Archive
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Rural network sees membership double
AN ORGANISATION aimed at getting more women in rural areas into new skills, and possibly into their own businesses, has doubled its numbers. The group has grown from 180 members in the spring to 360 at the last count and, although members live as far
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Seve's big match comes to Wynyard
GOLF legend Seve Ballesteros this week gave his stamp of approval to the North-East as the host of next year's Seve Trophy. The five-times Major winner has confirmed The Wynyard Golf Club in Tees Valley as the venue for the 2005 event, which pits the
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Arson attack trial is dropped
THE trial of seven youths accused of burning down a North-East community centre was abandoned by prosecutors yesterday. The accused were due to stand trial for arson after Skerne Park Community Centre, in Darlington, was burnt down in March. But the Crown
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Grief as crash claims two young lives
A DEVASTATED mother has described how she came across the road accident that claimed the lives of her ten-year-old son and teenage daughter. Karen Armstrong became concerned when eldest daughter, Lindsay, 26, called to say her sister, Jenna, 19, and brother
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Meet the death-defying survivors rooted in the dim and distant past
MY notes about the Fortingall Yew (D&S, Oct 1) have prompted some enquiries as to why yew trees were planted in churchyards, or why they grow close to churches. The truth is that many were growing on those sites long before the church was constructed
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Appeal follows fatal accident
POLICE are appealing for a lorry driver who could have vital information about a road accident that claimed the life of a young woman at the weekend to get in touch. Accident investigators believe a lorry driver who was travelling along the A66 on Saturday
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Special livestock sales
HAWES. - Sat. Annual show & sale of Swaledale gimmer lambs & shlgs. Fwd: 3,334 sheep. Gimmer lambs to £120 av £44.25 (down £1.42 on 2003); gimmer shlgs to £122 av £81.34 (down £1.90). Prizes. - 10 shlgs for Tunstall Tractors Trophy: 1 G Calvert
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15/10/04
REGIONAL ASSEMBLY: ACCORDING to a recent poll by the North-East Chamber of Commerce, over two-thirds of business people in County Durham favour the establishment of one council in County Durham as a result of November's referendum. These hard-working
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Noon blow adds to Falcons' woes
NEWCASTLE Falcons have suffered another injury blow ahead of Sunday's match at home to Saracens. England squad centre Jamie Noon, who set a Premiership record last season for successive appearances, has a sore calf and will miss his first game of the
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Sad tale of the sex trade
Sex Traffic (C4): AT a charity dinner in Massachusetts, the rich and the powerful are donating big sums of money to charity, while whispering that "I need to talk to you about the Iraq contract". In Bosnia, two Moldovan sisters are being used and abused
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Burton's Bytes: The Italian stallion strikes again
ROCKY LEGENDS: Publisher: Ubisoft. Format: PS2. Price: £39.99: Family friendly? Unlike the films, this game is for the over 16s only. JUST like the films it was based upon, the first Rocky game was something of a sleeper hit. And, just as a sequel followed
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Sunshine after monsoon - in Stokesley as well as India
SOMEONE turned the tap off - at least on our side of the country. After a record-breaking wet August with two to 3 times the average rainfall across the region, September was very dry. There was one-fifth of the expected quota towards the coast, but up
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Painting gift to college
A PAINTING of a North-East college at the centre of a £5m revamp has been handed over to staff. Curtis Office supplied the furnishings for a building programme which is nearing completion at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, in Darlington. The firm's
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Three arrested in drugs raids
HEROIN and crack cocaine with a street value of £27,000 were seized in a series of raids yesterday. Three people were arrested during the swoops on properties in Middlesbrough town centre, as part of Cleveland Police's Operation Sabre crackdown on drug
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Don't let housework take over your life
IF HOUSEWORK is the new rock and roll, I'll sit this dance out, thank you all the same. TV shows such as How Clean is Your House? - to which the answer is invariably "not at all" - go on and on and whole newspaper columns devoted to how to polish the
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Boost for hospice
A TIRELESS charity supporter, who has overcome personal setbacks, has boosted a hospice appeal. Lil Sowerby, backed by fellow members of the ladies darts club and officials at Ushaw Moor Catholic Club, organised fashion and variety shows. The two events
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Court order bans city pest
ACTION has been taken to quell the antics of a persistent nuisance who pesters shop, restaurant and pub staff while drunk or under the influence of drugs. Banning orders were made this week restricting the movements and actions of 33-year-old Lee Godfrey
