Archive
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2012 Olympic Games benefits for North outlined
A LONDON Olympics would see tens of millions of pounds pour into the North-East economy. That was the message from the chairwoman of the London 2012 Olympic Bid, Barbara Cassani, who addressed key sporting and industry figures from across the region yesterday
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17/03/04
CRIME DETECTION A DISTRAUGHT 83-year-old widow in an interview on television begs the two young men who have killed her husband to come forward and give themselves up. Later it is found to be that she stabbed her husband to death. A similar case in Peterlee
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Village sealed off during drugs raid
An entire North-East village was sealed off today as police targeted a North-East drug ring that was trying to bring crack cocaine into County Durham. At dawn, officers formed a ring of blue steel around the tiny community of Grange Villa, near Chester-le-Street
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Reynolds defends legacy he left after five years
WITH Darlington Football Club languishing in administration, former chairman George Reynolds last night issued a defiant justification of his five-year reign. The Quakers are in debt to the tune of many millions of pounds, yet the 67-year-old said he
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Cigarettes, alcohol taxes increase
Cigarettes will go up by 8p per packet, Chancellor Gordon Brown announced during his eighth Budget. A pint of beer will go up by one pence, and a bottle of wine will go up by 4p a bottle. Duty on cider and spirits has been frozen. The increased alcohol
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From Venetian splendour to a sludgy bog
The sixth part of our history of Darlington's South Park sees the unemployed of the town set to work to create some 'Venetian splendour', but this is County Durham not Italy, and what resulted was a boggy morass that was no good for boating. After the
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Byfield bags a point for lacklustre Cats
MICK McCarthy has repeatedly stressed that his entire squad will need to shine if Sunderland are to make it into the Premiership and the manager was grateful to two of his supposed lesser lights after they combined to earn a priceless point against in-form
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Schools learn about truancy texts
DEPUTY headteachers from schools across the region will attend a seminar today to find out how a text messaging system can tackle truancy. Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College has been using a system known as Informer for Schools to help it improve
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Police seeking football sponsors
POLICE organisers of a popular girls' football tournament are seeking sponsors for the event. The fourth Durham Constabulary/Durham FA girls' seven-a-side competition will involve 32 teams from across the North-East taking part over the weekend of July
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Swapping the playground for the pub
SO teenage drinking's out of control. What a surprise. And now the Government wants to do something about it. Too late. For generations, pubs were for grown-ups. Then brewers and pub owners wanted young people in. So they installed flashing lights and
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Chemistry department sees growth
A North-East university has announced plans to boost its chemistry department - a move which it claims could benefit the regional economy. Applications for chemistry places at the University of Newcastle have soared by more than 14 per cent over the past
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Man warned he faces jail over bullets
A MAN has been warned he faces jail after being caught with ammunition. Leslie Forth, 42, claims 19 rounds of 7.65mm bullets were thrown over his garden wall before being kept by him in a shed at his allotment. Andrew Walker, prosecuting, told Newcastle
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Council anti-bullying expertise in demand
EDUCATION authorities across the country are queuing up to tap into Durham County Council's anti-bullying expertise. More than a dozen local education authorities have asked to take part in a conference, to be opened by Esther Rantzen, chairwoman of ChildLine
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Ace advice for taxi firm
EXPANSION plans at a taxi firm are back on the road thanks to advice from legal firm Blackett Hart and Pratt. Tyneside's biggest private hire taxi firm, Ace Taxis, is putting the final touches to a headquarters move to Jesmond, Newcastle. The move is
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Town 'fire-bombs' alert
POLICE are to increase patrols in a town's harbourside and beach after reports of youths throwing bottles that have been filled with flammable liquid and set alight. Local councillor Dorothy Clegg said people were frightened by the incidents in Whitby
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First-time dealer who made thousands
