Archive
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Beware the bottom pinchers
Loose Women (ITV1) IT'S a dirty job but someone's got to do it. I spent the morning with loose women, talking about bottom-pinching and office affairs. The format of Loose Women, promoted from early afternoon to late morning to fill part of the gap left
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Leigh takes a Step forward
A STUDENT is to gain work experience thanks to a programme designed to match undergraduates with small businesses projects. In place of the traditional student summer employment in bars or supermarkets, Leigh Wilkinson, 20, found herself working on an
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Interest rate vote
THE Bank of England's decision to cut interest rates earlier this month was backed by all but one member of its monetary policy committee. New governor Mervyn King was among eight members in favour of a quarter point reduction to 3.5 per cent, although
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Clocking up the miles for Rwanda
A SPONSORED exercise bike marathon has raised more than £600 for a Christian project in Africa. Members of Chester-le-Street's Christian Youth Fellowship cycled a total of 540 miles, the land perimeter of Rwanda, on Saturday and Sunday at St Cuthbert's
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Tycoon to be tried again over death
Property tycoon Nicholas van Hoogstraten yesterday won the right to a retrial on the manslaughter charge which landed him with a ten-year prison sentence. The Court of Appeal quashed Hoogstraten's conviction of involvement in the killing of a business
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Memorial to be moved
A MEMORIAL commemorating men who died in a town's worst colliery disaster is being moved to safeguard its future. Willington Community Partnership became concerned about the condition of a plaque left to deteriorate in a boarded-up leisure centre. Marking
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Last Night's TV: Beware the bottom pinchers
Loose Women (ITV1): IT'S a dirty job but someone's got to do it. I spent the morning with loose women, talking about bottom-pinching and office affairs. The format of Loose Women, promoted from early afternoon to late morning to fill part of the gap left
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Car park life
I had a most curious moment at a local hotel yesterday (stop it at the back) and I'd be grateful for your help with an explanation. I was meeting a business colleague who was en route from the deep south to Scotland, so we agreed our venue as the Swallow
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Protest gathers pace over housing plan
RESIDENTS have joined a protest over plans to knock down 22 garages and replace them with seven homes. Home Housing Association wants to develop the site just north of the Gallows Hill estate at Ripon for a terrace of four three-bedroomed and three two-bedroomed
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Home schemes are launched
THE foundation stones of two housing schemes for the elderly were laid yesterday. The developments at Beech Park, Brandon, near Durham, and Grayson Road, Spennymoor, will have 24-hour alarm systems, communal lounges and a shop and hairdresser on site.
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Park complaint to Ombudsman
A COMPLAINT about the way Darlington Borough Council has handled plans to redevelop a park has been made to the Local Government Ombudsman. The authority has been accused of failing to consult about proposals to build sports pitches, a pavilion and a
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News in brief: Transport for elderly debated
CONCERNS about transport services for older people in Darlington are to be addressed. Representatives from the Growing Older Living in Darlington (Gold) group have held talks with the borough council's transport policy section to ensure transport issues
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Motorists warned of major delay
MOTORISTS are being warned of several months of disruption on a major dual carriageway as work begins installing a roundabout. The £1.5m project is designed to improve safety at the busy A167 junction with the B6312 road outside the Red Lion at Plawsworth
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Anger at felling of trees along rail line
RAIL chiefs have come under fire from a town's MP for felling track-side trees. Darlington MP Alan Milburn is to ask Network Rail to replace the trees that the company has felled behind homes in Wederly Close. People living there say the trees formed
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Children help create community garden
YOUNGSTERS have enjoyed their first taste of a £10,000 garden at a village community centre. The garden, at the Community Tea Rooms in Leadgate, near Stanley, was designed and built by villagers Dave and Desree Emerson, with help from children. Students
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Children learn about police life
YOUNGSTERS yesterday learned more about life inside a police station. Sunderland police opened the doors to Southwick Police Station for 45 youngsters aged ten and 11, who start at Southmoor Community School in September. Youth issues officer, PC Neil
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Assembly idea 'must be stopped in its tracks'
MEMBERS of North Yorkshire County Council have voted to oppose Government plans for a directly elected regional assembly for Yorkshire and the Humber. Tory council leader, Councillor John Weighell, welcomed the decision by a majority of yesterday's meeting
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News in brief: History trip around town
Anyone interested in finding out more about the archaeology of Hartlepool's Headland is invited to join a free guided walk around the area on Sunday. The walk, which will explore the development of the Headland from the foundation of the Anglo Saxon Monastery
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Bid to encourage recycling stepped up
