Archive
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Experts go digging for a blast from the past
HISTORIANS are digging deep in the hope of uncovering vital clues into the very earliest days of what would one day become heavy industry. A metre-square trench at Rievaulx Abbey, near Helmsley, North Yorkshire, could shed new light on the ancient monks
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Family's concert tribute to grandad
A family is organising a fundraising event for Teesside Hospice in memory of their grandfather. Eric Robson, 72, died at the Middlesbrough hospice in March. The former process worker from Redcar had been suffering from an asbestos-related cancer. His
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Meeting backs city
COUNCIL chiefs from across the North-East joined forces to back Durham City as the best home for a regional assembly. Leaders of local authorities identified Durham as their preferred choice at a meeting held by Yes campaigners in Dar*ington on Tuesday
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All part of the service
ANOTHER Wimbledon has come and gone and Tim Henman has missed another chance to be a champion. They say it's all the pressure he's under: the burden of expectation; the hopes of a nation; Henmania. Well, let me tell you - Tim knows nothing about pressure
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Chris back for the big day
A pint of Banner Bitter welcomed roving reporter Chris Webber at Durham Miners' Gala on Saturday. The Advertiser Series journalist is boosting the funds being raised to pay for a commemorative stone for miners killed in the 1909 West Stanley Burns Pit
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Shining royal day for gold award winner
A DATE at Buckingham Palace capped a remarkable few months for a high-flying student with ambitions to be a pilot. Chris Stappard, 17, of Wolsingham, received the highest Boys' Brigade award from the Queen at a Royal Society of Arts ceremony. He earned
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Eighty ghost ships could head for N-E
UP to 80 more US navy "ghost ships" could be heading to the North-East for dismantling, the firm at the centre of the row told a committee of MPs yesterday. And Able UK predicted it would soon be scrapping British warships, as the Government accepted
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And who's looking after the children?
HAVE you ever wondered why the many thousands of abandoned single mothers struggling to cope on their own have never got round to forming a Mothers 4 Justice group? Probably because they are far too busy in between work, school run and feeding and caring
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Convery leads charge as Quakers win again
DARLINGTON'S pre-season preparations continued with a comfortable 4-0 win at Durham City last night. A strong Quakers line-up made it two wins out of two for David Hodgson's men thanks to goals from Mark Convery, trialist Joaquim Ferraz, Leandro Scartascini
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Top Tens
UK DVD/Video rentals: 1 (-) School Of Rock 2 (-) Mona Lisa Smile 3 (1) Along Came Polly 4 (2) Cold Mountain 5 (3) Lost in Translation 6 (-) Cold Creek Manor 7 (4) Scary Movie 3 8 (5) The Haunted Mansion 9 (6) The Missing 10 (-) Charlie Chart supplied
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Dramatic u-turn for rail policy
Ministers announced a dramatic u-turn over rail policy today, scrapping the Strategic Rail Authority just four years after it was set up. Transport Secretary Alistair Darling told the Commons the majority of the SRA's functions would be transferred to
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Ref blows the whistle on Pool fightback
HARTLEPOOL United's opening pre-season game was cut short last night as the referee called a halt to proceedings with seven minutes to go. Pool had dragged themselves back after falling two behind to the Dutch hosts, but offical Hugo Jaspers Uden blew
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Cyclists to rally
BIKES of every size and design will be visiting Darlington this weekend. The Company of Cyclists Bike Try Out Roadshow will be held outside Darlington Town Hall on Saturday, from 10am to 4pm. Members of the public are invited to try out a variety of bikes
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Defiant M&S board forces Green to drop takeover bid
RETAIL tycoon Philip Green last night dropped his £9.1bn takeover bid for Marks & Spencer. The high street group had earlier defied calls from its largest shareholder to allow Mr Green to examine the company's books ahead of the bid. The billionaire
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Owner's desperate attempts to save bikes during blaze
A MECHANIC has told how he ran back into his burning workshop ten times to rescue expensive motorbikes as his business went up in flames. The blaze started at about 6.40pm on Tuesday at RB Bikes, in Moulton, near Scotch Corner. The fire started when petrol
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Tragedy of UK's youngest ever pilot
A TALENTED North-East schoolboy who became one of Britain's youngest ever pilots at 16, has been killed by a brain tumour. Daniel Swaddle became obsessed with flying from the moment he first took to the air in 1998. While too young to drive a car, he
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Fury at 'disgusting' sentence for killer
