Archive
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England players call off boycott
ENGLAND'S players last night called off their threat to boycott Saturday's Euro 2004 qualifying clash with Turkey in Istanbul. The row over Rio Ferdinand's expulsion from the squad for failing to attend a routine drugs test at Manchester United last month
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From the mouths of babes
THE tooth fairy has always come to our house. She knows the way by heart. Every time a tooth has been left under a pillow, it's been replaced by a 50p piece, along with a little note from the tooth fairy herself. Our baby girl, now aged 12, had a particular
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Soap Watch: Marry me
AND the winners of this year's Worst Parents Award goes to Ken and Deirdre of Coronation Street (ITV1). Only the other week, Ken was woebetiding the fact that his son, Two Wives Peter Barlow, had committed bigamy. "Where did we go wrong?," he asked. Now
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The real storyline behind that kiss
THAT kiss between Todd and Nick in Coronation Street this week turned my stomach. Not because I have any objection to homosexual storylines, but because it came out of nowhere. This, like the multiple murders, cocaine-addicted prostitutes, violent rapes
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Valuable medication destroyed after fridge breaks
VITAL medication worth £100,000 had to be destroyed after a fridge broke down at a top hospital. Hospital bosses launched a top-level inquiry after they discovered a temperature control mechanism on a cold store had broken down putting £1,568,000 of blood
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Sex claim footballer is named
LEEDS United star Jody Morris was named yesterday as the footballer being questioned by detectives investigating an alleged serious sexual assault on a 20-year-old woman. The 24-year-old former Chelsea player was arrested on Tuesday by West Yorkshire
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Plans for car park charge put on hold
MARKET town shoppers will get a reprieve as plans for car parking charges are put on the back burner. It has already been agreed in principal that parking charges should be introduced in Crook town centre but councillors have now voted to hold off on
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Sheep farmer missing after moors crash
A SEARCH will continue today for a farmer who went missing after a road accident in a remote part of the North-East. Police fear Cliff Allen, 50, could have been left injured after the accident at Lunedale, in Teesdale, County Durham, on Tuesday night
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Plan for flats abandoned
PLANS to build flats on the site of Richmond's former post office garages have been abandoned. Developer Elevations Northern had submitted a bid for a three-storey building behind the Ralph Fitz Randal pub, containing 12 apartments. But Richmond Civic
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Transport boost for college
YOUNGSTERS with disabilities will be able to enjoy more trips out after being presented with a minibus. The £33,000 bus was presented to King James Community College yesterday by the Lord's Taverners' Northumberland and Durham Region. The school had to
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Praise for trust
A mental health trust has been praised in a report by the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI). Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland Mental Health NHS Trust was complimented for its efforts to involve patients in its work. Its use of former
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Mountain trek for charity
AN adventurous art student has accepted the challenge of an African adventure to raise funds for some of Britain's most vulnerable children and young people. Sarah Oates, 24, from Crook, is joining The Children's Society's ten-day trek up Africa's highest
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Families go north to fill empty homes
FAMILIES are swapping hectic city lives in south London for a more peaceful existence in the Wear Valley under a scheme to fill empty council houses. Five families have already moved to the Wear Valley district from the London borough of Lewisham, and
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Residents watch development grow
RESIDENTS in Stockton yesterday had a chance to see how a redevelopment project was progressing. The South Stockton Link Site Two open day allowed people to discover first-hand the construction activities being carried out in the project. The scheme includes
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Pupils talk to top author
SECONDARY school children have been picking up writing tips from a top author. The year 11 pupils, from all six secondary schools in Hartlepool, met Phillipa Gregory at the town's education centre yesterday afternoon. They took part in a question and
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Mayor unveils vision for future of town
THE mayor of Hartlepool will next week unveil his plans to take the town forward over the next 12 months. Councillor Stuart Drummond will be speaking at the annual State of the Borough Debate, which takes place in the Civic Centre, on Tuesday, at 7pm.