EFFORTS to encourage more people in Hartlepool to compost waste, as part of a campaign to protect the environment, have been stepped up. Hartlepool Borough Council has appointed Clare Belcher, 26, as the authority's first community composting and recycling
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Name mascot competion
YOUNGSTERS are being urged to take part in a summer competition to win a mountain bike. They are asked to suggest a name for Stockton Borough Council's new dolphin mascot for Splash in Church Road, Stockton. There is also a colouring competition in the
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Fitness alert for pace ace Akhtar
DURHAM will give Shoaib Akhtar a fitness test prior to their noon start at Derby today, but they are hopeful he will be able to get through the four-day match. The Pakistani paceman twisted an ankle in his fifth over during Tuesday's floodlit defeat at
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Quiz machine casts a spell over shoppers
A MAGICIAN conjured up some fun for shoppers when they were asked questions by a floating head. The illusion was the work of North-East magician David Diamond who was performing street style magic at Hillstreet in Middlesbrough. His wife Angelique played
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Gough - he's well worth it
Nasser Hussain has quickly asserted his authority as England captain by insisting any gamble on Darren Gough's fitness would be worth the risk. Hussain has waited nearly two years to have Gough available again after a series of knee operations almost
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Talk on guide dogs at library
A SERIES of free talks about guide dogs will be held at libraries across the borough of Stockton this summer. The talks will be presented by Val Hydes and Robin Winney, from Guide Dogs for the Blind, and focus on the charity's work, as well as providing
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Man forms policy on medical care
AN engineer's views on how age should affect medical treatment will help form national policy. Brian Brown, an electrical engineer from Chester-le-Street, is a member of the Citizens Council of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) The
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News in brief: Heritage group grant boost
Chester-le-Street Heritage Group has received a £5,000 Awards for All National Lottery grant to help piece together the town's history. The group is now hoping to stage its biggest exhibition yet and is seeking the loan of old photographs and memorabilia
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Residents applaud decision
PROTESTORS broke into spontaneous applause when planners turned down a scheme for a huge cold store on the edge of their village. Residents living in Roecliffe, near Boroughbridge, successfully objected to a scheme by Reed Boardall Cold Storage to build
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Royal seal of approval for village hall group
A VILLAGE hall association which has worked tirelessly to provide facilities for sports and activities in a former pit village has been given a royal seal of approval. The Quaking Houses Village Hall Association was one of a handful of groups in the North-East
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Transport initiative
CONCERNS about transport services for older people in Darlington are to be addressed under a new initiative. Representatives from the Growing Older Living in Darlington (Gold) group have held talks with the council's transport policy section to ensure
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£2.1m grant to safeguard industrial heritage
THOUSANDS of pieces of the region's industrial heritage in danger of decay are to be rescued and stored at a North-East museum - thanks to a £2m National Lottery grant. Beamish Museum, near Stanley, County Durham, learned yesterday it had been successful
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Firm fined for sewage spills
A WATER company was fined £15,000 after raw sewage seeped into a County Durham beck twice in three days. Northumbrian Water was also ordered to pay £568.15 costs after admitting two offences under the Water Resources Act of 1991. Durham magistrates were
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Where do we lay the blame for this death?
WHO was responsible for government weapons expert Dr David Kelly's death? Was it Alastair Campbell, Geoff Hoon or Tony Blair? Was it the faceless bureaucrats at the Ministry of Defence or the reporters who hounded him after he was exposed as the source
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News in brief: History trip around town
Anyone interested in finding out more about the archaeology of Hartlepool's Headland is invited to join a free guided walk around the area on Sunday. The walk, which will explore the development of the Headland from the foundation of the Anglo Saxon Monastery
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Show date as greyhounds seek owners
A CHARITY devoted to providing for retired racing greyhounds is seeking to recruit more helpers. The North Yorkshire branch of the Retired Greyhound Trust will be at Borrowby Show, near Thirsk, next Wednesday, to raise funds and find potential new owners
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Motorists warned of major delay
MOTORISTS are being warned of several months of disruption on a major dual carriageway as work begins installing a roundabout. The £1.5m project is designed to improve safety at the busy A167 junction with the B6312 road outside the Red Lion at Plawsworth
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School's PE lessons will include golf
A COLLEGE is offering its students a wider choice of sporting activities next term - including golf, horse riding and self-defence. The programme will be available during the compulsory PE classes for 14 to 16-year-olds at Northallerton College from September
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News in brief: Two injured as cars collide
Two drivers were taken to hospital after a collision between a Renault Clio and a Land Rover Defender on the A689 between Toronto and High Grange, on the outskirts of Bishop Auckland, yesterday afternoon. Neither was seriously injured. They were taken
