Archive
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'We will keep improving rail services'
ARRIVA Trains Northern (ATN) has said there will be no let-up in improvements, despite preparing to bow out of rail passenger services in the North-East. The train operator, an arm of the Arriva transport group, of Sunderland, will give up its remaining
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Travel staff aid charity
STAFF who help holidaymakers travel to destinations across the world have turned their efforts to helping people at home. Workers at Hays Travel, in Spennymoor, held a charity quiz night and raffle at a local pub in what has become an annual fundraising
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Thousands flock to food fair at the castle
THOUSANDS of people flocked to a castle in the region at the weekend as it became the setting for a massive food festival. Organisers of the Wear Valley Food Festival at Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland, said the event was such a huge success that plans
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Stolen lamb plea posters torn down
POSTERS appealing for help in finding six stolen lambs have been torn down. Elisa Tindale has twice put up about six notices in the village of Brancepeth, near Durham, only to find they have been ripped up. Elisa, 15 is the eldest of five sisters whose
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Three Valleys to play lead role
ROGER CHARLTON is wasting no time bringing out one of last season's juveniles, Three Valleys (2.20), for this afternoon's Group 3 Craven Stakes. Traditionally regarded as a solid 2,000 Guineas trial, Three Valleys is best-priced at 6-1 for the forthcoming
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Tributes paid to council leader
TRIBUTES have been paid to council leader and health service champion Alan Gray, who has died aged 56. Councillor Gray, who died last week following a short illness, was also a committed family man who was looking forward to becoming a grandfather for
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Olympian's advice for Local Hero Laura
AWARD-WINNING young swimmer Laura Whitfield received tips from the top yesterday. Four-times Olympic competitor Mark Foster travelled to the North-East to put Laura and her swimming club friends through their paces in a session at her school pool. Laura
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Cash for cabbies
THOUSANDS of London cabbies are in line for windfalls worth nearly £5,000 after Radio Taxis set out on the road to demutualisation. The conversion involves US entrepreneur Brian McBride taking a 26 per cent stake in the business, with the remaining shares
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'I'm much saner than soap Sally'
As Coronation Street's Sally Webster, actress Sally Whittaker is the stage mum from hell. In real-life, she's rather her children steered clear of the profession. CORONATION Street actress Sally Whittaker's children keep telling her, "Oh mum, you're horrible
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Genteel jealousy
Actress Laura Fraser talks to Steve Pratt about her role as the feisty Emily in the new Anthony Trollope adaptation, He Knew He Was Right, and about living a cross-Atlantic life. SCOTTISH-born actress Laura Fraser became a trans-Atlantic commuter while
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Race venue is a winner once more
THE sport of whippet racing has adopted a North-East town as the home for one of it's main events. And as record crowds descended on the region at the weekend it was easy to see why. It is the third year that the Chudley's Classic English Whippet Derby
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Manufacturing 'will pick up'
THE region's manufacturers will be looking at a sunnier summer period with industry picking up across Europe, a leading economist has predicted. Jeremy Peat, Royal Bank of Scotland chief economist, said that despite mixed reports on the state of UK manufacturing
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Filtronic's fortunes continue to vary
FILTRONIC'S fluctuating economic fortunes are continuing with the company unveiling a mixture of good and bad news. The semiconductor manufacturer revealed to the City that it had tied up an agreement with an unnamed company that could be worth several
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Crash ride closed down
THE truck ride that crashed and overturned into a river at the popular Diggerland theme park at Langley Park, near Durham, has been shut down while safety inspections take place. Twelve people, including six children, were hurt when the all-terrain Super
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Hospital homes plans
HUNDREDS of low-cost homes will be built on former hospital sites. The Department of Health has identified 13 surplus NHS sites in the North-East that will be transferred for housing to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The sites are among more
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Shearer and Speed head Magpies home
NEWCASTLE banished the ghost of their catastrophic Champions League knockout here in August at the hands of Partizan Belgrade, to clinch a UEFA Cup semi-final date with Marseille after another night of high anxiety at St. James' Park. Midfielder Gary
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Quarry body named as N-E woman
A DIVER from the North-East was named yesterday as one of two people whose bodies were found in a quarry by search teams over the Bank Holiday weekend. Janine Davison-Evans, 27, originally from Roseworth, in Stockton, and Hank Austin, 25, of Ascot, Berkshire
