Archive
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Hooked again
Is it possible to make another version of Peter Pan? Yes, says actor Jason Isaacs who has taken the pantomine out of Captain Hook to make him a villain of all time. Steve Pratt reports. BRITISH actor Jason Isaacs has no worries playing the villain. He's
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Frumenty, Milly Boxes and the delicate issue of mistletoe
Full of festive nostalgia and the odd glass of mulled wine, Echo Memories muses on the childhood traditions of Bishop Auckland and the glories of snowy days past in Darlington's South Park. ACCORDING to a newly published booklet about the traditions of
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Motorist escapes as car skids into river
A TERRIFIED motorist had an amazing escape when his car skidded on the icy banks of a river and plunged into the freezing water. Police said the car, believed to be a Jaguar XJS, slid into the River Ouse, in York, after architect Chris Cook tried to turn
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Novelty numbers
IT'S CHRISTMAS!! Yes, wherever you go you can't help but be assaulted by Noddy Holder belting out the original and best festive song. And if you were in any doubt about what time of year it was - the King of Christmas Cliff has not only released a single
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Go-ahead for health centre's £1.25m rebuild
A health centre in Darlington is to be rebuilt thanks to a £1.25m investment in primary care. The new Park Place health centre is to be built in the car park next to the existing building to minimise disruption to patients. Darlington Primary Care Trust
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A great time -- if you've planned
IF you remembered to book your taxi in July, have reserved a place at the bar and have remortgaged your house to fill your wallet you are guaranteed a great New Year'e Eve. What used to be a low-key celebration with close relatives and friends has become
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Blakey to fight for his place
Yorkshire wicketkeeper-batsman Richard Blakey will go on fighting for a first team place, despite having been appointed second XI captain with special managerial responsibilities. Blakey, 36, the senior player on Yorkshire's books, was an almost permanent
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Why we must not demonise Maxine Carr
APPEARING on Christmas Eve, with double its usual shelf life, this column was meant to have a Christmas theme. One that would suit what we laughingly call the "seasonal festivities'' - today the panic last-minute shopping and gift-wrapping, tomorrow the
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Echo Memories: Frumenty, Milly Boxes and the delicate issue of mistletoe
Full of festive nostalgia and the odd glass of mulled wine, Echo Memories muses on the childhood traditions of Bishop Auckland and the glories of snowy days past in Darlington's South Park. ACCORDING to a newly published booklet about the traditions of
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Software specialist Sage buys US rival ACCPAC for £62.5m
BUSINESS and accounting software company Sage has bought US rival ACCPAC for £62.5m. ACCPAC is a subsidiary of Computer Associates International, based in California. The company is a vendor of a suite of business management solutions including accounting
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Tributes paid to former mayoress and fundraiser
THE funeral of a woman who devoted her life to charity, raising more than £500,000, was held last week. Louise Hutchinson MBE, former mayoress of Darlington, died at the age of 82. Mourners gathered to pay their respects to Mrs Hutchinson - who was known
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Lambs due for abattoir die after road crash
FOUR fattened lambs destined for the slaughterhouse died as a result of a car accident. Police were contacted at about 2.30am yesterday by a motorist on the Sadberge to Sedgefield road, in County Durham. The driver said the road was blocked by sheep and
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Mother pays tribute to daughter
A MOTHER has paid tribute to her teenage daughter who died hours after developing breathing difficulties. Fourteen-year-old Holly Williams will be buried today. Her mother, Karen, a nurse from Eagle Park, in Middlesbrough, said Holly came home sniffling
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Parents have a ball putting on a panto
PARENTS staged a pantomime for local children. Parents of children aged four and under, who attend Sure Start activities in the Branksome and Park East areas of Darlington, gave two performances of The Witch Who Stole Christmas, at Branksome Community
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Living with health problems
PEOPLE with long-term health problems are being given the chance to improve their quality of life. Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Trust is holding a Living Well course in January at the Hambleton Forum in Northallerton. Living Well courses are
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Shops face ban after under-age drink sales
THREE shopkeepers in north-west Durham face losing their alcohol licences after selling drink to under-age teenagers during a police operation. Police sent youngsters aged 14 into all 34 off-licences in the Consett area, with instructions to try to buy
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Sister's kidney saves Wendy
FRIENDS can't believe it when they see Wendy and Kim out Christmas shopping. Laughing and joking in the crowded streets, the sisters are inseparable and full of fun. But only a month ago Wendy Risbrough, 39, was desperately ill and needed a kidney transplant
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Attacker escapes prison sentence
