Archive
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Nationwide efforts to avoid another Selby rail disaster
HIGHWAYS chiefs across the country have pledged their commitment to follow the North-East's lead in trying to end the scandal of Britain's decaying railway bridges. Two years after motorist Gary Hart was found guilty of causing the deaths of ten people
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Stores urged to cut prices in obesity fight
SUPERMARKETS and shops have been urged to reduce the price of fruit and vegetables to help the battle against obesity. Dr Carolyn Summerbell, an expert in nutrition at Teesside University, made her call after research involving more than 800 obese North-East
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Matthews ready to take his chance
New Darlington striker Lee Matthews is delighted to be playing first-team football again after spending two years in the wilderness. The 24-year-old joined Quakers on a month's loan from Second Division Bristol City last week after rejecting moves to
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Premiere for school show
TICKETS are on sale for a Newton Aycliffe school's annual show. Peace, Politics and Toilet Rolls will be performed over three nights, starting tonight, at Greenfield Community and Arts Centre, at 7pm. A matinee performance will also be held for the local
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Petition aiming to end shark deaths
A PETITION containing 50,000 signatures against brutal fishing practices has been presented to the European Parliament. The petition, collected at Scarborough Sea Life Centre and Marine Sanctuary, North Yorkshire, is calling for an end to shark-finning
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Mayoral presentation
THE Mayor of Darlington has been presented with a picture of one of his predecessors by a law firm. Blackett, Hart and Pratt Solicitors, formerly known as Steavensons, Plant and Park, donated the photograph of the son of its founder partner and former
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Magic in the air at shopping arcade
MAGIC was in the air in Darlington yesterday when shoppers got a surprise visit from Harry Potter characters. Dressed in colourful costume, half-giant Hagrid and Professor Albus Dumbledore flew in from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to meet
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Road congestion fears allayed
FEARS over congestion on a Darlington road as a result of a big new housing development have been allayed. The issue of traffic levels on the town's West Auckland Road was brought up at the latest meeting of Darlington Borough Council's environmental
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Spy cameras praised for car crime fall
CRIME in Darlington's town centre car parks has fallen to a record low, with praise being given to the town's surveillance cameras system (CCTV). Money, time and effort is being put in to ensure motorists can park safely in the town, with Darlington Borough
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Community projects will celebrate achievements
REPRESENTATIVES from community projects across North Yorkshire are attending a conference today to celebrate achievements and plan strategies for the future. The conference, at York Council for Voluntary Service, will be attended by more than 70 representatives
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Town centre regeneration scheme has cabinet backing
A £3.7m regeneration scheme to transform the fortunes of Spennymoor town centre has been backed by Sedgefield Borough Council's cabinet. Work on the first phase of the five-year plan, which involves improving the western entrance to the town, is to start
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Headteacher praises staff, pupil and parent partnership for success
BRIGHT pupils at a primary school have achieved some of the best grades in the country. Most of the 13 seven to eleven year-old children at Hovingham CE Primary School, in Ryedale, achieved above-average scores in their Standard Assessment Tests last
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Homecoming for sailors
ONE of the Royal Navy's largest ships has returned home to the Tyne. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Fort George was built at Swan Hunter's yard, in Wallsend, North Tyneside, and launched in 1991. A 36,580-tonne oiler/replenishment ship, she will berth
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Canines are stars of new reality show
TOP dogs are the stars of a new Tyne Tees Television reality series. Cameras went behind the scenes of the region's biggest dog show as canine competitors and their owners groomed themselves for the annual Darlington Championship Dog Show, which took
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Students aim high for design project
Students on Wearside will today be challenged to help disabled people. About 140 students from three North-East sixth-form schools will join others from City of Sunderland College, at the Seaburn Centre, in Sunderland, today and tomorrow, for the design
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A ray of hope in a year of gloom
There were celebrations on the streets of Bagdad, but the capture of Saddam Hussein does not free Tony Blair from the grips of the political crisis caused by his decision to go to war against the tyrant. Colin Tapping reports. IN this, his darkest year
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Petition aiming to end shark deaths