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Comment from The Northern Echo: Staving off the final whistle
DARLINGTON Football Club is caught in a Catch 22 situation.The only apparent way forward is via the Sterling Consortium's bid to take over the club. But with Sterling pursuing its debt by taking George Reynolds to a bankruptcy hearing, the former chairman
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Big plans unveiled for once-threatened Bowes
Ambitious plans were announced yesterday to boost a North-East museum which was threatened with partial closure five years ago but is now enjoying a new lease of life. Visitor numbers have risen from 65,000 to 96,000 a year at the Bowes Museum, in Barnard
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Gran At Large: Seeing slugs through new eyes
IT'S impossible to stay pessimistic around a toddler. Take that day in late August. After the hottest summer for years, it was suddenly more like November, cold and dank with sudden drenching showers. To give the little one some fresh air and exercise
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Dog-dirt signs fall foul of pole safety rules
A LOCAL authority is to remove all its dog-fouling signs from wooden telephone poles amid claims that it put them up without permission. BT said it has strict rules governing signs attached to its poles because of health and safety regulations, access
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Bikers praised in speeding blitz - but drivers under fire
POLICE targeting bikers in a speeding blitz discovered they were not the worst offenders on the road. Traffic officers armed with radar guns were deployed over the Easter weekend with orders to clamp down on speeding. They were expecting a rash of speeding
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Exhibition raises cash for charity
AN arts and crafts exhibition staged by senior citizens attracted a full hall at a Newton Aycliffe Community Centre. A total of 27 exhibitors took part in the event, the first of several planned by the Friends of Senior Citizens charity at the Neville
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Three Valleys to play lead role
ROGER CHARLTON is wasting no time bringing out one of last season's juveniles, Three Valleys (2.20), for this afternoon's Group 3 Craven Stakes. Traditionally regarded as a solid 2,000 Guineas trial, Three Valleys is best-priced at 6-1 for the forthcoming
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Boro's youngsters hoping it will be third time lucky in Youth Cup
AT the third time of asking Middlesbrough are hoping to finally put their hands on the FA Youth Cup next week. Having faced defeats in 1990 and 2003, Boro make the trip to Aston Villa in the first leg of this season's final at Villa Park tonight (kick-off
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Appeal for help after knife attack
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a teenager was robbed at knifepoint as he walked home with his girlfriend. The 17-year-old, who has not been named, was approached by several people while he walked in Collingwood Street, Coundon, near Bishop Auckland
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'My heart is breaking wide apart'
A mother's poems about her murdered son is helping her through her grief. Chris Webber found out how poetry and art can help the bereaved. TALK to Theresa Cave about the whirlwind of deep emotions within her and eventually she'll give up trying to explain
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Town's oldest resident dies at 105
TRIBUTES have been paid to one of the region's oldest residents after she died aged 105. Maud Meadley, from Hartlepool, was described as a chatty lady with numerous, great stories to tell, by nurses who looked after her at The Ascot Nursing Home, in the
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Crash baby in stable condition
A five-month-old baby injured in an accident on the A19 on Saturday was last night in a stable condition. The baby, who is not being named, received serious head injuries when the car being driven by her 22-year-old father careered off the road at the
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Airfield of dreams
FOUR decades ago, the local authorities surrounding RAF Middleton St George bought the airfield and its acres of land for the princely sum of £340,000. In today's spiraling property market, where a four-bedroom house in Darlington's West End costs just
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Crash ride closed down
THE truck ride that crashed and overturned into a river at the popular Diggerland theme park at Langley Park, near Durham, has been shut down while safety inspections take place. Twelve people, including six children, were hurt when the all-terrain Super
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Troubled times hopefully over for Hamilton
WHEN Gavin Hamilton runs in to bowl his first ball for Durham in the County Championship, he will be telling himself: "It's just another cricket match." The alternative is to worry himself sick that the ball might leave his hand travelling in any direction
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Young mother wins skills award
A YOUNG mother from a travelling community has received a national basic skills award. Vicky Price won the learning against all the odds category in the recent Basic Skills in Local Communities National Celebration Event, held in Nottingham. Organised
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Any takers for a bit of wife-swapping?