THE family of a student who was killed on a night out with friends have reacted with anger to the "disgusting" two-and-a-half-year sentence given to the man responsible. Lee Walker suffered a fractured skull and severe brain injuries in a fall after being
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Teenager: I'll always grieve for grandad
A TEENAGER has said he will always grieve for the step-grandfather he was cleared of killing in a drunken attack. David Smith, 17, was charged with causing Wesley Fenton to have a fatal heart attack when he lashed out at the 57-year-old. The prosecution
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Sponsored walker aids hospital
A SPONSORED hike has raised more than £370 for a Teesdale community hospital. Rachael Bainbridge, who works at Teesdale Sports centre, presented a cheque to the Friends of the Richardson Hospital, in Barnard Castle, after completing an 84-mile trek along
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Students receive sports awards
FIVE students were presented with certificates yesterday and praised for giving up their spare time to work as community sports leaders. Headteacher Paul Harrison made the wards at Teesdale Comprehensive School, in Barnard Castle. The sixth formers who
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Young cyclists learn excellent road sense
Young cyclists have taken part in a road safety awareness scheme which may be extended throughout east Cleveland. The pupils, from Ings Farm Primary School in Redcar, who are all regular cyclists, have been given on-road training followed by tests during
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Pupils study dale's limestone past
Year nine pupils from Hurworth House School, near Darlington, travelled to the Yorkshire Dales to study the area's carboniferous limestone. The boys travelled to Swaledale where they spent a day learning to identify various sedimentary rock types, such
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Retirement surprise for pupils
A SCHOOL headteacher gave her pupils a surprise gift to mark her retirement - a grand picnic followed by a special falconry display. Children at Raventhorpe Preparatory School, in Carmel Road North, Darlington, watched in amazement as hawks, owls and
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Dig deep to help priory
VOLUNTEERS willing to help restore borders at Gisborough Priory will gain free access to the monument. Organisers hope to set up a team of regular volunteers who will maintain and improve planting in the Priory. It will form part of the first stage of
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Village sports pitch goal boost
HOPES of securing thousands of pounds of funding for a village football pitch have been given a boost. A feasibility study was carried out yesterday for the Football Foundation, looking at the possibility of redeveloping the playing field in Middleton
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Tribute after aunt dies at age of 104
THE niece of a woman who died at the age of 104 has paid tribute to her aunt. Gertrude Hutchinson died on Sunday at Southwood Nursing Home, in Northallerton, where she had been a resident for seven years. She was born in Topcliffe, near Thirsk, in 1900
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Hall hosts rally of historic vehicles
HISTORIC vehicles of all shapes and sizes will converge on North Yorkshire this weekend. Newby Hall, near Ripon, is again playing host to the rally, which is run by the North-East branch of the Pre-War Austin Club. Up to 1,500 vehicles are expected to
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Hospital is the worst for MRSA
A WEARSIDE hospital which is to become an elite foundation trust has the unenviable record of having the region's worst superbug infection rate. MRSA infection rates released by the Department of Health show that City Hospitals Sunderland has the highest
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Children's centre becomes success
A CHILDREN'S centre that had no youngsters when it opened is now proving a success. The Kids Choice out-of-hours care centre opened in January in Leadgate, near Consett, but only attracted two children in its first month. However, six months on, the business
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Store staff donation helps nursery
STAFF at a Chester-le-Street store have raised nearly £700 for a nearby nursery. Woolworths workers held a series of fundraising events in aid of the playgroup at St Cuthbert's Primary School, Ropery Lane. Their events included a raffle to win a Mini
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Warning to traders over spray paint
TRADING standards officers have outlined new laws on the sale of aerosol spray paint in a bid to reduce graffiti. The Durham County Council officers are to contact retailers to make sure they know that it is an offence under the Anti- Social Behaviour
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Summer fun organised for youngsters
FREE sports and art activities are available to Durham youngsters during the summer holidays. Durham City Council is running its Fun 4 Free programme at leisure centres throughout the district. Deborah Holmes, senior leisure development officer, said:
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Benefits pay-out was tasty news for couple
A TRIP out for a bite to eat ended in a cash windfall for two pensioners. Aaron Newman, 77, and wife Lily, 68, of Esh Winning, near Durham, ended up more than £3,000 better off after visiting the village lunch club. Staff from Derwentside District Council
