Archive
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Furniture store boss dies after blaze in workshop
NEIGHBOURS have told how they launched a desperate search of a smoke-logged building to find a furniture store boss, not knowing he was lying outside badly burned. Nigel Peacey died in the early hours of Saturday morning after suffering almost 90 per
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Big Brother, and God, are watching you
SMILE - you're on camera! Well, there are apparently more than four million security cameras in Britain now, so you'll be hard pushed to avoid them. One camera for every 14 people, so make sure you're showing your better profile. In London, apparently
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A folly of towering proportions
FOR better or worse I have yet to see the Angel of the North. When I do I will have the benefit of the new revelation that Antony Gormley's masterpiece is not the Angel of the NORTH. It is the Angel of Tyneside, or, even more particular, of Gateshead.
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Solano issues rallying call for top-four assault
NOLBERTO Solano has labelled the dog-fight for fourth spot in the Premiership as a 'war', and called on his Newcastle United teammates to battle it out for that final Champions League place. With Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea engaged in a three-horse
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Naughty deeds of the lustful Squire Cocks
SQUIRE Cocks was a legend in his own lifetime - and, quite probably, in all of the lifetimes that he lustily created. He was lord of the manor in Middleton St George and, although he died more than 110 years ago, his name lives on: there's the Fighting
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Council gets £1m extra for housing
THE Government has allocated an extra £1m to be spent on housing in the Wear Valley area. Housing chiefs at Wear Valley District Council say that the cash will go a long way to helping the authority meet Government guidelines laid down in the Decent Homes
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Comment from the Northern Echo: Sweatshop shame claims
THE allegations about the work practices in one of the North-East's major "sunrise" industries are extremely distressing. The Guardian newspaper yesterday claimed that at Woo One in Hartlepool, a supplier of Samsung at Wynyard, illegal Chinese immigrants
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Concern for missing man
POLICE are becoming increasingly concerned about a man who has not been seen since he set off for work on Friday. Wayne Parsley, of Rawlinson, Street, Carlin Howe, east Cleveland, went missing from his home at 7.50am when he left for work at a butchers
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Memorial to honour Iraq victim
A MILITARY policeman who was killed while serving in Iraq is to have his name on a war memorial where his wife and young son live. Warrant Officer Colin Wall will be remembered alongside scores of others who died serving their country. Plans are under
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Big brother, and God are watching you
SMILE - you're on camera! Well, there are apparently more than four million security cameras in Britain now, so you'll be hard pushed to avoid them. One camera for every 14 people, so make sure you're showing your better profile. In London, apparently
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Concerns over oil and gas
FRESH concerns have been raised about the UK oil and gas industry after figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) showed a fall in production. News that November's index of production for oil and gas extraction fell by 3.7 per cent on the previous
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Musician given top billing at Stanhope concert
ONE of Britain's leading brass band musicians is being given star billing at a celebrity concert. Cornet player Ian Porthouse, a member of the world famous Fairey Brass Band, from Lancashire, will be the guest soloist at a concert being staged by Stanhope
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Lumb lands place in the A-team
Yorkshire'S Michael Lumb's inclusion on the England A tour of Malaysia and India marks another important stage on his journey towards becoming a fully-fledged Test batsman. Lumb, 24, next month, is the South African born son of former Yorkshire opener
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I've lost the lot, admits Reynolds
GEORGE Reynolds publicly admitted for the first time last night that he had lost virtually everything by ploughing his fortune into Darlington Football Club. He revealed how he had been forced to remortgage his home, Witton Hall, at Witton-le-Wear, near
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What now for Darlington?