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Internet woe of teenagers
NORTH-EAST teenagers lack confidence on the Internet, new research has shown. The study, by Northumbria University, has found that teenagers across the region lack the skills needed to gather information from the web. Lecturer Dr Alison Pickard based
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Hospital admits its staff have been aggressive
A hospital trust admitted it has a problem with its own staff - on the same day a health union called for action to reduce violence. A fact-finding tour of portering and security services at the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust uncovered instances of aggressive
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Mystery of 'attacks' on flamboyant pensioner
DETECTIVES are trying to piece together a series of suspected attacks which may have left a flamboyant pensioner on a life support machine. Brian Sykes, 65, was found collapsed in his flat in Darlington by police officers at the start of this month. He
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On the ladder of success
A STUDENT has been given a step up with a programme designed to team undergraduates with small businesses. In place of the traditional student summer employment in bars or supermarkets, Leigh Wilkinson, 20, found herself working on an important finance
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Praise for fire rescue officers
TWO policemen have been praised for saving a woman's life by dragging her from a smoke-filled flat. PCs Michael Woolston and Richard Laviolette, based at Darlington police station, carried out the rescue on Sunday night after a neighbour raised the alarm
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'I only joined the SS for the uniform'
Not only does the Devil have the best tunes, he has the best uniforms as well. Nick Morrison finds out why anyone would want to identify themselves with a byword for evil. 'BASICALLY, I'm just Stephen Rushton, a fabricator and welder, but at weekends
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Champs bring home the medals
FOOTBALLERS with learning disabilities have been honoured for their success in an Olympic competition. Five men and women from County Durham Care's day centres won silver medals and fourth-place ribbons at the Special Olympic World Games in Dublin. Helen
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Inquest opens into tragedy
AN inquest was opened yesterday into the death of a 36-year-old woman. Gill Mulliner, of Brierly Drive, Wynyard, near Billingham, Teesside, died at North Tees Hospital on July 20. Her husband, Alan, gave evidence of identification before at Teesside Coroner's
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Soap Watch: Dented pride
LADIES and gentlemen, in the red corner we have Tommy "Slugger" Harris, and in the blue corner we have Tyrone "Tubby" Dobbs. The fight in Coronation Street (ITV1) will be mercifully short as fiery ginger nut Tommy, freed from the restrictions of the witness
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Jim aiming for rowing title
PRISON officer Jim Nangle hopes to prove he's an awesome oarsmen, at least on dry land, in international competition next week. The 52-year-old Scotsman, who works at Durham Jail, is part of the England and Wales Prison Service contingent taking part
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Prize pupils go sky high
SIX young designers got more than they bargained when they claimed first prize in a regional competition. The group, from Tanfield School, near Stanley, turned up at Newcastle Airport expecting a ride in a helicopter - and found they were getting a flying
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Aspiring DJs learn to ride the airwaves
WANNABE radio presenters can take part in a course to find out what skills are needed go on air. Ben Weston, Tfm's presenter of the Big Drive Home is to host five, one-hour taster sessions. It is the idea of the Learning and Skills Council Tees Valley
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Pub damaged after car crashes through wall
A DRIVER escaped serious injury after his car ploughed into the front of a pub. The 29-year-old man, believed to be from the Bishop Auckland area, suffered only minor injuries in the accident in the early hours of Monday. Shocked landlord of the Fir Tree
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Pilot escapes as jet crashes
AN investigation was launched last night after a pilot narrowly escaped death when he ejected from his military jet. The RAF officer baled out of his stricken aircraft only seconds before it plunged into the ground and exploded in a disused railway cutting
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We fight on, say green protestors
PROTESTORS have vowed to press on with plans to save a green space after a developer won the right to build houses on it. Strathmore Homes has won planning permission to build about 90 executive houses on the site of the old Derwentside College in Consett
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Robson on target for Tait's travellers
Darlington made it four pre-season games without defeat with a 2-2 draw at Scottish first division Queen of the South last night Quakers twice came from behind with skipper Craig Liddle and trialist Glen Robson cancelling out strikes in either half. Quakers
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Firm to close offices abroad
Property group Marylebone Warwick Balfour is to close its serviced office centres in Germany and the Netherlands and place its French sites in administration because of tough economic conditions. But the London group said its 35 UK centres will not be
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Brooch helps pin down history of monastery
A MAJOR dig at one of the region's most important historic sites has begun to unearth relics from the distant past. Archaeologists digging at the site of Anglo-Saxon monastery in the Headland area of Hartlepool say they have made exciting discoveries.