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Village's crime charter to become blueprint for others
A CITIZEN'S charter to reduce village crime will be copied by similar schemes around the country. Ushaw Moor Residents' Group pioneered the Community Safety Compact and has been nominated for a leading award. The group signed an agreement with Durham
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Rotary club £1,000 gift is knock out
A LOCAL club has received £1,000 to help create a new sports and arts venue. Redcar Amateur Boxing and Sports Club, which moved into Coatham Memorial Hall, in Redcar, four years ago, hopes the hall could eventually be used for community activities, including
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Former terrorist bids to overturn conviction
A FORMER loyalist terrorist and his son jailed for the murder of a North-East man have begun an Appeal Court bid to have their convictions overturned. John Mawhinney, 51, and his 25-year-old son, Keith Mawhinney, were convicted of murdering Tony Clark
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Soap's clean win
Like it or not, soap is now an ingredient of every major TV channel. Former Coronation Street boss David Liddiment explains the rise of the TV genre in a C4 documentary to be shown on Saturday night. Steve Pratt reports. DAVID Liddiment has always had
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No-go Sally
IT'S difficult to know which is worse - Silly Sally's business sense or her maternal instincts. She has long been renowned in Soapland for force feeding her daughters fish fingers for breakfast, lunch and tea in Coronation Street (ITV1). This has had
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Gala-day police clash with bands
POLICE have been branded heavy-handed for stopping brass bands playing as they left Saturday's Durham Miners' Gala. Marchers with Sacriston Colliery Band found their way blocked by a police van in North Road as they headed back to their buses. And tempers
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Hospital is the worst for MRSA
A WEARSIDE hospital which is to become an elite foundation trust has the unenviable record of having the region's worst superbug infection rate. MRSA infection rates released by the Department of Health show that City Hospitals Sunderland has the highest
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Warning issued on Right to Roam
THE president of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) used his visit to the Yorkshire Show to issue a stark warning over new Right to Roam legislation. Mark Hudson voiced his fears that the new rules would lead to confusion and disagreement
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Collingwood in fitness fight
PAUL Collingwood had an injection in his injured knee yesterday and hopes to be fit for Durham's totesport League match at home to division two leaders Middlesex on Sunday, writes Tim Wellock. Durham lie fourth and promotion in the one-day league is all
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Young actors' chance to work with group
YOUNG would-be actors are getting the chance to work alongside professionals this summer. The award-winning Pilot Theatre Company, based in York, is holding a week-long summer school during the holiday. The school gives young people between the ages of
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Online survey launched
THE new Countryside Service for North Yorkshire was given a boost at the show by county council chairman John Dennis. With his wife, Mary, he called at the service's stand to complete the first online public rights of way questionnaire. Councillor Dennis
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City winning the vote for assembly HQ
THE fight to bring a North-East regional assembly to Durham City gathered momentum last night as the head of an influential councils' body indicated that it would back the campaign. Thirteen council leaders from across the region - including Teesside
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John North: Downsized, but still a day of pride
In step with the Spennymoor lads, the column joins the crowds at Durham Big Meeting - and finds that there's now plenty of room around the table. IT'S 7.15am on Saturday and already the lads in the Voltigeur in Spennymoor are drinking snakebite and wondering
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Royal honour for brigade's high-flying teenager
A DATE with the Queen at Buckingham Palace capped a remarkable few months for a high-flying student with ambitions to train as a pilot. Chris Stappard, 17, of Wolsingham, County Durham, received the highest Boys' Brigade award from the Queen at an official
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'Play me or I move' threatens Shearer
NEWCASTLE skipper Alan Shearer has threatened to walk away from the club unless he is guaranteed a first-team place next season. Shearer was part of the United side that opened their pre-season campaign with a 1-1 draw against a Thailand XI yesterday,
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Dale steams into a new railway era
IT may have gone unnoticed by much of Weardale but yesterday's trial run of the heritage railway was a famous occasion. For the army of dedicated Weardale Railway Trust volunteers and Weardale Railway Ltd professionals, who have worked ceaselessly to
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Third generation joins the firm
A family of ice cream makers is welcoming a third generation into the business. Brymor Ice Cream was set up more than 20 years ago by farmer Brian Moore. He took government advice and diversified when milk production from his Guernsey cows was reduced
