Archive
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80 jobs to go as company mothballs factory
UP TO 80 jobs are to go at lipsticks and ladies' compacts firm RPC Cresstale. The cosmetics packaging company blamed the losses on the downturn in manufacturing affecting much of the UK. The company operates from two sites in Thornaby, Teesside,one for
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Keeping in step with Echo campaign
HEALTH workers are toeing the line in an initiative to get people walking their way to a fitter future. A hundred staff and board members from the Durham Dales Primary Care Trust are backing The Northern Echo's Chance to Live campaign by wearing Step-O-Meters
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Enjoying a yellow day
NURSERY school youngsters took part in a special yellow day yesterday to help raise money for Stockton's Butterwick Hospice. The children, from the town's Just Learning Nursery made T-shirts with yellow handprints and also designed a yellow sun, made
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End og the line?
WILL the media muck it up for the young man who would be king or can he manage the task quite easily by himself? If Prince William - the subject of How To Be A Prince (BBC1, Wednesday) - needed any pointers on turning press and public against you, then
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Pool role provides the perfect tonic for Cooper
NEALE Cooper is happy to be able to feed his addiction again. Following a seven-month sabbatical, the 39-year-old was this week named as the man to lead Hartlepool United in Division Two next season. Work starts officially on Monday, when the players
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Full marks as planning bids speeded up
NORTH-East councils are dealing with more planning applications at greater speeds, new figures show. The information, released by the Office for the Deputy Prime Minister, show that local authorities dealt with planning applications two per cent faster
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Teenager gets life for killing soldier
A SOLDIER was beaten to death by a drunken teenager hours before he was due to pay his respects at the Cenotaph in London. Graeme Johnson, 37, was pounced on by a thug who fancied a fight after a drinking binge with his mates. Carl Hutchinson, 19, targeted
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Travellers' caravan site scheme opposed
A PROPOSAL to turn a paddock into a caravan site for travellers is likely to be rejected by councillors for the third time. James Mounsey first asked Darlington Borough Council for permission to create the park for members of his family in July 2001.
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Ceramic creations
A week-long exhibition of ceramic pots, plates and sculptures opens in Darlington today. They are on show at the Drum shop, in Grange Road, from 10am to 5pm. All 30 of the exhibits have been made by students on part-time ceramics courses at Darlington
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Floral displays damaged
THEFTS of plants from flower beds and tubs, flower beds being trampled and flower displays being damaged by people using the tubs as seats, are causing concern to Sedgefield Town Council members. Councillors are asking villagers to report any incidents
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Church garden honours villagers
WORSHIPPERS have given their church a grand entrance by creating a garden in memory of former villagers. The entrance to Auckland Park Methodist Church has been transformed by eight members of its congregation. Alma Reeve, from the church, said: "We wanted
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Karaoke on the curriculum at school
ANYONE passing Hurworth Comprehensive School yesterday could have been forgiven for thinking an episode of Top of the Pops was being recorded. Hits from Mariah Carey, Britney Spears and Girls Aloud could be heard coming from the village school, near Darlington
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Work to start on park security TV cameras
WORK on a long-awaited scheme to stop trouble in vandalism hotspots is about to begin, it was announced yesterday. Darlington Borough Council officials said work would get under way next month on the installation of security cameras in three of the town's
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Artistic school receives award
A SCHOOL has spent the week celebrating receiving a coveted arts award. Rise Carr Primary School was given a national Artsmark Award from the Arts Council of England for its dedication to the arts. All this week, pupils have been taking part in dance,
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Campbell coup for Norton
Foster's ECB North-East Regional Premier League: NORTON have pulled off a major coup with the signing of West Indian Test star Sherwin Campbell, who makes his debut at Chester-le-Street this morning. And chairman, Keith Symington, could not hide his delight
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Learn how to fit car seats properly
A CAMPAIGN to reduce the number of children injured in car accidents arrives in York tomorrow. Experts estimate as many as 75 per cent of child seats are not fitted correctly and could actually injure the youngster they are supposed to protect in a collision
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Heritage celebration for market town
A WENSLEYDALE market town celebrates its heritage with a week-long festival which opens today. Modern Middleham is best known for its numerous racehorse stables, but the town has a rich medieval history and was once where Richard III held court. The drama
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Hugs Dancer has all the attributes
HUGS DANCER has all of the required attributes to eclipse his rivals in this afternoon's John Smith's £175,000 Northumberland Plate, writes Colin Woods. A good old-fashioned street-fighter, Hugs Dancer (2.50) proved his ability to handle himself in what
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Music festival is pure family entertainment
