Archive
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Are we losing our birthright?
SO it's a happy ending. Pauline Prescott has been reunited with the son she gave up for adoption 45 years ago. He is delighted. She is delighted. His adoptive mother seems fine about it and John Prescott has cheerfully accepted a Tory voting foxhunter
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Analysts predict an end to string of interest rate cuts
INTEREST rates could climb by as much as 1.25 per cent over the coming year on the back of a resurgent economy, according to analysts. Such a move could hit homeowners hard and would add as much as £70-a-month extra on to a £100,000 mortgage. Hopes that
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University rejects pigs research allegations
A UNIVERSITY in the North-East has been accused of carrying out horrific animal experiments in which pigs had their bladders cut open and were later killed. The National Anti-Vivisection Society, an animal rights group, said the pigs at Newcastle University's
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Sad day for England as Gough makes Test exit
Darren Gough yesterday conceded defeat in his attempt to return to the pinnacle of world cricket with the announcement that he has retired from Tests. Gough, 33 next month, has decided to retire from the Test arena due to a long-standing knee problem
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Warning over N-E bogus data protection
COMPANIES are being warned about a data protection scam operating in the North-East. Firms are being urged to be on their guard after organisations posing as collectors on behalf of data protection are demanding vastly inflated payments for Data Protection
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Amec hailed by major store
ENGINEERING firm Amec has received a supplier award for excellence in health and safety from one of its key customers Marks and Spencer. Amec won a £5.5m design and construction contract last year to upgrade nine M&S outlets including stores in Durham
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Glass art celebration
A piece of glass art has been presented to one of the biggest private sector employers on Tyneside in celebration of a decade of sponsorship of one of the region's most famous art galleries. The glass, engraved by local artist Peter Furlonger, was given
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The high road to saints and singers
HAS Jeremy Clarkson been driven round the bend? Why did he allow himself to be associated with Honda's spurious survey into Britain's favourite roads? Doesn't he ever get out? The survey appeared in Saturday's paper. Buttertubs Pass - laughably claimed
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The penalties of backspin
FOR A Government which placed so much emphasis on presentation and spin, it has proved to be disastrously bad at it. Yesterday's apology by Downing Street spokesman Tom Kelly is the latest in a steady stream of spectacular own goals. His suggestion that
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Navy hero dies in crash
A ROYAL NAVY hero who served in Afghanistan has been killed in a road crash weeks before being decorated for his role in the conflict. Christopher Winthrop, 24, whose parents, Linda and Doug Winthrop, live in Bensham, Gateshead, died from head injuries
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Our Army son was driven to suicide
THE devastated family of a young soldier found hanging at a North Yorkshire barracks claimed last night that he was driven to take his own life. Derek McGregor, who had served in Germany and Northern Ireland, joined the 3 Close Support Medical Regiment
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Big rise in Internet bookings
RECORD numbers of passengers are using the Internet to book flights, new figures reveal. More than nine out of ten travellers using two of the three budget airlines that fly from the North-East are skipping conventional methods to reserve their seats.
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Transplant mum's gamble pays off
TRANSPLANT patient Liz Beaton yesterday held the baby for which she risked her life. Mrs Beaton, 29, made the brave decision last Christmas to stop taking anti-rejection medication for the sake of her unborn baby. Having suffered five miscarriages and
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Alert over animal rights 'kidnap threat'
POLICE have been placed on alert after a kidnap threat was reportedly made against a manager at controversial animal testing company Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS). The threat has led to renewed fears that animal rights activists are about to step up
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The importance of being Yorkshire
THE most surprising thing about Redcar's decision to reclaim its Yorkshire identity is that it took so long. The second most surprising thing is that the decision wasn't unanimous but carried by the not quite overwhelming vote of 36 to 23. Everywhere
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Plan for phone mast worries archaeologists
CONCERN has been voiced by archaeologists over plans to site a mobile phone tower near a Bronze Age monument. Planning officers recommended Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council planning committee approve the mast at Airy Hill Farm, Boosbeck, near Guisborough
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Times for a change of fortune
TIM EASTERBY'S two-year-olds haven't exactly been setting the world alight this season, but all is not gloom and doom because Distant Times (2.30) has an excellent chance of opening his account at Newcastle today. With only six winners from 106 runners
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Man shot mother in face after row
A Sunderland man shot his mother in the face with an air rifle after a drunken row, a court heard yesterday. Michael Woolford turned the gun on his mother when a row erupted after a night out. His mother, Janice, needed an operation to remove the pellet
