Archive
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Robbed of life on his doorstep
AS George Sharpe was being comforted by his family after becoming the victim of a bogus caller, he couldn't believe how stupid he had been. The frail pensioner felt ashamed and embarrassed that he had been duped for a second time in less than a year.
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One reform too far
AFTER the brief respite created by the visit of the American and French presidents, the Prime Minister is back to the rough-and-tumble of domestic politics today. With the Conservative Party buoyed by the bloodless coup which has installed Michael Howard
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Extra security for the cyclists
RAIL commuters are in for an easier ride now that secure cycle lockers have been installed at two North-East stations. Darlington's North Road and Dinsdale Stations have five lockers for hire by commuters who cycle to the station. They have been installed
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Man sentenced to life for killing teenager
A MAN who stabbed a teenager to death after a drink and drugs binge was jailed for life yesterday. The trial of 20-year-old Sean Matson was in its fifth day and the prosecution had just ended its case when he changed his plea. Matson had denied murdering
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Accepting lift led to death
A TEENAGE girl died following a car crash after she and a friend accepted a lift during a night out, an inquest was told. Lynsey Richards was cut free from a rear seat of a Vauxhall Nova which ended up on an embankment on New Road, Crook, County Durham
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Ehiogu return has Cooper fearing Boro axe
MIDDLESBROUGH stalwart Colin Cooper is bracing himself for the axe as Ugo Ehiogu lines up a Christmas comeback. Boro manager Steve McClaren has hailed Cooper as his signing of the summer after persuading the defender to agree a new one-year contract.
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Insurance firms 'pricing N-E groups out of work'
INSURANCE companies are forcing manufacturing companies to the wall by refusing to give them the vital cover they need to do business, a report has revealed. One in ten manufacturers and one in 12 other businesses have been refused employers' and public
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Norris to take reins
STEVEN Norris, the Conservative candidate for London Mayor, has taken over the chairmanship of Jarvis in the wake of Paris Moayedi's announcement he was to quit the firm. Mr Norris, a senior independent director at the troubled support services company
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Delving into dunking
GEORGE W Bush, it is widely but not unanimously reported, didn't pour tomato ketchup onto his chips at the Dun Cow in Sedgefield but "dunked" one in t'other. John Burton, Tony Blair's estimable agent, insists - the sauce! - that the president didn't use
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TV review
Coronation Street (ITV1) AS the setting for a comeback by a soap icon, a ladies' toilet could hardly be classed as glamorous. But the camera panned up the unmistakable figure standing in the doorway of a cubicle. She spoke to the other, equally familiar
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Huntley: How girls died in my bathroom
HOLLY WELLS and Jessica Chapman died in a series of accidents in Ian Huntley's bathroom, lawyers for the alleged double murderer said yesterday. Holly died after falling into his water-filled bath as Huntley treated her for a nosebleed, Stephen Coward
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School-based anti-smoking scheme stubbed out
A RADICAL scheme to help schoolkids quit smoking which made national headlines three years ago has had to be abandoned because of lack of funding. In 1999, the exploits of a Darlington comprehensive school, where children as young as 13 were given special
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Happy seventh birthday to you, you, you and you
A SET of North-East quads celebrated their seventh birthday yesterday - days after one of them was released from hospital. Hannah Moss-Carbert was well enough to enjoy her special day with brothers Jonpaul, Adam and Simon after a six-month illness. Hannah
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Death crash biker's friend 'feared for safety'
A MOTORCYCLIST told an inquest that he feared for his friend's safety because he took risks on corners. Stephen Bailey, a 42-year-old window cleaner, from Benningborough Gardens, Ingleby Barwick, died instantly when he crashed into a car on a bend on
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Norris to take reins