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Royal visit to region
THE Earl of Wessex visited a North-East firm yesterday to find out more about work which earned it the Queen's Award for Enterprise. The royal visit to Uniqema, at the Wilton International site, near Redcar, east Cleveland, was one of several throughout
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Kyle tour set to be fruitless
SUNDERLAND striker Kevin Kyle will be fit for the start of the new Coca-Cola League season, although he could miss all three games on the club's American tour. Kyle was left out of the side that took on a USL Carolina All-Star XI in Raleigh last night
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Queen meets Bob the Builder at ceremony
The Queen came face to face with a 7ft purple dinosaur, a portly penguin and a larger-than-life construction worker yesterday in one of the strangest Royal line-ups ever. Despite the unusual dignitaries, she was unfazed as she met Bob the Builder and
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TV review
Making Waves (ITV1) AFTER two episodes, ITV1's new naval series is still struggling to leave dock. It hasn't sunk with all hands yet but this seaborne Soldier Soldier is letting in water fast. When you're more interested in the locations than the characters
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Home guard unlikely to repel foreign invaders
THE Open Championship is the only one of golf's four majors not to have a place name in its title. The US Masters, US Open and US PGA are all intrinsically tied to the United States, but the Open's historical roots mean it is not influenced by matters
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Weapons are stolen at Army barracks
MILITARY investigators were conducting a probe last night after four high-powered rifles were stolen from a North-East Army barracks. The weapons went missing from Catterick, in North Yorkshire, over the weekend. It is feared they could have been stolen
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Garden remembers school's lost friends
PEOPLE who have touched the lives of staff and students at a rural school will be remembered through a special garden named after a popular sixth-former who inspired the project. In a poignant service at Wolsingham School and Community College on Monday
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Radio marathon makes waves
A MARATHON 60-hour live broadcast hit the airwaves at a Bishop Auckland Hospital last weekend. Volunteers for Auckland Radio began broadcasting to the wards at 9am on Friday. And the microphone remained switched on throughout the weekend until 9pm on
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Chance of big time beckons for racers
WOULD-BE racing drivers are being given the chance to show what they can do in a competition. The event at Teesside Autodrome, South Bank, Middlesbrough, which is open to anyone, offers the winning driver a season in the 2005 British Racing Drivers Single
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Strategy to cut alcohol misuse
A NORTH-East Quaker town that was founded upon an ethos of temperance is to become the first place in the country to draw up an innovative alcohol strategy. Darlington aims to introduce a multi-agency alcohol strategy using partners, from the police to
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Government launches battle against classroom bullies
The battle against classroom bullies shifted up a gear today as the Government launched a "zero tolerance" drive to help schools tackle the problem. Anti-bullying experts are to be stationed across England to help schools as part of the new Anti-Bullying
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Police bid to keep Reynolds' £500,000
DETECTIVES investigating George Reynolds have made a legal bid to confiscate permanently the £500,000 they seized from his car last month. Magistrates sitting in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, were due to hear their application for a forfeiture order
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Tough Times for jockey Enstone
TANCRED TIMES won the 15th race of her career at Catterick yesterday, but the victory was not without incident because she shot winning rider Lee Enstone out of the saddle five yards after the winning line, writes Colin Woods. Thankfully, although hitting
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Brain op nurse is spared road ban
A BRAIN surgery nurse caught six times in as many days by the same speed camera escaped a ban because of her life-saving work. Neurosurgery theatre nurse Anne-Marie Warner, 33, was trapped as she sped to and from the private Nuffield Hospital, in Jesmond
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Sunny outlook for holiday village operator
HOLIDAY village operator Center Parcs has announced annual profits of £24.4m and said efforts to find a fifth site were going well. The group, which made its stock market debut in December, said the pre-exceptional figure for the 53 weeks to April 22
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Hewitt confirms crackdown
THE Government has confirmed a crackdown on dodgy doorstep salesmen - as revealed in yesterday's Northern Echo. Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt said consumers will be at the heart of Government consumer law for the next decade. Addressing
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Exhibition to offer children monster fun