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Hunt for attackers after man is stabbed
A MAN was taken to hospital with stab wounds after being attacked by two men. The 27-year-old victim got into an argument with two men who are thought to be from the Middle East, in Yarm Lane, Stockton, when he was stabbed at about 5.30pm on Sunday. Police
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Expert teams set to fight diseases and terror attacks
Specialist teams will be set up across the North-East to fight the spread of deadly diseases and guard against terror attacks. The experts - who will be drawn from local hospital staff - will be told to prevent and control infections ranging from tuberculosis
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Grade I listed church to be revived as community hub
A VILLAGE church is on its way to becoming the hub of the community, thanks to a £121,000 refurbishment. Building work is under way in St Mary Magdalene, Medomsley, near Consett, to turn part of the Grade I listed building into a meeting room and kitchen
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Trio raise £25,000 by pedal power
THREE businessmen swapped their seats in the boardroom for the saddles of pushbikes to raise more than £25,000 for charity. The trio covered 200 miles in a coast-to-coast ride from St Bees, in Cumbria, to Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire, cycling for
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Plans to convert cotton mill into timber craft workshop
A DISUSED 18th Century Dales cotton mill is likely to be given a new lease of life as a tourist attraction. Gayle Mill, on the edge of Hawes, is home to the world's oldest working water turbine and its architectural importance has already led to the building's
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Request for time to debate homes scheme
A VILLAGE has asked for more time to consider an application for a housing scheme which would increase the population by about 250 people. The Hospitaller Order of St John of God confirmed in March last year it would be closing the private facilities
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Competition brings out the best in blooms
GARDENERS who brought a blaze of summer colour to Bishop Auckland streets were honoured in the Civic Society's annual competition. Bishop Auckland in Bloom had a new judge for its 11th year. David Hirst, from Houghall College, Durham, viewed the 26 entries
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Bowyer saluted by St James' Park faithful
LEE BOWYER was given a hero's welcome to St James' Park last night as the Toon Army rallied round the controversial midfielder. After Bowyer was booed by opposing fans during recent matches at the Asia Cup and Sheffield Wednesday, there was not a dissenting
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Pressure grows for Army to surrender
The number of deaths at the Army's Catterick Garrison base has raised concerns among bereaved families. Liz Lamb reports THE list of 26 names of dead soldiers makes for bleak reading. Hangings, gunshot wounds and carbon monoxide poisoning deaths are recorded
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Summer fun day arranged
SUMMER fun has been organised for the Redcar and east Cleveland area. As part of Tuesday's Seaside Family Fun Day event, in Redcar there will be a chance to paddle with Cleveland Divers and to become a marine detective with Tees Archaeology and the Nautical
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Owners urged to have their pets tagged
DOG owners are being urged to have pets microchipped. Hartlepool Borough Council is working with the National Canine Defence League to run a series of dog micro-chipping sessions in the town. The process involves inserting a microchip containing an identification
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The man staring death in the face
Last month, The Northern Echo told of a businessman waiting to hear if he will be deported to Singapore to face trial over a double killing. In an exclusive interview from inside his Australian prison, Michael McCrea tells Simon Atkinson of his fear that
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Fears over more cuts in armed services
ANOTHER five infantry battalions - and hundreds of soldiers based in the region - could be axed as the Government considers more cuts in Britain's armed forces. The Ministry of Defence said yesterday no decisions have been made, although a White Paper
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Gymnastics coach denies raping student
A GYMNASTICS coach raped a girl acrobat in a store cupboard and then cut her stomach with a Stanley knife, saying "You're mine", a court was told yesterday. The woman, now aged 22, said Jack Foster, 62, who ran a club with his wife, Joyce, threatened
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Gooseberry show is best of the bunch
LONG hot days and the common sightings of pesky wasps left organisers of one of the region's longest running shows fearing the worst for their usually plumped-up and juicy entries. But even the scorching summer sun didn't keep berry enthusiasts at bay
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Letters
TONY MARTIN LIKE many others I felt some sympathy for Tony Martin until that interview on television. Here was a man not cowed by prison life but one who looked younger and fitter than before - only his attitude to life remained the same. So cold, callous
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Checking into a real-life Fawlty Towers
Hotels from Hell (ITV1) and House Trapped: When Houses Go Wrong (Channel 4): The best hotels are a home away from home but the ones in this show were quite simply hell on earth. Dirty sheets, broken fixtures and infestations of bed bugs were just some
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Analysts predict an end to string of interest rate cuts