A PETITION containing 50,000 signatures against brutal fishing practices has been presented to the European Parliament. The petition, collected at Scarborough Sea Life Centre and Marine Sanctuary, North Yorkshire, is calling for an end to shark-finning
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'Rural areas must prepare for ageing population rise'
RURAL areas of the North-East are unprepared to meet the demands of a dramatically ageing population, according to a report. The study, carried out by the Countryside Agency and published today, said little provision has been made for an increase in the
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Firms comes second in eco award scheme
A NORTH-EAST firm is among the winners in a national environmental awards scheme. Wildcare Dairy Products, in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, won a silver award in the category for farming and agriculture in the National Green Apple Environment Awards
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Police hunt man who apprehended suspect
POLICE are trying to a find a man who prevented a robbery and chased and held a suspect. The man was one of a number of people who responded to cries for help from a 57-year-old woman, who was being robbed in the street in Redcar, east Cleveland. Minutes
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'This is impossible, it is unbelievable'
An Iraqi who was forced to flee Saddam Hussein's regime sought asylum in the UK in Teesside. Chris Webber joined him as the first pictures of the captured former dictator were screeeded on television. HASSAN WADI peered through his fingers at the television
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Local residents launch campaign against Ghost Ships
Three local residents were launching a fresh legal campaign today against plans to dismantle a fleet of so-called US navy ''ghost ships'' in the North-East. Last week a High Court judge ruled that the licence modification issued by the Environment Agency
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Luke's strike proves Quakers are not out of the mire yet
David Hodgson will be scratching his head this morning wondering where all his hard work has gone in the last five weeks. It was at the start of November that chairman George Reynolds sent shock waves around the Reynolds Arena with the return of Darlington's
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Students aim high for design project
Students on Wearside will today be challenged to help disabled people. About 140 students from three North-East sixth-form schools will join others from City of Sunderland College, at the Seaburn Centre, in Sunderland, today and tomorrow, for the design
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Police hunt man who apprehended suspect
POLICE are trying to a find a man who prevented a robbery and chased and held a suspect. The man was one of a number of people who responded to cries for help from a 57-year-old woman, who was being robbed in the street in Redcar, east Cleveland. Minutes
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Comment from The Northern Echo: Iraqi justice for Saddam
ALL decent people across the world will celebrate news that Saddam Hussein has been captured. It is fitting that an evil tyrant, so used to opulence while his people struggled for survival, should spend his last days of freedom in a squalid hole in the
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Tree planters improve area
RESIDENTS in a former pit village have helped to improve their area. Volunteers gathered at the old pit site, in Chester Moor, near Durham, for a tree planting event on Saturday. It was the latest in a series of events organised by Durham County Council's
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Work starts to transform village skyline
WORK is under way to help clear the skyline in a north Durham village. Durham County Council is to carry out improvements to the centre of Bearpark, near Durham. The first phase of the scheme will see overhead electricity cables laid underground. Contractors
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Pension protestors target Prime Minister
DEMONSTRATORS turned up the pressure on the Government over pensions by staging a protest through Tony Blair's North-East constituency. About 150 protestors carrying banners gathered in the Sedgefield constituency, on Saturday, to voice their anger over
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Christmas gifts charity effort is child's play
A CHARITY has estimated that £70,000 worth of toys have been donated to make sure that 4,000 underprivileged children have presents this Christmas. Staff at Travelcare, in Redcar, handed over their contribution of two large suitcases full of gifts from
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Burglars punish careless workers
POLICE in Hartlepool and Middlesbrough have issued a warning to the public after a rise in house break-ins over recent weeks. They said a key reason has been insecure homes and that, in some cases, residents returning from night shifts failed to lock
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Praise as elderly claim benefits
A PROJECT has helped nearly 100 older people in Middlesbrough claim benefit cash. Welfare rights officers Sahida Hussain and Cyril Eldridge visit elderly people in their homes to help then fill in claims forms for Income Support, now known as the Pension