VISITORS to a North-East museum will be able to dive into the seven most deadly seas of all time and discover a prehistoric world of terrifying underwater monsters this summer. BBC Sea Monsters: A Walking with Dinosaurs Exhibition explores the science
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Defiant M&S board forces Green to drop takeover bid
RETAIL tycoon Philip Green last night dropped his £9.1bn takeover bid for Marks & Spencer. The high street group had earlier defied calls from its largest shareholder to allow Mr Green to examine the company's books ahead of the bid. The billionaire
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Savings culture collapsed, say Tories
The Government has presided over a collapse in the savings culture by repeatedly slashing tax incentives for savers, Tories claimed today. The criticism comes after ministers announced a shake-up of tax-free ISAs, reducing the annual savings limit for
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Zenden all set to join the ex-Blues brigade
MIDDLESBROUGH will complete the second part of a possible Chelsea treble this afternoon when Bolo Zenden arrives on Teesside to discuss his move from Stamford Bridge, writes Scott Wilson. Boro chief executive Keith Lamb will meet Zenden and his father
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The stain that just won't stick
Yesterday's Butler Report may have fleft Tony Blair in the clear. But, as Political Editor Chris Lloyd reports, the real judgement is still to come. THREE inquiries, three reports, three exonerations, but two more tests come today for Tony Blair, and
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Prison's gentle wing is opened
VULNERABLE new inmates are to receive a gentle introduction to prison life at a women's jail in the North-East. A new reception/induction wing was opened at Low Newton Women's Prison, at Brasside, on the outskirts of Durham, yesterday. The 40-place unit
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Fifteen arrests made in drink crackdown
A NATIONWIDE crackdown on binge-drinking is already having an effect at trouble spots in the North-East. Last week, police launched a crackdown across 77 cities and districts to curb problem drinking. Trouble spots in the region which are being targeted
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Cloughie passes on tips
FOOTBALL legend Brian Clough captivated an audience of North-East apprentices during an award ceremony yesterday. Mr Clough was visiting the region to present awards and talk to more than 100 teenagers from training provider South West Durham Training
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Police chairman angry over treatment of 'whistleblower'
Police chiefs have come under fire for initiating disciplinary action against a suspended finance officer who blew the whistle on a North-East force's spending crisis. Ken Walker, the ousted chairman of Cleveland Police Authority, used his final meeting
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Probe will look into collapsed company's accounts
AN investigation is being launched into accounting at the collapsed bus maker Mayflower and its subsidiaries. The Accountancy Investigation and Discipline Board (AIDB) said it planned to investigate auditing at Mayflower and its subsidiaries in the past
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Jail for man who set busy pub ablaze
A MAN who set fire to a pub where scores of people were drinking was caught on security cameras as he lit his cigarette lighter. Newcastle Crown Court heard that Christopher Rodgers told emergency operators he planned to start fires in Newcastle's Times
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Full steam ahead for Ferrie
THE North-East's sole representative in The Open Championship, Kenneth Ferrie, may be regarded as a rank outsider in most quarters but he is in the form of his life going into the showpiece at Royal Troon. The Ashington-born golfer is quoted at as much
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Compact launch
A BLUEPRINT aimed at strengthening relations between the public and voluntary sectors in the Darlington borough will be launched today. The first local compact between Darlington Borough Council, Darlington Primary Care Trust and community groups will
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Action call to reduce school vandalism
A COUNCILLOR has called for a greater police presence at a local school to prevent vandalism. Liberal Democrat Councillor Stephen Jones says that when he called police to report gangs of youths at Harrowgate Hill Junior School, in Darlington, there was
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Home guard unlikely to repel foreign invaders
THE Open Championship is the only one of golf's four majors not to have a place name in its title. The US Masters, US Open and US PGA are all intrinsically tied to the United States, but the Open's historical roots mean it is not influenced by matters
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80 ghost ships could head for North-East
UP to 80 more US navy "ghost ships" could be heading to the North-East for dismantling, the firm at the centre of the row told a committee of MPs yesterday. And Able UK predicted it would soon be scrapping British warships, as the Government accepted
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Efforts of council staff are honoured
THREE council employees have been honoured for outstanding contributions at work. Electoral services officer Sandra Hullah, public amenities attendant Harry Chilton and sampling officer Carl Little all work for Richmondshire District Council. They were