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Volunteers wanted to clean up paths
EXTRA volunteers are invited to join residents fighting back against litter louts on footpaths around a large private housing estate. Newton Hall Parish Paths Partnership is a residents' group set up to tackle problems on the network of thoroughfares
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Upgraded car park wins award
A drive to make car parks in Hartlepool town centre safer and more attractive to shoppers has received a boost. Roker Street car park, which was recently refurbished at a cost of £120,000, has been awarded Secured Car Parks status. It is the town's fourth
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Katie gears up for charity ride
LOVE is. . . cycling 200 miles in humid temperatures, according to Katie Atkinson. The 23-year-old health worker is spending Valentine's Day next year pedalling across Cuba in a sponsored marathon for the mental health charity, MIND. An occupational therapist
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Police to fine drivers £40 for using no-access route
POLICE road safety experts are warning motorists in east Durham they run the risk of a hefty fine if they carry on using a congested "no access'' route. For several years, traffic has been banned from Eastfield and Thorntree Gill, in Peterlee, unless
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Meat company looks forward to trade fair
A DALES business launched in May takes on the world at a trade fair in Germany this weekend. Based in Leyburn, The Dales Quality Meat Company did its first day's trading during the town's Food and Drink Festival this spring. Since then, it has secured
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Youngsters will explore democracy
YOUNG people in the Darlington area will get the chance to find out more about their council as part of Local Democracy Week next week. The aim of this year's event, from Monday to Saturday, is to help pupils learn more about the work of councils. Members
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Students' art wins praise and cash
TWO art students found themselves £250 better off after their work won praise from a property company. Rachel Johnson and Natalie Davies, students at Darlington College of Technology, have their work hanging in the corridors of the town's Lingfield Point
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Appeal to prevent school vandalism
VANDALS have caused thousands of pounds of damage to a Darlington school. About 200 tiles were ripped off the roof of St Bede's Primary School, skylights were kicked in and a window was broken. There have been several vandal attacks on the school and
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Light show keeps Newcastle-Gateshead's culture ambitions in the public eye
PLANS to double the number of people taking part in sport in the North-East are at the heart of a drive to revive a scheme for a sports academy in the region. Sport England's North-East chairman, Tim Cantle-Jones, has outlined plans to develop Gateshead
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Accident ruling after toddler drowns in bath
AN inquest has heard that a toddler who drowned in a bath probably suffered a fit. The inquest heard that 18-month old Erin-Louise Connolly had previously suffered three convulsions. Tragedy struck on Christmas morning last year when the youngster's mother
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'Cruel' tragedy of A66 victim who hated road
TWO men who died earlier this week in a three-vehicle crash on one of the region's most notorious roads have been named by police. Geoff Donaldson, 57, was the driver of a van which was wrecked in the collision on the A66 trans-Pennine route on Tuesday
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Inquiry into alleged use of restraints on boy near end
AN investigation into allegations that a school used a Victorian restraint on a child is nearing completion. The eight-year-old boy was said to have had his fingers clamped to two wooden blocks and had his hands tied behind his back to stop him fidgeting
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£20m redevelopment plan for Teesside Airport
AN AMBITIOUS £20m redevelopment that will transform the region's second biggest airport is going ahead. Moves by Peel Airports to begin the redevelopment of Teesside vindicates the decision by local authorities to sell their controlling interest in the
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Students audition in bid for stardom
YOUNG musicians from the region are gearing up to perform in an innovative school and college audition tour. Singers, dancers, bands and musicians from County Durham, Teesside and Tyne and Wear, are putting the finishing touches to their performances
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Myths, murder and maybes
Jason And The Argonauts: Revealed (five) : UNLESS you're a Greek scholar, I bet your knowledge of Jason and his shipmates, the Argonauts, has been gleaned from the 1963 movie. This documentary duly showed a clip from the film and talked to Ray Harryhausen
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Out of this world . . . pupils' verdict on plaything from outer space
A MOCK meteor has landed in the grounds of a North-East school. And, although the monster rock did not arrive from outer space, it is proving a cosmic hit with pupils at Esh Winning Primary School, near Durham City. The seven metre long rock is an artificial
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Grassroots: Yarm and Eaglescliffe
FESTIVAL DAY: Following the harvest festival services on Sunday, at Orchard Community Centre, at 10am, and St John's Church, at 10.30am, a free lunch will be served at Egglescliffe Parish Hall, Butts Lane, Egglescliffe, at 11.30am. Please supply own drinks
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It's time to make a Wish