THERE were a few intriguing messages on my answerphone last week, from Kim at Channel 4. She wanted help with a documentary she was working on, but didn't give any further details. When we finally spoke, I realised why she had been so vague. The programme
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Vickers wins fight for contract
WORK to fit the Army's Challenger II tanks with a controversial - and desperately needed - battlefield communications system will safeguard jobs at Alvis Vickers' North-East manufacturing plant. The company has been awarded a £16m contract to integrate
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Any takers for a bit of wife-swapping?
THERE were a few intriguing messages on my answerphone last week, from Kim at Channel 4. She wanted help with a documentary she was working on, but didn't give any further details. When we finally spoke, I realised why she had been so vague. The programme
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University wins deal for e-science training
THE University of York has won a £200,000 contract to train employees in the fast-growing e-science sector. It will train workers in advanced computer technology in the regional bioscience sector, which employs more than 6,000 people and has been described
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Quakers land Graham for season
MIDDLESBROUGH striker Danny Graham has agreed to help Darlington's fight against relegation by extending his loan stay at the Reynolds Arena until the end of the season. The 18-year-old joined the club on an initial month-long loan and was due to return
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Apprentice post office worker stole £2,000
A POST office worker stole £2,000 from her employer less than two months after starting the job, a court heard yesterday. Hollie Michelle Dixon, 18, of Princes Street, Bishop Auckland, admitted taking the money from the town post office on April 1. Magistrates
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Pupils aiding others
TWO pupils at a Darlington school will be spending their gap year working on projects in the Third World, thanks to a fundraising drive. Hannah Elliott and Sally Wittrick, of Polam Hall School, will fund their gap years in Tanzania and Malaysia with money
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Verdict expected in public order trial
THE jury in the trial of two men accused of being involved in a serious public order offence will be sent out to consider its verdict today. Kamin Atar and Atsh Kaya, from Darlington, faced a trial on joint charges of causing two affrays in Middlesbrough
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Pupils aim to make the grade at GCSE revision conference
TEENAGERS are giving up part of their holiday to sample university life and work towards their exams. They are attending a three-day GCSE revision conference at Belmont Comprehensive School, Durham, getting help that could boost the grades they achieve
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Tess gets keys to new home
THE first resident at a retirement home was greeted with flowers as she arrived this week. Pensioner Tess Slater was presented with the bouquet as she collected the keys to her home in Maple Court, Gloucester Road, Consett, on Tuesday. The development
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Improvement work nearly completed
IMPROVEMENT works on an east Durham town's cemetery and fire station are nearing completion. Groundwork East Durham in partnership with Durham County Council, Seaham Town Council and the Fire and Rescue Service has been busy upgrading the areas to create
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M&S faces up to tough challenge
THE changing fortunes of one of Britain's most famous retailers were thrown into the spotlight once again by another bombshell announcement to the City. Marks & Spencer had pinned its hopes on a radical cost-cutting programme coupled with an overhaul
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New library called for
A REPORT on Darlington's library provision urges councillors to give 'urgent attention' to building a new library in the north of the town. The report, written by a group set up to investigate Darlington Borough Council's library standards, says plans
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Villagers seek grants of £470,000 for centre
VILLAGERS hope to win grants totalling £470,000 to improve their community centre, based in a former chapel. Members of the community association that runs the centre in Cockfield, near Barnard Castle, have applied to Teesdale District Council for planning
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Joy gains work by helping others
HELPING others overcome their fear of computers has brought success to a County Durham woman. Joy Worthington, has been a Community Pathfinder Project volunteer at the community centre in her home village of Thornley since the beginning of last year.
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New air routes
THE first passengers will board flights from the North-East to two Mediterranean hot spots today. Low cost airline easyJet this morning begins its services from Newcastle International Airport to Nice, in the south of France, and Palma, capital city of
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Witness plea after gang attack
A MAN is recovering after his jaw was broken in six places when he was attacked by a gang of youths. The victim, who has not been named, was walking in Mill Hill Road, Sunderland, with his girlfriend, when the attack took place. As they neared a subway
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Poom set for return to action
SUNDERLAND'S promotion push was given a massive boost last night when goalkeeper Mart Poom was passed fit for Sunday's crucial Stadium of Light showdown with West Brom. The Estonia international, who picked up a dead leg in the latter stages of the 2-
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Back on the circuit
Stars of the hit 1970s TV show, The Comedians, are reuniting for a threatre tour. Viv Hardwick talks to baby of the bunch Mick Miller. MENTION the name The Comedians and it conjures up happy memories of wise-cracking club comics in dinner jackets producing
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Poor old posh!