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Factory goes all out for Wonka production
A CONFECTIONER has begun production of a new chocolate bar. But delights such as Nutty Crunch Surprise and Whipple Scrumptious Fudgemallow Delight are unlikely ever to be found in shops. Instead, they will be featured on film in Charlie and the Chocolate
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Meeting to debate bid for brewery premises
NEW premises for a North Yorkshire brewery, including a beer racking plant and distribution facilities, have won the backing of a parish council. Masham Parish Council is supporting a planning application by The Black Sheep Brewery to develop industrial
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Comment from The Northern Echo: Voters have the last word
THIS Government must be the most scrutinised in British history. Thanks to the reports from Lords Butler and Hutton, we are privy to the innermost workings of Tony's Blair's administration. According to some interpretations, such detailed examinations
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Setting sail on a life-changing adventure
THE James Cook set sail yesterday for the first leg of the Tall Ships' Race 2004, with 12 young people from the North-East on board. Those who impress the permanent crew could be back on board next year helping to train other youngsters when the ship
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Arms and the men
Spider-man 2 brings Tobey Maguire's comic book hero into conflict with popular octopus-like mad scientist Doc Ock, played by British actor Alfred Molina. Steve Pratt reports om Molina's decision to become a Hollywood baddie and Maguire's second spell
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Natasha called up for netball honours
A 16-YEAR-OLD North-East schoolgirl has been selected to play netball for England. Natasha Khatib, of Newcastle's Dame Allan's Girls' School, has been chosen to play with the England Talent Squad following trials in Loughborough and Sheffield. She will
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Ex-service associations join forces
MEMBERS from ex-service associations are joining forces following the success of a town's 60th anniversary D-Day event. Officials and members of associations, from as far afield as Loftus, Middlesbrough and Stokesley, are being invited to join a new group
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Pupils make Fine impression
CHILDREN'S writer Anne Fine was impressed by the creative talents of pupils from five schools when they entertained her in a tiny chapel. The award-winning author spoke about her own ability to make up stories after watching the children dancing, singing
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New role for successful head
A headteacher who guided her school through one of the most successful periods in its history has been given a role as the champion for County Durham's teenage students. Mitch O'Reilly leaves Wolsingham School and Community College tomorrow to join a
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Scholarship helps Jodie on her way
A BUDDING actress has won a scholarship to a London drama school. Jodie Taibi, 20, of Roslyn Street, Darlington, will start a three-year degree at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, in Kensington, in September. The scholarship will pay her tuition
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Police will keep close eye on pubs to stop troublemakers
POLICE are launching a campaign to keep a tighter check on pubs to prevent heavy drinkers causing trouble. Officers will make extra evening patrols around all licensed premises in and around Barnard Castle, from Thursdays to Sundays. Sergeant Bill Dutton
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Warning to motorists
A STRONG message is being sent out to motorists in Darlington to reduce car crime around the town centre. Yellow signs are being put up in 20 streets this week warning motorists not to leave valuables on display for opportunist thieves. Darlington's Community
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Regeneration project celebrates success
A SCHEME that has helped to breathe life into a neglected part of Darlington is celebrating its third anniversary. The £400,000 Northgate Heritage Economic Regeneration Scheme is backed by One NorthEast and English Heritage and administered by Darlington
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Youngsters don period dress to sample life in Tudor times
LIFE in the days of the Tudors was re-enacted as part of a children's project. Pupils aged seven to nine dressed up in home-made Tudor costumes. The children also crafted bows and arrows and candles as part of an end-of-term history day. Youngsters at
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Spinning ahead to fitness
FITNESS fanatics in Darlington have been given a boost by the installation of equipment at a leisure centre. Twenty-one Tomahawk spinning bikes, worth a total of £18,000, were put in place at the Dolphin Centre, in Darlington Market Square. Darlington
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Service to be improved for MS patients
PLANS for a new physiotherapy service for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) have taken a step forward. Development of the service follows meetings held last month in Leyburn and Northallerton by Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Trust (PCT).
