Archive
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Trial is told of rape by stalker
A STALKER in a pick-up truck snatched a teenage girl off the street and raped her in his home, a court was told yesterday. Steven Williamson, 21, was under a restraining order to keep away from the 19-year-old, imposed by South Durham magistrates a week
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Biotech industry gets £10m funding boost
A £10m boost to the British biotech industry has been announced by the Government. The funding will be used to help patients benefit from advances in medical science. The move is part of a strategy to encourage bioscience in Britain, quicken the pace
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Magpies aim to scupper Boro's bid for Eidur
NEWCASTLE United are threatening to sabotage Middlesbrough's hopes of landing Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen. Northern Echo SPORT can reveal that the Magpies are monitoring the Icelandic international as they step up their search for fresh frontline
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Why we must keep up our image
You couldn't make it up: Red Cross bans Jesus from its Christmas cards and all mention of Christ from its shops. All I can suggest is that they might as well go the whole hog and change their name as well. I mean if the mention of Jesus is regarded as
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Change will help Quakers, Liddle
FOCUSED Craig Liddle last night backed new skipper Neil Maddison to help Darlington erase the threat of relegation. New manager David Hodgson has made Maddison his captain, bringing to an end Liddle's long run in the side with the armband on his sleeve
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Move to scupper bridge scheme
A CAMPAIGN was launched yesterday to try to halt plans to build the world's longest rope footbridge over the River Tees. The 550ft structure is being planned to span the river at a height of 150ft on the site of a demolished railway viaduct, near Barnard
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Group rejects car park plans
COMPROMISE proposals for the temporary car park on The Sands have been rejected by campaigners. Durham City Council is proposing that half the 320-plus places be located on the common land and the rest on the former Royal Mail sorting office site in Freeman
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'I was made to feel I was a waste of time'
Written off by the system after failing her 11 Plus, a North-East grandmother has just been appointed a senior university lecturer after finally getting her degree. She talks to Women's Editor Christen Pears about her struggle for recognition. AS YOUNG
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Prison bosses celebrate report
BOSSES at a women's prison in the North-East are celebrating a favourable inspection report in a year when prison suicides nationally have reached unprecedented levels. The unannounced visit by Government inspectors was a follow-up to an official inspection
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Student killed after being hit by police car
A STUDENT from the region has died after being knocked down by a police patrol car as it responded to a 999 call. Emily Higson, who was 22, died in the early hours of yesterday at hospital in Oxford following the accident late on Sunday night. And as
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Police trial GPS radio
A POLICE force is to become the first in the world to trial a James Bond type radio. The revolutionary hand held set includes a global positioning system )GPS) which gives the location of an officer at any time, cutting out interference from high buildings
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Developer's assurance on sports field
A DEVELOPER has pledged to maintain a college sports field in Durham for public use. Project manager Paul Langley, of HJ Banks, was speaking after the failure of a residents' attempt to have the field, on New College Durham's Nevilles Cross site, designated
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Magpies aim to scupper Boro's bid for Eidur
NEWCASTLE United are threatening to sabotage Middlesbrough's hopes of landing Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen. Northern Echo SPORT can reveal that the Magpies are monitoring the Icelandic international as they step up their search for fresh frontline
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Driver killed by runawayhorses
A PENSIONER died following a succession of car crashes on the A1(M) after two runaway horses galloped across the busy carriageway, police said. James Balmer, 71, suffered fatal head and internal injuries after his Toyota Corolla hit one of the horses
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Workers prop up low pay league
WORKERS in the North-East are paid the lowest in the country, according to a new survey. The survey, for the GMB union, shows the average pay for a full-time worker in the region is £20,098. The GMB claimed companies realised they could get workers "on
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Pupils taken on journey back to the past