Will He Wish, who has done nothing but improve this term, is taken to successfully negotiate a step up in class in the Betfair.com Showcase Rated Handicap over seven furlongs at York this afternoon. Steve Gollings' seven-year-old started life in handicaps
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Sheep farmer missing after moors crash
A SEARCH will continue today for a farmer who went missing after a road accident in a remote part of the North-East. Police fear Cliff Allen, 50, could have been left injured after the accident at Lunedale, in Teesdale, County Durham, on Tuesday night
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Sex claim footballer is named
LEEDS United star Jody Morris was named yesterday as the footballer being questioned by detectives investigating an alleged serious sexual assault on a 20-year-old woman. The 24-year-old former Chelsea player was arrested on Tuesday by West Yorkshire
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Pub customers boost appeal
GENEROUS pub regulars raised £1,742 to boost the efforts of a doctor who has launched a cash crusade to improve the lives of young people with diabetes. The Ash Tree, in Carr Lane, Spennymoor, hosted an auction and raffle in support of paediatric consultant
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Selling his serious side
The right numbers have come up for former Lottery presenter Bradley Walsh as he realises his ambition to be a straight actor in Reps, one of the pilot dramas in Tyne Tees Television's series The Hothouse. Bradley Walsh took on board his parents' advice
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Marry me
AND the winners of this year's Worst Parents Award goes to Ken and Deirdre of Coronation Street (ITV1). Only the other week, Ken was woebetiding the fact that his son, Two Wives Peter Barlow, had committed bigamy. "Where did we go wrong?," he asked. Now
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News in brief: Concern over CCTV operation
THE way closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras are operated in Thirsk is to be taken up by the town council. Councillors expressed concern that there is no local telephone number for the public to call operators to target a particular spot. A police
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United celebrate a winning season - off the field, that is
THE board of Newcastle United Football Club released record results to the London Stock Exchange yesterday. The club was celebrating a hat-trick of positive news, announcing that record turnover, profits and season-ticket sales had all been achieved.
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Pupils to pilot fitness project
SCHOOLCHILDREN in Wear Valley have been chosen to take part in an innovative pilot scheme aimed at improving co-ordination skills. Every primary, secondary and special school in the district will be given a range of specialist sporting equipment, which
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Amersham shares leap
SHARES in medical products group Amersham rose by a quarter yesterday after the company revealed it had received a potential takeover approach. The Buckinghamshire firm saw its share price leap 89p to 641p after it said it had received an approach "which
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Gemma's debut role is to die for
A TALENTED young singer is hoping her debut appearance in a West End musical later this month will be the start of a glittering career. Appearing in one of London's most famous theatres, Gemma Sharp-Harker is busy rehearsing songs and dance moves in preparation
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When the beautiful game turned ugly
It may be Pele's 'beautiful game' but events of the past few weeks have made football appear less than attractive. Nick Morrison looks at how the game's image has been tarnished and asks: where did it all go wrong? "ALL that I know most surely about morality
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Pop singer punched attendant
Pop star Cheryl Tweedy punched a female toilet attendant in the face in a row over a handful of lollipops and called her a ''f black bitch'', a court heard today. Girls Aloud singer Tweedy, 20, screamed racist abuse before punching Sophie Amogbokpa, causing
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Profits still on track at Jarvis
THE engineering group at the centre of the Potters Bar rail crash inquiry yesterday indicated it expected half-year turnover and profits to be substantially ahead of last year. Jarvis said group turnover had seen strong growth, principally due to its
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More help needed for burns girl
A PHYSIOTHERAPIST is needed to help prepare a horrifically burnt child for a life-saving operation. Seven-year-old Romanian Mariana was doused in petrol and set on fire by mafia thugs. Middlesbrough plastic surgeon Charles Viva is willing to operate on
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Jobs shock firm had hoped to grow
A chemical factory that looks set to close with the loss of 100 jobs was to have undergone a £2.25m upgrade, it has emerged. Great Lakes Chemical Corporation is closing its plant in Newton Aycliffe. But earlier this year it had planned to spend millions
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Clubhouse for all plan
WORK will begin next month on an £80,000 sports pavilion in Darlington. The pavilion, at the Eastbourne sports complex, is being built by Darlington Borough Council after consultation with local residents. Community groups from across the town will be
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Duncan Smith poised to face down his critics
TORY leader Iain Duncan Smith will today admit there is a plot to remove him by insisting he is the only person who can defeat Tony Blair at the next election. In his speech to the Blackpool conference, Mr Duncan Smith will state that "my mission" is
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Back in the Grove again