A MUSICAL event for a family audience is back at a North-East open air heritage museum, by popular demand. Beamish Museum, near Stanley, County Durham, is staging the Traditional Music, Song and Dance Festival on Sunday, July 6. Entertainment includes
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Treasurer's work recognised
A VOLUNTEER'S work for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has been recognised at an awards ceremony. Margaret Procter has been treasurer of the Wensleydale RNLI branch since the Wensleydale Guild and the Lower Wensleydale branch merged in
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Optimistic for the future
THE curator of the Ryedale Folk Museum, at Hutton-le-Hole, on the North York Moors, believes the facility will flourish as a result of expanding its educational facilities. Mick Krupa has become curator of the museum, which now covers three acres after
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Meeting over path diversion
A MEETING will be held at the Cricket Club in Harrogate on Monday afternoon to debate the proposed diversion of a footpath which runs from Leadhall Lane to West End Avenue. The application has been made by developer Redrow, which has plans to build a
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Calls for quicker Internet service
A RADIO station that broadcasts to military bases across the UK has joined calls for the quicker introduction of broadband technology. Richmond won BT's backing for the high-speed Internet facility recently and is expecting to go online in August. Catterick
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Council plans housing transfer
A COUNCIL'S housing stock could be transferred to an independent management company by next year. In February, Easington District Council agreed its preferred option for the future of its housing services was through an arm's length management company
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News in brief: Parachutes at village festival
Shotton Community Festival takes place at Shotton Community Park today. There will be a parachute jump, parade, fancy dress competitions and jazz band display. There is entertainment throughout the day for children with balloon modelling, a clown, magician
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Pupils win T-shirt design competition
FIVE artistic youngsters have won a design competition. The pupils, from schools across the region, were picked from hundreds of entries to have their T-shirt designs turned into the real thing. The competition was opened during School Walking Week last
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Audrey wins volunteer award for charity work
A CHARITY worker from Chester-le-Street has won a national award. Audrey Lines was picked from hundreds of volunteers across the UK and named Branch Member of the Year for 2002 by Epilepsy Action. The award was made in recognition of her commitment to
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Service to welcome eight new curates
CLERGY in the Ripon and Leeds diocese will welcome seven new curates following an ordination service at Ripon Cathedral this weekend. Four men and three women from backgrounds as diverse as optometry, lecturing, teaching and business management will take
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Club fence plan
Plans to build a 2m boundary fence around Hartlepool Workingmen's Club, in King Oswy Drive, seem likely to be approved by Hartlepool Borough Council's planning committee on Wednesday. The fence has been proposed to combat worsening vandalism.
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Pot of cash brings light relief to cavers
A COMPANY has come to the aid of pot-holers after they lost their funding for new equipment. Durham University's Speleological Society was given £1,000 by gas pipeline company Transco to buy new head lamps. The society's president, Chris Franklin, said
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Residents' £250,000 revamp for squares
A £250,000 package of improvements has been lined up in a bid to transform grassy areas on the Headland in Hartlepool. The Gibb, Beaconsfield and Regent Squares will get a new look in resident-led projects. People living around each of the squares formed
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Children urged not to dive off bridges
TEENAGERS have been warned they are putting their lives in danger by using a bridge to dive into the river beneath. Inspector Eric Robinson, from Cleveland Police, has urged the youngsters not to leap off Leven Bridge, at the bottom of Leven Bank, near
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Students bring life back to the Arc
COLLEGE students are putting the finishing touches to their performance of Jesus Christ Superstar which starts next week. After weeks in rehearsals, more than 50 performing arts students from Stockton Riverside College are to bring the Arc back to life
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Visitors will flock to wildlife haven
THE creation of a wildlife haven will boost efforts to secure Local Nature Reserve (LNR) status for a countryside site in Hartlepool. Work on a new feature at Summerhill, which will become a wetland habitat, has just been completed Soil was scraped out
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Solving sums is child's play
A MATHS challenge with Peter Pan and Tinkerbell will be staged in Durham. About 1,200 primary school children aged between five and 11-years-old will descend on County Hall, Durham on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to see a play called Treasure Islands
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Councillors' allowances
THE leader of Darlington Borough Council, Councillor John Williams, received £20,693 in allowances last year. The figure was revealed in a public notice showing how much was paid to each of the authority's 52 members. Councillors receive a standard £4,347
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Travellers' caravan site scheme opposed
A PROPOSAL to turn a paddock into a caravan site for travellers is likely to be rejected by councillors for the third time. James Mounsey first asked Darlington Borough Council for permission to create the park for members of his family in July 2001.