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School disco boost for hospice
SCHOOL pupils danced the night away in the name of charity. Alex Garrity, 15 and Natalie Lonsdale, 16, both of Yarm, near Stockton, raised £1,500 for Teesside Hospice by organising a school disco. The private Teesside High School students also organised
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Village computer learning scheme scoops £500
VILLAGERS have won a prize in a national competition after becoming the first rural area in the country to get broadband Internet technology. Catterick Village, in North Yorkshire, earned the accolade Information Technology category winner in the 2003
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The Albany Northern League: Beaten Bedlington suffer agony on and off the pitch
Bedlington suffered a double blow to their title hopes at the weekend when they lost 3-1 at home to Dunston - and also had three points deducted by the league. Dunston beat Bedlington for the third time this season to improve their own title chances,
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Boss praises commitment
TRYING to alter Danny Mills' volatile nature is as difficult as asking Manchester United's Roy Keane to adopt a 'pussy cat' style every time he takes to the field. That is the conclusion Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren has reached following another
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Wilkinson inspires Morpeth to title glory
NEW RECRUIT Neil Wilkinson led Morpeth Harriers to team success with a debut senior men's victory in the 98th North-East Cross Country Championships at Darlington. And the 35-year-old former Salford Harrier, who has moved to the area to work as a hospital
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Schools show enterprise
THREE County Durham schools are taking part in a pilot scheme to prepare young people for work. The schools, and nine others from throughout the country, will work with the national charity Changemakers to develop the enterprise capability of young people
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Dug out from his lair
Saddam Hussein was in US custody last night after being captured near his home town of Tikrit without a shot being fired. The man who ruled his terrified people from a string of glittering palaces was finally cornered cowering in a hole in the ground
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Concern over wildlife reserves
THE first definitive survey of the region's best wildlife sites has shown that most need urgent attention. The six-year study published today by English Nature revealed that two thirds of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in the North-East are
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Murder with a modern twist
Agatha Christie's Poirot: Five Little Pigs (ITV1) Sunday: THE suspects are gathered in the drawing room at the instigation of Hercule Poirot. He intends to tell them the results of his investigation into the case of a woman, executed 14 years previously
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Woodgate blow halts Caldwell move
SIR BOBBY ROBSON is likely to block any loan move for wantaway centre-back Steve Caldwell following the latest injury blow to Jonathan Woodgate. The £9m signing from Leeds seems certain to miss the festive fixture list after tearing a hamstring in the
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Bus company gives people test drives during recruitment day
POTENTIAL bus drivers had the chance to get behind the wheel of the real thing at a recruitment day. Public transport group Go Northern held an open day at Beamish Museum, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, yesterday. Dozens of interested jobseekers
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Why I say thank you for the music
After losing her hearing at the age of 16, music lover Helen Durnion thought she'd never again enjoy her favourite tunes. Then cochlear implants worked a miracle she tells Sharon Griffiths. SINCE Helen Durnion saw Simply Red in concert at Newcastle Arena
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Wearside League: Leaders Birtley recover after early scare
Darlington RA shocked Birtley Town by taking a two-goal lead inside 12 minutes but in the end the leaders won 4-2. Paul Freary and Neil Radmore gave RA the best possible start but when Carl Pennington and Anthony Lynch struck within a minute of each other
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Toon bets on a change in law for casino plan
A North-East football club is aiming to hit the jackpot by turning its stadium shop into a casino and building a sports megastore inside the ground. Last month, Newcastle United unveiled plans to build a £150m hotel and gaming complex on land next to
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Police officers have more time for the rural beat
THREE police officers, assigned beats in the Yorkshire Dales, say the improved system is allowing them to devote more time to the job. Although none are strangers to Richmondshire, PCs Dave Cousins, Huw Williams and Dave Rasbeary were given more remote
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Schools to pilot work education approach
THREE County Durham schools are taking part in a pilot scheme designed to prepare young people for the world of work. The schools, with nine others across the country, will be working with the national charity Changemakers on a new approach to developing
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Christmas services