Byker Grove seems to go from strength to strength as the teen Geordie soap returns next week for its 15th series - and one reason for its success may be that it is like one big, happy family. While long-running adult dramas grab all the headlines, teen
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New owners to refurbish £1.1m hotel
A HOTEL in the centre of Heartbeat and Harry Potter country has changed hands for more than £1m. The Mallyan Spout Hotel, in the picturesque village of Goathland, on the North York Moors, near Whitby, has been sold by agents Knight Frank. The hotel is
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Find rings a bell for town
A TOWN'S clock is to ring out once more. The news comes after a turret bell, which is thought to originate from a church on Teesside, was discovered in storage at Kirkleatham Museum in Redcar. It will be fitted to the town clock, which lost its previous
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Cliff-top prank ended in tragedy
A BOYFRIEND'S cliff-top prank tragically backfired when his teenage sweetheart fell 100ft to her death, an inquest heard yesterday. Kimberley Graham, l7, fell from a beauty spot after her boyfriend drove away "as a joke". She had climbed over the safety
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37 jobs to be created
THE WEAR Valley economy was given a major boost this week the announcement of 37 new jobs at a new £1.5m manufacturing plant. Trinity Cables Ltd is creating a 35,000 sq ft operation at the Aptec Enterpirse Park, in Darlington Road, West Auckland. The
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Comment from The Northern Echo: A misguided sense of loyalty
THE Rio Ferdinand affair is unprecedented in the history of English football, with the entire national squad threatening to boycott a crucial game and therefore risking elimination from Euro 2004. Thankfully, common sense prevailed and the protest was
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Another fine mess
'NOW that Matthew Kelly's back in charge of Stars In Their Eyes, do you think they'll let him do the version involving children?" asked my wife while watching the I'm A Celebrity... Special (ITV1, Saturday). It's certainly the biggest challenge facing
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Running on empty
IN the alternative world of athletics women shotputters don't really look like men, male sprinters resist acting like hysterical children and Britain's gold medal tally isn't running on empty. Sadly the reverse is true and we have more gold medallists
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Just like old times
'HE'S the kind of man you could punch if you had to live with him," said my wife regarding the unfortunate celebrity Mike Read who appeared in The Life Laundry (BBC2, Wednesday). "I thought you already lived with a man you felt like punching," I quipped
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Parents to take bus ban to court
THE parents of a 12-year-old girl who say she is barred from a school bus because of her religion are set to launch a landmark legal challenge. Toni Sheavills attends St Bede's Roman Catholic Comprehensive School, in Peterlee, County Durham. Her parents
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Transfer targets are full of eastern promise
NEWCASTLE United are keeping a constant watch on the Ukraine as Sir Bobby Robson looks to strengthen his squad in the new year. Robson dispatched chief scout Charlie Woods to the former Soviet state for the recent big-two clash between Dynamo Kiev and
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Crash book signings
AMATEUR historian Ian Pearce, who has written a book about a Second World War plane crash in the hills above Great Ayton, near Middlesbrough, will be available for book signings at three venues. His book is published today to coincide with a memorial
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Global lessons win award
A PRIMARY school's efforts to learn about different cultures has gained it an award. Representatives from Cockton Hill Infants School will travel to London this week to be given an International School Award from the British Council. The accolade has
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'Son left to die by boat crew'
A DISTRAUGHT father last night said his son had been left to die by a boat crew who returned to shore to get help rather than pulling him from the water. Douglas Bryson said his son, also Douglas, had no chance of survival after he was left in the water
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New sponsors for rugby club
RUGBY players will be looking their best as they fight for promotion this season thanks to a local firm. Richmondshire Rugby Football Club have agreed a sponsorship deal with Charltons Estate Agents and Chartered Surveyors. The firm, which has offices
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Health website for youngsters
A WEBSITE designed by young people to address their health needs is officially launched in the Durham Dales next week. Talk4teens, which went live in July, was funded and developed by the Durham Dales Primary Care Trust and the Teenage Pregnancy Unit.
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Appeal by police to help stop tricksters
POLICE in the Sedgefield area are appealing for information about a spate of attempted distraction burglaries. Two men targeted an elderly woman's home in Ferryhill, at 11.30am on Tuesday They said they were from a water company and attempted to gain
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Kidnap accused 'posed as a waiter'
A millionaire on trial for kidnapping two businessmen was posing as a waiter that day to catch out a pal who was cheating on his girlfriend, a court was told yesterday. Volker Kappler, 37, said he had gone undercover at the Cavendish Hotel, in Chester
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Oyez, can you be town crier?