George Reynolds' decision to stand down as chairman of the club on Monday leaves many unanswered questions - Northern Echo Sport attempts to answer them. Q Why did Darlington Football Club go into administration? A A court order placing the club in administration
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Pam encourages people to develop life skills by opening New Leaf
A life coach and hypnotherapy specialist has set up her own business to help people achieve their goals. With the dawn of the New Year, Pam Brown, a training specialist at Orange, hopes her business New Leaf will attract clients wanting to keep their
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Union boss accuses minister of 'criminal irresponsibility'
FIRE Service Minister Nick Raynsford was last night branded "criminally irresponsible" by a union leader in a dispute over planned reforms. Mr Raynsford was visiting the North-East on the day that the Fire and Rescue Services Bill - the first piece of
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Samsung launches investigation into 'illegal workers' at supplier
An electronics company is investigating allegations that one of its suppliers is employing illegal immigrants in the North-East. Samsung plans to hold an emergency meeting in the next few days with Hartlepool firm Woo One, a Korean-owned business that
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The last to die
He was the Dr Jekyll of Hyde, a family doctor whose seemingly caring manner hid a terrible secret. Nick Morrison looks at the life and death of Britain's worst serial killer. IT was the state-of-the-art practice he had always dreamed of, equipped with
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TV review
Shameless (C4) Boss Swap (C4) Doctors And Nurses (BBC1) PAUL Abbott's Shameless will give C4 the drama hit it so desperately needs. Recent attempts for find a hit to join Teachers have floundered. A Manchester estate is the setting for the story of a
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'Smoke alarms can save lives'
LOCAL Government Minister Nick Raynsford has joined firefighters to offer safety advice. Mr Raynsford visited the Hartlepool home of Marian Savage, where he heard from Station Officer Neil Rowland about fire safety checks. He watched firefighters check
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Thief who pulled up rail track is jailed
A THIEF who helped steal almost three miles of railway track in full view of the passing public was jailed yesterday. Timothy Darby, 31, was recruited by Glen Pendleton, who set up a fake company to dismantle the disused line at Shiney Row, on Wearside
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Skatepark dream moves a step closer
YOUNGSTERS who have been campaigning for more activities for young people are delighted at plans for an £88,000 skatepark. The proposed skatepark is to be built next to Teesdale Leisure Centre, in Barnard Castle, and funding has already been secured to
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Former head's wife dies
THE wife of a former Darlington school headteacher has died at the age of 99. Gladys Adeline Tweddle died peacefully at Cold Springs Park in Penrith, Cumbria, on January 5, three months short of her 100th birthday. She was married to Thomas Tweddle MBE
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Company finds passport to success
A DURHAM company has gained a string of customers from across Europe with the help of a Government programme. Belt Technologies Europe, at the Mountjoy Research Centre in Stockton Road, Durham, was helped by the UK Trade and Investment's Passport to Export
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Nominations sought for youth awards
A SEARCH has begun for young people in Stockton borough whose hard work and efforts make a difference. Last year, more than 100 young people were rewarded for their efforts at the Stockton Mayor's Achievement Recognition Trophy (Smart) Awards. Each received
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Officer on hand to unlock police station homes
A SENIOR police officer yesterday opened a housing development built on the site of an former police station in east Cleveland. Acting Assistant Chief Constable Dave Lumb, of Cleveland Police, unlocked a pair of handcuffs suspended from police incident
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Warm Zone recruitment starts
KEEPING people warm this winter is creating jobs in east Cleveland. A scheme to increase energy efficiency in people's homes has won a £170,000 European grant. Two recruitment days are being held next week to find office staff, energy efficiency assessors
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Johnson deserves success on Double Honour
DOUBLE HONOUR deserves to win at Newbury this afternoon in the aftermath of a most unlucky defeat at Hereford one week ago. Its no use crying over spilled milk, but precisely what rider Richard Johnson was up to aboard Double Honour at Hereford last Wednesday
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Website is the cats' whiskers
A WEBSITE dedicated to helping cats has been awarded a prize by The Northern Echo. The Wear Valley, Darlington and Dales Cats' Protection Branch site - at www.communigate.co.uk/ne/catsprotection - has won our CommuniGate team's Pick of the Month for January
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Employment figures marred by job cuts
New figures showing another fall in unemployment and near-record levels of people in work were marred today when finance giant Abbey announced plans to close call centres and switch jobs to India. Hundreds of other workers at the bank face being relocated
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Cycle route plans debated
Egglescliffe parish councillors have examined a proposal to extend a cycle route from the town to Stockton. The plan by consultants White Young Green suggests creating cycle lanes along Muirfield Road and Swinburne Road. But parish councillors were concerned
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Homes plan 'would mean loss of industrial site'
PLANS for a housing development in a city which has exceeded residential building targets by 57 per cent should be refused, according to a planning officer. A council housing monitor has identified there is an over-supply of 621 homes in Ripon. Planning
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Spy claim ruled out over Gaul sinking