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'Give us back our cul-de-sac' plea
PEOPLE living in a town centre cul-de-sac have told planning officers they feel as though their homes have been in a supermarket car park for the past few months. Residents of Blackett Street, Bishop Auckland, said that customers of the recently opened
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Woman terrified after beating by husband
A WOMAN was terrified to leave home after she was beaten by her husband, a court was told yesterday Denise Glasper, of Darlington, said she was too frightened to go to work in case her husband Paul, 47, was waiting for her. Her teeth were badly damaged
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Cruel dog owner's sentence halved
A dog owner who was jailed after his family pet was beaten, strangled and set on fire had his six-month sentence cut yesterday. Because prosecutors accepted that Wayne Pearce, 37, was not responsible for the death of black and white collie Jack, his time
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High Court judge bans music in pub
A LANDLORD has been banned by a judge from playing music at his pub. Gary Soakell was due at London's High Court for playing music in the Turbinia, at Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, without a licence. Mr Soakell, who was not at court and was not represented
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Flavour of India as performers entertain deaf youngsters
DEAF children on Teesside were learning to express themselves with the help of South Indian performers this week at Coulby Newham Secondary School. The children, aged between six and 16, are taking part in workshops with the Kathakali performers, pictured
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Grassroots: Derwentside
DANCE SHOW: A Piece of the Limelight will be performed by the Sylvia Dobson School of Dance and Drama at 2pm and 7pm next Saturday, in the Consett Empire. STAGE SPARKLE: Cap A Pie is staging Sparkelshark at 10am and 1pm on Wednesday, 1pm and 7pm on Thursday
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Arts award for village school
A VILLAGE school has been awarded a coveted Artsmark Gold Award. Hamsteels Primary School in Esh Winning, Derwentside, County Durham, was recognised for its work from drama to music, design to literature, dance to sculpture. Headteacher Jane McGuire said
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Free sports courses for women
SEXIST attitudes towards wo-men in sport will be tackled in a research project by a North-East university. Northumbria University, in Newcastle, wants up to 60 women to join free sports leadership training courses. Researchers will see how it affects
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Eddery bids a fond farewell
ELEVEN-TIMES former champion jockey Pat Eddery has announced his intention to retire at the end of the season and therefore it is entirely possible that today will afford the final opportunity to see the fifty-one year-old Irishman in action at Newcastle
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Highlighting drugs danger
A conference highlighting the potential dangers of drug and alcohol misuse is taking place in the region next week. The event, organised by Darlington Youth Service, will be staged in the town's Arts Centre, on Friday. Guest speakers will include the
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Cook dig site youngsters in the picture
TIME TEAM presenter Carenza Lewis joined archaeologists in the North-East yesterday as they searched for the remnants of Captain Cook's birthplace. The Channel 4 team has been searching for the remains of the village of East Marton, which once stood in
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Correction
Post office: Due to printing problems, the Teesdale Talk column in yesterday's edition had to be reduced. This made it appear that Butterknowle post office is only open for half an hour a week. In fact, the bar and post office are only open together for
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All-weather racing bid clears planning hurdle
A £4M plan to create the North-East's first all-weather horseracing track has been given the go-ahead. Northern Racing, which took over Sedgefield Racecourse, in County Durham, almost three years ago, has been given permission to lay a new artificial
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In My View: End of the line?