CHURCHES in Great Aycliffe parish have released a list of services and events over Christmas. On Sunday, St Clare's Church, Newton Aycliffe, will hold a service of nine lessons at 6pm, followed by cheese and wine. On Christmas Eve, a blessing of the crib
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Mother and son reunited after double Iraq posting
A MOTHER and son who both saw active service in Iraq have been reunited in time for Christmas. Wayne Blackburn, 18, who was with the Royal Signals, and his mother, Patricia Blackburn, who served with the Paras, are believed to have been the only mother
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'Green' tree gift for school
PUPILS at a Darlington primary school are dreaming of a green Christmas this year after receiving a tree as a gift. Skerne Park Primary School has been taking part in npower's Green Christmas Tree Scheme. The company donated a Christmas tree, lights and
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Centre puts on free pantomime
FREE festive pantomime performances are taking place at Gateshead's MetroCentre. The centre's mascots, the MetroGnomes, return to the stage today for The Metro-Gnomes and the Gingerbread Man. There will be regular performances of the half-hour show every
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Tributes paid to tireless fundraiser
A FORMER Darlington mayoress who worked tirelessly for charity has died at 82. Louise Hutchinson, the wife of Darlington borough councillor Cliff Hutchinson, of Cardinal Gardens, in the town, will be remembered for the many years she devoted to charity
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Seasonal extras for homeless
HOMELESS people were given a festive feast by swapping their usual soup for turkey, thanks to Darlington catering students. Dozens of people who visit the soup kitchen in The Basement, at Grange Road Baptist Church, enjoyed a tasty treat after Darlington
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Fast service for a special delivery
AN energy company moved swiftly to insulate a couple's home in time for a special delivery. Julian and Lynsey Davies had contacted Durham Energy Savers six months ago to receive advice about cavity wall insulation at their home in Hawthorne Road, Ferryhill
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Pathway is clear for glass designer
A glass designer has set up on her own with help from a business centre. Joanne Mitchell, from Tudhoe, near Spennymoor, received guidance to shape her business on the North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC) corporate ventures programme. Ms Mitchell
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Church celebrates with display of festive sparkle
A HOST of colourful Christmas trees have been on display in a Spennymoor church. St Paul's Church held a Christmas tree festival at the weekend, featuring 47 trees of varying shapes and sizes, bought from Raby Castle, which were decorated with themes
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Decision due on mart relocation
A DECISION is due this week on whether an auction mart can relocate from its home of almost a hundred years. The application to move Thirsk Auction Mart to a new 20-acre site off the A19, at Blakey Lane, was deferred last month so councillors could make
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Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Newcastle City Hall
THE world-famous soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa demonstrated her undiminished flair when she enthralled a sell-out audience. The Christmas Gala with Northern Sinfonia and the Sinfonia Chorus opened with Vivaldi's Concerto No 4, L'Inverno. Eat your heart
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Jack And The Beanstalk, York Grand Opera House
THIS is one for the kids, not the critics. Simon Barry's production is a workmanlike show that dutifully trots through the requirements of traditional pantomime without ever achieving what people on those TV property programmes define as "the wow factor
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Rail travellers face delays as gas leak fixed
COMMUTERS are facing lengthy delays to work this morning as the East Coast Main Line gets back up and running following a gas leak. Passengers travelling to and from the North-East endured disrupted journeys yesterday when a large section of the line
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High-flying Pool given a lesson in London
HARTLEPOOL United, never out of the top half of the table this season, were taught a thing or two by leaders QPR on Saturday. This season has been a fine one for Neale Cooper and his squad. They've exceeded expectations and played some scintillating stuff
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Crime crackdown celebrates success
A PROJECT aimed at cutting crime is looking back on a successful first year. The Anti-Social Behaviour Unit was set up 12 months ago by Easington District Council and Durham Police. It has issued 570 warnings, successfully applied for eight anti-social
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Martial arts health campaign launch
A SERIES of exercise classes have been arranged by volunteers who have teamed up with their local council and other agencies to launched a tai chi club. The Wear Valley Tai Chi, Chi Gung Club hopes to encourage more people in the area to take up regular
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Luke's strike proves Quakers are not out of the mire yet