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Wanted: A keen Sunday worker
IT means a lot of Sunday working but it's not a bad job - a salary of nearly £53,000-a-year, plus a chauffeur and a medieval palace to call home. There's also a lot of public speaking and some flamboyant formal dressing. But then the successful candidate
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Reveley enjoys win at the third and final attempt
LINGDALE-based show jumper James Reveley scored a memorable win at the Horse of the Year Show, staged at the NEC Birmingham and attracting all the country's top riders. The 15 year old, a pupil at Sacred Heart School, Redcar, headed the Junior Foxhunter
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'No' campaign ahead in latest poll
THE number of people in favour of a North-East regional assembly seems to be slipping back. A new opinion poll commissioned by The Journal in Newcastle shows the "No" campaign edging ahead. But its support is matched by the number of people who say they
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Drunken actor was killed on railtrack
AN actor who starred in the hit film Billy Elliot has been killed by a freight train. Dennis Lingard, 54, the son of a North-East shipyard welder, died on May 14 when he wandered drunkenly on to railway tracks and was hit by the locomotive. Mr Lingard
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Police launch investigation as MP targeted in handbills
HUNDREDS of handbills attacking one of the region's most senior MPs were delivered to homes and businesses across her constituency in a co-ordinated night-time operation. Police are investigating Tuesday's leaflet drop, which was branded the work of cowards
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Pony dates
Bedale & West of Yore PC. - Oct 24: Mounted games training, 5-7pm, at Catterick. For details ring Rowan on 01748 832829. Competition rallies, ten years and over, REC Oct 18, YRC Oct 25. For further details phone Robert 01845 526185. Bedale Hunt SC
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Police hunt bicycle thief
A MAN pushed a 13-year-old boy off his bike before stealing it. The boy was riding his white BMX-style bike at the old Bowling Green, in Acklam Road, Whinney Banks, Middlesbrough, when he was attacked from behind at about 5.30pm on Wednesday, October
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Wellock's World: No-one smelling of roses
IN the red corner Goliath Gascoigne; in the blue corner David Beckham. It would be the perfect showdown to decide which of them deserves the greater headlines. In the week when Boston's player-coach quits and tells us he doesn't want to be known as Gazza
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Oasis Star to chart winning course
SOFTENING ground at Newmarket could help Oasis Star (3.25) inch to victory in the Bellwinch Homes Handicap. Although Oasis Star has done most of her racing on a firm surface, there is evidence from an earlier win at Chester that in an ideal world she
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Inquest verdict on nurse in road accident
A RETIREMENT party ended in tragedy when a nurse was hit and killed by a taxi after stepping out into the road. An inquest was told that Arlene Mitcheson received "catastrophic" head injuries after she was struck by a licensed black and yellow cab driven
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Abbey voters agree to takeover
Abbey National shareholders last night gave the go-ahead for a takeover by Spain's largest bank after a stormy meeting in which the group faced a barrage of criticism. At a fraught and lively gathering, in which the board was continuously heckled, Abbey
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Christmas tree with no lights casts a shadow across village
A PARISH councillor's idea for a Christmas tree without lights got short shrift in Hurworth this week. Worried about the £700 price tag on the seasonal feature, David Bell suggested a bare tree would cut costs. Other councillors were horrified. "For heaven's
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Crash ends Bardy's promising return
SCOTCH Corner driver Tony Bardy looked set for a rostrum placing in his first rally for more than nine months when he crashed out within sight of the finish on the 35th Tour of Mull. The Nissan Sunny GTi-R driver and his Richmond co-driver Reg Smith overcame
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GPs ready to start work from new £2.1m surgery
ONE of Darlington's best known GP practices is celebrating the start of a new era this week. The Netherlaw Surgery in Stanhope Road collected the keys to a new home in a disused pub, and for the next two weeks it will be all systems go as staff gear up
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Museum named top tourist attraction
Beamish Museum has been named the best tourist attraction in the North-East. The museum, near Stanley, won large visitor attraction of the year at the Pride of Northumbria Awards. The ceremony took place at Redworth Hall, near Darlington, last week. The
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Grain report
by Robin Twizell RMD Agriculture WHEAT prices have improved slightly on the back of a slightly weaker pound, which has allowed a few larger cargoes to be sold. It is, however, rather depressing to suggest wheat at £60 is good news. Oilseed prices have
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So close - but so far apart
The debates are over, and with just 18 days to go until America chooses a president, it is still too close to call. Nick Morrison looks at the race for the White House - and what the outcome will mean for Britain. FOUR years ago it came down to some hanging