A TRAWLER that sank in mysterious circumstances with the loss of all hands was not spying, an inquiry heard yesterday. Attorney General Lord Goldsmith told a public inquiry into the sinking of the trawler Gaul that there was no evidence the ship had been
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Parents raise fears over safety at park
PARENTS claim a children's play area in Darlington has been ruined by solvent-sniffing youths who leave dangerous litter lying around. They say the facility, in the Denes, has become a no-go area for families because of broken glass, discarded gas canisters
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Five per cent increase in council tax bills expected
DURHAM County Council says residents can expect a council tax increase of about five per cent in April. The authority said it was trying to heed Government calls for low single-figure rises. The county is responsible for services including social services
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Head for relaxation
A NORTH-EAST nightspot is offering stressed workers a way to unwind after a hard day at the office. The Attic nightclub, in Mosely Street, Newcastle, is offering free back, head and shoulder massages to clients every weekday, between 5.30pm and 7.30pm
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Five-year development ends with reopening of Methodist church
A CHURCH congregation is enjoying the fruits of its labours after five years of fundraising. The rebuilt Methodist Church in Carrville, Durham, is now in use after a five-year development project. The Victorian building has been replaced with a modern
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Rescue hero Orca retrieves accolade
A DOG who saved his disabled owner's life after a fall has won official recognition of his deed. Orca, a golden retriever, hit the headlines after his owner Cheryl Smith fell 20ft into a water-filled ditch in her wheelchair. The 18-month-old briefly left
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Black Cats face Dichio
SUNDERLAND will face old boy Danny Dichio when they take on Millwall at the New Den on Saturday. Lions player-manager Dennis Wise yesterday completed the signing of striker Dichio on a month's loan from West Brom. The 29-year-old Londoner, who joined
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Night of song for charity appeal
TWO singing groups are taking to the stage in aid of a mayor's charity appeal. Durham Mayor Councillor Ray Gibbon, from Witton Gilbert, is using his year in office to raise money for the Durham Volunteer Bureau in Millennium Place. The former police officer
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Patients sign up for fitness course
A course to help heart patients in a rural area and guide them on the road back to full fitness has been launched this week. Seven people have signed up for the project in the Teesdale Sports Centre at Barnard Castle, and all said it could improve their
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Pupils' work earns school a camcorder
PUPILS who took up the challenge to devise a tourism marketing strategy were rewarded with a camcorder for their school. Thirty members of higher class one of Easington Community School's year eight group contributed towards a brochure to help sell Korea
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Information of a new era in communication
THE New Year marks a new start for the team behind information and communication technology (ICT) services in North Yorkshire. Daniel Rubie has joined North Yorkshire County Council's ICT department from Imagelinx UK in Nottinghamshire, where he was the
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Lucky dip for Iris
KEEN swimmer Iris Smith has received a bonus from her pastime. The regular user of Bedale Leisure Centre won a competition run by staff who set swimmers the challenge of notching up eight swims in six weeks - in return for three free saunas and entry
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Holistic taster sessions on offer in town
FOLLOWING the excesses of the festive period a health promotion is being held at the Arc in Stockton. The event, called Resolution, will take place at the venue on Saturday, January 24 and offers a holistic approach to wellbeing. Free Exercise taster
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Family and friends will pay respects to former officer
POLICE officers past and present will pay tribute to a long-serving member of the force at his funeral on Friday. Jim Best died peacefully on Sunday at the age of 86. He was a police cadet for two years before he gave 45 years' service with the Durham
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Writer lands TV project
CHILDREN at a Crook school will soon be lending their favourite writer to the glamorous world of TV soap for a few weeks. For Carina Rodney, writer-in-residence at Peases West Primary, Billy Row, has scooped the chance to work with the story department
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Hodgson target forced to wait before moving
Sunderland striker Neil Teggart's loan move to Darlington has been put on hold after the highly-rated youngster was injured in training. The 19-year-old was expected to join Quakers on a month's loan this week. But Teggart will now remain at the Stadium
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Drop-in centre to open
A DROP-IN day centre for people with mental health problems is to be opened in Shildon. The facility will open in Redworth Road in the town later this year in a former corner shop. Sedgefield Borough Council's development control committee granted planning
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Johnson deserves success on Double Honour
DOUBLE HONOUR deserves to win at Newbury this afternoon in the aftermath of a most unlucky defeat at Hereford one week ago. Its no use crying over spilled milk, but precisely what rider Richard Johnson was up to aboard Double Honour at Hereford last Wednesday
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University lecturers' strike vote
THREE of the region's universities could grind to a halt next month if academics vote in favour of strike action. Members of lecturers' union the Association of University Teachers (AUT) are being balloted for strike action over a proposed pay and modernisation
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Ex-nun in prison for arson offences
A FORMER nun who torched her flat and set fire to part of a North-East hospital ward was jailed for six years yesterday. Philippa Carruth, 44, struggled to cope with life in the outside world after she left the Carmelite Convent, in Darlington, in acrimonious