David Hodgson will be scratching his head this morning wondering where all his hard work has gone in the last five weeks. It was at the start of November that chairman George Reynolds sent shock waves around the Reynolds Arena with the return of Darlington's
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Developer to visit marina centre site
THE developer behind a multi-million pound scheme to improve a town's growing tourism reputation will visit the site today. Giris Rabinovitch, of Sager Management Limited, will be in Hartlepool for meetings with key groups involved in the development
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Darlington outplayed
DEPLETED Darlington were outplayed by Halifax as they lost 47-14 away to the unbeaten National Three North leaders. The Yorkshire club generally had the edge as these two clubs climbed the leagues together, but for the first time a gulf was evident as
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FA Vase: Carl bags a hat-trick on bleak day for the region
Billingham Town striker Carl Chillingsworth fired his club into the last 32 of the FA Vase with a well-taken hat trick against Lincoln Moorlands, but it was a disastrous day in front of goal for most of the Northern League clubs. Only Billingham Town
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Darlington outplayed
DEPLETED Darlington were outplayed by Halifax as they lost 47-14 away to the unbeaten National Three North leaders. The Yorkshire club generally had the edge as these two clubs climbed the leagues together, but for the first time a gulf was evident as
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Courses help farmers
FARMERS across the North-East are to benefit from training courses aimed at encouraging responsible practices. The Arable Group (Tag) has been awarded £274,619 to run courses in five regions, including the North-East. They will concentrate on helping
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Determined businesswoman scoops award
A BUSINESSWOMAN has been named as Young Woman North-East Entrepreneur after refusing to give up when her first company collapsed. Sarah Agar, 30, started out with £10,000 nine years ago when she opened an audio and visual equipment shop in her home town
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UniBond League: Boss Lee denies resigning
Spennymoor manager Tony Lee last night denied that he had resigned following Moors' 2-0 home defeat by Marine on Saturday. Speculation was rife after the game that Lee had told friends that he was leaving following a row with club officials, but Lee last
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Business site praised for safe practises
A MAJOR site for manufacturing in the North-East has been praised for its safe working practises. Teesside politician Dr Ashok Kumar applauded the fact that Wilton International, near Redcar, had won an award. The MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
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£12m deal signed to improve services
THE Government has pledged to give another £12m to a local authority in return for a promise to deliver further improvements in services. North Yorkshire County Council has signed a Local Public Service Agreement with Westminster, in which the council
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Council gives best service in England
A NATIONAL survey has placed Darlington Borough Council at the top of a league table for the services it provides. Outshining all other councils in England, Darlington notched up the highest scores in the study, which is based on Audit Commission data
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Schools show enterprise
THREE County Durham schools are taking part in a pilot scheme to prepare young people for work. The schools, and nine others from throughout the country, will work with the national charity Changemakers to develop the enterprise capability of young people
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Memorial proposed for site of worst colliery disaster
A MEMORIAL is planned for the miners who died in one of the North-East's worst pit disasters. Stanley Hall Community Partnership is asking Derwentside District Council for planning permission to put a stone cairn on the shaft head of the West Stanley
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Primecare to provide out-of-hours services
PATIENTS in the North-East are likely to be the first to get home visits from nurses rather than GPs as part of a radical shake-up. Five primary care trusts serving 670,000 patients from Redcar to Darlington have invited private health firm Primecare
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Campaign to unite district authorities
A PRESSURE group has been set up to fight for an all-purpose local authority to serve two North Yorkshire districts. The Heart of Yorkshire Campaign is urging the 220,000 residents of the Harrogate and Craven districts to join together should a revamp
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Young glass designer embarks on business adventure
AN award-winning glass designer has set up her own business. Joanne Mitchell, from Tudhoe, near Spennymoor, south Durham, received guidance through the North East Business and Innovation Centre corporate ventures programme. Based at the National Glass
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Study reveals people oppose out-of-hours patient centres