PUPILS from nine schools across the North-East were transported back to 1875 to hear about the lives of two railway workers and a teacher. They were taken by bus to Darlington Railway Museum where three professional actors put on a show about Victorian
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Chrysalis reports rise in profits
MEDIA group Chrysalis saw further growth in its radio division as it reported a 46.8 per cent rise in profits to £15.5m. Chrysalis said the division had an "excellent year", with revenues climbing 14 per cent to £56.1m. It added that its acquisition of
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Love of games is just the business
Success has been a rollercoaster ride for a small company on the banks of the Tyne that's having a huge impact on the global games market. And as Eutechnyx managing director Brian Jobling told the Entrepreneurs Forum, it hasn't peaked yet. Dan Jenkins
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Moore on Mars
Sir Patrick Moore talks to Steve Pratt about finding life on Mars and why his latest lecture tour may be his last. ASTRONOMER Sir Patrick Moore will be leading people on a mission to Mars this month - from the comfort of their seats at York Grand Opera
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Night when George was on his Best behaviour
In passing, no more, Friday's column recalled attempts in September 1981 to get George Best to play in Jim Platt's testimonial match at Middlesbrough. "As usual he couldn't be found," we added, and thus shamefully failed to give Besty the benefit of the
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The eagle has landed as Bush's men fly in
AN unprecedented security operation will surround George Bush's visit to the North-East this week as police and secret service leave nothing to chance. The US President, who arrives in Britain tonight, is to visit Tony Blair's Sedgefield constituency
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Borough's recycling scheme goes into top gear
EVERY home in Darlington can now do its bit for the environment after a recycling scheme has been extended across the town. More than 265 tonnes of refuse have been recycled in the first two months of the scheme. Time to Recycle was launched by Darlington
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RAF to defend low flying
AN RAF squadron leader is to defend the need for low-flying jets in Teesdale after protests. The officer is to give a talk in Middleton-in-Teesdale Village Hall at an event organised by the Teesdale Heritage Group. Local people who have complained about
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£320,000 for safer travel to school
SCHOOLS in Darlington could receive more than £320,000 to help get their pupils to school safely. The money is part of the Government's £50m nationwide fund to implement the safer routes to school initiative, and extra money is available from Darlington
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Students cook up charity cash
A GROUP at Darlington College of Technology students raised £84.13 for Children in Need by selling Pudsey Bear fairy cakes. Samantha Nicholson, 34, a member of the group of people with physical and learning disabilities, said the students made 200 fairy
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MP views work of Victim Support
BISHOP Auckland MP Derek Foster has attended court to raise the profile of a service for witnesses and victims of crime. He met the team of staff and volunteers who run Victim Support Wear Valley and Teesdale at Bishop Auckland Magistrates' Court. The
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Appeal after bike theft
POLICE in Darlington are appealing for information about the theft of a distinctive silver sports motorcycle. The Suzuki GFX600F was stolen from a property in Clifton Road, Darlington, over night on Sunday. PC Mark Jagodzinfki said the owners of the machine
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Takeaway market holds key to Greggs' future
Bakery chain Greggs has come a long way from its days as a family bakers in the 1930s. Business Correspondent Jonathan Jones speaks to the group's North-East managing director, Graham Randell. IT may have its roots as a traditional bakery, but Greggs
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Worker 'shot' during valve pressure test
A FIRM has been fined £15,000 for an accident that left a worker disabled. John Howard, 51, was "shot" through the right leg by a 2in piece of metal that exploded from a machine during a valve pressure test. Newcastle Crown Court heard the assembly line
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Appeal after teenager injured in hit-and-run
A 15-year-old girl was taken to hospital after a hit-and-run accident near York. The accident happened at 10am on Saturday, when she was knocked off her bike on West End, in Strensall, outside the Robert Wilkinson Primary School. The car involved was
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Drug addict given two years for burgling home of friend
A BURGLAR who raided the home of a friend was jailed for two years yesterday. Teesside drug addict Matthew John Gibson had been out of prison three months when he broke into the home of a middle-aged couple and their two grandchildren. He stole £1,000