A MAN'S first venture into drug dealing became a substantial involvement in the trade, a court heard. Gary Latcham, 32, who has no previous record for drug offences, was yesterday jailed at Durham Crown Court for four years and six months. The court also
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Fears as phone kiosks go
THERE are fears the elderly may suffer after a fight to keep payphone kiosks open in east Cleveland was lost. BT has now closed 12 phone boxes in the Redcar and Cleveland area and dozens more across Teesside. The company says the phones have to pay for
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Begging boxes set up to help genuine cases
AN alternative to aiding street beggars is being set up in Scarborough through donation boxes in shopping centres, banks and public buildings. Town centre manager Malcolm Hall said: "The scheme, while helping genuine cases, deters the professional beggar
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Scheme to save sea views is blocked
CONSERVATIONISTS seeking to save sea views from Scarborough's Marine Drive by raising the roadway have been told it could cost as much as £5m. Eileen Bosomworth, the leader of Scarborough Borough Council, said the scheme, to improve views following the
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Firewalkers get ready for night on coals
UP to 35 hardy volunteers will walk over a bed of burning coals for charity tonight. St Cuthbert's Hospice is staging its third fundraising firewalk, in the Market Place, Durham, at 8.30pm. Participants will have to cross 20ft of burning coals in what
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From russia with glove . . . a bird of prey to strike awe into admirers
ONE of the newest additions to a birds of prey centre has been wowing the crowds with spectacular flying displays. The centre, at Sion Hill Hall, in Kirby Wiske, North Yorkshire, is now home to Borris, a 12-year-old Russian golden eagle. Borris has a
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Investment has to be done in the right way
CHANCELLOR Gordon Brown has challenged Britain's business community to make the UK the most attractive place in the world for science and innovation. Mr Brown made his comments while launching a consultation document outlining priorities for science and
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£5m move will create 50 jobs
CONSTRUCTION equipment distributor HM Plant is creating 50 jobs in a £5m move. The distributor of Hitachi construction equipment is moving its headquarters to a 6.75-acre site in Monkton Business Park, Hebburn, South Tyneside. Work is under way on a 60,000sq
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Future of 120 staff secured by deal
A £20m contract for replacement heating systems in council houses across the Tees Valley may create jobs at contractor H&B Heating and Plumbing. The Middlesbrough business has been awarded a partnership contract by Tristar Homes to replace and service
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Farmer's king of the Bombay ruck
A North-East farmer has stumbled into the job of coach to India's national rugby team. Alan Gledson, 45, swapped a farm in Birtley, near Hexham, Northumberland, for the playing fields of Bombay after a chance meeting between his wife, Margery, and Sanjay
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Cowboy helps out Mughas
MAKE sure Mughas (4.00) is at the top of your shopping list if planning an investment in the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival today. Mughas has developed into a high-class hurdler this term, first winning at Aintree then thrashing the classy Double
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Detectives pin down fake cash machine
POLICE hunting thieves plundering North-East bank accounts have announced a breakthrough. Detectives say account holders across the region have lost money to a fake cash machine scam, with the latest in Redcar, Hartlepool and Darlington. Cleveland Police
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'Coalfield areas are still being let down'
COALFIELD towns are still plagued by poor health, unemployment and bad housing despite six years of Labour initiatives to improve them, according to MPs. A report by an all-party Commons committee criticised "poorly co-ordinated and short-term" schemes
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Health caller court order is removed
A PATIENT who plagued medical staff with phone calls has won an appeal to have an interim anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) against her lifted. Susan Hills, 42, of Park Lane, Guisborough, east Cleveland, was banned from visiting health centres throughout
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Contracts awarded for £330m upgrade on section of A1
THE winner of a £330m contract to upgrade a 24-mile stretch of the A1 was announced yesterday by the Highways Agency. The contract has been awarded jointly to engineering companies Alfred McAlpine and Amec. In the scheme, the A1 between Dishforth and
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Dramatic fall in unemployment figures
The latest jobless figures will today have given the Government encouragement with a dramatic fall in the number of people out of work. Unemployment fell by 33,000 in the three months to January to 1,436,000, the second lowest figure since records began