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18,000-strong panel has its say
A COUNCIL is to give residents a say by recruiting 18,000 residents to become members of a citizens panel. Members will be selected from different age groups and ethnic backgrounds from Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's electoral roll. They will
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Sweet scent of success for florists
FLORISTRY students are celebrating after achieving a national award for their displays. The students, from Askham Bryan College, Guisborough, achieved the National Certificate in Floristry Level 2, making them professionally qualified florists. As part
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Supermarket plan hangs in the balance after policy row
PLANNING officers have recommended refusing permission to build a supermarket in a Teesside town - despite receiving no objections. After hearing the advice, Stockton borough councillors deferred making a decision at a planning committee meeting in Stockton
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Artistic pupils help out woodland group
SCHOOL pupils put their artistic talents to the test to give a Durham group a logo. The Friends of Pelaw Wood, which was formed to clear up and look after the woodland in Gilesgate, staged a competition to find a winning design. Pupils at Gilesgate Primary
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Young people offered sexual health advice
HEALTH chiefs have started a campaign to advise teenagers about safe sex. Students from New College Durham attended the event at Upfront, the young people's health clinic in Framwellgate Moor. Safer Sex for Summer offered useful information, free condoms
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Funding aid for wildlife
A SENSORY garden designed to attract dragonflies has been given a £20,000 grant. The County Durham Environmental Trust (CDent) is giving money from the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme to Broadgate Farm, near Esh. The garden features brightly coloured plants
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Andrew draws attention to bullying problem - and wins himself a prize
AN artistic youngster has won a prize of a personal CD player for drawing attention to the problem of bullying. Eight-year-old Andrew Redmayne, of Belmont Primary School, designed a poster to encourage children to be friends. His was chosen by a panel
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Dad At Large: All part of the service
ANOTHER Wimbledon has come and gone and Tim Henman has missed another chance to be a champion. They say it's all the pressure he's under: the burden of expectation; the hopes of a nation; Henmania. Well, let me tell you - Tim knows nothing about pressure
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Results awaited after tests for E-coli cause
FINAL test results are still awaited to confirm the source of an E-coli outbreak in part of the North-East. Health experts continue to suspect the infection is linked to the Castle Bank butchers' shop, in Chester-le-Street, County Dur-ham. The source
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Hurricane Harvey puts Flintoff in the shade
Australian all-rounder Ian Harvey marked his return to Yorkshire's side after injury with a stunning unbeaten century as Lancashire were crushed by eight wickets with 13 balls to spare in the Twenty-20 Roses clash at Headingley last night. But Yorkshire's
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15/07/04
MINERS' GALA: AS I witnessed the Durham Miners' Gala, I thought of those who made the heritage. It had been some years since I had been to the Big Meeting and I encountered a new sense of fervour. The banners waving strongly in the gusty wind resembled
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Mental health patient held a nurse by the throat
A MENTAL health patient assaulted a nurse after drinking half a bottle of vodka, a court heard yesterday. The attack came after Jason Brown was told he would be discharged from Darlington Memorial Hospital's psychiatric unit last week. Magistrates at
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Damp squib of a drama
Making Waves (ITV1): AFTER two episodes, ITV1's new naval series is still struggling to leave dock. It hasn't sunk with all hands yet but this seaborne Soldier Soldier is letting in water fast. When you're more interested in the locations than the characters
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Pupils' tunes on the spoons
A MAESTRO of the spoons is passing on his rare skills to a new generation. Former world champion Bert Draycott has been teaching youngsters the art of spoon playing to keep the musical tradition alive. And one of his young proteges could soon be following
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Small plans' big boost
WORK is under way on a programme to breathe new life into even the smallest of communities in County Durham. The County Durham Urban and Rural Renaissance Initiative was launched last year to pump around £20m into improving the physical environment of
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Search for relatives of lost airmen
A MAN whose father was killed during a bombing mission in the Second World War is trying to trace the families of the two airmen who died alongside him. Ken Cothliff is event director for Yorkshire Air Show, which takes place at Elvington, near York.