STEVEN Norris, the Conservative candidate for London Mayor, has taken over the chairmanship of Jarvis in the wake of Paris Moayedi's announcement he was to quit the firm. Mr Norris, a senior independent director at the troubled support services company
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School garden given oriental feel
A COMMUNITY has helped create a Japanese garden and pond at a school. The garden area at Westlands school in Thornaby, which mostly has children with special educational needs, will be used as a quiet area for the children. As well as the garden, there
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Primary school skipathon raises cash to help heart patients
PUPILS at a primary school have raised £2,635 by skipping. The children at Hartburn primary, Hartburn, Stockton, skipped all day long to raise the cash for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and £800 for the school to use on outdoor sports equipment,
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Stun gun claims -innuendo and smear', trial told
THE jury in a trial of a father and son accused of falsely imprisoning a teenager and using a stun gun on him, has been told to avoid the "ghastly, horrible possibility" of convicting two innocent men. Defence barrister Dan Cordy said the case against
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Thousand thanks to unit
MARTIAL arts instructor Russell Shaw enlisted the help of the Chungdokwan Tae Kwon Do martial arts club, in Spennymoor, to raise £1,000 for the Mara Unit at Bishop Auckland Hospital. The club, where Mr Shaw is an instructor, held a martial arts demonstration
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Roads to close for parades
About 150 people are expected to take part in a Christmas lantern parade in Cockfield, near Barnard Castle, on Thursday, December 4. Teesdale District Council has agreed that Front Street in the village should be closed to traffic between 6.30pm and 7.15pm
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Accident ruling on methadone death
THE family of a man who died from methadone poisoning have paid tribute to him. An inquest in Bishop Auckland heard yesterday that Christopher Shorland died after taking a small dose of the drug. The coroner heard the drug belonged to his fiancee, Rachel
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National award for teacher
A MUSIC teacher has been reward for his inspirational work for the second consecutive year. David Ferrari, a teacher at Teesdale Comprehensive School, Barnard Castle, was given a certificate of commendation in Classic FM's 2003 Music Teacher of the Year
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We have our war, but where's the enemy
WHATEVER the tactics of the "war against terror" - from flattening whole countries to installing concrete blocks - the rhetoric against it comes from a vanished era. Our leaders still respond with echoes of Churchill in the Second World War. After the
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Croft gets chance to stake Test claim
England are to give Robert Croft the chance to stake his claim for a Test recall in a three-way shoot-out for the spinners' berths this week. The tourists' trio of slow bowlers are named in the side which takes on a Sri Lanka Cricket President's XI in
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Doctors unite in plea for scanners
SPECIALIST doctors have formed an action committee to campaign for what would be the region's first nuclear superscanner. Experts believe that lives are being lost because there are only five positron emission tomography (PET) scanners in the UK, all
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Tesco reports large rise in sales
SUPERMARKET group Tesco reported a 17.5 per cent rise in sales ahead of Christmas - spurred by growth in its clothing division. Discount promotions such as £4 jeans at its UK stores had enabled Tesco to capture market share from rivals such as Sainsbury's
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Shearer moves into coaching
ALAN SHEARER has signalled his intention to move into management after confirming he is working towards his UEFA B coaching badge. The Newcastle United skipper, tipped by many to succeed Sir Bobby Robson as manager at St. James' Park, is taking coaching
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Man admits assault on his girlfriend
A MAN admitted assaulting his girlfriend, but denied head-butting her, when he appeared before Darlington magistrates yesterday. Simon Causer, 31, admitted he broke his girlfriend Leanne Burton's nose on October 4 in a late-night fracas, but disputed
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Gunfire startles town's shoppers
SHOPPERS looked puzzled yesterday when the sound of rapid machine gun fire echoed round a busy town centre. The automatic weapons, which could be heard clearly in Barnard Castle, County Durham, came from the Battle Hill firing range, three miles away.