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Teen locked up for knife raid on shop
A KNIFE-WIELDING teen who was locked up for five years for an off-licence robbery was brought back to court to be sentenced for another raid yesterday. Karl Barker, 19, targeted Victoria Wines off-licence in Jarrow, South Tyneside, on August 28 last year
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Protestors battle to prevent land being sold to developer
PROTESTORS were devastated yesterday to learn that part of a public park is being transferred to a housing developer. Residents in Aynsley Terrace, Consett, are fighting to reclaim an area sold to Strathmore Homes, which they say was historically part
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Family's horror over holiday island death
THE family of a nursery nurse who was bludgeoned to death in Jersey has spoken of their horror and sense of loss. Tracy Burns suffered massive head injuries after she was attacked yards from her home on the island. The 35-year-old, from Gateshead, was
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Binge-drink views go to Government
PEOPLE in the region are to send their views on binge-drinking to the Home Secretary. Dr Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, will give the opinion of people who attended Big Conversation events in the area to David Blunkett. Dr
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Lyons' report gives region cause for optimism
A CAMPAIGN to bring thousands of civil service jobs to the North-East is being stepped up. A report by Sir Michael Lyons for the Government has given towns across the region fresh hope of a share of 20,000 jobs which are to be moved out of London. Sir
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Go-karts challenge for young offenders
A SCRAPHEAP challenge for a group of young offenders is under way in Teesside. The six-week course, which includes a residential team-building exercise in the Lake District, has been arranged to try to reduce offending among young truants. A scrapheap
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Funding helps man keep out the cold
A MAN who has been using driftwood to heat his home is the first person in east Cleveland to receive a Euro-funded heating system. Heart patient Trevor Sainsbury, 59, of Skinningrove, has received a gas-fired central heating after assessors decided that
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A sign of things to come
AFTER simmering for weeks, tensions finally erupt as Chastity Dingle slaps barmaid Louise squarely across the chops. And in the bottom right hand corner of the screen another drama is being played out, as just another night in the Woolpack is translated
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Scheme to clear junk backlog
A programme to clear a backlog of waste by the end of the month will continue on Saturday. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council launched a free waste collection service called junk jobs in the 1990s to pick up beds, three-piece suites, mattresses and
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Concern over pest control services
A COUNCILLOR has voiced concern over a local authority's decision to end its pest control service for householders. Coun Sylvia Szintai, Labour's shadow cabinet member for environmental improvement, believes public health may be put at risk because of
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Inquest opens into bridge parapet crash
AN inquest opens today into a road accident in which a 22-year-old man died. Shaun James Brown, of Fence Houses, near Chester-le-Street, died when his Toyota MR2 car hit a bridge parapet and broke in two. The accident happened at about 12.30am on Sunday
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Help for new start ups
A special event designed to encourage people to start their own business is taking place at a shopping centre on Saturday. The Middleton Grange Shopping Centre, in Hartlepool, is hosting the roadshow, which has been organised by a group of agencies and
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Villagers can't fly flag after phone pole is installed
PATRIOTIC villagers have been stopped from flying the Union flag on public occasions. The parish council flagpole at Spofforth, near Harrogate, North Yorkshire, can no longer be used to hoist the flag because BT has installed a telegraph pole next to
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Patients stride back to health at gym
gymnasium facilities at a community hospital are speeding up the rehabilitation process for patients. The work-out room has been opened at Chester-le-Street Community Hospital and has been hailed a success by resident staff. Claire Sinnot, clinical lead
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Youngsters find learning is fun at themed music sessions
Toddlers are learning all about music and having fun at the same time. The sessions are being staged at the Tantobie Community Centre, near Stanley, County Durham. Vocalist Carole Clegg, who runs the group, said: "It is an opportunity for children to
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Budget analysis: following US-style politics