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Road cracks survey results within weeks
GEOLOGISTS believe it could be weeks before the results of a survey will find the cause of cracks under the surface of a busy stretch of road in the North-East. Experts used specialist equipment to carry out a close inspection of the A690 Dur-ham to Sunderland
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Internet upgrade a step nearer
A HOST of communities across North Yorkshire mov-ed a step closer to securing broadband yesterday when BT announced plans to complete the roll-out of the high speed Internet. BT has allocated target or "trigger" registration levels to 86 exchanges and
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Police hunt cigs sales conman
POLICE are anxious to speak to a man who may have conned people in Teesside out of hundreds of pounds. Last Friday, a man called at several addresses in the Grangetown and Normanby areas, offering cigarettes for sale. After obtaining money he then left
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Air ambulance boosted by alarm scheme
A partnership was announced yesterday that could become an important fundraiser for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. The life-saving helicopter is to benefit from a personal and property alarm monitoring system, which is being launched this month. HomeCall
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Programme will help firms boost profits
A PROFIT improvement programme has been launched to help businesses across the region transform their economic prospects. Harland Consulting, which has offices in Consett and Newcastle, has launched The Kick-Start Profit Improvement programme to help
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Mandelson to speak on controversy
PETER Mandelson will tomorrow give evidence before a House of Commons committee over the controversy surrounding the Ghost Ships deal. He will attend the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, which will take evidence on the controversial contract
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Dream comes true at last for 'the machine'
Ian "The Machine" Freeman is hoping to produce more martial arts world-beaters to follow in his footsteps. The four times winner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship yesterday opened the Total Martial Arts Academy in his home village of Leadgate, near
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Artists celebrate co-op's milestone
ARTISTS celebrated ten years of working in the community with a weekend-long birthday party. Bearpark Artists' Co-operative opened the doors to its base in Bearpark community centre, near Durham, for a range of events to mark a decade of outreach work
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Tenants back plans for homes takeover
A COUNCIL has announced that tenants have given overwhelming backing to plans for a company to take over the maintenance of their homes. Easington District Council said 99 per cent of the tenants who responded to its survey supported the idea of an arms-length
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School's closure threat is lifted
PARENTS and staff were celebrating last night after their "outstanding" city centre primary school was given a reprieve. Durham County Council's cabinet has decided that St Oswald's Church of England Infant and Nursery School, in Durham, will not be closed
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Family ice cream firm strikes gold
A FAMILY firm has got it licked when it comes to making ice cream. They have just beaten off the challenge from hundreds of competitors to scoop a top accolade in the industry's national awards. Former farmers David Otterburn and his parents, Richard
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We are sailing around the world but never leaving the playground
PRIMARY school youngsters have been enjoying trips around the world during their break-times thanks to new playground equipment. In a bid to encourage creative play, youngsters at Grange Primary School, Hartlepool, have seen new structures put up in the
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Reddy wants to stay at Wednesday
SUNDERLAND outcast Michael Reddy last night revealed he wants to make his loan move to Sheffield Wednesday permanent. Reddy, 23, is resigned to quitting Sunderland after Mick McCarthy decided not to revive his first-team career on Wearside. The striker
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Security tightens as village prepares to host US President
THE first thing they heard was the noise from three gas turbine engines, a kind of powerful drone fanned by the downwash created by the blades of the huge CH-53 Super Stallion helicopters. As villagers peered anxiously from the windows of their homes
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FA clear Queudrue over clash with Phillips
FRANCK QUEUDRUE escaped a three-match ban yesterday when an FA disciplinary commission cleared the Middlesbrough defender of "violent behaviour''. Queudrue, accompanied by manager Steve McClaren and chief executive Keith Lamb, attended a personal hearing
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Dear Santa, please can I have some singing lessons?