INTEREST rates could climb by as much as 1.25 per cent over the coming year on the back of a resurgent economy, according to analysts. Such a move could hit homeowners hard and would add as much as £70-a-month extra on to a £100,000 mortgage. Hopes that
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Figures show fall in business confidence
BUSINESS confidence and turnover in Darlington were depressed during June, recent figures have revealed. But employment levels have managed to remain marginally positive, according to the Darlington Business Index. Clive Owen, senior partner at Clive
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Pressure grows for Army to surrender
THE list of 26 names of dead soldiers makes for bleak reading. Hangings, gunshot wounds and carbon monoxide poisoning deaths are recorded beside soldiers who seem to have just collapsed and died. For the families of recruits who have lost their lives
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Hairdresser chain shaping up for franchises venture
A CHAIN of hair and beauty salons is hoping to franchise its way to success. Hairdresser Contemporary is looking to expand from its five salons in the North-East and is planning to franchise some outlets to its employees during the next 12 months. Contemporary
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TV review
Hotels from Hell (ITV1) and House Trapped: When Houses Go Wrong (Channel 4) THE best hotels are a home away from home but the ones in this show were quite simply hell on earth. Dirty sheets, broken fixtures and infestations of bed bugs were just some
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Naked hiker identified
THE identity of the mystery nudist spotted hiking through the Yorkshire Dales may now have been, er, revealed. The intrepid trekker is thought to be 44-year-old Steve Gough, a former truck driver who has set himself the task of walking from Land's End
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Eliza's life dogged by grief and loss
Echo Memories relates the story of Eliza Barclay, whose birth into a rich banking family could not save her from a lifetime of personaly tragedy. THIS is the story of a woman of immense family wealth but great personal sadness. Her name was Eliza. She
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Career break couple dive into reef roles
A couple are swapping their work suits for diving gear as they head off to the Fiji islands. Jayne and Andy Cowell, 35 and 38, plan to work for three months as volunteers with a coral reef protection charity - but need to raise £2,000 first. They will
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Man denies protest at waste site
A MAN arrested at the site of a proposed waste disposal station said last night that he was not protesting, but merely talking to a friend. Geoffrey Donaldson was at Stainton Grove, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, when he was arrested by five police
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Call for curbs on 'dogging' sex craze
POLICE have been urged to step up their efforts to tackle a bizarre sex craze sweeping North-East beauty spots. Countryside workers say that "dogging" - where couples get their kicks out of inviting strangers to watch and sometimes join in with them having
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Eyestorm buys out rival
NEWCASTLE art retailer Eyestorm has bought out rival Britart to create a £3.5m combined business. Dickinson Dees law firm advised on the deal which will create a major new force on the international arts scene. Eyestorm is a leading retailer of limited
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Lighting firm's 200 jobs brighten gloom
THE North-East received a much-needed economic boost yesterday with the news that more than 200 jobs are expected to be created at a new factory. Transmission and Lighting Ltd will make street lighting, masts and related products at its factory in Newton
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Big-hitter Pietersen denies Dynamos
KEVIN Pietersen produced some of the most explosive hitting seen at Riverside yesterday to transform Durham's game against Nottinghamshire. The 23-year-old South African, who has an English mother and qualifies to play for England at the end of next summer
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Dancers brand city as racist
BLACK theatre performers who claim they were spat at by racists said last night that a North-East city was "as prejudiced as Apartheid-era South Africa". The cast of African dance spectacular Umoja said the only time they had suffered racial abuse on
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Police seeking motorist who helped in struggle
POLICE are seeking a motorist who stopped to help officers struggling to arrest a violent teenager, but left before they could thank him. Officers were called to a disturbance at the community centre in Sykes Road, Burnopfield, near Stanley, County Durham
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Woman terrified by power hard sell
A DISABLED woman says she was terrorised by a gas and electricity salesman who harangued her in her home for nearly an hour. Theresa Crooke said she was left "petrified" after she answered the door of her Darlington home to an agent from npower. Ms Crooke
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Competition plants seeds for a rosy future
BUSINESSES have been praised for their efforts to brighten up the centre of Chester-le-Street. Ten local traders entered the first Chester-le-Street in Bloom Association, held by the town's traders association and the district council. They decorated
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Saint Phillips?_It's just not that simple
KEVIN PHILLIPS'S proposed £3m move to Southampton could collapse over personal terms, the Sunderland striker's agent warned last night. Phil Smith, who represents Phillips, gave a lukewarm response to the Black Cats' decision to grant Southampton permission