Today's budget is very much a pre-campaign budget, pacing the way for a possible election in spring 2005. The Northern Echo's political editor Chris Lloyd analyses Chancellor Gordon Brown's budget and observes an American tradition taking hold in Britain
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Boro could get cut-price Mills
DANNY Mills' future is likely to be determined by what happens off the field at Elland Road, rather than what he does on the pitch in the final two months of the season. The England international, who has been on loan at Middlesbrough since the end of
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The white knights leading charge to buy out Quakers
IN an age where the effects of the ITV Digital collapse on football clubs continue to bite, the Sterling Consortium is a name synonymous with the increasing desperation of lower-league clubs. The finance group, made up of accountants Melvyn Laughton,
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Couple find small market niche
A DARLINGTON company has boosted its sales by meeting a demand for premature baby clothing. Baby Care, in Stonebridge, stocks clothing catering for babies weighing as little as 1lb. As a result of introducing the new range, the company has seen sales
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Witness recalls screams from skip
A 12-year-old witness heard a teenager's screams as he was burnt alive in a skip filled with wood and cardboard, a court heard yesterday. The child was unable to save schoolboy Michael Temperley, 15, of Oakwood Avenue, Low Fell Gateshead, Tyne and Wear
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A united front to fight for contracts
CONSTRUCTION companies from across the region are joining forces to bid for national contracts. Seven companies, worth an estimated £150m, will join forces today to create Investors for North-East Limited (I4NE). The organisation is being formed to fight
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Darlington ace Yeoman dies
Former Darlington favourite Ray Yeoman has died at the age of 69. Signed from Middlesbrough in 1965, Yeoman was part of the all-conquering Ron Greener team a year later, which gained promotion from the old Fourth Division. In 1967 'Yogi' helped the club
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Robson sweats on injury duo
SIR Bobby Robson is hoping for a double boost this morning as he prepares his side for Saturday's St James' Park showdown with Charlton. Striker Craig Bellamy and centre half Titus Bramble were both sent for scans following Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Tottenham
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Fans' group to help run club
FINANCIERS poised to take over Darlington FC will announce on Friday how they plan to run the cash-strapped club with help from a fans-backed consortium, The Northern Echo can reveal. Provided the deal wins support from creditors, the Sterling Consortium
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Flying in the face of sadness
Feather Boy (BBC1) Now You're Talking! (BBC1) ROBERT Nobel is bullied by his fellow school pupils. They call him Robert No-Brain. Robert No-Chance. And he's about to become Robert No-Dad. When his mum and dad split up, no amount of telling him that "it's
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Brothers' bankruptcy spurred expansion of People's Park
THE collapse of the Thompson brothers' financial empire shook Darlington and the surrounding district. The brothers were the very model of self-made Victorian entrepreneurs: they worked hard, they prayed hard, and they served hard on a variety of committees
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Where dragons lurk above the doorway
Echo Memories goes chasing dragons among Darlington's non-conformist chapels, and digs into the postbag for more on the eccentric Dr Charles Stanley Steavenson and the savoury delicacy that is chitterlings. THERE are often angels in the architecture,
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Quakers take Argentinian on trial
DARLINGTON have taken Argentinian striker Leandro Scartascini on trial until the end of the season. The 19-year-old, who saw a dream move to Italian side Udinese collapse this season, linked up with the Quakers on Tuesday The Buenos Aires-born forward
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A Kevin who uses his nous
DARKNESS'S greatest nightmare is the last train from Newcastle to Darlington. Unofficially timed at 10.43pm - officially timed at 22.43, but let's keep it clockwise - it leaves at any time up to midnight, and occasionally thereafter. Take last Tuesday
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Safety warning message to farmers
FARMERS have been urged to think carefully before starting jobs which they may think will only take a few minutes, but can end up costing them their lives. North-East Health and Safety Executive principal inspector Peter Dodman said 75 farmers or farmhands
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Middle East trade mission
OIL and gas companies are being given the chance to forge links with prospective clients from Saudi Arabia during a trade mission in the North-East later this month. Saudi representatives will be travelling to the Offshore Energy Centre at the Amec Yard