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Knitting club starts up in former brothel
A FORMER brothel has become a haven for a more gentle pastime. The Miss Spiritual Tramp's Knitting Club has set up in The Forth Hotel on Newcastle's notorious Pink Lane. Fay Nixon, 19, a fine art student at Sunderland University, makes the trip to the
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The killer that took me by surprise
There's a killer on the loose claiming 900 victims a year - the majority of which are children and pensioners. To make matters worse half of these deaths are avoidable. I'm not talking about accidents in the home or on the roads but a condition most of
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Art franchise appeals
AN international art retailer based in the region has attracted interest from more than 50 companies from as far afield as Moscow and Milan. Eyestorm britart has launched a franchise format, believed to be the first of its kind in the world, which will
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Cost query over repeated repairs to road bridge
QUESTIONS have been asked about the cost to a local authority of repairing a narrow bridge which has been repeatedly damaged by unsuitable traffic near Thirsk. North Yorkshire councillors were told on Monday that some drivers of long, wide and heavy lorries
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TV review
Sex Traffic (C4) AT a charity dinner in Massachusetts, the rich and the powerful are donating big sums of money to charity, while whispering that "I need to talk to you about the Iraq contract". In Bosnia, two Moldovan sisters are being used and abused
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Council worry over parking
COUNCILLORS are concerned about villagers converting garages into rooms and exacerbating the problem of roadside parking. The issue was brought up at Middleton St George's parish council meeting this week when members discussed an application to convert
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Go-ahead for care home
PLANS to build a 69-bed residential care home on the site of a redundant petrol station have been approved by councillors. Members of Gateshead Council's planning and development committee supported the development on a prominent site in the t0wn's Lobley
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Hotel helps out community
YOUNGSTERS will enjoy a host of outdoor play equipment thanks to the fundraising efforts of a hotel. The Park Head Hotel, in Coundon, held a sportsman's dinner in aid of SureStart Wear Valley East and raised £1001 to buy toys and play equipment for youngsters
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Debate on the rural issues
THE Country Land And Business Association (CLA) will have a debate on the impact of the proposed regional assembly on rural areas in the Tynesdale Suite of Hexham Mart, at 6.15pm on Monday. Speakers are Professor John Tomaney and CLA chairman John Cresswell
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Homes set for approval
PROTESTERS seem set to lose a fight to stop a housing development in Middleton St George. At next week's meeting of Darlington planning committee, officers will recommend members approve plans for five three-storey town houses on the site of a petrol
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Fruit tuck shop opens
STUDENTS in north Durham are ditching sweets for healthy treats. Roseberry Sport and Community College in Chester-le-Street yesterday launched a fruit tuck shop for pupils. It will be open during the school morning break and is run by the PE and sports
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Staff to join families on march to save care home
STAFF and relatives of residents at the Graceland nursing home in Guisborough are stepping up their fight to save it from closure. They have formed an action committee and will lead a protest march through the town tomorrow morning. A petition is also
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Mum earns top marks in exam
A SINGLE mother-of-two with a head for figures has been awarded the top mark in the country in an accounting exam. Bishop Auckland College student Louise Tron, 25, sat her GCSE exam on her way to fulfilling her dream of working as an accountant. After
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Quakers boss looks certain to find room for Hignett
DARLINGTON boss David Hodgson is a stickler for keeping faith with winning sides, but even he admits it would be "difficult to ignore" the return to fitness of Craig Hignett. Eighth-placed Quakers meet Bury at the Williamson Motors Stadium tomorrow, fresh
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Fight to save supermarket wins support
HUNDREDS of people have backed the fight to save Durham City's only supermarket from closure. A petition launched by Labour parliamentary candidate Roberta Blackman-Woods to secure the future of the Safeway store has won support from residents and students
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Masterplan is unveiled for multi-million pound park
THE masterplan for a multi-million pound business park which could create up to 20,000 jobs in the region was unveiled last night. The development at Wynyard Business Park, which is being pioneered by North-East business figurehead Sir John Hall, will
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Tributes paid to council worker
TRIBUTES have been paid to a well-known former council employee who has died suddenly. Dave Hodge, who looked after all the technical requirements at the Town Hall Theatre, Hartlepool, for more than 25 years, died on Monday after a battle with cancer.