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Century-old fountain is back after vandal attack
A 100-YEAR-OLD fountain which was an original feature of a Victorian park has returned. The little boy fountain is back in Blackhill and Consett Park after repairs following a vandal attack. He now has a four-camera CCTV system to watch over him. His
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Equipment amnesty at hospital
FAMILIES of young patients who have been on the children's wards at the James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesborough, are asked to check their cupboards. Staff lend out equipment to help youngsters manage their conditions when they first leave hospital
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Homes decision may prove costly
COUNCILLORS could be landed with a bill for costs if they insist - against official advice - on rejecting plans for homes in a Harrogate suburb. Bovis Homes wants to build 42 detached and terraced houses on land off The Avenue at Starbeck. A development
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Wheelchair users learn to push their machines to the extreme
TWO wheelchair users had a chance to learn how to get the most out of their chairs at a special course. Jackson Galuidi, four, and Luke Kennedy, ten, learned how to get down a flight of stairs in an emergency and back-wheel down kerbs safely, as well
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Hospice boost lined up
Staff at the Lloyds TSB branch in Consett have organised a raffle to raise cash for the Willowburn Hospice, in Maiden Law, near Lanchester. Prizes include a golfing day for four at Slaley Hall, plus meal, and cinema vouchers. Tickets are £1 each and are
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Celebrate the past with free heritage tours
LANDMARKS and historic sites on Tyneside open their doors to the public for free next month. Tyne and Wear Heritage Open Days take place from Friday, September 12 to Monday, September 15. This year, there are more than 110 buildings open for tours and
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Residents demand action to save pub
VILLAGERS have mounted a "save our pub" campaign amid fears for its future. Residents said since a change of ownership last December far fewer people are using The Crown Inn, at Grewelthorpe, near Ripon. And they are so worried about the viability of
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Steel site housing scheme started
CONSTRUCTION work is under way on a housing estate on the site of the former Consett steelworks. Barratt Newcastle is building 120 executive homes in Berry Edge, Consett, part of the Genesis site where the former British Steel plant once stood. The company
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Young offenders put backs into community jobs
COMMUNITY payback schemes are taking place throughout the summer, allowing young offenders to put something back into the community. Sunderland's Youth Offending Service organises work programmes throughout the year, but the summer months allow a lot
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Hospice needs junior racers
YOUNGSTERS are being urged to take part in an annual run to raise funds for the county's first hospice for children and young people. Martin House Hospice, in Boston Spa, wants as many under-17s as possible to take part in the BUPA Junior Great North
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Motorists urged to help patients
DRIVERS willing to help take people to and from hospital are being sought in the Ripon area. The ambulance service has a shortage of drivers with its non-emergency patient transport service, which does about 750,000 journeys a year. Volunteers use their
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Divers land club accolade
DIVERS who worked for seven years to revive the fortunes of their sub-aqua group have been awarded one of their sport's top accolades. Bishop Auckland Sub-Aqua Club has received the Heinke Trophy by the British Sub Aqua Club. With the honour comes a £1,000
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Accidental death verdict
A YOUNG man died after losing control of his car on a country road, an inquest heard yesterday. Graeme Pears, 20, from Britton Hall, Westgate, in Weardale, died when his car failed to negotiate a bend and turned on its side. There were no other vehicles
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Cancer fear led to overdose
A MAN told an inquest of his last telephone conversation with his girlfriend, when she told him she had taken an overdose. Suzanne Askew told Geoffrey Brown she had "had enough of her troubles", an inquest heard yesterday. Darlington and South Durham
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Whelan is fed to The Lions
MILLWALL boss Mark McGhee is determined to help Noel Whelan recapture his old form after brokering a season-long loan deal for the Middlesbrough player. The Boro striker was farmed out temporarily to Crystal Palace during the last campaign and is still
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New telephone electoral register is voted a success
A NEW way of registering details for the electoral role is proving a success with voters. Harrogate Borough Council's canvass of electors is under way and electoral registration forms are being delivered to every home in the district. The authority is
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Saint Phillips? It's just not that simple
KEVIN PHILLIPS'S proposed £3m move to Southampton could collapse over personal terms, the Sunderland striker's agent warned last night. Phil Smith, who represents Phillips, gave a lukewarm response to the Black Cats' decision to grant Southampton permission
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Trolley dash effort pleases Peter's mum
SHOPPER Gill Corbitt had her shelves well and truly stocked after her son grabbed £1,217 worth of goods during a trolley dash around a supermarket. Peter Corbitt was let loose in Somerfield, Northallerton, for two minutes after his mother won the Somerfield