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Co-operative is fined £6,000 over accident
AN accident in which two men were seriously injured when they fell from a scaffolding platform will cost a co-operative workforce more than £6,000. Gas Services Northern Limited was yesterday fined by magistrates after admitting breaches of health and
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Man in court for smashing furniture
A MAN admitted causing criminal damage after smashing furniture and bowls in his former girlfriend's house. Stuart Lister had been drinking because of his break- up with Pamela Bramley on the night he went to her house in Park Crescent, Darlington, the
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Tributes as university lecturer dies aged 74
TRIBUTES were being paid yesterday to leading architect, academic, writer and broadcaster Patrick Nuttgens, who has died at the age of 74. Professor Nuttgens, who lived in Terrington, near York, was the first academic to be appointed at York University
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£50 fines for child litter louts
A COUNCIL has become the first in the region to launch fixed penalty fines for children as young as ten who drop litter. Easington District Council has agreed the £50 fines as a last-ditch attempt to cut the amount of litter dropped in the area. The authority
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Paul reaches maths gold standard
A DARLINGTON schoolboy gained an outstanding result in a national mathematics competition. Paul Severs, 16, a pupil at Hurworth School Computing and Maths College, has progressed to the next round of the UK Maths Test Challenge, set by the University
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Addicts admit having drugs to supply
A COUPLE who were both addicted to Ecstasy avoided jail sentences yesterday. At Teesside Crown Court Deanne Darby and Andrew Bishop admitted possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply in January last year and June. Bishop, 23, of Newson Crescent,
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Campaigners warn legal bid
A CAMPAIGN group says it may take legal action if four so-called ghost ships docked in the North-East are allowed to stay. Last year, the ships arrived at Able UK's Graythorp Yard, in Hartlepool, amid a wave of opposition from protestors, who claimed
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Court spares Callum's father
A FATHER has been given a 12-month conditional discharge after admitting drink-driving days before his baby son was killed in a horrific car accident. Brian Taylor was twice the legal alcohol limit when he was pursued by police at high speed through Darlington
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Firm fined £8,000 for worker's factory injury
A COMPANY has been fined £8,000 for failing to ensure the safety of a worker who was said to be lucky to be alive after an accident. Bruce Thompson was seriously injured when he fell from a platform and accidentally fired a shot blaster machine at himself
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Teen locked up for knife raid on shop
A KNIFE-WIELDING teen who was locked up for five years for an off-licence robbery was brought back to court to be sentenced for another raid yesterday. Karl Barker, 19, targeted Victoria Wines off-licence in Jarrow, South Tyneside, on August 28 last year
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Grant gets bus on road
A COMMUNITY bus is on the roads of rural Durham, thanks to a £33,000 grant. Langley Park Community Transport Association got the cash from the Rural Enterprise Scheme, run by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The group, which runs
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Double joy for Murphy
FERDY MURPHY'S stable took the honours at Sedgefield yesterday, recording a 25-1 double via Red Society and Looking Forward. Both horses were ridden by Murphy's conditional jockey, Neil Mulholland, who was seen to particularly good effect aboard Looking
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Roadshows to promote green opportunities
A SERIES of roadshows are to be held to promote the Tees Valley as a centre for renewable energy and recycling. Businesses are being urged to recognise the environmental opportunities and attend one of a number of roadshows being staged by Renew Tees
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Hospital hit by stomach bug outbreak
Three wards of a North-East hospital have been hit by a stomach bug outbreak. Last night, 46 people had been affected by the viral form of gastroenteritis at the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough. Health bosses said visitors are being warned
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Funeral of Metric Martyr to take place
SUPPORTERS of the greengrocer dubbed the Metric Martyr will gather for his funeral next week. Steven Thoburn, 39, collapsed at his Sunderland home and died from a heart attack on Sunday. He became famous across the UK for his battle with European officials
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Youth drop-in centre opens