A CARPET-FITTER who attacked a man with a pool cue during a fight in a pub has been spared Christmas in jail. Lee Evans, of Skelton, east Cleveland, hit the male victim over the back of the head with the cue, which broke in half from the force of the
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Authority releases details of members' allowances
DETAILS have been released of allowances paid to Richmondshire's district councillors in the past financial year. Each member of the authority receives £2,500, although additional responsibility payments are also made to the council leader, Councillor
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How getting lost led to charity donation
A RAMBLERS' group has taken a step in the right direction to help rescue workers. Teesside group the Rambling Roses presented the Cleveland Search and Rescue Team with a £415 cheque. The money was raised through a 50p fee donated each time the ramblers
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Lingfield welcomes Cardew
COMMUNICATIONS company Cardew has opened an office at one of the region's newest business parks. Cardew Communications Ltd, a retailer of BT products and services, has taken office space in the refurbished Lingfield House, on the Lingfield Point business
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People plant 7,000 bulbs to bring colour to area
PEOPLE showed how much they care for their area by turning out in force to plant thousands of bulbs. A group of more than 30 people wrapped up against the cold to plant the 7,000 bulbs along Cleveland Road and on the corner of West View Road, in Hartlepool
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Shoppers directed to safest car parks
EFFORTS to encourage more shoppers to visit Hartlepool have been stepped up with new signs directing motorists to the town centre's safest car parks. Officers from Hartlepool Borough Council are keen to ensure people are aware of the location of the town's
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24/12/03
EUROPE: THE letters page (HAS, Dec 19) made very interesting reading on the subject of our membership of the EU. First, we have the usual combination of inaccurate name calling and weak and irrelevant quotes from those in favour of EU integration, then
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When mishaps make memories
You may want to scream when the cooker won't work or the kids cause chaos, but relax - it's all part of why we cherish Christmas. CONGRATULATIONS! If you are sitting down reading this, it means either (a) you are wonderfully organised and have done all
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Monkey matters and allot of merriment
CHRISTMAS Eve, and the suspense may be killing. So what about the poor old Hartlepool Monkey - hanged, quartered and now finally drawn as well? Few in these parts will be unfamiliar with the legend of the sailor-suited monkey, supposedly shipwrecked on
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The hot tickets ahead
Three top actresses highlight next year's theatre season at Newcastle while Sunderland's Empire has just announced a run of Miss Saigon for 2005. Viv Hardwick reports. A RETURN by British choreographer Matthew Bourne and dramas starring some of the country's
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From the heartwarming to the harrowing
Where The Heart Is (ITV1): Backpackers' Nightmares (five): A MAN who climbed Everest is crippled with arthritis. His student daughter arrives home pregnant. Worst still, the father is the person he blames for his son's death in a climbing accident. And
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Plan for interpreters to help hard of hearing
A HEALTH authority is backing plans for an interpreting service to help more than 200,000 people in the Tees Valley and County Durham areas with hearing impairment. The £157,000 scheme would involve health and social care professionals bringing together
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PM pays a Christmas visit
PRIME Minister Tony Blair came North last week for a festive visit. Mr Blair and wife Cherie joined Darlington MP Alan Milburn for the official opening of a Sure Start centre off North Road. The £1m centre, for parents and children, was already playing
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'UK economy shows signs of recovery'
THE performance of the UK economy in the third quarter of the year proved stronger than expected after a second upward revision to gross domestic product (GDP) figures. GDP rose 0.8 per cent on the previous three months - higher than the 0.6 per cent
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What not to watch
Has Homer Simpson overtaken Mickey Mouse as the animated face of entertainment for our children this Christmas? TV writer Steve Pratt applies the spirit of BBC2's Trinny and Suzannah of What Not To Wear fame to establish 'the rules' of what makes a perfect
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Accident victim was at his 18th party
A TEENAGER who died when the car he was travelling in careered off a village road had been celebrating his birthday, it has emerged. John Gary Robson, of Coronation Terrace, New Kyo, near Stanley, County Durham, had met friends to celebrate his 18th birthday
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Epic trip out of this world for business
A NORTH-EAST company is playing a leading role in Europe's first solo mission to another planet. The workers from Northern Precision Engineering (NPE) will be holding their breath tomorrow when Beagle 2 , which they have helped to create, is expected
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Lightening our darkness
"In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." In his Christmas message to The Northern Echo, the Bishop of Durham, Dr Tom Wright, explains the enduring significance of one of the best-known passages from the Bible.