WILL the media muck it up for the young man who would be king or can he manage the task quite easily by himself? If Prince William - the subject of How To Be A Prince (BBC1, Wednesday) - needed any pointers on turning press and public against you, then
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Fraudster funeral director escapes prison sentence
A CONMAN funeral director who misled bereaved families to win work from a former business partner escaped a prison sentence yesterday. But Christopher Westcott, who diverted phone lines from another firm of undertakers so he could attract business, was
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Festival in a festival celebrates cultures
THE multi-cultural heritage of South Tyneside will be celebrated as part of the annual Cookson Festival this summer. The "festival with a festival" has been organised by a partnership comprising South Tyneside Primary Care Trust, South Tyneside Council
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Oranges were the only fruit
LORD Strathmore of Gibside died at sea on March 7, 1776. The following August, his wealthy widow Mary Eleanor Bowes solemnly became engaged within the hallowed walls of St Paul's Cathedral to her lover, George Grey. In the six months since her husband's
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Warnings are issued over cash machine conmen
CASH machine users have been targeted by thieves using a scam new to the North-East. On Thursday night, a man in Stockton lost all the money in his account, and a police chief believes there will have been many more like him. Detective Sergeant Adrian
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Cyclist identified
A man who fell from his bicycle after suffering a suspected heart attack has been identified. The cyclist, from Byers Green, near Spennymoor, County Durham, is critically ill in Bishop Auckland General Hospital following the fall on Tuesday evening. He
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Man facing court after drugs raids
A MAN has been charged and is due to appear before magistrates following a series of drugs raids in the North. The 34-year-old, from Sunderland, was arrested on Wednesday in an operation coordinated by the drugs and organised crime squad of West Yorkshire
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Why it's great being a designer, sweetie
I LOVE the whole process of designing a garden for someone else. For me, it starts with the initial excitement of visiting the existing space. We British are renowned for being nosey, and what better excuse for getting to see other people's gardens than
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At Your Service: A glorious church for all weathers
THE thunder rumbled the moment the Bishop of Jarrow stepped out into the churchyard. "It's to emphasise the importance of the occasion," he said, whilst doubtless, Thor point, remembering Psalm 29. "The God of glory thundereth," says verse three, "the
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Disabled man dies in house fire
A COMMUNITY is in shock after a disabled man died in a fire at his home. The incident happened just before 11.30pm on Thursday, when a blaze started in the bedroom of a semi-detached bungalow in Marlene Avenue, Bowburn, near Durham. A smoke alarm was
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Sacked Connex heads North
TROUBLED Connex could be handed a key North-East rail franchise - despite yesterday being stripped of its southern services for financial incompetence. The train operator was effectively sacked from its job of running the London and South-East commuter
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T-shirts error that will fit the bill
A US tennis club has invited a North-East club to take advantage of a printing error which left it with the wrong name on dozens of T-shirts. The Bellingham Tennis Club, in Washington DC, had about 100 T-shirts printed for its summer tennis camp. However
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Taylor delighted by Eden transformation
Durham Coast League: Table-topping Castle Eden are 'over the moon' at the progress they have made since moving from the Darlington Building Society NYSD premier league just a few years ago. They visit neighbours Easington today in pole position for the
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Taxi-driver's call over colour ruling
CAMPAIGNING taxi-driver George Jenkinson is urging the Government to lay down guidelines after he triumphed over council bosses in a dispute. Mr Jenkinson had threatened to sue Darlington Borough Council earlier this year after he was refused a licence
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Youngsters handed a Rushworth lesson
FIRST-YEAR veteran Brian Rushworth proved that he can still show his younger rivals a clean pair of heels by winning his second race in a week on home ground on Wearside. The 40-year-old Sunderland Harrier's latest success was in the Penshaw Hill Race
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News in brief: Councillors' allowances
THE leader of Darlington Borough Council received £20,693 in allowances last year. The figure was revealed in a public notice showing how much was paid to each of the authority's 52 members. Councillors receive a standard £4,347, with additions for extra
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Teenagers are arrested after police chase
TWO teenagers have been arrested after a pursuit through a town centre. Officers were alerted at 1.15pm yesterday that a suspected stolen car had been seen in Whessoe Road, Darlington. The car, containing two men, was then reported to be parked in Longfield
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Any reasons why they should not be married, asked the vicar. 'I'm not 16,' said the groom
A YOUTHFUL bride tied the knot with her miniature groom at a mock wedding this week. St Mary Magdalene Church, in Belmont, Durham, was the venue for the nuptials of Tom and Jan, alias five-year-olds Caitlin Owston and Oliver Stockdale. Surrounded by their
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Folly restorers unearth cause to celebrate
'A GEORGIAN folly in the region may be much more than it seemed following the start of restoration work. The Landmark Trust took the unusual step of starting work on the refurbishment of The Ruin, at the Hackfall estate, which neighbours Fountains Abbey
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Call for runners
THE Diabetes Research Foundation is calling on people to enter the Great North Run in Newcastle in September. The charity has 11 places to fill due to injuries and people dropping out, before the entry closing date of Friday, July 11. Contact Adele Claase
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Gardening: Why it's great being a designer, sweetie
I LOVE the whole process of designing a garden for someone else. For me, it starts with the initial excitement of visiting the existing space. We British are renowned for being nosey, and what better excuse for getting to see other people's gardens than
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Jobs fair to highlight work opportunities
HUNDREDS of vacancies and training opportunities will be on offer at a call centre training and jobs fair next month. The event will be held at Peter-lee Leisure Centre, County Durham, from 10am to 3pm, on Thursday, July 10. Employers from Bracken Hill
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Marine reservists to stage open day
The Tyneside Royal Marine Reserves Unit is holding an open day at its base near Spillers Wharf, Newcastle Quayside, from 1pm to 5pm next Saturday. The free event includes performances by the Royal Marines Band, combat boat boarding and camouflage demonstrations
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Ion AP on the road to recovery
A FIRM which makes engine hoses for some of the most expensive cars in the world has rescued itself from the brink of closure by clinching a major international contract. Ion AP secured a £300,000 deal to supply breather tubes to Nifco in a move that
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'Impossible' idea becomes a reality
WHAT started as a seemingly impossible dream from a group of rail enthusiasts to reopen the Weardale Railway is now, a decade later, a key element in an ambitious economic strategy. Business leaders and regeneration experts are enthusing over the project
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Heads go to the top of the class
THE proportion of headteachers providing excellent leadership and management in schools has doubled in the past five years, according to an Ofsted report unveiled in the North-East. The report was launched yesterday at the St Thomas More RC School Teaching
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The next train now arriving. . .