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Parkdean plans to double investment
CARAVAN park group Parkdean Holidays plans to double its annual investment in improving facilities at its leisure parks in the coming year. The group, based in Newcastle, which floated on the Alternative Investment Market in May 2002, owns 14 caravan
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Reg Vardy corners market in Edinburgh
Reg Vardy expects to outsell its rivals after becoming Renault's biggest independent retail partner in the UK. The group announced it had acquired two dealerships in the east of Scotland, in Livingston and at Sighthill, in the west of Edinburgh, taking
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Former teacher hoping to make it big in a miniature world
BUSINESSWOMAN Sue Johnson is hoping for success in a small world. The doll's house enthusiast has turned her beloved hobby into a business enterprise. She has launched Sue Jo's Enchanted Cottage, selling a range of handcrafted pieces ranging from miniature
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Art on show
An exhibition called Still Looking, featuring watercolours, oil paintings, charcoals and collages by Barry Woodward, will be held in Durham University's Trevelyan College between 10am and 6pm from Sunday, January 25, to Friday, March 5. Admission is free
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14/01/04
EUROPE: I DO not doubt Michael Howard's sincerity when he announced that he is declaring war on waste. Never forget, dear reader, that money wasted by governments is your money. We all have the right to insist that money taken by taxation is spent wisely
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Assurer considers flotation
LIFE assurer Standard Life is considering a stock market flotation in what could be the biggest shake-up in its 178-year history. The society, based in Edinburgh, has been locked in discussions with the City watchdog over its balance sheet, and said it
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The compelling and the crass
Shameless (C4): Boss Swap (C4): Doctors And Nurses (BBC1): PAUL Abbott's Shameless will give C4 the drama hit it so desperately needs. Recent attempts for find a hit to join Teachers have floundered. A Manchester estate is the setting for the story of
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Tesco stocks up for battle with rivals
RETAILER Tesco has gathered an £810m war chest to help protect its position as the UK's leading supermarket group. The company said the fund would give it greater "flexibility and firepower" to fend off rivals. The announcement came the day after retail
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McClaren to make move?
MIDDLESBROUGH and Tottenham have emerged as favourites to win the race for Nicky Butt after the Manchester United midfielder's transfer request was reluctantly accepted by Sir Alex Ferguson. Boro manager Steve McClaren recently admitted he would be "first
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Fans rally round as campaign to save their club gathers pace
A CAMPAIGN by supporters to help save Darlington Football Club gathered pace last night. Fans with fundraising ideas packed into the town's Red Lion pub for a brainstorming meeting. Darlington Supporters' Trust, which is part of a local consortium planning
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Gadfly: Bare-faced cheek and bearded bishops
AMONG the curious things about the Albany Northern League - football, understand - is that you can be in a crowd of 100, buy a half time meat draw ticket and be approximately 10,000 off the stewing steak. In almost eight years as League chairman I've
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Contest starts new chapter in the writer's art
A COMPETITION is launched today to celebrate, and help to revive, the short story as an art form. The Short Story Competition is organised by Darlington-based Inscribe Media Ltd, backed by The Northern Echo, telecommunications company Orange and Darlington
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Magpies slam UEFA'S Norway decision
NEWCASTLE United have slammed as "totally unacceptable'' UEFA's decision to allow Valerenga to nominate Rosenborg's Lerkendal Stadium as a second-choice venue for the first leg of next month's UEFA Cup third-round tie. United yesterday confirmed that
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Echo Memories: Naughty deeds of the lustful Squire Cocks
SQUIRE Cocks was a legend in his own lifetime - and, quite probably, in all of the lifetimes that he lustily created. He was lord of the manor in Middleton St George and, although he died more than 110 years ago, his name lives on: there's the Fighting
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Bare-faced cheek and bearded bishops
AMONG the curious things about the Albany Northern League - football, understand - is that you can be in a crowd of 100, buy a half time meat draw ticket and be approximately 10,000 off the stewing steak. In almost eight years as League chairman I've
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Students set to visit police dog unit
FOUR-LEGGED crimefighters will be showing off their skills in a special display tomorrow. German Shepherds from Northumbria Police will perform for a group of disabled youngsters from The Prince's Trust in Ashington, Northumberland. Six youngsters with
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Solano is ready for top four battle
NOLBERTO Solano has labelled the dog-fight for fourth spot in the Premiership as a 'war', and called on his Newcastle United teammates to battle it out for that final Champions League place. With Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea engaged in a three-horse
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Development agency calls in private sector expertise
REGIONAL development agency One NorthEast has made "one of the biggest deals in its existence" to transform its £120m property portfolio. The agency has struck a ten-year deal with UK Land Estates (UKLE), based in Gateshead, to bring private investment
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Richmond Foods sees growth
Richmond Foods - the North Yorkshire-based owner of the Nestle ice cream business - said sales rose 17% in the traditionally quietest quarter for business. It said the £3.95 million Oldfields Ice Cream acquisition contributed 7% to the increase.