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Breaking the £1m barrier
RETAIL chain Printing.com has broken through the £1m barrier for monthly sales. The group, based in Manchester, has 19 stores and 39 franchise operations across the UK, including operation in Newcastle, Bishop Auckland and York. The company said the performance
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It's wedding hells
CHRISTMAS is coming and the geese, along with Barry the most boring man in Soapland, are getting fat. In EastEnders (BBC1), Alfie Moon and Kat Slapper, sorry Slater, are preparing to say "We do" for a Christmas Day wedding in Albert Square. Except when
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Pantomime star Pee Wee's festive hospital visit is right on the button
PANTO star Pee Wee Price helped brighten up Christmas for youngsters forced to spend it in hospital. Pee Wee, who plays Buttons in Cinderella at Durham's Gala Theatre, visited the Treetops ward at the University Hospital of North Durham to spread some
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Bogus callers targeted by technology
BOGUS callers have been brought to book thanks to a North-East police force's number plate reader. The mobile Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) was used by Northumbria Police to target cowboy builders, disreputable door-to-door salespeople and
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Chemical industry will gain from changes to aid criteria
THE North-East chemical industry is poised to benefit from changes in the rules governing applications for regional aid. The Government plans to overhaul its programme of Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) grants, following the failure of a series of
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Mourners gather for woman's funeral
HUNDREDS of people packed into a village church yesterday for the funeral of a young woman who died in a farm accident. Dozens of mourners had to crowd into the aisles and stand behind pews during the service for 20-year-old Kelly Pattinson at St Mary's
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When mishaps make memories
You may want to scream when the cooker won't work or the kids cause chaos, but relax - it's all part of why we cherish Christmas. CONGRATULATIONS! If you are sitting down reading this, it means either (a) you are wonderfully organised and have done all
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Cataract op allows Lesley to see her family for Christmas
A MOTHER has received an early Christmas present after having an eye operation that allowed her to see her family clearly for the first time in 18 months. Lesley Whelan, 57, had a cataract operation at the new eye unit at York Hospital last week. She
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Homeowners call for fairer deal over estate proposals
HOMEOWNERS on an estate earmarked for demolition have protested about the deal they are being offered to give up their homes. Plans have been drawn up to bulldoze and rebuild parts of the run-down Whitehill estate, in Pelton Fell, near Chester-le-Street
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Initiative will improve the appearance of town centre
EXTRA money is to be made available to shops and businesses in a town as the drive continues to make it a better place to live and work. The Richmond Town Centre Forum has managed to fill almost half the empty shops in the town centre. A clothes shop,
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Bear necessities inspire pre-school youngsters
LIFE as a planning officer has its challenges - but few are more unusual than designing a home for The Three Bears. Children from the Scorton pre-school group were told the fairytale characters had decided to leave the forest - and they were asked to
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Rural communities discover computing
A MOBILE computer suite which aims at encourage adults to learn has been hailed a success by education bosses. Backed by the BBC, North Yorkshire County Council's Discovery Bus has been visiting towns and villages across Richmondshire, offering residents
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Gambling tax too high, says company
PLANS to build a £150m casino in the North-East will not go ahead unless tax laws are changed, a company has said. US gaming company MGM Mirage has bought land next to Newcastle United Football Club's home, St James's Park, in a £5m deal. But bosses at
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Parents warned over teenagers' behaviour
PARENTS have received a warning to take control of their wayward youngsters or the police will step in. About 20 Stockton families received letters from Cleveland Police in the run-up to Christmas. Their teenagers were among 100 vandals caught last week
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Youngsters have designs on Christmas
THREE youngsters will see their artwork in print after winning a Christmas card competition. The contest was open to 600 members of the Durham County Council Children's Network, a support group for young people up to the age of 18 with disabilities. Entrants
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Northern sells tinned food operation
NORTHERN Foods has agreed to sell its Irish baked bean and tinned food operation to a consortium including the Bank of Scotland for £66.8m. The group, based in Hull, said it was selling Northern Foods (Ireland) and its subsidiaries to Maiden Acquisition
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New order follows buyout success
GRAPHIC arts and equipment supplier Inkland Ltd has been bought by a team led by managing director Steve Wilson. The management team celebrated their success by winning the company's largest equipment order, worth £250,000. Inkland, of Newton Aycliffe
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Residents urged to listen to fuel efficiency experts
HOUSEHOLDERS in Wolviston are being urged to listen to advice from fuel poverty crusaders. The village is the last of Stockton's 30 wards to be visited by the Stockton Warm Zone as the project approaches the end of its three-year lifespan. Assessors will
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Mathematics students win awards
EIGHT sixth form students have won awards in the annual UK Senior Maths Challenge, which attracted 60,000 entries nationwide. First-year students at Stockton Sixth Form College, Kathryn Hutchinson and David Johnson, and second-year students Matthew Lambert
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Pupils learn home safety
YOUNGSTERS were told how to stay safe in the home when they were visited by a regional power company. Representatives from npower met 62 pupils from Marwood Infant School, Great Ayton. Youngsters, aged between four and seven, had a lesson from the education
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Doctor faces council on conduct charges
A FAMILY doctor who was cautioned for misconduct is to go before medical authorities again. Dr Nabil Naroz, who lives in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, but practises in South Shields, South Tyneside, was found guilty of serious professional misconduct
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Myson plays its part at musical centre of excellence
HEATING manufacturer Myson is hitting all the right notes putting its technology to good use in the region's international centre for music and musical discovery. The business, based in Gateshead, is providing its underfloor heating system to The Sage