Durham City has set the date for a competition to fid its first official Town Crier. The contest is to be staged on November 8 and entrants should be articulate, diplomatic, temperate, civic minded, reliable dignified, have good local knowledge as well
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GM crops protestor on pilgrimage
AN organic farm worker towed a coffin through the streets of Darlington yesterday as a protest against genetically modified crops. Johnny Barton, 31, from near Inverness, is cycling from Scotland to London, towing the coffin behind him, as part of an
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Off-road biker in court test case
OFF-ROAD riders have been warned they can no longer escape the law. The warning follows a landmark court case in which a quad bike rider was found guilty of driving a 50cc machine while disqualified and uninsured. Andrew Edward Howe, 19, pleaded not guilty
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Builders face legal action over £10,000 concrete dump
A COUNCIL could take legal action against builders who are believed to have dumped tonnes of concrete on a green site leaving a £10,000 clean-up bill. Hartlepool Borough Council said other projects may have to be postponed in order to clear up the mess
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Patients like to be beside sea garden
STAFF have created a seaside-themed garden at the University Hospital of North Tees, in Stockton. The facility features seating areas in the shape of piers, nautical decorations such as anchors, a ship's wheel and shells and a boat which was donated by
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Resident says pub is used by addicts
POLICE have urged the owners of an empty market town pub to take action following a claim that it was being used by drug addicts. The Black Lion, in Finkle Street, in Richmond, was the only pub in the town with meeting rooms, and was used frequently by
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Andrew wins supermarket sweep prize
THE winner of a trolley dash is celebrating after receiving bags full of food. Andrew Knox won first prize in the Yarm District Lions Club annual Grand Charity Draw which was in aid of the Butterwick Children's Hospice and other charities. His prize was
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Police awards ceremony held to recognise courage
COURAGEOUS actions by police and the public were honoured at an awards ceremony yesterday. North Yorkshire Chief Constable Della Cannings made a series of awards at the force's headquarters at Newby Wiske, near Northallerton. Chief Constable's Commendations
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Go-ahead likely for conversion scheme
PLANS to convert a former veterinary practice into a house with bed and breakfast facilities are likely to be given the go-ahead, despite objections. Lizzie Would has applied for planning permission to convert the former vet's building on Bondgate, in
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Roadworks problems discussed at meeting
A MEETING has been held to discuss ways of resolving problems with a road improvement programme in the centre of Ripon. The roads in the Market Place, Kirkgate, Duck Hill and Minster Road have been re-paved during the past four years as part of a city
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Youngsters take part in a musical march to school
CHILDREN from two schools took part in a musical march to classes yesterday morning. Youngsters from Le Cateau and Wavell Primary, at Catterick Garrison, joined the Normandy Band on a musical journey to the gates. Children who walked to Wavell, either
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News in brief: Cash boost for cadets
Chester-le-Street Air Cadets have been given a £500 donation from the town's Miners' Lamp pub. The fundraising was organised by landlords Bob and Denise Armstrong, from Chester-le-Street, who staged raffles, domino games and scratch card competitions.
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PTA cooks up a national award
A PRIMARY school PTA has won a national award. The parents and teachers at Preston Primary School, in Eaglescliffe, near Stockton have won the £500 NCPTA Outstanding Achievement Award for providing innovative activities for the children. The money will
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Community sports pavilion scheme
WORK will begin next month on an £80,000 community sports pavilion in Darlington. The facility, at the Eastbourne Sports Complex, is being built by Darlington Borough Council. Community groups will be able to use the centre, which will have a meeting
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Furniture retailer offers some off-the-wall poetry
FURNITURE retailer Barker and Stonehouse is taking inspiration and creativity to another level in celebration of next month's National Poetry Day. The company has installed a "creative wall" in each of its six stores in Darlington, Middlesbrough, Newcastle
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Warning to parents over traffic danger
PARENTS parking in the wrong place outside a Darlington school are putting children's lives at risk, they were warned yesterday. A community safety meeting in the town was told that pupils leaving St Teresa's RC Primary School, in Harris Street, were
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Town centre to get ice rink for festive season
THE centre of Darlington will be transformed this Christmas, when a temporary ice rink is installed. The portable rink will be constructed in the Market Square on a 300 square metre platform. Darlington Borough Council has ordered the installation of
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Olympic champion opens £1m sports centre