She trained as a singer, but currently stars in a soap. Steve Pratt talks to Amy Nuttall about her plans for the future. OTHER little girls asked for dolls when they wrote to Santa Claus telling him what they wanted for Christmas. Not Amy Nuttall. Top
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Night when George was on his Best behaviour
In passing, no more, Friday's column recalled attempts in September 1981 to get George Best to play in Jim Platt's testimonial match at Middlesbrough. "As usual he couldn't be found," we added, and thus shamefully failed to give Besty the benefit of the
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Health team wins award
WORKERS have been honoured for aiding people with mental health problems gain the skills they need to lead ordinary lives. The Occupational Therapy Skills Centre at the County Hospital, in North Road, Durham, has won a service improvement award at County
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Ship ready to sail after catching up on old friendships
ONE of the last two Royal Navy warships to return from the conflict in Iraq will today set sail from her North-East "home". HMS Marlborough has been visiting its affiliated town of Middlesbrough. It is leaving after spending the weekend and yesterday
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Newcastle youngsters warm up for winter
NEWCASTLE United has taken the chill out of winter training by installing underfloor heating throughout its academy, from kitchens to physiotherapy rooms. Myson has designed, supplied and installed 1,800sq metres of underfloor heating in the FA Barclaycard
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Volatile stocks may be the best bet in a bull market
Investors looking to maximise the gains of any further stockmarket rally could consider high-beta stocks. The beta value of a share is a measure of its past volatility against the average volatility of an index, such as the FTSE 100. The beta for an index
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Pair on murder charge
A DEBT-RIDDEN woman persuaded her besotted nephew to murder her older husband so she could claim £450,000 from life insurance policies, a court was told this week. It was alleged Christina Button, 32, plotted with Simon Tannahill, 20, to kill electrician
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'Lives put at risk' by shortage of cancer scanners
CANCER patients' lives are being put at risk because Britain is lagging behind the rest of Europe and the US in providing vital scans, leading charities are warning. The scans by the five positron emission tomography (Pet) machines are vital to give cancer
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Reddy wants to stay at Wednesday
SUNDERLAND outcast Michael Reddy last night revealed he wants to make his loan move to Sheffield Wednesday permanent. Reddy, 23, is resigned to quitting Sunderland after Mick McCarthy decided not to revive his first-team career on Wearside. The striker
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Is this where the Blair deal was done?
THE deal between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown over which one of them should stand for the leadership of the Labour Party in 1994 may well have been done in Durham, according to a book published by The Northern Echo this week. In his new biography, John
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Eating Owt: Peasant surprise
AMONG the mixed blessings of the vogue for kitchens visible to their customers is that they can not only see the chef ever cheerfully at work but, just possibly, fancy the checked pants off him, as well. Hot stuff, as it were. Thus has the Scarlet Pimpernel
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Town crier proves he is man for job
There was stiff competition for the post of Durham City's first official town crier. The city's market place reverberated with vocal power as, one by one, the candidates regaled shoppers from the town hall balcony. They included retired lecturer Lawrence
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Artists prepare for exhibition
FOUR North-East artists are preparing to show their work in a national exhibition. Irene Best, of Darlington, David French, of Houghton-le-Spring, Wearside, Robert Wilson, of Peterlee, and William Brennan, of Easington Village, both east Durham, will
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Job Search: Vacancies
Pre-school assistant, Northallerton. £5ph, 18hrs pw, 9am to 1.30pm, Mon-Thurs. Childcare qualification or willingness to work towards NVQ/DPP in Childcare essential. Experience preferred but not essential. Ref: NOE 20470 Deputy supervisor, Thirsk. £5.40ph
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Power companies end contracts
ENERGY group Scottish Power will benefit by £20m a year from the early termination of electricity contracts with rival Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE). Scottish Power said it had conditionally agreed to end the agreements, which have been in place
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North's councils get £50m windfall
THE North-East was yesterday promised a £50m windfall under Government plans to help attract new businesses. Council chiefs will be allowed to keep some of the money raised from extra business rates as a reward for encouraging firms to rundown areas.
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Peasant surprise
AMONG the mixed blessings of the vogue for kitchens visible to their customers is that they can not only see the chef ever cheerfully at work but, just possibly, fancy the checked pants off him, as well. Hot stuff, as it were. Thus has the Scarlet Pimpernel
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Can we expect a series of interest rate rises?