A DROP-IN centre for youngsters that was dogged with delays has opened. Consett YMCA has spent 18 months and £22,000 turning an old town centre disco hall into the Street Cred Caff. It was due to open early last year, but hit a series of snags, including
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Attack charge man will stand trial
A MAN accused of head-butting his girlfriend on Valentine's Day is to stand trial. Mark Kilpatrick, 33, of Harcourt Street, Darlington, initially pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm when he appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court
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Concert treat for pupils
A PERCUSSIONIST is to treat youngsters she has taught to a performance. Simone Rebello, who give s percussion masterclasses, will bring her Backbeat percussion group to perform four concerts to children from 12 primary schools in the Eston Education Action
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vCJD fear sparks donor ban
THE Government last night banned more than 50,000 people from giving blood amid fears they could be carrying the human form of mad cow disease. Ministers said anyone who has undergone a blood transfusion since 1980 will be barred from making future donations
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Friends who planned to sell drugs in nightclub jailed
TWO men who were caught in a nightclub with drugs which they were planning to sell each received six-month jail sentences yesterday. Michael West, 19, was stopped at Time Nightclub, in Wilson Street, Middlesbrough, by a doorman carrying out the club's
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Premonition saved lives of six brothers in pit tragedy
THE story of how one woman's premonition saved the lives of a father and his six sons in the region's worst disaster has come to light. Emma Peacock's story of how she envisaged the 1909 West Stanley Burns Pit explosion, which killed 168 men and boys,
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Comment from The Northern Echo: A crying need for donors
NO matter how small the risk, the Government is right to ban blood donations from people who have had transfusions. While there is a possibility of a link to vCJD, and no way of telling if blood products are safe, a safety first policy has to be adopted
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MP to praise pupils' award
A school has become the first in York to win national recognition for its creative use of computers. Lidgett Grove, in Acomb, is only the second in the country to receive a Naacemark award for information technology excellence. The city's MP, Hugh Bayley
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£250,000 to improve rural communities
ENTREPRENEURS from North Yorkshire could be offered cash from County Hall if they come up with ideas to improve communities. UnLtd, The Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs, has linked up with the county council to secure a £250,000 grant from Europe to
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Medical service changes to begin
A TRADITIONAL link between patients and their local GP will be broken next month when a new way of dealing with out-of-hours medical problems is introduced. Historically, GPs have been responsible for their patients 24 hours a day. But from April 1, when
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Councillor denies child sex charges
A DISTRICT councillor said to have developed an unhealthy obsession for a young girl is accused of indecently assaulting her after a trip to the seaside. Harry Devine, 53, also stands accused of inciting the girl and a friend to commit an act of gross
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Competition concerns
BUS company Arriva has pledged to work with bus operators to resolve competition concerns following its takeover of the Wales and Borders rail franchise. The transport company, based in Sunderland, has been told by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to
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Market report
LONDON shares edged higher yesterday as confidence was restored to world markets following last week's bomb blasts in Spain. The FTSE 100 bounced back from an 18-point fall in early trading to close the session 16 points higher at 4428.9. The Dow Jones
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Sheep-free Howard seks Festival fun
HE might have been training horses for the last 20 years, but there is still something apt about Howard Johnson's best chance of a Cheltenham winner coming in the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle this afternoon. The Crook-based trainer is hardly
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Pool held at home by County
HARTLEPOOL United salvaged a scrappy draw last night as they failed to get the better of relegation-threatened Stockport. Eifion Williams' 13th goal of the season, a cracking shot from 20 yards, gave Pool the lead. But some slack defensive play gifted
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McCarthy refuses to take the credit
SUNDERLAND boss Mick McCarthy refused to take the credit for Sunderland's fightback last night despite his two second-half substitutes combining to earn the Black Cats a 1-1 draw with fellow play-off hopefuls Stoke, writes SCOTT WILSON. Matt Piper and