FIFTY years ago, the last scheduled passenger service through Weardale, County Durham, steamed into history. The closure of the valley's line on Wednesday, June 27, 1953, was the first to be sanctioned by the new Queen Elizabeth II and was, as the Beeching
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28/06/03
EUROPE: THE most precious and fundamental building block of our parliamentary democracy system of government is that no Parliament can bind its successors. This gives essential protection to the electorate and underlines the primary concept that it is
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I want to stay on Tyneside, says Robert
ENIGMATIC French star Laurent Robert has told his bosses at Newcastle United that he has no wish to quit the club. Robert, who has been linked with a return to Paris St Germain as part of any deal to bring Ronaldinho to Tyneside, also believes the club
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Warning over cut to Euro grants
THE North-East could end up losing out if regional European grants come from London instead of Brussels, local authorities have warned. Chancellor Gordon Brown announced in March that the Government favoured a new approach for handling EU grants for Europe's
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Woman terrified after beating by husband
A WOMAN was terrified to leave home after she was beaten by her husband, a court was told yesterday Denise Glasper, of Darlington, said she was too frightened to go to work in case her husband Paul, 47, was waiting for her. Her teeth were badly damaged
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Protests over flats left empty for up to a year
VILLAGERS have voiced their concern about a number of council-owned flats that have been standing empty for up to a year. Fourteen of the two-bedroom apartments are unoccupied in Evenwood, near Barnard Castle, with little hope of tenants being found.
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Brownie pack with a green tinge
A BROWNIE pack has entered a national gardening competition after receiving help from the local community. The Brownies of Middleton St George appealed in The Northern Echo for help with their entry in the Greenfingers Challenge which asked youngsters
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Fight over village tree
THE fate of a century-old village yew tree will be decided next week. The village hall at Cleasby, near Darlington, is undergoing refurbishment, so the committee running the project has examined the building's environment. The tree has stood on the north-eastern
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News in brief: Villages ready for gala day
CROWDS are expected at the Coundon and Leeholme Gala on Leeholme Recreation Ground today. Children and adults can join in five-a-side football, and tournaments organised by the cricket and bowls clubs. The event starts with a procession from Grey Gardens
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Attraction hopes for extra visitors
THE owners of a Dales visitor attraction are hoping planners will allow it to receive more visitors. The Forbidden Corner, near Middleham, has been dogged by difficulties. Planners resisted the project because they were concerned about the impact it would
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News in brief: Recruits sought for clean-up
Volunteers are sought for the annual clean-up of Catterick Garrison's Coronation Park. People are welcome to join soldiers for a day which includes family entertainment, a bouncy castle, pony rides and a barbecue. Tools, bags and gardening gloves will
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Climb the career ladder at job fair
HUNDREDS of call centre job and training opportunities are on offer at a fair. The event will be held at Peterlee Leisure Centre, on Thursday, July 10, from 10am to 3pm. Organised by Jobcentre Plus, Easington Action Team for Jobs and Easington District
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Visits back on the menu
A SCHOOL trip is back on the menu after four companies came to the rescue. Almost 100 pupils from Cotsford Infants School, in Horden, and Yoden Primary School, Peterlee, risked having their fact-finding visit to Pizza Express cancelled because of transport
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News in brief: Parachutes at village festival
Shotton Community Festival takes place at Shotton Community Park today. There will be a parachute jump, parade, fancy dress competitions and jazz band display. There is entertainment throughout the day for children with balloon modelling, a clown, magician
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Church service to remember all seafarers
A SERVICE will be held in a Hartlepool church next month to commemorate Sea Sunday. The Mission to Seafarers Belfast port chaplain, Reverend Douglas Goddard, will preach at the town's All Saints Church, on July 13 from 11am. It will be a family service
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Joint cash for pupils to study computing
TWO schools in the Stockton borough have been awarded a joint £75,000 grant to fund a three-year technology partnership. David Miliband, schools minister at the Department for Education and Skills, announced the money for Yarm School and Grangefield School
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The clash of the cinema Titans