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Council dispute goes to court
TWO North-East councils will meet in the High Court today over a multi-million pound dispute. Durham County Council objects to having to hand over £13.5m worth of shares in Newcastle and Teesside International airports and a waste management company to
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Opportunity beckons for artists
A SHOP showcasing the talents of County Durham artists aims to help talented people with learning difficulties. The Pace Shop, which stands for People Accessing the Community and Environment, has officially opened. It was formally opened by Councillor
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Comment: No winners at Heathrow
EMPLOYEES at British Airways are within their rights to have reservations about proposed changes to their working practices. But it is difficult to see how staging unofficial strike action is going to help their cause. The walk-out may have raised the
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Vital clues after attempt to abduct girl
DETECTIVES investigating the attempted abduction of a teenage girl say they are examining vital information provided by members of the public. A man tried to drag the 14-year-old into his car as she walked in the Grange Road area of Darlington on the
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Orange workers pick up a small fortune
THE future is certainly looking brighter for ten mobile phone technicians after their syndicate scooped £300,777 on the lottery. They matched five numbers plus the bonus ball on the Lotto draw on Wednesday, July 9. Among the lucky winners were Peter Thorns
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High-flyer heads for Bath joy
JOHN QUINN'S superb season is all set to continue at Bath this afternoon where Winthorpe (4.00) has an excellent opportunity to follow up his recent Hamilton success. Malton-based Quinn, currently enjoying a career-best campaign on the 21-winner mark,
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Aid for power station probed
A BUSINESS rates break for Hartlepool's nuclear power station will be examined as part of an in-depth probe into plans to bail out British Energy. European Commission officials will investigate whether the decision to allow the struggling power company
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Rite-Vent buyout saves jobs
A MANAGEMENT buy-out has saved 160 jobs at the UK's largest vent and flue manufacturer. Rite-Vent, in Washington, Tyne and Wear, was on the verge of being sold to a competitor who wanted to take production south until a deal was struck to keep work in
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McCann heads out and more to follow
ASTON VILLA have given Sunderland midfielder Gavin McCann an escape route out of First Division football - and he is sure to be the first of many out of the Stadium of Light exit doors. The clubs agreed a £2.25m price for the player last night and Villa
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Children's worker caught kerb crawling is fined
A children's home worker caught kerb crawling in a notorious red-light district has been fined £250. Disgraced Timothy Guy Whitfield, 39, has since been moved from his post but is still working for Stockton Council on Teesside. The case prompted the children's
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Appeal for witnesses after men attacked
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after three men were attacked while out for a birthday drink. A 42-year-old man suffered a broken ankle and severe head injuries following the attack in Eston, near Middlesbrough, on Saturday night, which also saw his
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Champs bring home the medals
FOOTBALLERS with learning disabilities have been honoured for their success in an Olympic competition. Five men and women from County Durham Care's day centres won silver medals and fourth-place ribbons at the Special Olympic World Games in Dublin. Helen
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Handout means painting may stay
A RENAISSANCE painting being sold by the Duke of Northumberland could remain in Britain after the Heritage Lottery Fund yesterday announced a £11.5m grant to keep it at the National Gallery. The duke, who owns Madonna of the Pinks, had agreed to sell
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Plan to create conference centre
PLANS are to be drawn up to turn a landmark into the premier conference centre on the east coast. The Spa, in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, is seen as being key to the development of further business and tourism links in the town. Yorkshire Forward, the
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Sands future still in balance
A COUNCIL says it is looking at alternatives to controversial plans for a temporary car park on recreation land. Residents in one of Durham City's most sought-after areas are angry at city council proposals to use The Sands, next to the River Wear, as
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Pub team cues up for glory in national pool competition
POOL players hope to chalk up victory in the final of a national pool competition. The players, from The Brinkburn pub in Lady Kathrine Grove, Darlington,will compete for the title of the UK's number one pool team. Doug Richardson, Mark Earnshaw, Mike
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Health risk home cleared
COUNCIL workers filled a dozen skips with rubbish after being called out to a retired schoolteacher's home. Pam Pearson, 62, had piles of rubbish reaching up to the ceiling in a number of rooms. She says she is a harmless hoarder but neighbours were unhappy
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Motorist jailed for three-hour pursuit
A motorist who was followed by two police aircraft during a three-hour pursuit was jailed for nearly six years yesterday. Raymond McLoughlin, 27, from Hartlepool, was recognised by police as a disqualified driver when he drove away from a nightclub in
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Why it's best to button your lip
R IS for restraint and boy, will you need it. If you thought dealing with a two-year-old was bad, wait until that two-year-old is towering above you awash with hormones, sulkiness, stubble and a disdainfully curled lip. I love my boys dearly, would kill
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It's festival time at the Riverside
ONE of Europe's largest street festivals gets under way today as performers from around the world converge on the region. The 16th Stockton International Riverside Festival is split into two distinct phases this year. The Hits Music Weekend takes place
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Yorkshire chase is on to break the 1,000 barrier
Matthew Wood made further significant progress towards becoming the first Yorkshire batsman to reach 1,000 first class runs this season by hammering 155 against Hampshire at Scarborough yesterday to take his tally to 910. Yorkshire were in complete command