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In the swim thanks to £2,000 grant
YOUNG swimmers are training for an It's a Swimming Knockout competition thanks to a £2,000 grant. Pupils in Ingleby Barwick and Thornaby were given the grant by Thornaby Town Council. Nearly 90 pupils, aged nine to 11, from 11 primary schools, will take
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Nichola is planning a better future
THE woman who has been given the task of improving the quality of life for residents in part of a north Durham town is urging householders to come forward with new projects. Nichola Smith, of Stanley, is the new community capacity worker for Consett North
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Women's Institute backs campaign to save the streets
ENGLISH Heritage has enlisted the support of the Women's Institute to help clear streets of unwanted signs, poles and bollards. The campaign, called Save Our Streets, was launched yesterday in Knaresborough, where the once-congested market square has
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On the spot
COUNCILLORS will be put on the spot by youngsters next week as part of Local Democracy Week. Young people in Stockton will have the chance to put their questions to a cross-party of councillors from Stockton Borough Council. The event takes place on Tuesday
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Nursery move proposal
A NEW home is needed for a plant nursery that sells discounted goods. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has confirmed it is reviewing the future of Kirkleatham Nursery and looking at alternative provision to sell its plants. Councillors are to discuss
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Comment from The Northen Echo: Keeping an eye on the ball
SVEN-Goran Erikkson gave David Beckham a slap on the wrist yesterday, warning him to be more careful about what he does and says. Beckham has retained the captaincy of his country with nothing more than a mild rebuke from the man who has stood by him
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Decision day looms
A LANDOWNER may be ordered to demolish his home-made flood defences next week over fears that they increase the flood risk of his neighbours. Stan Mooring, owner of Beck Isle Farm, Pickering, has built a stone wall and earth barriers to protect his Grade
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Clampdown on trouble
POLICE in Stockton have been given powers to challenge youths who persist in anti-social behaviour. In a direct response to public concerns about the problems in the Fairfield and Grangefield areas, police and Stockton Borough Council, are authorising
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Students show business sense
STUDENTS are turning a school project into a profit, after launching a new product on the market. Pupils at Blackfyne School in Consett are producing and marketing a cactus-shaped pencil holder. They set out to create it as part of their course work,
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Durham Memories: Moorland home for a bay horse and a dragon
Gilesgate Moor is an extensive eastern suburb of Durham and has much in common with its northern counterpart at Framwellgate Moor. Both were named from ancient Durham streets and both encompassed open moorland until enclosure in the early 19th Century
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Mast site 'worst possible place'
A COUNCILLOR claims a communications company has chosen the worst possible place to site a mobile phone mast in Darlington. Councillor Tom Nutt, ward member for Haughton North, will speak out against O2's application to erect a 15 metre mast and antennae
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Pond scheme
Plans to build an angling pond at Cross Lanes, Tollerton, near Easingwold, are expected to be approved next week. Hambleton District Council officers have backed the project, saying it will have no adverse effects on neighbours or the appearance of the
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New faces at care trust
A RETIRED nurse and an education specialist have been appointed as non-executive directors on the board of Sedgefield Primary Care Trust. Agnes Armstrong and David Halladay, who are both from Spennymoor, will sit for four years and will receive £5,673
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20-year vision for Durham's future
A NEW phase in the ambitious 20-year project to exploit Durham City's potential was launched yesterday. Earlier in the year, a steering group produced its first report on its Vision for Durham. Yesterday, those initial findings and recommendations were
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Easing the agony of abuse
TUCKED away in the heart of Darlington, The Centre is a lifeline for hundreds of women who have been victims of rape or sexual abuse. Last year, volunteer counsellors answered 700 calls on the helpline and spent 170 hours supporting women face-to-face
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Moorland home for a bay horse and a dragon
Gilesgate Moor is an extensive eastern suburb of Durham and has much in common with its northern counterpart at Framwellgate Moor. Both were named from ancient Durham streets and both encompassed open moorland until enclosure in the early 19th Century
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United striker did 61mph in 40mph zone
NEWCASTLE United star Shola Ameobi has been banned from driving for 28 days for doing 61mph in a 40mph zone. The England Under-21 striker was fined £500 and ordered to pay £43 costs when he admitted speeding and failing to produce his driving licence.