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High-paid role for advisors in N-E schools
EXPERIENCED business people are to be recruited across the region in a drive to make schools more entrepreneurial. As part of a national campaign, first announced by Chancellor Gordon Brown in the Budget, ten enterprise advisers and one manager will be
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Tesco reports large rise in sales
SUPERMARKET group Tesco reported a 17.5 per cent rise in sales ahead of Christmas - spurred by growth in its clothing division. Discount promotions such as £4 jeans at its UK stores had enabled Tesco to capture market share from rivals such as Sainsbury's
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Police hunt late-night sex attacker
DETECTIVES were last night hunting the attacker who raped a teenage girl after she left a nightclub and left her semi-naked in the street. The 16-year-old was found on the doorstep of a house in Darlington after being subjected to the harrowing ordeal
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Park dog slashed
A DOG was pinned down and slashed in the face in a North-East park at the weekend. The male lurcher, called Rolly, was attacked by youths after being let off its lead at about 8.15pm on Sunday, in North Lodge Park, Darlington. Police hunting the youths
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A Silver lining for Easterby's Knight after Carlisle defeat
AFTER suffering the agony of a short-head defeat on his seasonal reappearance at Carlisle three weeks ago, Wetherby-bound Silver Knight (12.55) should make no mistake in this afternoon's Harry Atkinson Beginners' Chase. Although Tim Easterby's charge
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26/11/03
PRESIDENT BUSH: I WOULD suggest that the specially chosen few who doffed their caps to George Bush in the Dun Cow Inn are just as pathetically besotted as their MP with the most dangerous President of the US ever. It matters not to them that these two
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Rear-view helmet maker looks forward to future
THE company responsible for putting rear-view mirrors in cycle helmets has secured a deal with Halfords. Reevu, now based in Washington, Wearide, will see its innovative design stocked in 50 of the car maintenance group's specialist Bikehut stores nationwide
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Return of the tarty twosome
Coronation Street (ITV1), AS the setting for a comeback by a soap icon, a ladies' toilet could hardly be classed as glamorous. But the camera panned up the unmistakable figure standing in the doorway of a cubicle. She spoke to the other, equally familiar
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Campaign to encourage pensioners to apply for pension credit
A CAMPAIGN has been launched to encourage thousands of east Durham pensioners to take up a new benefit. The district, which has some of the country's greatest deprivation, has been chosen as the starting place for a drive that could be extended to other
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A Silver lining for Easterby's Knight after Carlisle defeat
AFTER suffering the agony of a short-head defeat on his seasonal reappearance at Carlisle three weeks ago, Wetherby-bound Silver Knight (12.55) should make no mistake in this afternoon's Harry Atkinson Beginners' Chase. Although Tim Easterby's charge
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Rear-view helmet maker looks forward to future
THE company responsible for putting rear-view mirrors in cycle helmets has secured a deal with Halfords. Reevu, now based in Washington, Wearide, will see its innovative design stocked in 50 of the car maintenance group's specialist Bikehut stores nationwide
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Plans for windfarm test mast submitted
AN application to build a meteorological mast to determine whether a farm site in Heighington is suitable for a wind farm will be discussed next month. The application by EDF Energy to build a 50-metre mast on land at Royal Oak Farm was approved by Heighington
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No retirement talk from hero Johnson
Martin Johnson has reiterated his determination not to make any rash decision over his international future. The 33-year-old England captain has won every honour in the game following the World Cup triumph over Australia, prompting some observers - including
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Festive fun launched by market town crier
A MARKET town is to launch its Christmas festivities this weekend. The action will begin in Chester-le-Street at noon on Saturday outside the Holiday Centre on Front Street, when town crier Marjorie Dodds will introduce a programme of events. For the
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Disney date for singers
North-East singers are flying to America after being invited to take part in Disney World's Christmas parade. The 30 singers, from Newcastle, are with the entertainment company Sing Live North East, which trains amateur singers to professional standards
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IT teaching centre to open
A centre where teachers can be taught about technology, opens at a school this week. The computer facility has been built at the Hermitage School, in Chester-le-Street, following a successful bid to the Specialist Schools Trust to become a regional teacher
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Call to claim school meals
PARENTS were last night being urged to claim free school meals for their children, because it could lead to a £6m investment in education in Darlington. Council chiefs said that only 18 per cent of the borough's 16,000 pupils claim free school meals.