With her 30th birthday looming she has had more to worry about than most. Not for her concerns about wrinkles, middle-aged spread and ticking biological clocks - instead she has faced torrid tales about her husband and the father of her two adorable sons
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Pet lambs stolen in raid
A FAMILY is devastated after the theft of six pet lambs on Easter Sunday. The Tindale family were shocked to discover that the lambs, some only days old, had been taken from a stable at their Brancepeth smallholding. They fear that the thieves will not
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Hospital staff win praise from health watchdog
HARD working staff at two hospitals have been praised from independent health watchdogs who were impressed by their commitment and quality of care. Inspectors at the new Healthcare Commission have commended staff working at South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust
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Windmill extension
PROPOSALS to turn a former windmill in Ingleby Barwick into bed and breakfast accommodation are likely to be approved. Plans for a two-storey extension to use as a B&B, comprising a flat and two bed and breakfast rooms, lounge, dining room and conservatory
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Group secures £14m to build hundreds of homes
HUNDREDS of homes are to be built across Teesside to fill a gap in the rental market. Tees Valley Housing Group has secured more than £14m from the Housing Corporation to invest in properties across the Tees Valley and Yorkshire. The money comes from
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Winkies Castle attracts 600 people
HUNDREDS of people visited Winkies Castle over the Easter weekend to see what the future holds for the property. The former Marske High Street cottage was the home of cobbler Jack Anderson, who bequeathed it to Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council in
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Hospital homes plans
HUNDREDS of low-cost homes will be built on former hospital sites. The Department of Health has identified 13 surplus NHS sites in the North-East that will be transferred for housing to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The sites are among more
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Gran At Large
IT'S impossible to stay pessimistic around a toddler. Take that day in late August. After the hottest summer for years, it was suddenly more like November, cold and dank with sudden drenching showers. To give the little one some fresh air and exercise
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Britain boosts its firepower in Iraq
BRITAIN was preparing to increase the firepower of its forces in Iraq as the US Army laid siege to the holy city of Najaf. As revealed in yesterday's Northern Echo, soldiers from the region have been told to be ready to deploy to Iraq by the end of the
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MP lends portrait for exhibition
A 6FT portrait of Peter Mandelson will be the focus of an art exhibition due to open on Teesside next month. Hartlepool MP Mr Mandelson will attend the preview of an exhibition of paintings by Nahem Shoa, which includes the painting from the MP's private
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Bobby hails 'old men'
SIR BOBBY ROBSON last night saluted his "two old-timers'' after Alan Shearer and Gary Speed steered Newcastle into the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup. Skipper Shearer and midfielder Speed, 33 and 34 respectively, headed in corners from Laurent Robert as
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Voters go to the polls - in front room
A HOUSEWIFE will open her front room to the 117 electorate in the village of Dunsdale next Thursday. Marian Cane's house in Redcar Road, will be used in a by-election in the Guisborough ward of Guisborough Town Council. It is one of six available polling
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Farmer gets go ahead for golf course
A farmer turned entrepreneur has been given final approval to create a multi-million pound golf course and hotel on his land. Simon Weightman - a pacesetter when it comes to agricultural diversification - has already created a trout fishing centre and
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Britain boosts its firepower in Iraq
BRITAIN is preparing to increase the firepower of its forces in Iraq as the US army lays siege to the city of Najaf. As revealed in yesterday's Northern Echo, soldiers from the region have been told to be ready to deploy to Iraq by the end of the week
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Greening has Euro know-how
JONATHAN Greening is hoping to put his experience of the Champions League to good use when Middlesbrough embark on their first ever European adventure next season. Greening was part of the Manchester United team that lifted the most sought after club
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Elvis gets too big for his suits
An Elvis impersonator's career is on the rocks because he got too fat for his jumpsuit. Elvis Aaron Presley Junior - formerly known as Ken Smith - said he was forced to sell his beloved outfit because he has eaten too many burgers. Elvis, 51, decided
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Hospital homes plans
HUNDREDS of low-cost homes will be built on former hospital sites. The Department of Health has identified 13 surplus NHS sites in the North-East that will be transferred for housing to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The sites are among more