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Bare-faced cheek
SMILE - you're on camera! Well, there are apparently more than four million security cameras in Britain now, so you'll be hard pushed to avoid them. One camera for every 14 people, so make sure you're showing your better profile. In London, apparently
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Lumb lands place in the A-team
Yorkshire'S Michael Lumb's inclusion on the England A tour of Malaysia and India marks another important stage on his journey towards becoming a fully-fledged Test batsman. Lumb, 24, next month, is the South African born son of former Yorkshire opener
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Worker's leg crushed at quarry
A QUARRY worker's ankle was crushed by a falling boulder in an accident at a County Durham plant yesterday. The 53-year-old quarry manager was pinned against machinery for 45 minutes after the accident at Durham Industrial Minerals' Broadwood site, near
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Woman speaks out after GP negligence
A WOMAN whose life was made a misery for 22 years because of a GP's negligence has spoken out for the first time. When Irene Ritchie went to her doctor complaining about acute anxiety she was given a powerful tranquillising drug. While the drug calmed
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Safety calls grow after wheelchair death
A disabled pensioner, who died after his electric wheelchair was involved in an accident with a coach, had already inspired a campaign for road safety improvements. Robert Rickaby, 66, known as Bob to friends in Catterick, North Yorkshire, suffered multiple
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Boost for soccer club
THE football team that made history when it became the first winner of the World Cup has been given a boost of almost £20,000. Players and fans at West Auckland Football Club are reaping the benefits of new turnstiles, terracing and public address system
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Night of song for charity appeal
TWO singing groups are taking to the stage in aid of a mayor's charity appeal. Durham Mayor Councillor Ray Gibbon, from Witton Gilbert, is using his year in office to raise money for the Durham Volunteer Bureau in Millennium Place. The former police officer
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Teacher in embrace with pupil, tribunal told
THE caretaker at a girls' school caught the head of maths in an after-hours embrace with a sixth-form pupil, an employment tribunal has heard. Kosovar Qeku, 31, saw Andrew Bolton, 34, in an embrace with Shona Upton, now 18, at Newcastle Church High School
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Appeal for volunteers
VOLUNTEERS are needed to help a service offering confidential support to victims, witnesses and their families when attending court. The Witness Service operates in all magistrates' courts in County Durham and Durham Crown Court. A spokesman for the service
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Allotment attacked again
A YOUNG poultry enthusiast could be forced to give up his chickens because of repeated vandalism at his allotment. The vandals have ripped down fences and pulled up gateposts at Thom Robinson's allotment, in Barnard Castle. The vandalism causes the chickens
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Sponsored walk in aid of Crufts dog team
DOG lovers are being urged to help send a flyball team to Crufts by taking part in a sponsored dog walk. The Barney Bombers, from Barnard Castle Dog Training Club, are holding the walk, in the grounds of Raby Castle, Staindrop, to help send eight people
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Glass collectors arrive
SPECIALISED and antique glass creations will go on display at a collectors' fair this weekend. The Specialist All Glass Antique Collectors' Fair will be staged at the National Glass Centre, in Sunderland, on Sunday. Exhibitors from across the country
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Ex-Brompton woman dies, 99
A FORMER North Yorkshire woman has died at the age of 99. Gladys Adeline Tweddle died peacefully at Cold Springs Park, in Penrith, Cumbria, on January 5, three months short of her 100th birthday. She was married to Thomas Tweddle MBE for 60 years. Mr
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Help and advice at hand as £3.2m 'one-stop shop' opens
A FORMER colliery community is making use of a new centre housing a range of services and facilities. Local and Regional Government Minister Nick Raynsford yesterday opened the £3.2m multi-purpose Hetton Centre. Serving the people of Hetton-le-Hole and
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Insight into Army life
AN event was held last night to explain what life in the Army is like. Invited guests from Stockton and Middlesbrough attended the Field House Hospital, in Stockton, where they were given a presentation. Colonel Philip King said: "The presentation explained
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Foxes problem raised