HEALTH chiefs have been warned they could face strong opposition if patient centres replace out-of-hours doctors in parts of the Dales. A review started in Richmondshire before a national initiative offered GPs a choice over whether they would continue
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Wildlife centre plan revealed
A £2.5M sanctuary, designed to inspire young people to love wildlife, could be coming to Teesside. Plans to create a visitor centre, reptile house, walled garden, children's petting area and craft shop at a 100-acre site at Hart, near Hartlepool, have
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Listening earns accolade for nurse
A SCHOOL nurse has won an award for listening to pupils. Kathy Camsell, who provides nursing services at Tanfield Comprehensive School, near Stanley, was presented with an Investing in Children award. She said: "I am delighted to receive this award. I
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Going out with a bang
WHEN Rachel Leskovac took on the role of Nurse Kelly Yorke in Holby City this year, she had no idea what an emotional rollercoaster ride it would turn out to be. Not only would her character turn out to be 'the Keller's Killer', a serial killer stalking
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Mowden's late spree humbles Kendal
MOWDEN Park duly completed their expected run of four wins and will set their sights on doubling it before facing unbeaten leaders Waterloo and Halifax at the end of next month. Next Saturday's match at Tynedale promises to be pivotal in this winning
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Drama scouts hold audition day
AN internationally renowned drama school is scouting for musical and acting talent in the North-East. The Guildford School of Acting (GSA) Conservatoire held open auditions at Durham's Gala Theatre on Friday and Saturday. Former students of the GSA have
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Public encouraged to give opinions on area's renewal
A SIX-month project costing £60,000 has been launched to draw up a long-term renewal plan for South Bank. The area, which has more than 1,000 terraced houses, suffers from fear of crime and anti-social behaviour. An increasing number of properties are
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Region's coastguards out in force to join fundraising campaign
NORTH-EAST coastguards have taken part in a national walk for charity. Members of Skinningrove Coastguards, in east Cleveland, were the latest to take part in a national coastal walk for coastguards that began at Land's End. It is expected the walk, which
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Rangers eye up Boro's Downing
SCOTTISH Premier League giants Rangers are the latest club to be showing an interest in highly-rated Middlesbrough youngster Stewart Downing, writes Paul Fraser. Downing, who came off the bench during Saturday's goalless draw with Charlton, was the subject
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Cook's pistol sells for double its estimate
A FLINTLOCK pistol that belonged to Captain James Cook went under the hammer and sold for almost twice its expected price. The Belgian-made gun was sold in Edinburgh by a descendant of the legendary North-Yorkshire explorer's eldest sister, Margaret,
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TV review
Agatha Christie's Poirot: Five Little Pigs (ITV1) Sunday THE suspects are gathered in the drawing room at the instigation of Hercule Poirot. He intends to tell them the results of his investigation into the case of a woman, executed 14 years previously
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Nativity play in memory of Sophie
INFANTS from a nursery have paid tribute to a classmate with a rare brain condition who died last month. The youngsters at House of Eden nursery in Rushyford, near Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, took part in a nativity play and concert to raise money
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Shuker looks ahead
NEW recruit Chris Shuker is looking forward to some happier days as a Hartlepool United player after a baptism of fire on Saturday, writes Nick Loughlin. Shuker moved to Pool on loan from Manchester City on Thursday and made a swift debut at Queen's Park
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Artist is back with exhibition
AN exhibition opens today by an artist who has returned to his roots. David Stead studied art in Harrogate but has lived in Devon for many years. He recently returned to the North and bought a gallery in Ripon named t'art Gallery. His latest exhibition
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15/12/03
SPEED CAMERAS: NIGEL Burton's defence (Echo, Dec 11) of the only chief constable in England to reject Department of Transport advice does The Northern Echo no credit. The whole tone of his piece implies that speed cameras are an attack on all motorists
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North-East safest region, conference hears
THE North-East is the safest of any region in the country when it comes to crime, a major conference has heard. The conference, held in Billingham, Teesside, on Friday, discussed crime and community safety, and was thought to be the first of its kind
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Robert's stunning double
September 22, 2003 is not a day that many Newcastle United followers would remember as pivotal in the Magpies' season. It may be true that some Geordie fans would have been readying themselves for the visit of NAC Breda two days later but, on the face
