ivol, also know as Biz, from Orkney, Scotland, told the trial at Kirkwall Sheriff
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Reid stands firm against consultants
HEALTH Secretary John Reid stood firm against hospital consultants yesterday saying he saw no reason to renegotiate a contract - even though they are on the brink of industrial action. Hospital doctors at a conference in London voted yesterday in favour
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Durham's Love affair with Twenty20 Cup set to begin at Headingley
DURHAM will draft in Martin Love for his Twenty20 Cup debut against Yorkshire at Headingley tonight. The Australian will take over from either Ashley Thorpe or Gordon Muchall and left-arm spinner Graeme Bridge has also been added to the squad. Australian
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UNCOMMON VALOUR. Publisher: Just Flight. Format: PC CD ROM. Price: £29.99
DO you remember Panzer Commander? If you do, then you've obviously been playing video games for an awful long time. For the uninitiated, Panzer Commander was a strategy game that scooped a trophy cabinet full of awards in the early days of PC gaming.
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Business brief
Lending hits record high Mortgage lending was at record levels last month as the market continued to be driven by remortgaging. Total mortgage lending was £21.5bn during May, while credit card lending reached a new high of £506m. The Council of Mortgage
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Teenagers strangled with laces, court told
TWO teenage friends on a holiday island were strangled to death with shoelaces by a small-time drug dealer, a court was told yesterday. Sixteen-year-olds Samantha Barton and George Green were found 350 yards apart. They had also been stabbed and had underwear
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Market report
Investors were given a reminder of the fragile state of the London market yesterday after seeing the FTSE 100 Index go into reverse. The Footsie closed 75.5 points lower at 4131.5 as the blue-chip index lost hold of the gains that had taken it to a nine-month
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Objections dropped to £1.4m bypass scheme
WORK starts in August on a £1.4m bypass which should boost business in a market town. Final objections to the new route through Crook, County Durham, have been dropped, meaning that a public inquiry will not be needed and contractors can start in about
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Drug on track for release
A CANNABIS-based drug that relieves the symptoms of multiple sclerosis is expected to be available on prescription by the end of the year. GW Pharmaceuticals said Sativex, which contains extracts from whole cannabis plants, is on track for release, subject
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MMP celebrates after award of two-year prison contract
A COUNTY Durham company will have two more years behind bars after landing the largest single contract for its Finishes Division. After working on the rerendering of blocks at Durham Prison for the past year under the management of Totty Construction,
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Union boss adds to criticism of privatised railway
Rail union chief Bob Crow has added to the welter of criticism over the state of rail services in the North. Mr Crow, who is general secretary of the Rail Maritime and Transport workers union, said a Commons Transport Select Committee report which slammed
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Patience taxed by payment fiasco
THE working tax credit fiasco - where thousands of people have been unable to contact the constantly-engaged helplines - has taken a new twist. The new scheme is already under fire for the huge delays many are facing in getting the money they are owed
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Farm disease rules 'flouted'
HUNDREDS of farmers and hauliers have been flouting regulations designed to stop a repeat of the foot-and-mouth epidemic, health experts said yesterday. Routine checks on visitors to one of three slaughterhouses revealed that 60 per cent breached rules
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North's 'terrible' railway services
PASSENGER groups and MPs last night joined forces to launch a withering attack on the standard of rail services in the North-East. In a report MPs on the Commons Transport Select Committee said it was "intolerable" that the region was so badly served.
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Pupils shown correct way to deal with emergencies
YOUNGSTERS from rural areas were able to experience emergency situations at first hand during a safety event hosted by the Fire Service. Members of Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service were joined by ambulance crews, police and school nurses
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Community association sets £180,000 fundraising target
A THRIVING community association is hoping to repeat past fundraising successes with a £180,000 appeal. In 1995, Lanchester Community Association raised £250,000 to restore its base in Newbiggen Lane and to buy the building from Durham County Council.