As predicted, interest rates were increased by 25 basis points to 3.75 per cent at the conclusion of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee Meeting of 5th and 6th November. Tomorrow sees the eagerly awaited publication of the minutes to the meeting
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When is a strike not a strike?
In recent days, both the Post Office and the fire service have been hit by unofficial industrial action, as was British Airways a couple of months ago as a result of its controversial attempt to introduce swipe cards at a number of airports. Many smaller
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It's a small step from a shop to the Internet
Q I am a 25-year-old entrepreneur who is planning to create an online store selling products aimed at students. I am not sure if I should concentrate on one area, opening a store near a university, or take the plunge and use the Internet to sell as widely
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Akeler named as preferred developer
OFFICE and business park developer Akeler has been named as the preferred developer of the £100m Rainton Bridge South Business Park. There has been widespread national interest in the 55-acre Sunderland site, which could bring more than 4,000 jobs to
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Safety question over home windows
A HEALTH and safety expert has told a jury how windows at a North-East care home where a resident fell to his death should have had restricted opening. Keith Partington said it was "common good practice" to prevent windows opening fully in any environment
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Wilkinson to keep his place in Pool line-up
TEENAGE striker Jack Wilkinson is in line to keep his place in the Hartlepool United side after Saturday's match-winning heroics. The 18-year-old netted the decisive goal to clinch a 2-1 win over Rushden and boss Neale Cooper gave every indication he
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Teenager 'given electric shock'
A FATHER and son have gone on trial accused of falsely imprisoning a teenager and giving him an electric shock because he refused to sell drugs for them. Trevor Anthony Thirlwall, 53, and Trevor Peter Thirlwall, 30, are also said to have blackmailed the
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Barcham can take to fences
DESPITE his relative inexperience, Barcham Again (1.10) makes masses of appeal on his first try over fences at Towcester today. Former Gold Cup winning trainer Kim Bailey knows his onions when it comes to handling chasers and he would not be asking Barcham
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Imperial increases its market share
CIGARETTES group Imperial Tobacco posted a 40 per cent rise in pre-tax profits to £898m as it boosted its UK market share to the highest for two decades. Imperial, which is behind the Embassy and Lambert and Butler brands, said its share of the home market
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TJ Hughes sold to management team
JJB Sports has sold discount retailer TJ Hughes for £55.8m. A management team at the department store group is to buy the business, which JJB said in the summer had become a non-core asset. JJB's new business was troubled from the start after the £42.9m
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CBI calls for action on tax and red tape
The Prime Minister yesterday called for a renewed partnership with business after admitting that industry was ''profoundly concerned'' about the state of the transport system and had other worries over red tape and the direction of Europe. In a candid
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Tributes to blaze victim
FAMILY members yesterday paid tribute to a woman who died in a house fire at the weekend. Dorothea Klaczek, 48, died following a fire at her home in Garrett Walk, Middlesbrough, shortly before 8pm on Saturday, despite efforts by firefighters to revive
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Cancer, tears, laughter and support
The Darlington and Teesdale Breast Cancer Support Group provides a network of friendship and support for breast cancer patients. Women's Editor Christen Pears drops in on one of its meetings. AS the room starts to fill up, the conversation grows louder
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Safety question over home windows
A HEALTH and safety expert has told a jury how windows at a North-East care home where a resident fell to his death should have had restricted opening. Keith Partington said it was "common good practice" to prevent windows opening fully in any environment
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'He didn't have a cat in hell's chance'
This week The Northern Echo is publishing the biography of John Burton, the man who talent-spotted Tony Blair. In the first of three exclusive extracts, Keith Proud tells how Blair came to be MP for Sedgefield. WHEN Margaret Thatcher called the 1983 General
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Region's celebrities put the Dubya back into welcome
SOME think the best place for George "Dubya" Bush would be at the bottom of a mine. Others would like to take him to their favourite watering hole. But all the suggestions put forward would certainly give the 45th president of the US an insight into the
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Is this where the Blair deal was done?