As the summer crop of budget-busting films prepares to battle it out on the cinema screens, Film Writer Steve Pratt looks at the phenonmenon of the blockbuster. Blame it on Hollywood director Steven Spielberg. He started it with his man-eating shark nicknamed
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Lots on offer at country fair
VISITORS to Weardale this weekend can enjoy a packed day of entertainment as Wolsingham hosts its annual country fair. Scotch Isle Park will be transformed for greyhound racing and harness racing, plus clay pigeon shooting, archery contests, a gymkhana
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Chance to see new woodland
WALKERS are being offered the chance to explore a new North-East woodland area next week before it fully opens to the public. A wildlife walk on Tuesday will give participants an insight into the South Burdon community woodland, on the outskirts of Darlington
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Library's magic carpet
MORE than 300 children will be "carpeted" in a County Durham library next week, but not because they have been naughty. The youngsters will be testing a new story mat at Trimdon Library. The colourful mat features children's characters Postman Pat, Cinderella
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Players make most of farce
Sedgefield Players presented Strike up the Banns, a fast-moving farce by Olwen Wymark, in Sedgefield Parish Hall on Thursday, at the start of a three-night run. This summer production by the Players is based on the impending engagement of the daughter
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Correction
Post office: Due to printing problems, the Teesdale Talk column in yesterday's edition had to be reduced. This made it appear that Butterknowle post office is only open for half an hour a week. In fact, the bar and post office are only open together for
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'Lazy' musician Lester headlines blues festival
THE region's biggest free blues event will be graced by a 70-year-old veteran from Louisiana. Harp player Lazy Lester will be supported by Scottish band Blues 'n' Trouble at the Stanley Blues Festival on Saturday, August 2. Lazy Lester - named after his
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Ceramic creations
A week-long exhibition of ceramic pots, plates and sculptures opens in Darlington today. They are on show at the Drum shop, in Grange Road, from 10am to 5pm. All 30 of the exhibits have been made by students on part-time ceramics courses at Darlington
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Decision to be made on tree at centre of village dispute
THE future of a century-old yew tree which has split a village community will be decided next week. Cleasby Village Hall is undergoing extensive renovation which prompted the committee leading the project to check the building's surroundings. They expressed
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Potato farm machinery up for auction
THE largest ever sale of machinery for potato and arable farming in the region will be held next month. The Johnson family, who have been producing potatoes for McCains on their 900-acre Sandwath House Farm, near Forcett, North Yorkshire, since 1975,
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In The Picture: The clash of the cinema Titans
As the summer crop of budget-busting films prepares to battle it out on the cinema screens, Film Writer Steve Pratt looks at the phenonmenon of the blockbuster. Blame it on Hollywood director Steven Spielberg. He started it with his man-eating shark nicknamed
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News in brief: Parachutes at village festival
Shotton Community Festival takes place at Shotton Community Park today. There will be a parachute jump, parade, fancy dress competitions and jazz band display. There is entertainment throughout the day for children with balloon modelling, a clown, magician
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Behaviour agreements lead to drop in crime
A COMMUNITY where young people are being urged to sign up to agreements committing them to good behaviour has noted a dramatic drop in reported crime. Crime in Birtley, Gateshead, has dropped by 23 per cent in the six weeks since the launch last month
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Donation will buy computers to help disabled students
MORE disabled people will have access to training after a college received a £1,000 donation. The Abbey National Charitable Trust gave the money to Finchale Training College, in Durham, to help buy computer equipment for outreach work. The college, which
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News in brief: Sporting chance for youngsters
Youngsters about to enter the post-16 stage of their education have been invited to spend a day at Middlesbrough's Macmillan College on Wednesday, July 9, where they will be given the chance to meet two international sports stars and view the facilities
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Clubs help children rise and shine
NEW breakfast clubs will be established at three primary schools thanks to a £117,100 grant. Funding from the New Opportunities Fund will create 40 places at Overfields Primary, Ormesby, 32 at Wilton Primary, Lazenby, and 48 at Whale Hill Primary, Eston
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For Your Benefit: So why do I receive so little?