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Young driver banned
A teenager has been disqualified from driving for a year after pleading guilty to having no licence, insurance or MOT. Darlington magistrates heard how Stephen Wilkinson, 19, of Hewitson Road South, Darlington was stopped in the town's Brignall Moor by
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Gas pipes laid
ENGINEERS have successfully laid a new gas pipe line under a Darlington trunk road without any disruption to motorists. They drilled under the A1150, near Great Burdon, a distance of 150 metres, as part of a £2m scheme to meet the town's growing demand
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Over-50s group names winners
THE winners have been announced in a series of contests arranged to encourage people over 50 to stay active. Each summer, Darlington Active Independent and Staying Young (Daisy) organises events for the over-50s in the town. The events are based at sheltered
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Villagers join teachers to fight for school's survival
GOVERNORS and teachers at a school threatened with closure are to campaign with villagers to keep it open. Aycliffe Village Primary School is one of 23 in County Durham which has been earmarked for possible closure in a £300m education shake-up. Following
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Positive vibes as club prepares for first season in new stadium
DARLINGTON FC chairman George Reynolds was in positive mood yesterday as he polished the newly-installed glass top inside the reception area of his £20m stadium. The Football League fixture computer had arranged for the first game to be played at the
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Drive to revive county'sfortunes
A MAJOR effort is being planned to boost the economic fortunes of North Yorkshire over the next few years. Job creation agencies hope to capitalise on the work of a York initiative which has proved spectacularly successful since it was launched in the
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Police turn to bicycles for quicker responses
POLICE are shunning patrol cars in favour of a tried and tested mode of transport. Cleveland Police has ordered extra bicycles for their police after the first bikes proved a success. Sergeant Ian Hudson, of Cleveland Police, said: "With such a large
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We will do better, police promise crimefighters
A POLICE chief admitted last night that his force had failed to support communities wanting to fight crime. But speaking at a relaunch of the Neighbourhood Watch initiative in Darlington, Detective Chief Inspector Andy Reddick said his officers were willing
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Accident verdict on hospital falls patient
AN elderly man died of a brain haemorrhage just over a week after two falls while staying in hospital, an inquest heard yesterday. Retired engineering labourer Thomas William Storey, of Attlee Estate, Tow Law, County Durham, died at Bishop Auckland General
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Girls run up a repeat
ATHLETIC youngsters from one of the county's leading prep schools are celebrating after winning a major trophy and breaking several records. The team of eight, from Queen Mary's School, near Thirsk, won the North-East Prep School Athletic Championships
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Lucky rose wins wizard trip to harry potter's school
SCHOOLGIRL Rose Orr is off to Harry Potter's school after passing a magical entrance exam. The 14-year-old, from Newton Hall, Durham, will spend tonight at Hogwarts School where she will enjoy a banquet, see fire-eaters and magicians and enjoy a "wizarding
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Crunch time beckons for region's clubs
THE 2003-04 campaign promises to be a big year for all five North-East clubs, writes PAUL FRASER. High-flying Newcastle United will be gunning for glory in the Premiership and competing in the Champions League once more. Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren
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In brief
Arson probe after barn fire CHILDREN are believed to be responsible for a blaze which destroyed a farmer's store of hay. About 75 bales of hay and 40 bales of straw were destroyed and the barn they were stored in was gutted. Police are now investigating
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Musicians needed to create band
MUSICIANS are needed to help create a band in a day this weekend. Anyone who can play an instrument has been invited by the organisers of Durham Brass Festival to a workshop tomorrow. Alison Lister, from Durham City Arts, said: "It is primarily for brass
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Residents to be given their say
A COUNCIL is to give its residents the chance to have a say in what council housing could be like in the future. As part of proposed plans to set up a new arms-length organisation to manage Gateshead Borough Council housing, tenants are being asked to
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Retail recovery scheme will hit shop thieves in the pocket
SHOP thieves could find themselves hit extra hard in the pocket after police and retail chiefs launched a major campaign against them. County Durham has been chosen to take part in a scheme which could see offenders face civil action as well as criminal
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Gala final awaiting talented teenagers
A TALENT show designed to provide teenagers with their own ticket to fame and fortune will reach its climax next week. On Sunday, June 29, the finals of talentSTAR's live auditions will be held in the Gala Theatre in Durham, where 25 performers chosen
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Overcrowded buildings will get extension