ALLOTMENT holders in Great Ayton are experiencing an increasing number of problems with foxes attacking livestock, according to the parish councillors responsible for managing the plots. In the past three months about 100 hens, 15 geese and some ducks
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Footpath closure plan supported
PEOPLE living in east Cleveland are a step closer to feeling safer in their homes at night after Government permission was given to close footpaths in the area. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council sought permission from the Department for Environment
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Council brings in radar to find buried pipes and cables
A COUNCIL is taking unusual action to reduce the problem of holes in the road. Middlesbrough Council, with Camden in north London, was the first local authority in the UK to pilot a rental initiative, which began nearly two years ago. The scheme aims
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Youngsters gather gifts for overseas
Primary school pupils have filled more than 260 shoe boxes for children in eastern Europe. The children at Galley Hill Primary School, in Guisborough, and Roseberry Primary School, in Great Ayton, worked together to fill boxes with toys, crayons and paper
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Pigeon fanciers home in on new roost after move from pub decreed
RICHMOND'S pigeon fanciers have been smoothing ruffled feathers after a move from their home of the past 50 years. Members of the town's homing pigeon society have kept equipment in an outbuilding in the yard of the Town Hall pub for decades. However,
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Police chief voices support for £1.9m station 'free offer'
A TOWN has been offered a "once in a lifetime" chance to have a £1.9m police station built free of charge. Plans have been announced by North Yorkshire Police to build a station on the Wentworth Street car park, in Malton. Thirsk-based Severfield-Reeve
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Pensioner dies after fire starts in house
A PENSIONER in his eighties died in a fire at his home yesterday morning. Neighbours called 999 after seeing smoke pouring from the semi-detached house and hearing smoke alarms. Fire crews wearing breathing equipment searched the building and found the
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Funding help for groups
Community groups in Consett South, South Moor and South Stanley are being invited to apply for European Union funding. The Single Regeneration Budget Community Resource Fund offers grants of up to £500 to help small groups establish themselves, or £500
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Appeal for relatives
POLICE are trying to trace relatives of an east Cleveland man found dead at his home. Andrew William Tombs, 39, was found dead on Sunday at Westmoreland Road, Redcar. There were no suspicious circumstances. Anyone with information is asked to call the
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'Figures back case for unitary council'
NEW figures published by North Yorkshire County Council claim that council tax payers will be left with a hefty bill if the county is split into three authorities. The council announced the figures after the Boundary Commission revealed four options for
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No headpine
A WEBSITE dedicated to helping cats has been awarded a prize by The Northern Echo. The Wear Valley, Darlington and Dales Cats' Protection Branch site - at www.communigate.co.uk/ne/catsprotection - has won our CommuniGate team's Pick of the Month for January
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New Neale victicms coming forward
SEVEN years after patients of disgraced surgeon Richard Neale formed an action group, new victims are still coming forward. Sheila Wright-Hogeland, founder of the Northallerton-based group, revealed that injured women are continuing to seek help. She
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Allotment attacked again
A YOUNG poultry enthusiast could be forced to give up his chickens because of repeated vandalism at his allotment. The vandals have ripped down fences and pulled up gateposts at Thom Robinson's allotment, in Barnard Castle. The vandalism causes the chickens
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Anger as theatre is left out of redevelopment scheme
COUNCIL officers have spoken out to dispel fears that a town could lose its theatre as part of a redevelopment. Stockton Borough Council has submitted a planning application for the Billingham Gateway Scheme, under which Billingham Forum would be demolished
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Cracking down on fare dodgers
A CRACKDOWN on fare evaders using the Tyne and Wear Metro system has been launched. This week, teams of Metro ticket inspectors are throwing a cordon around selected stations on the network during rush hour. People caught trying to travel without a ticket
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Sponsorship deal brings new kit joy
PUPILS have been showing off their new sports kit after securing a sponsor. David Bailes Estate Agents, in Stanley, has donated football strips to St Joseph's RC Primary School in the town.