THE deal between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown over which one of them should stand for the leadership of the Labour Party in 1994 may well have been done in Durham, according to a book published by The Northern Echo this week. In his new biography, John
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Firm helps its workers to improve their skills
ONE of the North-East's largest companies is at the forefront of a national campaign to improve literacy and numeracy in the workplace. Electronics firm LG Philips, which has a plant in Durham, is offering its workforce of 850 the chance to take national
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Rod's still wearing it well
Rod Stewart - The Biography by Tim Ewbank and Stafford Hildred (Portrait £16.99) WHILE lots of rock stars fall victim to fame and glamour, Rod Stewart still rocks on, making music and millions, marrying gorgeous blondes, fathering more children and still
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The eagle has landed as Bush's men fly in
AN unprecedented security operation will surround George Bush's visit to the North-East this week as police and secret service leave nothing to chance. The US President, who arrives in Britain tonight, is to visit Tony Blair's Sedgefield constituency
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Region's universities rush to become seats of earning
The region's five universities are building an enviable reputation for their ability to turn academic ideas into commercial ventures. Business Correspondent Jonathan Jones looks at some of the work going on in the region's institutions to develop the
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Service advising industry hailed a success
A SERVICE established to provide practical advice to help manufacturing companies improve their productivity and competitiveness is proving a success. According to the latest figures, the Government's Manufacturing Advisory Service (Mas) has helped UK
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University breakthrough in fingerprint identification
DETECTIVES believe a breakthrough by a North-East University could be one of the most important advances in forensic science since fingerprinting. Experts at the University of Sunderland are developing a method of lifting fingerprints that will make it
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Patrol test for Shaun
A SOLDIER battled cold and fatigue when he took part in one of the toughest patrolling challenges in the Army. Private Shaun Durkin, 20, from Darlington, was part of the Prince of Wales' Own Regiment team taking part in Exercise Cambrian Patro. The exercise
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Comment from The Northern Echo: Bad news for the President
THERE is no reason to deny President Bush all the trappings of a state visit to our country. He should be welcomed with the warmth and dignity befitting the head of the United States. But his privileged status does not make him immune from criticism,
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Creative customers produce art shop calendar
THE Art Shop in Darlington has produced a charity calendar for 2004 painted by local artists. The Bondgate shop held a competition for customers to paint their favourite part of the town for each month of the year. The best paintings were chosen to go
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Festive fun lined up
A VILLAGE is hoping to provide a wide variety of activities and illuminations for Christmas. Following the success of last year's events, the Evenwood Community Christmas Projects Group has been working throughout the year to raise funds to make this
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College has class for all the family
PRIMARY school pupils and their parents got a taste of college life by taking part in an environmental course. Children from Howden-le- Wear Primary School joined the bats and birds course at Bishop Auckland College, which encourages families to work
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Football team seeks crisis meeting to save social club
A FOOTBALL club has called an emergency meeting with brewery bosses to try to save a village social club. Evenwood Town AFC has called the meeting following the closure of the village's sports and social club at the end of last month. It is a case of
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Pupils inspired by glass exhibition
CREATIVE schoolchildren have been inspired by the latest display at York Art Gallery. An exhibition - Jerwood Applied Arts Prize 2003: Glass - showcases the work of eight top contemporary glass art-ists, ranging from small sculptures to large installations
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Party in memory of cliff fall girl
A mother whose daughter plunged to her death from a cliff went ahead with an 18th birthday party in her memory yesterday. Alison Graham is still trying to cope with the death in April of her daughter, Kimberley. But she decided to hold the party they
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Chemical weapon unveiled
A NEW fast response vehicle was launched yesterday to help firefighters deal with incidents which may harm the environment. The vehicle, which is equipped to deal with calls to incidents such as a chemical spill, will replace the converted lorry that
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Find out about French artist at free lecture
ART-lovers have a chance to find out more about one of the leading French 18th Century artists on Friday. Expert Humphrey Wine, from the National Gallery, in London, will be in York to give a free lecture on Pierre Subleyras at the Yorkshire Museum's
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Drivers get road works warning
DRIVERS are being warned of major road works in the Hartlepool area this weekend. The A689 eastbound into Hartlepool will be closed from the edge of Newton Bewley to the junction with Dalton Back Lane, while a 2km long stretch of the road is completely
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University breakthrough in fingerprint identification
DETECTIVES believe a breakthrough by a North-East University could be one of the most important advances in forensic science since fingerprinting. Experts at the University of Sunderland are developing a method of lifting fingerprints that will make it
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Stargazers meet cosmonauts
STARGAZERS had the chance to meet two Russian cosmonauts. The Explore the Night Sky class is held at the planetarium at Wynyard Woodland Park, near Stockton. Alexandre Alexandrov and Alexandre Martynov were guest speakers while on a trip to Teesside.