A COUNCIL which has come in for criticism from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) over the poor standard of some of its offices wants to borrow money from its neighbours to put things right. Cash-strapped Harrogate Borough Council needs a £210,000
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Goalscorer Marco is signed up for dinner
SUNDERLAND football fans still in the doldrums after the team's relegation can lift their spirits at a sportsman's dinner next month. The function, a night of red and white nostalgia, features guest appearances by an array of former Sunderland stars,
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In brief
Nurses urged to return FORMER nurses from North Yorkshire are being encouraged to return to the profession to alleviate recruitment problems. The next Return To Nursing programme will be staged at the University of York starting in September. For further
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Cameras smile on speed-conscious drivers
CAMERAS that smile or frown according to motorists' speeds were unveiled as part of a school safety scheme on Wednesday. The cameras, which will be used in the Safer Routes to School programme for Hetton-le-Hole and Houghton-le-Spring, are Sunderland
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Johnston adds to Royal Ascot joy
NOT content with being the toast of Royal Ascot, Mark Johnston had two further winners at Ripon yesterday with Nuit Sombre and Coolbythepool, writes COLIN WOODS. Both were partnered by Joe Fanning, who was on the wrong end of a losing sequence stretching
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In brief
Cadets prove exam prowess Four members of the 1507 Chester-le-Street Air Cadets squadron have passed their Staff Part 1 exam, enabling them to obtain a BTec in aviation. Four cadets passed their senior exams and one cadet passed his Leading exam. Membership
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Police appeal after attack on woman
AN alleged sex attacker shouted to a passing cyclist that his victim was fine moments after he had abused her. Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident, which happened in Kirkleatham Lane, Redcar, near Fox Rush Farm, at about 10.30pm on Tuesday
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Escaped prisoner back in jail
A WOMAN prisoner who escaped from hospital by jumping from a window was jailed again yesterday. Claire Lancaster, 28, was taken to Middlesbrough General Hospital in handcuffs after she told police on her arrest that she had taken a drugs overdose. Nigel
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Princess leads the parade
A PRINCESS and her attendants will be guests of honour at a carnival tomorrow. Samantha Draper, 13, was recently crowned Sacriston Carnival Princess during an event at Sacriston Working Men's Club. Her attendants are Nicole Weldon, nine, and Kaitlyn Butterfield
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Picnic in park rewards town's chilminders
MIDDLESBROUGH childminders have received recognition from a national watchdog. Delighted organisers of Middlesbrough's Sure Start programme organised a picnic in the town's Albert Park to celebrate Middlesbrough Childminding Network receiving accreditation
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Hijackers' sweets haul is missing
A LORRY driver was abducted and his lorry-load of sweets and chocolate hijacked in a late-night attack. The articulated lorry, from York, was carrying thousands of pounds worth of Kit-Kats, Quality Street and chocolate bars when it was stopped on the
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Pensioner spared prison as pet terrier is left emaciated
A PENSIONER who let his dog suffer with a tumour the size of a tennis ball was yesterday given a suspended prison sentence. RSPCA inspectors discovered emaciated pet Tara with a broken paw and with its fur so badly matted with faeces and urine that it
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Valuation day raises funds for wild wood
TREASURED ceramics and jewellery were among the pieces taken to a restored baroque mansion as part of a fundraising valuation day. Sotheby's and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) held the well-attended event at Duncombe Park, in Helmsley, North Yorkshire
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Shopping centre has reason to celebrate
A RETAIL development is celebrating a double success after cutting unemployment and being nominated for an award. Dalton Park outlet shopping centre, in Murton, has recruited two-thirds of its workforce from among the unemployed. Since opening in April
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Health scheme in awards final
A PROJECT to reduce falls among elderly people has reached the finals of national awards. Last September, Easington was chosen as one of three pilot areas for the Healthy Communities Collaborative programme, which is aimed at reducing the number of falls
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Plans for sixth form centre are announced
Proposals have been announced for a shared sixth form centre for Washington. The sixth form, which from September will initially be based at City of Sunderland College's Shiney Row Centre, will be established through a partnership between the college
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Quakers' stadium named Reynolds Arena
DARLINGTON'S new £20m football stadium will be called the Reynolds Arena after the club chairman, The Northern Echo can reveal. Chairman George Rey-nolds' long-awaited decision on the name came last night as the Football League released the fixture list
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Trio face trial over building society theft
THREE men accused of stealing £32,285 from a building society have been sent to crown court. Stephen McGovern, 25, and Brian James McNally, 45, both from Liverpool, appeared at Darlington Magistrates' Court yesterday accused of stealing from Darlington
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Psychics gather for evening of spirit talk