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Suspect thief attacked off-duty officer
AN off-duty police officer was headbutted, punched and bitten when he tried to arrest a suspected thief near his home. Two youths attacked Sergeant Alex Clarke as he grappled with a teenager who was thought to have stolen a motor scooter. Sgt Clarke,
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Profits surge ahead at GSK, despite £300m in lost sales
DRUGS firm GlaxoSmithKline has revealed it is making profits of £242 every second on the back of strong sales of its asthma drug Seretide. The pharmaceuticals group, dogged by fat cat pay accusations from shareholders earlier this year, saw half-year
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News in brief: Alley closures may cut crime
Councillors in York are proposing to close certain alleys in the city as an anti-crime measure. The use of lockable gates on alleys in some parts of London has reduced crime by up to 90 per cent. ANIMAL FAIR: To celebrate its tenth anniversary, the National
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Shopping centre sold
BISHOP Auckland's modernised Newgate Centre has been sold to a specialist developer for £8m. The new owner is the Oakgate Group, from Wetherby, one of Yorkshire's fastest growing property and investment companies with a track record of successful projects
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Mayor attends topping out of luxury flats
A BLOCK of luxury flats in Darlington is almost complete, and the first residents will be moving in before September. Darlington Mayor Councillor Ron Lewis attended a topping out ceremony to mark the completion of the roof on the Chesterfields development
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Euro-MP seeking clear phone mast guidelines
HEALTH concerns over the siting of a mobile phone mast only metres from a Darlington school has prompted a North-East Euro-MP to table a question to the European Commission. MEP Stephen Hughes has objected to the siting of the mast at a busy intersection
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Radio show to visit new town
NEWTON Aycliffe will feature on national radio as part of a series focusing on new towns. Radio Five Live will be broadcasting from the town centre on Tuesday, August 5, between 4pm and 7pm. Presenter Shelagh Fogarty will be in the town on the day to
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Homes projects well under way
FOUNDATION stones of two new housing schemes for the elderly were unveiled yesterday. The developments at Brandon and Spennymoor, both County Durham, will have 24-hour alarm systems, communal lounges and a shop and hairdresser on site. They are designed
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Concern grows for missing 14-year-old
FEARS are growing for a 14-year-old girl who was last seen with two Kosovan refugees. Tania Turnbull was seen on Sunday talking to the two asylum seekers outside a hostel. She was spotted by a resident, who knows her, outside the house where the men were
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Business park plan making progress
PLANS for one of the North-East's most important business developments have taken a step forward. A planning application has been submitted to Darlington Borough Council for two office buildings at Morton Palms business park, on the eastern edge of the
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Shopping centre sold to developer for £8m
BISHOP Auckland's modernised Newgate Centre has been sold to a specialist developer for £8m. The new owner is the Oakgate Group, from Wetherby, one of Yorkshire's fastest growing property and investment companies with a track record of successful projects
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Foundations laid
THE foundation stones of two housing schemes for the elderly were laid yesterday. The developments at Beech Park, Brandon, near Durham, and Grayson Road, Spennymoor, will have 24-hour alarm systems, communal lounges and a shop and hairdresser on site.
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Police issue warning over bogus callers
POLICE have repeated their warnings about bogus officials after two men tried to talk their way into a house. They called on an elderly woman in Swainby, near Stokesley, claiming to be from the water board and saying they needed to bleed some roof valves
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Issues to be resolved before council houses can transfer
Questions are being asked about plans to transfer a town's council housing stock to a non-profit housing organisation. Middlesbrough Council proposed handing over all its 13,000 council houses to Erimus Housing. But two months after Erimus mounted a roadshow
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Shoppers welcome farmers' market to the high street
NORTHALLERTON high street was filled with shoppers yesterday at the launch of the town's farmers' market. Almost 20 stalls boasting an array of meats, fish, cakes and soap were on offer when the Northern Dales Farmers Market (NDFM) came to town. Andrew
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Grand gift from masons
THE sight of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance on a life-saving mission has led to an unexpected gift. The York Lodge of Mark Master Masons has donated £1,000 to the charity. Mason Roland Flint said: "We all greatly admire the work of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance
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High-flyer heads for Bath joy
JOHN QUINN'S superb season is all set to continue at Bath this afternoon where Winthorpe (4.00) has an excellent opportunity to follow up his recent Hamilton success. Malton-based Quinn, currently enjoying a career-best campaign on the 21-winner mark,
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News in brief: Heritage group grant boost
Chester-le-Street Heritage Group has received a £5,000 Awards for All National Lottery grant to help piece together the town's history. The group is now hoping to stage its biggest exhibition yet and is seeking the loan of old photographs and memorabilia
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Principal's This is Your Life event
A This is Your Life event was held for a Stockton college principal who retired after nine years. Old photographs, video clips and special guests helped piece together the life story of Margaret Armstrong who had been principal of Stockton Riverside College
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School revamp proceeds apace
A SLICE of daily life has been captured outside a Hartlepool school. The railings have been put around the front and side of Barnard Grove Primary School, and feature silhouettes of figures representing daily activity at the school. They have an important
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Cash for space mission wanted
FUNDRAISERS are needed to help boost a £6,000 project to bring two Russian cosmonauts to Teesside in October for a series of educational visits to schools and colleges. The Out of this World 2003 project is being jointly organised by Stockton Sixth Form