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Student in assault case gets his wish - and goes to jail
A STUDENT who beat up a friend who offered him a bed after he had burgled a hostel for the homeless asked magistrates to sent him to prison yesterday - and got his wish. When Martin Alan Long-staff, 22, pleaded guilty to assaulting Paul Smith at his home
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Region's celebrities put the Dubya back into welcome
SOME think the best place for George "Dubya" Bush would be at the bottom of a mine. Others would like to take him to their favourite watering hole. But all the suggestions put forward would certainly give the 45th president of the US an insight into the
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BT plans to extend service to the nation
HIGH-speed broadband Internet services could be available throughout Britain by 2005. Telecoms operator BT said that complete coverage of the country, in line with Government targets, is in sight, but will only happen if industry and Government work together
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Council moves to halt rogue e-mailer
COUNCIL chiefs in the North-East have moved to crack down on a series of malicious e-mails being sent in their name to addresses across the country. The messages refer to Redcar and Cleveland Council's social services department and purport to be from
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Police hunt cigs sales conman
POLICE are anxious to speak to a man who may have conned people in Teesside out of hundreds of pounds. Last Friday, a man called at several addresses in the Grangetown and Normanby areas, offering cigarettes for sale. After obtaining money he then left
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Pupils to be VIPs at switch-on
THE WINNERS of a competition have seen their designs transformed into full-size decorations. Jasmine Charlton, seven, and Rachel Slattery, 10, of Finkle Primary School, and Katie Hughes, eight, of Ushaw Moor Infants School, beat off competition from throughout
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Team help people improve skills
PEOPLE in the borough of Stockton who feel they struggle with everyday literacy and numeracy are being urged to boost their basic skills. There is a dedicated team on hand to offer advice, information and support to adults who would like to improve their
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War is declared on river's foreign invaders
THE stronghold of native crayfish in the North-East could be under threat from the spread of the aggressive signal crayfish, Environment Agency officers have warned. Angling clubs, conservation groups and other organisations have all been advised that
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Broadband beacon is shining bright in rural communities
Following the success of the Catterick Village wireless broadband project, a company has been launched Internet services across North Yorkshire. Business Correspondent Jonathan Jones logged on to find out more. IN Ancient times beacon fires where used
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MPs slam solicitors who snatch miners' compensation
Greedy solicitors have been condemned by MPs for snatching up to £8,000 intended as compensation for sick or crippled ex-miners. Fifty nine MPs - including several from the North East - have signed a parliamentary motion attacking their "dishonesty" and
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City and Northern on time and on budget
COMMERCIAL property company City and Northern has announced the completion of a 22,000sq ft industrial unit in the Team Valley Trading Estate. The development, at Queensway, is the sixth that City and Northern has completed on the Team Valley in the past
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Berwick aims to out-dame them all
PANTO superstar Berwick Kaler is back - and once again the dame is hoping to steal the show. The Geordie comic actor is back in his adopted city of York for his 25th pantomime on the stage of the Theatre Royal. With his regular cast of Martin Barrass,
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18/11/03
GHOST SHIPS: AS a resident who objects to the concept of America's toxic waste being buried under my town, I would be grateful if Able UK could explain exactly how the inhabitants of Hartlepool would have gained from this lucrative deal. It is of course
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Job Search: Vacancies