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Museum staff's delight as visitor numbers increase
MUSEUM staff are delighted after visitor figures for last month nearly doubled compared to same time 12 months ago. The Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, County Durham, saw 11,844 visitors, in June, compared with 5,949 in 2003. Other months have also seen
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A Princely performance
LEICESTER'S stiff six-furlong track is absolutely ideal for Princely Vale's attempt to land a sparkling four-timer. Plenty of the usual suspects have lined up their two-year-olds for a crack at the £8,000 Nursery Handicap, however they might all be whistling
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Dream railway all set for launch
MODERN day rail pioneers will be celebrating the success of an 11-year-campaign at the weekend. The first regular passenger service for 51 years will leave Stanhope Station on Saturday morning, marking the reopening of the Weardale Railway as a tourist
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A day of pride
IT'S 7.15am on Saturday and already the lads in the Voltigeur in Spennymoor are drinking snakebite and wondering if it'll rain on their parade. Durham Big Meeting may now only be the Comparatively Big Meeting, the term "gala" may have been hijacked by
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Swimming pool finally set to open
THE doors of a much-vaunted swimming pool that has been dogged by delays will finally open this summer. The new £5.7m pool at the Louisa Centre in Front Street, Stanley, will be open to the public from Monday, August 9. With its expanded gym, main pool
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Charity CD launched in memory of musicians
A CHARITY album inspired by the lives of some of Hartlepool's most famous musicians will be launched tomorrow. Musician Mick Donnelly, 43, of Balmoral Road, Hartlepool, has recorded the charity album in aid of Hartlepool and District Hospice. The CD,
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Industry hit by skills shortage
Employers in the region are struggling to fill manufacturing posts with skilled workers, despite figures released yesterday showing that jobs are still being lost in the sector. A report by the Office for National Statistics showed there had been a continued
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A Princely performance
LEICESTER'S stiff six-furlong track is absolutely ideal for Princely Vale's attempt to land a sparkling four-timer. Plenty of the usual suspects have lined up their two-year-olds for a crack at the £8,000 Nursery Handicap, however they might all be whistling
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Residents set to fight for open spaces
RESIDENTS are to go head-to-head with a developer over who has the rights to two open spaces. Public inquiries will be held into whether the Blue Heaps and the Top of the Park in Consett should be registered as village greens. Both sites were sold by
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Betting on a winner with Snow White adaptation
PUPILS at a Crook primary school are giving a popular fairy story a modern twist, with the help of a favourite author. Writer Roald Dahl wrote a version of the Snow White story in his bestselling book Revolting Rhymes. It goes on stage in St Cuthbert's
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Holidaymakers warned over foreign traffic fines trick
A TEAM of conmen have been making life a misery for holidaymakers - after they return from their breaks in the sun. Coming home to a waiting mountain of mail, they have discovered some unwanted surprises lurking among the letters. For the tricksters have
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Brass bands
A SERIES of outdoor brass band concerts are taking place in Hartlepool. The Aycliffe and Brancepeth Band start the season on Sunday July 25 at the Quayside Museum, Hartlepool Marina. The concert, organised by Hartlepool council, runs from 2pm to 4pm and
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I paid woman for sex, says rape charge soldier
A SOLDIER told a court yesterday he paid a woman £60 for sex before she accused him of raping her in an alleyway. Scots Guard Mili Kaitani, 22, said the 25-year-old was drunk when she led him from a nightclub in Catterick, North Yorkshire, after he gave