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Barristers mourn 42-year-old colleague
TRIBUTES were paid yesterday to a respected barrister who has died of gastric cancer at the age of 42. Judges, fellow barristers and solicitors attended a ceremony at Newcastle Crown Court to say their final farewells to Stanley Anderson, who died on
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Vandals put explosive cylinders on railway
VANDALS have caused thousands of pounds of damage to a train after planting highly explosive gas cylinders on North-East rail tracks. Police were called after a train, on the Tyne and Wear Metro network, collided with three propane gas containers. Detective
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Factory worker nominated for regional award
A FACTORY worker who went back to the classroom has been shortlisted for an award from the NHS Universit'. Robert Mallows is in the running for a regional NHSU Award, to celebrate Adult Learners' Week in May. The award celebrates the achievements of adult
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Two quizzed in murder bid inquiry
POLICE have arrested two people on suspicion of attempted murder after an attack in which a man had part of his ears chewed off. The 30-year-old victim was left with half of one ear and a third of his other ear chewed off following the assault at a house
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Governments asked to help tunnel out of hole
BELEAGUERED Channel Tunnel operator Eurotunnel has approached the French government about a rescue package. The new all-French board of the company has demanded a meeting with French transport minister Gilles de Robien to discuss its plans to restructure
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Hopes are high for return of rail mail
TRANSPORT group First said last night it was hopeful of success in its bid to bring night mail trains back to the North-East. First's subsidiary GB Railfreight is in negotiations with Royal Mail about putting mail back on the railways. The night mail
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The star who can fix a car
She may be the object of male fantasies as porn actress Athena in The Girl Next Door, but Elisha Cuthbert is also a masterful mechanic, she tells Steve Pratt. IF you ever take Elisha Cuthbert out for a drive, don't worry if the car breaks down. The chances
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Dog walker may hold clues to missing man
A DOG walker could hold vital clues in the hunt for a man missing for more than two weeks. Detectives last night renewed an appeal for witnesses after the disappearance of David Stringer. The 23-year-old, from Doxford Park, Sunderland, was last seen at
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New To Rent
BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS (Cert 15, also available to buy DVD £15.99): Starring: Stephen Campbell Moore, Emily Mortimer, Jim Broadbent, Simon Callow, Peter O'Toole, John Mills, Hugh Laurie. STEPHEN Fry's feature film directorial debut is an inventive adaptation
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Seeing slugs through new eyes
IT'S impossible to stay pessimistic around a toddler. Take that day in late August. After the hottest summer for years, it was suddenly more like November, cold and dank with sudden drenching showers. To give the little one some fresh air and exercise
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Youth team inspired by Beckham magic
SHOPPERS visiting a new store in Consett had to look twice, when a familiar face called in. Retailer Matalan, on the Hermiston retail park in Consett, employed the services of David Beckham look-alike, Andy Harmer, for its official opening. Store staff
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Viggo takes the reins
LORD Of The Rings star Viggo Mortensen has ridden horses since he was young, but even an experienced rider like him knew there were risks to saddling up for so much of his latest movie. Fresh from playing Aragorn in the Tolkien movie trilogy, the actor
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Shearer and Speed head Magpies home
NEWCASTLE banished the ghost of their catastrophic Champions League knockout here in August at the hands of Partizan Belgrade, to clinch a UEFA Cup semi-final date with Marseille after another night of high anxiety at St. James' Park. Midfielder Gary
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15/04/04
REGIONAL GOVERNMENT: WILLIAM Hague (Echo, Apr 5) produces a flawed argument by stating: "With the best will in the world, the understanding of local circumstances possessed by people from the other end of the country will be less good than that of people
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Big plans unveiled for once-threatened Bowes
Ambitious plans were announced yesterday to boost a North-East museum which was threatened with partial closure five years ago but is now enjoying a new lease of life. Visitor numbers have risen from 65,000 to 96,000 a year at the Bowes Museum, in Barnard
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Suddenly Last Summer, Newcastle Theatre Royal
THIS short but emotionally draining work is partly autobiographical; Tennessee Williams' own sister underwent devastating brain surgery at her mother's behest, although there was apparently no physical abnormality. Violet Venable has lost her only son
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Bid to cut gas deaths seeks £25m funding from firms
GAS suppliers will be urged to pledge £25m to a campaign to cut the number of deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning at a meeting next month. A working group set up by the Government has been told that between £22m and £25m must be spent to hit the target