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Teenager named sportsman of the year
TEENAGE all-rounder Phillip Holdsworth was yesterday named North Yorkshire's Sportsman of the Year. The 16-year-old, who lives at East Cowton and is a student at Northallerton College, was also presented with the Donaldson Trophy by the county's director
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Council will consider other sites for temporary car park
A COUNCIL is looking for alternatives to a controversial proposal for a temporary car park on recreation land. Residents in one of Durham's most sought-after areas are angry at city council proposals to use The Sands, next to the River Wear, as a car
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Green group to launch
A GROUP to help businesses work in an environmentally-friendly and cost-effective way is to be launched on the North Yorkshire coast. The Borough Green Business Club will have its first waste minimisation and energy efficiency event in Whitby on Tuesday
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Fears over police radio system
POLICE in County Durham will soon be using a digital radio system at the centre of health fears. The force said the £3.26m Airwave network will give clearer communications, without dead spots, that cannot be intercepted by criminals with scanners. It
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Girl, 16, raped after bus trip
A 16-YEAR-OLD was raped as she walked home. A police spokesman said the teenager had returned from Newcastle to Washington by bus at 9pm on Tuesday. She was taking a short cut to Washington Old Village after getting off at the Washington bus station,
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TA soldier used rugby to tackle streaker
THE Yeoman of the Guard who rugby-tackled a would-be streaker at a Buckingham Palace garden party said last night that his rugby training meant he instinctively lunged at the youth. Raymond Duffy, 56, a Captain in the Territorial Army 34 (Northern) Signal
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Inquest told of rider's fatal fall
A WOMAN died after falling from her horse while riding through woods. Diane Young, 52, of Stensall Close, New Marske, had been riding for about 15 years and had personally broken in Jack, the horse she was on at the time. An inquest heard how she would
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Lord Chancellor to back schemes for crime victims
MORE court cases in the North-East should be resolved by meetings between victims and offenders, according to the Law Lords.. Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer will encourage such methods, known as restorative justice, when he addresses a meeting of magistrates
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Fifth man arrested after club death
A FIFTH man has been arrested over the death of a North-East father-of-three. The Darlington man, who is in his early twenties, was arrested on Monday on suspicion of violent disorder by detectives investigating the death of John Lacy. The 65-year-old
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Family affair for mayor
THE family of Durham's mayor were out in force at the Gala Theatre for opening night of West Side Story on Tuesday. Not only was Coun Ray Gibbon performing his civic duty, he and his family were there to watch Matthew Gent, who is taking part in the Gala
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Grassroots: Yarm and Eaglescliffe
Wool and buttons: The members of Yarm Mothers' Union knit clothes for the premature babies being cared for in the special unit of North Tees Hospital. If anyone has any spare wool they no longer need or small, coloured buttons the members would be grateful
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Brown attacks trade barriers
BRITAIN and the US should spearhead a new transatlantic alliance for prosperity by breaking down trade barriers, Chancellor Gordon Brown has said. The head of the Treasury told the US Council of Foreign Relations Transatlantic Taskforce that removing
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Biker Ron goes back to college
VETERAN biker Ronald Owen-Smith has gone back to college in his 80th year to keep his classic machines on the road. After scouring the country for spare parts for his 1918 and 1919 Rover motorcycles, the 79-year-old drew a blank. So he decided to enrol
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Club v country dilemma for student team
A TEAM of football-loving students from Malaysia are in a quandary as to who they will support when Newcastle United takes part in the FA Premier League Asia Cup, which kicks off today. The Malaysians, who are studying at Newcastle University, regularly
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Gamekeepers to be honoured
TWO of Yorkshire's most experienced gamekeepers are being honoured for their long service to the countryside. Harold Carr, of the Garrowby Estate, near York, and Mike Richardson, of the Duncombe Park Estate, near Helsmley, each have more than 40 years
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£135,000 grant for activity scheme
A SCHEME to keep youngsters active during the summer holiday has won government funding to expand and improve. The Cop-a-lot initiative, in Scarborough, is the only such scheme in North Yorkshire to win cash under the Government's Positive Activities
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MP takes up trees fight
RAIL chiefs have come under fire from a town's MP for chopping down trees along a train track. Alan Milburn, MP for Darlington, has told residents of Wederly Close, off Brinkburn Road, he will ask Network Rail to replace the trees the company felled behind
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Alarm at playground trade in 'buzz' pills
A CONTROVERSIAL drug designed to calm hyperactive children is being peddled in schools to youngsters looking for a cocaine-like high. Children who have been prescribed Ritalin to combat their Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are also being
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Letters
IRAQ DOSSIER THE now confirmed Iraq dossier mole, Dr David Kelly, was found dead near his home just days after being subjected to a gruelling session by the Foreign Affairs Committee. One Labour MP, Andrew Mackinlay, referred to Mr Kelly as 'chaff'. I
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Musical is an action-packed family affair
A VISIT to the theatre was more than another civic engagement for a city's mayor. For the family of Durham's first citizen, Councillor Ray Gibbon, were out in force at the city's Gala Theatre for opening night of West Side Story. They were there to support
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Men of steel are forged in print
THE proud steel-making heritage of a County Durham community has been celebrated in a new book. Douglas Vernon, 84, who was employed at British Steel's Consett Works for 25 years, has published Thread of Iron. The book looks at the history of Shotley
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News in brief: Anyone for tennis fund?