A PSYCHIC who uses native American techniques to speak to the dead is headlining a clairvoyance show next month. Mike Hallowell, a psychic often heard on Magic AM radio, uses people's psychic abilities to reflect back at them the questions they want answered
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Planning for a summer stroll
THE Hambleton Strollers have a series of walks coming up over the next two weeks. Leaders from the scheme, set up last year and spearheaded by the Countryside Agency, will guide walkers around Great Ayton, Stokesley and Northallerton. The next walks set
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Fraud charge couple's case is adjourned
A COUPLE accused of conspiring to defraud the Prudential Assurance Company have had their case adjourned until next year. Michael Melton, 58, and his wife Susan, 44, of Staindrop, near Barnard Castle, face two fraud charges. The first alleges that on
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No headpine
THE globetrotting adventures of a teddy bear are drawing admirers from all over the country. Doddy, the teddy bear mascot of Dodmire Infants' School, in Darlington, has been all over the world. Staff, parents and friends take Doddy with them whenever
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Police seek leads in hunt for would-be kidnapper
A teenage girl escaped an abduction bid after breaking free from a would-be kidnapper in a daylight struggle on an industrial estate. Police have appealed for information from witnesses to the incident, near the Barbour factory on the Bede Industrial
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Johnston's choice
MARK Johnston last week offered Northern Echo SPORT an insight to his Royal Ascot raiders. On Tuesday, Attraction (13-8) and Pearl of Love (11-10) came home and yesterday it was the turn of Russian Valour (4-1) and Fantastic Love (10-1). This is his verdict
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20/06/03
ALAN MILBURN: IF Mr Emett wanted to attack Alan Milburn (HAS, June 18) why didn't he have a go at him for what he has done, or not done, as Secretary of State for Health? At least these would have been political attacks which Alan Milburn, as an elected
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Out comes the cherry brandy - but this time charles says no
PRINCE William knocked back liqueurs yesterday and joked that photographers were trying to get him drunk. Tasting three glasses of two different liqueurs, the student prince, who is 21 tomorrow, was visiting a Welsh Food Fair in Anglesey, North Wales,
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One World Cup we can definitely win
I KEEP having to nip into the bar here at the Rose Bowl because it's the only place on the ground with Sky TV, and unfortunately Riverside's Test debut is the one match of the summer to which Sky have the rights. As a member of the Great Undished, I know
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Brave grocer's bomb sacrifice
AN ISRAELI grocer sacrificed himself and saved others by tackling a Palestinian suicide bomber who entered his store yesterday. Avner Mordechai, 63, was killed along with the bomber in his small shop in the Israeli village of Sde Trumot. A police spokeswoman
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Happy families by design
THE happiness of Britain's designer baby family is not in doubt - but the ethical issues are not so clear-cut. A new era in fertility treatment is dawning which will prompt a debate over the morality surrounding ''made-to-order'' babies. The issue is
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'Nothing can beat' Delsarte on gallops
DELSARTE is fancied to maintain his unbeaten record by storming to victory in this afternoon's Group 2 King Edward V11 Stakes at Royal Ascot. Trainer Mark Johnston has already marked our card by exclusively revealing that "nothing can beat him" on the
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Get into gear for charity
THE charity Cancer Research UK is urging North-Easterners to take part in fund-raising bike rides to boost research funds. The Durham Cycle for Life ride - which is one of 18 taking place around the country this summer - will start at Meadowfield Leisure
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Wax model's incredible bulk
MADAME Tussaud's latest attraction had to be lifted through the roof of the waxwork museum yesterday because it was too big to go through the doors. The new arrival is a 15ft tall model of the comic book character The Incredible Hulk, which will be part
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Crossley set for a Brum deal
BIRMINGHAM City are ready to offer goalkeeper Mark Crossley a two-year deal to prise him away from Middlesbrough, writes CLIVE HETHERINGTON. The Welsh international only has a year left on his Riverside contract and is seeking a 12-month extension. Boro
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Sex charge man's bridge death
A BRITON facing sex assault charges in the US threw himself from a bridge over a 1,000ft gorge in front of his girlfriend. Steven Prosser, from Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, told his girlfriend, Carol, "I love you", before plunging from the into the
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This is the town for your jobs, Ministers
THE Northern Echo today launches a campaign aimed at putting the region at the top of the list of potential locations for thousands of Government jobs. The campaign, backed by business and civic leaders, comes in the wake of the body blow announcement
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Me and my health: Gene Pitney
Gene Pitney was born on February 17, 1941, and raised in the small New England village of Rockville, Connecticut. Success in his own local band Gene Pitney and the Genials led to a long and successful solo career, with hits such as 24 Hours From Tulsa