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Police step up action over gangs
POLICE will increase patrols in an area struggling to cope with gangs of teenagers roaming the streets. Over the last three months, people in the Yarm Road and Lingfield area of Darlington have been reporting problems with groups of youths. Sgt Mark Ralphs
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The world's best compliment Durham's home-grown talent
Durham's season starts tomorrow with a trip to Hampshire. The Northen Echo's Tim Wellock, the only writer with the county home and away throughout the summer months, previews the campaign and speaks to Gavin Hamilton, the new recruit who is hoping this
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Every dog has its day - and Cora's is a real treat
A hard-working guide dog was treated to a pampering yesterday. Her owner, 77-year-old Lilly Smith, bought the treat for Cora, a black labrador, during a charity auction. But after hearing the dog's story, a woman came forward to cover the £75 cost. Cora
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Woman in stolen car chase avoids jail
A WOMAN who was in a stolen car that led police on a high-speed chase through a busy town centre has avoided jail "by the closest possible margin". Drunken Karen Loughman encouraged the teenage driver to shake off the patrol car as they raced around Redcar
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Generosity gives Adam freedom
A COUPLE got much more than they bargained for when they asked their local supermarket for help in raising cash for a much-needed scooter for their disabled son. Staff at Asda in Stanley not only offered to pitch in but, with the generous help of its
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Quakers 'are one week from disaster'
CRISIS-HIT Darlington Football Club is only a week from disaster, administrators said last night. The warning came as former chairman George Reynolds, who placed the Quakers into administration before Christmas to avoid a winding-up order, vowed to fight
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Yvonne's ghost behind bars
Bad Girls (ITV1); Every Time You Look At Me (BBC2): MY feeling is that the strike by prison officers this week could only make things better for the women behind bars at Larkhall, where it's a toss-up whether inmates or screws are more bent. Frankly,
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Pensioners' skills put on display
AN arts and crafts show staged by pensioners has been held in Newton Aycliffe Community Centre. A total of 27 exhibitors took part in the exhibition, which was the first of several planned by the Friends of Senior Citizens charity at the Neville Community
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Watching Brief: St James' masters
HOLLAND might be famous for being the birthplace of some of the greatest painters of all time, but Mateja Kezman found himself returning to Eindhoven last night after having been given a lesson in the art of heading by two of Newcastle's very own grand
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Height of fun for youngsters
CHILDREN enjoyed some climbing fun at a community in Darlington centre yesterday. A climbing wall was brought to the Firthmoor community centre to give children of various ages the chance to tackle a new physical challenge. Experts were available throughout
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Pub wins opening hours extension
A COMPROMISE has been reached allowing a town centre bar an hour extension three nights a week. But GW Horners, in Front Street, Chester-le-Street, must take steps to curb noise and monitor customers. The pub initially wanted to extend opening times to
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Bowls club facing crisis over rent rise
A BOWLS club is facing a financial crisis after being told it must pay full rent, which has been waived for the past few years. The future of Darlington and District Indoor Bowls Centre has come under serious threat after Darlington Borough Council withdrew
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Police plan to expand road patrols unit
A POLICE force is radically overhauling two of its sections to create an expanded road policing unit. The merger of Durham Constabulary's traffic and dog sections will see 141 constables based in the force's 12 main police stations. Superintendent Andy
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Wardens hatch plan to create huge bird's nest in the forest
YOUNGSTERS helped to create the largest nest seen in Guisborough forest at an activity morning yesterday. The free event, which was held to coincide with the nesting season, was organised by wardens at Guisborough Forest and Walkway at Pinchinthorpe,
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Cilla lookalike's date to raise funds for air ambulance appeal
COMEDIENNE Brenda Collins, who has appeared at such illustrious venues as the London Palladium, is to return to her County Durham roots to present a one-night fundraiser. Brenda, who has also shared a stage with top stars including Sacha Distel and Bruce
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TV review
Yvonne's ghost behind bars Bad Girls (ITV1) Every Time You Look At Me (BBC2) MY feeling is that the strike by prison officers this week could only make things better for the women behind bars at Larkhall, where it's a toss-up whether inmates or screws
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Travellers online to mix new with the old