Alwent Hall Gardens, in Winston, near Barnard Castle, will host a plant sale on Sunday, from 2pm to 5.30pm. The event, which will offer cream teas and a range of other attractions, including pony rides, face-painting, games and various stalls, will raise
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Old pals enjoy happy returns
SCHOOL friends who had not seen each other for more than 40 years held an emotional reunion in Darlington on Saturday. Thirty-three former pupils and four retired teachers from the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School met up for the first time since summer
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Pensioner found in river is identified
A pensioner whose body was recovered from the River Tees estuary was named last night as Alan Joseph Walsh. Mr Walsh was found in the water beside a jetty at Seal Sands, near Billingham, at 9pm on Tuesday. Forensic experts used fingerprints to identify
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Bus service for revellers 'just ticket'
A LATE-night bus service for revellers has got off to a flying start. More than 300 people have travelled on the Night Bus Network in Durham in the first two weekends of its introduction. Martin Harris, commercial director at Go North-East, said: "We
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Expenses tightened up
DURHAM City Council is to tighten up on councillors' expenses. The Liberal Democrat-controlled authority's cabinet has agreed a new scheme for claiming for meals and travel. Currently councillors get paid flat rate allowances when they are on council
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City prepares to host folk festival
Traditional music fans will flock to Durham for the city's 14th Folk Party over the weekend. Dance teams and singers will appear at Durham Rugby Club, in the Market Place, at the town hall and in three city centre pubs. Visitors will form a camp site
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Appeal in memory of Katie-Leigh
THE family of a youngster who died of cancer shortly before Christmas have launched a charity campaign on what would have been her fifth birthday. For almost two years little Katie-Leigh Tones repeatedly amazed doctors by battling against the disease.
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Rush for new air services
ALMOST 3,000 people have booked with a low cost airline which starts operating in the region this autumn. Bmibaby flights will begin from Teesside Airport in late October to Belfast and Malaga, and, from December, Geneva. Tickets went on sale this month
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McCann heads out and more to follow
ASTON VILLA have given Sunderland midfielder Gavin McCann an escape route out of First Division football - and he is sure to be the first of many out of the Stadium of Light exit doors. The clubs agreed a £2.25m price for the player last night and Villa
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Surgery to stay open for now
HUNDREDS of patients have been thrown a lifeline, after a GP practice agreed to stay open. The Medical Group had written to 950 patients in Lanchester warning them that its Westlands surgery in the village was to close because of a shortage of doctors
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Family in shock as pet cats shot
A family has spoken of their horror after their two pet cats were shot at close range with an air rifle. One of the cats lost its leg whilst the other had half of its stomach removed after two separate incidents in the Crook, County Durham area. A third
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College honoured for blood scheme
A North-East college has received a plaque from the National Blood Service - thanks to the efforts of a former pupil. Peter Awadalla, of Nunthorpe, near Middlesbrough, who is now studying medicine in Leeds, set up the Blood Donation Scheme at Prior Pursglove
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Echo seeking region's best photographer
A rugged coastline, moorland and valleys -- the North-East and North Yorkshire provide some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. Now, The Northern Echo is encouraging amateur photographers to capture our region on film or memory card. Presented
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TV review
Loose Women (ITV1) IT'S a dirty job but someone's got to do it. I spent the morning with loose women, talking about bottom-pinching and office affairs. The format of Loose Women, promoted from early afternoon to late morning to fill part of the gap left
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Inquest told of rider's fatal fall
A WOMAN died after falling from her horse while riding through woods. Diane Young, 52, of Stensall Close, New Marske, had been riding for about 15 years and had personally broken in Jack, the horse she was on at the time. An inquest heard how she would
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The last word in suspended ceilings
A CONSTRUCTION company is hoping to hit the right note with its most important contract to date - fitting out the ceiling of the Sage Music Centre. MMP Joinery and Shopfitting beat national competition to build six main ceiling panels at the futuristic
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Brain surgery inspires mountainous effort for cancer cash
A SCIENTIST recovering from a brain tumour has completed a mountain climb to raise funds for a children's cancer charity. Kevin Foster, 41, embarked on the Three Peaks Challenge, which takes in Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell Pike, with friends Geoff Hunter
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Brown attacks trade barriers
BRITAIN and the US should spearhead a new transatlantic alliance for prosperity by breaking down trade barriers, Chancellor Gordon Brown has said. The head of the Treasury told the US Council of Foreign Relations Transatlantic Taskforce that removing
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Robinson on target
TRIALIST Paul Robinson did his chances of earning a deal at Hartlepool United no harm yesterday, writes Nick Loughlin. The former Newcastle striker scored Pool's goal in a 1-1 draw with Sunderland at the Academy of Light. The Black Cats' goal came from
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Hospital takes time to commemorate supporter
THE region's newest hospital commemorated its first anniversary by dedicating a sundial to the memory of one of its biggest supporters. It is exactly one year since the £8m Sedgefield Community Hospital admitted its first patients. The sundial was presented
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Wanted man's case is dropped
A wanted man who has been on the run from the law for nine years had a case against him dropped in court yesterday. Kieron Fleming, 43, from Hartlepool, failed to appear at Teesside Crown Court in April 1994 on two charges of obtaining £14,000 by benefit