Bar staff, Chester-le-Street. £4.50ph, 13 hrs, 5 days over 7, on rota. Previous experience is preferred but not essential as training given. Ref: CHM 16408. Chef, Chester-le-Street. Exceeds NMW. 40 hrs, 5 days from 7, between 8am-11pm. Must have 3-5 years
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More soap than steamy
Between The Sheets (ITV1): Despite the title, Kay Mellor's new series spends more time talking about what goes on in the bedroom than showing it. Hardly surprising, perhaps, as one of the main characters is a sex therapist. With Alona (Julie Graham),
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Go-ahead given for church conversion
WORK to transform a former church into office space has been given the go-ahead. Zetland Estates has been given planning permission to transform the former United Reformed Church, in Dundas Street, Richmond, North Yorkshire, and its associated parish
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Move to scupper bridge scheme
A CAMPAIGN was launched yesterday to try to halt plans to build the world's longest rope footbridge over the River Tees. The 550ft structure is being planned to span the river at a height of 150ft on the site of a demolished railway viaduct, near Barnard
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Buses try experimental routes
TRIALS were carried out yesterday to see how buses would manage if a town centre was pedestrianised. Police traffic cones were positioned to prevent cars parking in Crown Street, in Darlington, to enable urban design consultants to look at how easily
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Driver killed by runaway horses
A PENSIONER died following a succession of car crashes on the A1(M) after two runaway horses galloped across the busy carriageway, police said. James Balmer, 71, suffered fatal head and internal injuries after his Toyota Corolla hit one of the horses
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Pupils inspired by glass exhibition
CREATIVE schoolchildren have been inspired by the latest display at York Art Gallery. An exhibition - Jerwood Applied Arts Prize 2003: Glass - showcases the work of eight top contemporary glass art-ists, ranging from small sculptures to large installations
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Support for firm
CONCERNED shareholders have supported moves by tour operator MyTravel to shore up its battered balance sheet. The sale of a string of businesses worth £147m won unanimous approval, although investors at a meeting in Manchester also questioned management
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Losses rise at Euro Disney
LOSSES at theme park operator Euro Disney have increased. In the year to September 30, the operator said losses had risen by 37 per cent, and blamed dwindling tourism and higher operating costs. The net loss for the full year increased to £32.42m from
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Mobile group makes £26m profit
MOBILE phone group mmO2 announced pre-tax profits yesterday for the first time since it demerged from parent company BT two years ago. It made £26m for the six months to September 30, compares with losses of £259m a year earlier, and follows a 13 per
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Icelandic retailer buys Oasis fashion chain
ICELANDIC retailer Baugur has bought the Oasis fashion chain for £152m. The move provides Baugur with an even bigger foothold in the retail sector after snapping up toy shop Hamleys for £59m in the summer and increasing its stake in House of Fraser. Oasis
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Shareholders should look beyond the name
AT the moment, it appears that shareholders are all-powerful. No matter what strategy a company pursues or management appointments it wants to make, those pesky people who actually own the company are insisting on having their say, and sometimes getting
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Conrad Black steps down at Hollinger
LORD Black of Crossharbour is to step down as chief executive of Hollinger International. The news came as it was revealed the board of the group was considering selling the company. Hollinger, which owns The Telegraph Group in Britain, the Chicago Sun-Times
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Change will help Quakers, Liddle
FOCUSED Craig Liddle last night backed new skipper Neil Maddison to help Darlington erase the threat of relegation. New manager David Hodgson has made Maddison his captain, bringing to an end Liddle's long run in the side with the armband on his sleeve