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Residents welcome care home proposals
PLANS are being unveiled to create a nursing home in an empty building which residents said has become an eyesore area. Hadrion Healthcare has applied to Stockton Borough Council for planning permission to build a residential care home at Belasis House
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Harnessing power of sunshine
SUNSHINE will be helping provide power at a market in Guisborough this week. Photovoltaic panels, which convert sunlight into electricity, will be used to provide live music at the town's Farmers' Market on Saturday, when Redcar and Cleveland Borough
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Tony has designs for the future
A SCHOOLBOY has won a competition by designing a house for the future. Tony Harrison, 12, a pupil at Gillbrook School, in South Bank, won the overall top prize - a Sony PlayStation 2 - for his design as part of an east Cleveland housing association's
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Doors open at community project
YOUNGSTERS were among the first to enjoy a new community facility in west Middlesbrough yesterday. The St Cuthbert's Youth and Community Project, based next to the Phoenix Squash Club in the West Lane area, has been made possible through £244,000 of West
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New blood needed for construction industry
BUILDERS across the region are bathing in a flood of orders - but a lack of skilled labour has hampered their ability to capitalise on the situation. The Federation of Master Builders' (FMB) State of Trade survey showed that workloads and employment levels
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01/08/03
There was to be no open-top bus tour for Willington Boys' Under-14s last weekend. The tickertape stayed under lock and key; the champagne remained firmly on ice (though the coach allowed himself a few glasses of Aussie white wine - purely for medicinal
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Are we losing our birthright?
SO it's a happy ending. Pauline Prescott has been reunited with the son she gave up for adoption 45 years ago. He is delighted. She is delighted. His adoptive mother seems fine about it and John Prescott has cheerfully accepted a Tory voting foxhunter
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The high road to saints and singers
HAS Jeremy Clarkson been driven round the bend? Why did he allow himself to be associated with Honda's spurious survey into Britain's favourite roads? Doesn't he ever get out? The survey appeared in Saturday's paper. Buttertubs Pass - laughably claimed
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06/08/03
TONY MARTIN: LIKE many others I felt some sympathy for Tony Martin until that interview on television. Here was a man not cowed by prison life but one who looked younger and fitter than before - only his attitude to life remained the same. So cold, callous
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Rucksack bomb scare causes A1 chaos
A FORGOTTEN rucksack prompted police to close off a section of the A1 in North Yorkshire for an hour yesterday - bringing thousands of motorists to a standstill on the hottest day of the year. The major security alert began when the rucksack was spotted
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Man charged after officer hit with water gun
A man is set to face magistrates after an incident in which a passing policeman was hit in the face by a stream of water from a high-powered novelty water gun. The incident, in a County Durham market town square, happened as the officer drove past in
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Nelson shines
MICKY Nelson has already made a big impression on Hartlepool United fans. The summer signing from Bury will be in the Pool line-up which kicks the season off at Peterborough on Saturday. And a repeat of the last time Nelson was involved in Nationwide
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£500,000 to boost chances of work
PROJECTS to improve employment are among schemes totalling almost £500,000 lined up for Wear Valley and the surrounding area. Groundwork West Durham has announced a set of regeneration plans for the area that will cost £493,454. Among the projects are
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Airlines' ups and downs
THE domination of the skies by budget airlines was put into stark context when Ryanair and British Airways (BA) reported vastly differing fortunes yesterday. The Irish low-cost airline revealed record profits while BA's ongoing misery was compounded by
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Watchdog warning to football clubs
FOOTBALL clubs listed on the Stock Market were last night told to ensure shareholders receive the same treatment as supporters when major transfers were announced. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has written to nine listed clubs reminding them
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Youth injured by blazing missile
A TEENAGER suffered serious burns to his face and chest when a blazing object was hurled at him, setting his hair and clothes alight, police said yesterday. The 17-year-old was still in hospital last night following the incident in Newcastle on Monday
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Hairdresser unfazed by competition
ANOTHER hairdressing business opened in Darlington last month, confirming the town's position as the hairdressing capital of the UK. Business partners Fiona Hart and Lisa Ryan, who have been working together for 17 years, have opened Ryanhart, in Duke
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Mortgage broker continues to expand
A MORTGAGE broker is undergoing a second expansion since moving to new premises in Darlington 18 months ago. Mortgage and Property Services moved to Lingfield House, Lingfield Point, last February, with ten staff, having outgrown its Victoria Road premises