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Expenses tightened up
DURHAM City Council is to tighten up on councillors' expenses. The Liberal Democrat-controlled authority's cabinet has agreed a new scheme for claiming for meals and travel. Currently councillors get paid flat rate allowances when they are on council
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Development plans are in jeopardy
PLANS to create about 200 jobs in the region are in jeopardy after the Government called in a scheme to expand a North-East retail park. Peel Investments (North) wants to spend £4m doubling the size of the Peel Retail Park in Washington, Tyne and Wear
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Royal Navy tanker ship adopted
THE people of the North Yorkshire coast are to forge new links with one of the newest additions to the British fleet. The borough of Scarborough has officially adopted the Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker ship the Wave Ruler. The 30,000-tonne vessel is one
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Ticket sales reach 3,000 at bmibaby
THE newest low-cost airline to hit the region's runways has sold 3,000 seats within days of opening ticket lines. Bmibaby last month unveiled routes to Geneva, Malaga and Belfast out of Teesside International Airport. The budget airline said it was pleased
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Pilot escapes as jet crashes
AN investigation was launched last night after a pilot narrowly escaped death when he ejected from his military jet. The RAF officer baled out of his stricken aircraft only seconds before it plunged into the ground and exploded in a disused railway cutting
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Notes From Planet Zog: Why it's best to button your lip
R IS for restraint and boy, will you need it. If you thought dealing with a two-year-old was bad, wait until that two-year-old is towering above you awash with hormones, sulkiness, stubble and a disdainfully curled lip. I love my boys dearly, would kill
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Girl, 16, raped after bus trip
A 16-YEAR-OLD was raped as she walked home. A police spokesman said the teenager had returned from Newcastle to Washington by bus at 9pm on Tuesday. She was taking a short cut to Washington Old Village after getting off at the Washington bus station,
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Dented pride
LADIES and gentlemen, in the red corner we have Tommy "Slugger" Harris, and in the blue corner we have Tyrone "Tubby" Dobbs. The fight in Coronation Street (ITV1) will be mercifully short as fiery ginger nut Tommy, freed from the restrictions of the witness
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Terriers bite Cats
MARCUS STEWART'S return to Huddersfield Town with Sunderland did not go according to plan. The Black Cats' new No 10 scored 68 goals in 160 games for Town before joining Ipswich three and a half years ago. But Stewart, who made a hash of his only two
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John North: Currying favour and the truth about trouser legs
TWO weeks ago at Raby Castle, around 6,000 Durham area Freemasons and their friends raised £50,000 at a gala for one of their charities. Though vigorous attempts were made to publicise it throughout the region, the event received fewer column inches than
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Driver taken ill at wheel
AN elderly motorist who died when her car hit a lamp-post on Tuesday was named yesterday. A post-mortem examination showed that 81-year-old Amy Ord, of Gaskell Way, Crook, County Durham, died of natural causes and not as a result of the crash. A spokesman
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Champ tells mum 'watch from home'
MARTIAL arts champion Wesley Fagan won his first British title belt in front of a sell-out home crowd. The 21-year-old joiner, from Dipton, near Stanley, won the British European Kickboxing Commission Super Middleweight belt when he defeated Sunderland-born
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Councillors lead post office fight
A SPENNYMOOR community faces a fight to keep its post office which is due to shut down under a shake-up of the national branch network. Councillors say they will lead the battle to save the Mount Pleasant branch, which Post Office Ltd has earmarked for
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School wins 'leading edge' bonus
A DARLINGTON special needs school is to receive £180,000 over the next three years after being named one of the best in the country. Beaumont Hill School is one of just three special needs schools in England and Wales and the first in the borough of Darlington
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Safety first at Lucite
THE TEESSIDE workforce of Lucite International has clocked up one million hours of work without a reportable injury. The feat represents about 18 months of continuous safe working for the 330 workers at the Cassel site, in Billingham. "Safety is our top
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'Aussie' jets in for school reunion
A FORMER North-East schoolgirl has organised a reunion with classmates from the other side of the world. Jennifer Dodds (nee Wilkinson), who now lives in Victoria, Australia, decided earlier this year that she'd like to catch up with old friends from
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24/07/03
IRAQ DOSSIER: THE now confirmed Iraq dossier mole, Dr David Kelly, was found dead near his home just days after being subjected to a gruelling session by the Foreign Affairs Committee. One Labour MP, Andrew Mackinlay, referred to Mr Kelly as 'chaff'.
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Jet-skiers save life of bridge fall man
JET-SKIERS saved the life of a man who plunged from the Tyne Bridge. The man survived the 85ft fall but was being swept downstream when he was spotted by Peter Armstrong and Stephen Dent. Mr Armstrong, 49, of Lanchester, near Consett, County Durham, and
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Town has just one beggar left
A TOWN'S drive to rid the streets of beggars has just one more target. Middlesbrough Council says the town has one beggar left on the streets after a year-long clean-up. It is considering applying for a court injunction banning the unnamed man from begging
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US firm joins haemophiliac court battle
NORTH-EAST patients are using one of the world's biggest law firms to launch a multi-million dollar legal action over contaminated blood products. A lawsuit filed in San Francisco alleges that US companies were responsible for an international scandal
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Museum attraction provides peephole to past
VISITORS to a North-East museum are being offered a fresh insight into the area's history with the launch of a new attraction. A Recent Acquisitions Case has been set up at the Museum of Hartlepool to display some of the diverse and fascinating items