When Pension Credit is introduced in October, the biggest gainers will not be those with the lowest incomes, as this selection of letters shows. Q You recently told someone with a weekly income of £102.10 that they would get an extra £5 under Pension
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Councillors vote themselves pay increases of thousands
COUNCILLORS swept in an inflation-busting 13 per cent pay rise yesterday which their leader described as "not a fortune". Only five members of Durham County Council's 61 members voted against the rise, which will see their basic allowance boosted from
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Glamour girl Jordan jets in
GLAMOUR model and party girl Jordan jetted into the North-East yesterday and set temperatures soaring when she visited a nightclub. She arrived at Teesside Airport and was met by fans and Press photographers eager to get a snap of the former Page Three
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Bank offers £15,000 reward after raid
A BANK is offering a reward of up to £15,000 after an armed raid at one of its branches. Three masked men, two of them armed with sawn-off shotguns, burst into Barclays, in Dene Terrace, Ryton, Gateshead, at 4.25pm on Monday and stole a quantity of cash
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Eidos blames profits cut on delays to sequel
THE delayed release of the latest Tomb Raider computer game featuring Lara Croft has forced publisher Eidos to cut its annual pre-tax profit forecast. Shares in the company slipped eight per cent despite Eidos saying the delay was not expected to affect
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Euro MP welcomes flight payouts
NORTH-EAST Euro MP Stephen Hughes has welcomed new European laws that will see passengers receive cash for cancelled or delayed flights. The air passenger right laws are due to be approved by the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Thursday. They will
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Port owners see turnover increase
THE owners of Teesport saw profits grow ten per cent for the year ended March 31. PD Ports, Logistics and Shipping (PDPLS) said pre-tax profits rose from £10.85m to £11.93m on the back of group turnover rising 5.9 per cent to £156m. Graham Roberts, chief
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Navy ship to be commissioned on River Tyne
HMS Tyne - the Royal Navy's newest patrol vessel - will be commissioned on the river of her name , it was revealed last night. The ceremony will be held at the Tyne Commission Quay, North Tyneside, at 11am, on Friday. Conducted by the Chaplain of the
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Brass practice rubs off
LONG hours spent practising with Middlesbrough Brass Castle clubmate Jonathan Lupton is clearly having an effect on Michael Skelton. After clinching the Welsh Amateur strokeplay title on Sunday at Prestatyn - just two years after Lupton's triumph in Llandudno
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Wardens' fast food chase costs driver £50
A MOTORIST who threw an empty burger carton from his car as he was passing two street wardens was fined £50 yesterday. The enforcement officers picked up the litter and chased the man through the Clifton Street area of Middlesbrough. Their attention had
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Fish fanatic's noise shock
John Main was branded a nuisance neighbour because his ornamental fish pond was considered too noisy. Mr Main has had a pond in his garden for more than a decade and has built up a stock of tropical fish. But recently he had to replace the pump used to
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Darlington's hopes are dealt double injury blow
Darlington Building Society NYSD Premier League: Darlington, who have a mountain to climb if they are to overtake leaders Redcar, have been dealt a "double-whammy" ahead of their game with Richmondshire. Opening batsman Neil Pratt is ruled out with an
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Comment: We won't have second best
WE suspect that the long-suffering commuters in and out of London are shedding no tears at the news that Connex is to lose its rail franchise in London and the South-East. In passing judgement on the performance of Connex, the Strategic Rail Authority
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Solicitor fined £5,000 over pub deal
A busy solicitor who acted wrongly for both bank and buyer during the sale of a pub has been fined £5,000 by the Solicitors' Disciplinary Tribunal. David Leathard, 51, of Birdsall and Snowball, York Place, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, wept as he told
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Kickboxer is national champion
A KICKBOXER is celebrating fighting his way to a national title. Wesley Paul Fagan, 21, of Dipton, near Consett, County Durham, beat Michael Johnson, of Sunderland, to become the European Kickboxing Commission's British super middle-weight champion. The
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Family affair for Plain
Foster's Northumberland and Tyneside League: In-form Annfield Plain aim to continue their rise up the table when they meet Shotley Bridge at The Spa today. The home side include father and son Don and Philip Brown, who played at the Plain last season.