A LUXURY castle hotel has joined forces with Europe's leading provider of wireless broadband Internet connections for business travellers to keep its guests in touch with the World Wide Web. Swinton Park, near Masham, North Yorkshire, worked with Swisscom
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Busy centre aims to grow
A COMMUNITY centre that fulfilled a 50-year-old dream for residents is hoping to expand. The Jubilee Fields Community Centre in Shildon, has been given a grant of almost £5,000 which will pay for a feasibility study on the building. Manager Ephraim Bunting
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'Road police unit expansion will speed up response time'
A POLICE force is overhauling two of its sections to create an expanded road policing unit. The merger of Durham Constabulary's traffic and dog sections will see 141 constables across the force's 12 main police stations. Superintendent Andy Summerbell
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Instructor celebrates 40 years of flying
A ROYAL Air Force flying instructor has been celebrating the 40th anniversary of his first solo flight as an RAF pilot. Flight Lieutenant Alan Mawby, an instructor at RAF Linton on Ouse, first went solo in a Chipmunk plane in April 1964. To celebrate,
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Hospital staff win praise for their work from inspectors
HARD-working staff at two hospitals have received high praise from independent health watchdogs who were impressed by their level of commitment and quality of care. Inspectors at the Healthcare Commission have commended staff at South Tees Hospitals NHS
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Base-camp challenge on the cards
FIREFIGHTERS are making final preparations for an assault on Everest base camp. Some of the team members got into the swing of the challenge last weekend in Durham Market Place when they ran and walked the equivalent of the journey to base camp and raised
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Family tells of theme park horror after vehicle crashes
A MOTHER has spoken of her horror as she watched her daughter plunge into a shallow stream after an accident at a popular North-East visitor attraction. Janine Knight, and her daughter, Rachel, aged ten, were among 18 people involved in a crash at Diggerland
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Farmer fearing for sheep after attack on her flock
A LARGE dog is being blamed for the killing of one sheep and the maiming of another in a North-East village. A farmer found the carcass of a sheep at the end of last month, which had been dragged along a hedgerow and killed. A week later another sheep
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M&S faces up to tough challenge
THE changing fortunes of one of Britain's most famous retailers were thrown into the spotlight once again by another bombshell announcement to the City. Marks & Spencer had pinned its hopes on a radical cost-cutting programme coupled with an overhaul
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Drivers told to curb speed
SPEEDING drivers will be electronically shamed into slowing down at problem sites thanks to an increase in the number of flashing speed warning signs. Durham County Council plans to introduce more Active Speed Signs, which show drivers - and other road
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£5.1m fund boost to create 115 affordable rural homes
MORE than 100 affordable homes are to be made available in Richmondshire thanks to £5.1m funding from Westminster. The lack of low-cost homes has been identified as a major problem in parts of North Yorkshire, particularly rural communities where rocketing
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Hobby courses launched
A series of courses aimed at introducing people to new hobbies will be held at the Arc, in Stockton. Meditation classes will take place on Mondays until July 26, from 6.30pm to 7.30pm and each session costs £5. On Tuesday evenings salsa classes with teacher
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Education chiefs celebrate award
EDUCATION chiefs are celebrating after passing a difficult examination. The community education service run by North Yorkshire County Council has been awarded the Matrix quality standard - confirming that it is developing, delivering and managing high-quality
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A dust-up in the dale
REMEMBER that scary movie in which Anthony Hopkins played a mad ventriloquist who thought his dummy was alive and had conversations with it? Well, Emmerdale (ITV1) comes up with an even scarier prospect than a revival in the career of Keith Harris and
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Children celebrate opening of play area at homeless unit
YOUNGSTERS living at a homeless persons' unit are celebrating after getting their own play area. The enclosed outdoor play area in Colburn, near Catterick, has been created in a joint initiative between Richmondshire District Council and SureStart Colburn
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Shock as armed police raid home
NEIGHBOURS have spoken of their shock at seeing a couple led away from their home by armed police looking for a gunman. Officers descended on a house in Beaconsfield Street, Darlington, on Tuesday evening in response to reports that a man with a gun was
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Bookies double cash boost
HOSPICE patients and schoolchildren are to benefit from charity events at two Bishop Auckland bookmakers. Staff at Ladbrokes shops in Newgate Street and Cockton Hill, Bishop Auckland, have raised £750. The Butterwick Hospice in Bishop Auckland, was given