WORLD triple jump champion Jonathan Edwards opened a school's £1m sports centre - nearly two years after its original facilities were destroyed. The Olympic gold medal winner, who has just stepped down from his 15-year career, arrived at The Hermitage
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O'Halloran awaits Tait verdict
Darlington manager Mick Tait last night ran the rule over former Middlesbrough midfielder Keith O'Halloran. The 27-year-old, released by Second Division Swindon Town at the end of last season, played in last night's reserves defeat to Boston United at
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'Son left to die by boat crew'
A DISTRAUGHT father last night said his son had been left to die by a boat crew who returned to shore to get help rather than pulling him from the water. Douglas Bryson said his son, also Douglas, had no chance of survival after he was left in the water
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Couple's back yard makeover is splash hit
A DURHAM City couple will this week see their back yard transformed into a leisure area by a makeover team from television's Whole Nine Yards programme. Presenter Simon Cross took his team to the Gilesgate Moor home of Lesley and Graham whose spacious
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New Bishop's pilgrimage of hope
A PILGRIMAGE of history and hope is bringing the new Bishop of Durham closer to his enthronement on Sunday. The Right Reverend Tom Wright walked through Darlington and Teesdale yesterday on his week-long trek around the main historic and sacred sites
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England players call off boycott
ENGLAND'S players last night called off their threat to boycott Saturday's Euro 2004 qualifying clash with Turkey in Istanbul. The row over Rio Ferdinand's expulsion from the squad for failing to attend a routine drugs test at Manchester United last month
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Superbug victim fears ill-founded
FEARS that North-East hospitals are struggling to cope with increasing numbers of drug-resistant superbug victims are ill-founded, according to the experts. Reports elsewehere suggesting that the region's hospitals has seen dramatic increases in reported
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09/10/03
PENSIONERS: THE reason why we are seeing rising anger among pensioners with the levels of council tax is because it is disproportionately unfair to pensioners who are on a fixed income, such as the basic state pension, while the tax continues to rise.
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United celebrate a winning season - off the field, that is
THE board of Newcastle United Football Club released record results to the London Stock Exchange yesterday. The club was celebrating a hat-trick of positive news, announcing that record turnover, profits and season-ticket sales had all been achieved.
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Closure-row site for sale
A BUYER with deep pockets is being sought to take over the running of a youth hostel. Despite a concerted effort by local authorities and the Wensleydale business community to prompt a change of heart, the Youth Hostel Association (YHA) confirmed earlier
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Last Night's TV: Myths, murder and maybes
Jason And The Argonauts: Revealed (five) : UNLESS you're a Greek scholar, I bet your knowledge of Jason and his shipmates, the Argonauts, has been gleaned from the 1963 movie. This documentary duly showed a clip from the film and talked to Ray Harryhausen
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Grassroots: Derwentside
TEES WALKS: Two walks in the Barnard Castle area are being held by the Consett and Vale of Derwentside Naturalists Field Club on Saturday, October 18. Places must be booked in advance on (01207) 508774. A bus will leave Annfield Plain at 9.30am. FAREWELL
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Light show keeps Newcastle-Gateshead's culture ambitions in the public eye
PLANS to double the number of people taking part in sport in the North-East are at the heart of a drive to revive a scheme for a sports academy in the region. Sport England's North-East chairman, Tim Cantle-Jones, has outlined plans to develop Gateshead
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Radar base cancer fears prompt inquiry
FEARS that radiation from the Fylingdales radar base could pose a cancer threat have prompted a health probe. The investigation to find out whether there is a cancer cluster around the hilltop base has been ordered by Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale Primary
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Echo bingo winner Eddie 'over the moon'
A pensioner was overjoyed yesterday after scooping £500 in The Northern Echo's Daily Cash Bingo game. Eddie Graham celebrated with a glass of champagne after receiving his cheque from newspaper sales manager Patrick Masheder. The 72-year-old, of Emerson
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Rio exclusion will see confidence dip, Gazza
Former England midfielder Paul Gascoigne stepped into the Rio Ferdinand drug row claiming that the Football Association ''should have been more understanding''. Gascoigne, famously left out of the England squad on the eve of the 1998 World Cup by then-manager
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Handmade goods for sale
CRAFTS including painted glass, greeting cards, woodcraft, jewellery, knitwear, watercolours and silk flower arrangements will be available at a series of craft fairs. They will be held at the Methodist Hall, Milton Street, Saltburn on Saturday, October
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Dressers' site sold