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Man with 74 aliases is sent to prison for attack
AN Irish labourer with 74 aliases was sent to jail yesterday by a judge. The man's criminal history also gave four dates of birth, and Judge Guy Whitburn, at Teesside Crown Court, said: "Four birthdays; lucky man." He jailed Michael Kelly, 59, for two-and-a-half-years
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Kimblesworth bid to keep run going
Readers' Durham County League: Kimblesworth, buoyed by their splendid victory last weekend which propelled them into fourth position meet Willington in the match of the day. Both sides are in good form and with just 17 points separating them, the outcome
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Justice catches up with conman
A NORTH-EAST loan shark who pocketed nearly £1.5m from an elaborate international fraud was jailed for six years yesterday. George Steen, 54, was the ringleader of a gang which defrauded businessmen from around the world by persuading them to part with
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News in brief: Sporting chance for youngsters
Youngsters about to enter the post-16 stage of their education have been invited to spend a day at Middlesbrough's Macmillan College on Wednesday, July 9, where they will be given the chance to meet two international sports stars and view the facilities
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Tower block may be coming down
A TOWER block used by drug users and squatters may soon be demolished. Middlesbrough Council's planning committee met yesterday to discuss an outline planning application to demolish the nine-storey Teesside House office block in the town's Borough Road
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Shopping centre revamp unveiled
BRIGHTER times were predicted for one of the region's traditional market towns yesterday when a newly revamped shopping centre was officially unveiled. Supermarket chain Asda has spent £2.5m giving the Newgate Centre, in Bishop Auckland, County Durham
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Kirby in the wickets
Yorkshire's bowlers ran out of steam at Taunton yesterday after a dynamic four wicket burst by Steve Kirby left Somerset staggering on 40 for five. But the West Country side went on to recover from 144 for eight to 275 all out. Kirby, whose first three
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Doctors deny jabs below standard
FEARS that thousands of youngsters are at risk of meningitis after being given sub-standard injections were last night played down by doctors and health chiefs. Babies are vaccinated at two, three and four months against Hib, a disease which causes a
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Healthy ideas at festival of youth sport
HUNDREDS of eager young competitors converge on Durham for an annual festival of youth sport today. Healthy eating will be the message of the day at Durham Youth Games, with free fruit distributed to the participants at the Graham Sports Centre, Maiden
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Man jailed after robbing pensioner
A BURGLAR who robbed an 86-year-old deaf woman was caught because he left his fingerprints on a piece of paper, a court was told yesterday. The woman was in her home when a light flashed in her lounge telling her that there was someone at the front door
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'Eyesore' chamber will be demolished
A UNIVERSITY is to demolish a debating chamber as part of a campus revamp. The concrete construction, on King's Road between the Union Society and the Museum of Antiquities at the University of Newcastle, is to be flattened next month. The chamber, which
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Top formula for chemistry school
PUPILS from schools across the North-East are to be given an insight into the everyday uses of chemicals. More than 700 young scientists from 16 comprehensives are attending a Chemistry at Work summer school, sponsored by the Royal Society of Chemistry
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Scots woo teachers
About a dozen teachers attended an information session by Aberdeen City Council education officials, which was designed to recruit County Durham teachers to work in the Scottish city. The delegation travelled to Bowburn motorway services earlier this
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New boy Akhtar steals show from the A-team
THE only notable applause on a cheerless day at Riverside yesterday came when Shoaib Akhtar was introduced to the sparse crowd at tea-time. Young ladies who had not previously emerged from their hospitality box to watch the India A batsmen suddenly appeared
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Motorcyclist inquest adjourned
AN inquest was opened and adjourned into the death of a motorcyclist who died on Saturday. David Kershaw, of Salisbury Place, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, died when his Kawasaki 1100cc motorbike collided with a Citroen Xsara Picasso. The 51-year-old
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Couple decide to spend honeymoon queueing for house
QUEUEING is a polite British tradition that our European neighbours snort at. And not many couples would spend their honeymoon in a line 23 hours a day. But Mark and Louise Sage, who married a month ago in Florida, have spent two weeks in a caravan on
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Ant and Dec show complaint is upheld
A COMPLAINT has been upheld over the "unnecessarily derisory tone" of an item on North-East duo Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway television programme. The Broadcasting Standards Commission directed London Weekend Television to broadcast a summary
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One lavish, one frugal - the double life of crooked Steen
FLAMBOYANT businessman George Steen has been a glamour photographer, an acupuncturist and a professional singer. But it is his role as a crooked financier which has landed him a six-year jail sentence. His luxury lifestyle in the Philippines was in stark
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Statistics provide mixed message for UK economy
BRITAIN'S economy grew at its weakest rate for more than a decade in the first quarter of this year because of slower construction output and consumer spending. The latest quarterly data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed UK gross domestic