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Mobile phones banned by school amid concerns over paedophiles
PUPILS at a boys' school have been banned from carrying camera phones after concerns that images of youngsters could end up in the hands of paedophiles. The move by St Aidan's School, in Sunderland, is believed to be the first of its kind and comes after
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Wardens 'humbled' by appeal for dogs
DOG wardens in Hartlepool have issued a big thank you after admitting they were humbled by the response to their Christmas appeal. They were inundated with offers of support after asking people to donate food, biscuits and blankets to help cope with a
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Postie sacked after exposing boss as "swinger"
A POSTMAN was sacked when he exposed his boss as a "swinger" on a wife-swapping website, a tribunal has heard. Postie David Cain claims he was sexually harassed by acting depot manager Peter Neesham. But, reluctant to tell Royal Mail chiefs because he
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I've lost the lot, admits Reynolds
GEORGE Reynolds publicly admitted for the first time last night that he had lost virtually everything by ploughing his fortune into Darlington Football Club. He revealed how he had been forced to remortgage his home, Witton Hall, at Witton-le-Wear, near
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Axa moves jobs to India
Insurance giant AXA is to cut up to 700 jobs in the UK and is planning to switch jobs to India, workers in Darlington were told today. The French-owned firm said 220 jobs would be axed at its general insurance sites in Morecambe in Lancashire and Darlington
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Pensioners missing out on benefit
ALMOST half of North-East pensioners are missing out on a flagship government benefit expected to pay out up to £25 a week, it was revealed last night. Just 51 per cent of 250,000 pensioner households eligible to claim the pension credit are receiving
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Worker's leg crushed
A QUARRY worker's ankle was crushed by a falling boulder in an accident at a County Durham plant yesterday. The 53-year-old quarry manager was pinned against machinery for 45 minutes after the accident at Durham Industrial Minerals' Broadwood site, near
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Disappointing season for M&S
Marks & Spencer staff were today facing a cut in annual bonus payments after the high street giant suffered a disappointing Christmas season. Shoppers failed to warm to clothing and homeware ranges as M&S announced a 2.3% drop in like-for-like
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Workers sign up for computer training
A KITCHEN worktop manufacturer is training almost 50 of its employees in information technology. Wilsonart in Shildon, which also distributes laminates, has called on Optimum Services to Business at Bishop Auckland College to train its employees. The
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Speeding fines withdrawn due to errors
Thousands of pounds in speeding fines have been wiped out after two bungles on the same stretch of carriageway. Northumbria Police have been forced to pay back almost £7,000 in fines after issuing tickets with the wrong date. In another incident, a prankster
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Arts group receives cash award
A YOUTH group specialising in creative arts has been awarded a £500 community grant. The money from the North Eastern and Cumbrian Co-op's community dividend scheme is in support of Willington-based Natural High. The group, which was formed in 1999, meets
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What now for Darlington?
George Reynolds' decision to stand down as chairman of the club on Monday leaves many unanswered questions - Northern Echo Sport attempts to answer them. Q Why did Darlington Football Club go into administration? A A court order placing the club in administration
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Bombs and guns hoax 'was a joke'
THE son of a Greek judge who announced that his luggage was "full of bombs and guns" at a North-East airport was fined £250 by magistrates yesterday. Charalampos Chatzicharalampous, 24, made the claim as he checked in to Teesside International Airport
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Lady in Lake husband is re-arrested
THE husband of Lady in the Lake victim Carol Park has been re-arrested on suspicion of her murder. Three-times-married Gordon Park, 59, was being questioned by Cumbria Police, who are following up new leads into the death of the 30-year-old primary school
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Majority vote for ITV merger
SHAREHOLDERS in ITV companies Granada and Carlton Communications have approved a £4.5bn merger that will create a single ITV company. At a meeting at London's Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, 98.48 per cent of Granada shareholders voted in favour
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Star is born at Sedgefield
A brand new chasing star was born at Sedgefield yesterday when Grattan Lodge swept his rivals aside to record a hugely impressive debut over fences. "I love this horse to bits, he's so laid back and is a trainer's dream," reported the delighted winning