DEVELOPERS have ended more than two years of speculation by revealing the name of the company that has bought the site on High Row, Darlington, left vacant by Dressers. Teesside-based property developer Terrace Hill has confirmed that Menswear chain Bertie
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University reunion to mark ruby year
A UNIVERSITY which is now regarded as one of the best in the country, will celebrate its 40th anniversary at a dinner this weekend. In October 1963, 230 people became the founding students of the University of York and, on Friday, 80 of them will return
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Soldier proves top shot
A SEDGEFIELD soldier has won a trophy for being best shot in his intake after completing phase one of his training. The family of Private John Maslin travelled to Winchester to watch his passing out parade at the Army Training Regiment. Before joining
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Business show will have new format
A NEW format for one of the key events in the business calendar will be revealed next Thursday. The Tees Valley Business Show, held at Tall Trees Hotel, Yarm, near Stockton, has a guest list of companies and organisations from across the region. Law firm
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Surgeon's shame over assault on firefighter
A SURGEON went berserk, kicking and biting, after his wife called emergency services because she thought he had taken an overdose, a court heard yesterday. John Buxton climbed to the top of a 20ft stack of hay bales in a barn next to his home and said
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Hoping for a bear market
THE welfare children's character Rambling Ted is now in the hands of new owners. The business, assets and intellectual property rights over the cartoon bear have been bought by Coolebah. The rights were available after Rambling Ted's original owners,
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Wedding belles
THE sound of wedding bells could be heard in Soapland soon - as the happy couples beat each other around the head with them. In Coronation Street (ITV1), Mick the bent copper is down on one knee, a position which ensures he can't follow his usual practice
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It's not just child's play
The race to find a successful Saturday morning children's TV show is on - but network bosses are finding it hard to replace Geordie duo Ant and Dec. Take a few cartoons, a couple of pop acts, some special guests plugging a TV series, a smattering of audience
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England stars still missing the point
Despite peace breaking out in the England camp, the players still have much to do deflect the condemnation which has been aimed at them as a result of their actions and arrogance. They may have seen themselves as white-shirted knights riding to the rescue
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Kyle ready to stake international claim
KEVIN KYLE is desperate to prove to Scotland coach Berti Vogts he is the man to partner Scotland's No 1 striker Kenny Miller. Kyle, 22, is in the best form of his life after scoring six goals in his last seven games for Sunderland. The big striker will
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Pensioners' slippers trial cuts falls by 57 per cent
GIVING new safety slippers to pensioners has helped reduce the number of falls by more than half. Residents at a County Durham care home swapped their old slippers for a new close-fitting design as part of the year-long NHS pilot scheme. Health officials
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John North: Blind courage of a cricket buff
Bill Robinson has overcome his blindness to take on many roles in the community, helped by his wife's unstinting support. TURNED out in chains of proud office, Bill Robinson was at a cricket club dinner when we came across him, holding court above the
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Dad At Large: From the mouths of babes
THE tooth fairy has always come to our house. She knows the way by heart. Every time a tooth has been left under a pillow, it's been replaced by a 50p piece, along with a little note from the tooth fairy herself. Our baby girl, now aged 12, had a particular
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Missing farmer returns home
A farmer who has been missing for two nights turned up at his home apparently safe and well this morning. Cliff Allen, 50, disappeared after his Land Rover hit a wall near Selset Reservoir in Lunedale, County Durham, on Tuesday evening. A major search
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Well stone me
IF there's one thing I never expected to see in Coronation Street (ITV1), it was the sight of Jack and Vera Duckworth stoned out of their heads. Adultery, bent coppers, betrayal, witness protection families, date rape and Betty's hotpot, I can take. But
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Blaze girl has brain damage
A girl who escaped a house fire which killed her mother, auntie and uncle, has been left brain damaged. It is thought that two-year-old Megan Yates' mother, Gail, shielded her body as fire raged through the house in Pelham Street, Middlesbrough. Gail,
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Councillors mix politics and play
THREE Darlington councillors have held an innovative surgery to encourage parents and carers to take an active part in local politics. Councillors Cyndi Hughes, Joe Lyonette and Glen Reynolds, from the Park East ward, held a Politics and Play ward surgery
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Correction
Writing Awards: In The Northern Echo on Friday, we reported that eight young writers from the region had been shortlisted for the Department for Education's writing awards, Write Here, Write Now, and we listed, incorrectly, the names of four students