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MP to meet university over 'crisis in accommodation'
AN MP has renewed his warning to a leading university to stop relying on greedy landlords to fill an accommodation gap. Gerry Steinberg has again urged Durham University to come up with positive solutions to ease the housing problems in his city constituency
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Airport rebrand backed by operators
JUST days after President Bush flew in aboard Air Force One, airline bosses have backed plans to ditch the Teesside Airport name - because it does not have a high enough international profile. They are supporting the change of name to Durham-Tees Valley
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Grandma Helen signs up for Echo
THE Northern Echo this week unveils the latest signing to its team of star columnists: novelist Helen Cannam. Helen, who has 22 published novels with another due out next year, will write a fortnightly column on the joys -and frustrations - of being a
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Back to roots for world famous opera singer
World famous opera singer Ian Storey swapped centre stage at some of Europe's finest theatres to take a starring role at his old school. The international tenor returned to his native North-East to attend an awards ceremony at Ferryhill Business and Enterprise
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Reynolds business hearing is adjourned
A PUBLIC examination into the business affairs of Darlington football club chairman George Reynolds was adjourned yesterday after he submitted a sick note. The hearing into why his former business, George Reynolds UK (GRUK), went into liquidation should
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Fergie friendship a real boost to Pool's search for new faces
NEALE Cooper's friendship with Sir Alex Ferguson last night helped secure a new face at Hartlepool United. Cooper made two signings yesterday, Australian international Joel Porter signed a short-term deal and Old Trafford youngster Daniel Byrne moved
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Why we shouldn't bank on beauty
DO looks really matter that much? Teacher Francoise Rabin, 51, underwent £50,000 worth of beauty makeovers - eyes, nose, teeth, liposuction. The results were certainly dramatic. She had, she said, always been jealous of her prettier sister. She also felt
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Death fall followed night out drinking
A MAN died when he fell down stairs after a night out, an inquest heard yesterday. Raymond Oakley, 35, had spent the late afternoon and evening of November 29 last year, drinking and socialising with his girlfriend, Paula Tyler, and friends in various
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Friend's concern for missing man
FAMILIES in Poland and Canada last night made a heartfelt appeal for a missing North-East man to get in touch. Having read of his disappearance on The Northern Echo's website, the friends he made in Poland whilst a student in the 1960's now wish to repay
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Man is cleared of girl's kidnap
A MAN charged with the kidnap and rape of a teenage girl was cleared in court yesterday after telling the jury that she set him up. Steven Wilkinson, 21, and a large group of family and supporters wept with relief at the end of his ordeal, which began
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A grieving mum's living nightmare
CHRIS Cave was killed because he was a good man who lived in the wrong place. A place described in court as where too many young men binge on drink and drugs, terrorising the good people on the estate, and where young adults trying to make a life for
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Father and son walk free
A FATHER and son walked free from court yesterday after being cleared of attacking a teenager with a stun gun and blackmailing his stepfather. Pub boss Trevor Thirlwall, 53, and his son, nightclub doorman Trevor Thirlwall junior, 30, were cleared of all
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Bank note printer to shed 200 jobs
BANK note printer De La Rue has blamed growing reliance on credit and debit cards for forcing it to axe two factories at a cost of 200 jobs. The company said it was closing its Byfleet plant in Surrey and was looking to sell its Peterborough factory,
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Rail firms merge services
EAST Coast Main Line operator GNER has joined forces with Chiltern Railways owner John Laing to bid for a new rail franchise. The two partners will form London and Western Railway Company, to bid for the Greater Western franchise. Greater Western, due
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Delving into dunking
GEORGE W Bush, it is widely but not unanimously reported, didn't pour tomato ketchup onto his chips at the Dun Cow in Sedgefield but "dunked" one in t'other. John Burton, Tony Blair's estimable agent, insists - the sauce! - that the president didn't use
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Call claim to school meals
PARENTS were last night being urged to claim free school meals for their children, because it could lead to a £6m investment in education in Darlington. Council chiefs said that only 18 per cent of the borough's 16,000 pupils claim free school meals.