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Flagship facility unveiled
MILLIONS of pounds in funding has been secured for a new sports facility at a flagship North-East stadium. The two-storey Regional Performance Centre at the Gateshead International Stadium will integrate community and educational sport facilities with
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Approval likely for housing scheme
PROPOSALS to create 14 homes in a conservation area are expected to be approved despite a series of objections from residents. Almost 50 people have raised objections to the plan for a site in Blakey Lane, Sowerby, near Thirsk, and two meetings were also
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Catwalk chance for pupils
SCHOOL pupils have tried their hand at fashion design to help out a new label aimed at the 15 to 25-year-old market. A number of 15 and 16-year-old girls, from Durham High School, designed a range of outfits for a ball or prom, to be sold around the country
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Hundreds hit by rural bus service cuts
HUNDREDS of villagers claim they have been cut off after a bus company cut services. Rural communities have launched campaigns demanding their buses are reinstated, after sweeping timetable changes by operator Go North East. The company introduced revised
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Boro out to keep Schwarzer
MIDDLESBROUGH want Mark Schwarzer to commit his future to the club amid mounting speculation that he is bound for Manchester United in the summer. The Australian international, who has kept two clean sheets so far this season, has built up a reputation
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Family mourns crash children
A DEVASTATED mother has described how she came across the road accident that claimed the lives of her ten-year-old son and teenage daughter. Karen Armstrong became concerned when eldest daughter, Lindsay, 26, called to say her sister, Jenna, 19, and brother
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Shop Talk: A feast for under a fiver
SEVEN pounds for baked beans on toast? That's what Jamie Oliver was charging at his Fifteen restaurant in London. True, the Best Baked Bean Bruschetta came garnished with cherry tomatoes, red chillis, basil, rocket and shaved parmesan. But still... After
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Unions say academies will create 'two-tier education'
THE North-East will be left with a two-tier education system if independent academies planned for the region go ahead, unions warned yesterday. The Government wants to have 200 city academies in the UK by 2010 and is keen to see one developed in Newcastle's
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Expansion as quality Dales beef builds enviable reputation
AN AWARD-WINNING meat producer is expanding his business after building an up-to-the-minute cutting and packaging plant. Stephen Knox has built an enviable reputation for the quality of his Yorkshire Dales Beef brand. His range of joints, steaks, burgers
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Around the marts
BARNARD CASTLE . - Wed. of last week. Fwd: 1520 sheep, Lt lambs to 90.2p av 88.6p; std 114p av 107.2p; med to 114 av 108.3p; heavy to 107p av 103.8p. Cast sheep: Cont £39; Suff £38.50; Mule £36; Swale £23.50. Tues. - Fwd: 104 cattle. Breeding cattle:
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Stepping on the gas to the future
A discovery by British scientists could potentially mean the end of the petrol engine. Researchers from Newcastle and Liverpool universities have found a new safe way of storing and releasing hydrogen to produce energy. The breakthrough, which involves
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Concern over end of Saturday surgeries
PRIMARY care trusts in North Yorkshire are taking action over the proposed withdrawal of Saturday morning surgeries in family doctor practices. Members of North Yorkshire County Council's health scrutiny committee were told by nursing director Janet Probert
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Young swimmers land title success
YOUNG swimmers from Thirsk completed their last year as members of the East Coast League as champions. The league sees teams from across the North-East compete against each other throughout the year. At the final gala in Bridlington, the Thirsk White
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Treatment and fundraising go hand in hand
HOSPITAL patients enjoyed the luxury of a manicure and helped the fight against cancer at the same time. Beauty therapists Alison Jerram, from Flintoft, and Joanne Thompson, from Northallerton, volunteered to spend a morning offering the service, for
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Parish unhappy about plan
PLANS to increase the number of houses on a development in a village near Darlington have gone before parish councillors. George Wimpey North-East was granted permission at the turn of the year to build 102 houses on land occupied by old industrial buildings
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Grieving mum's plea to backpackers
The mother of a British backpacker killed in Australia has urged young travellers to take basic precautions before jetting abroad during gap years. Caroline Stuttle, 19, from York, fell 30ft to her death from a bridge in Bundaberg, Queensland, while on
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Sheriff to tour schools in borough
THE High Sheriff of County Durham is visiting schools across the Darlington borough to teach youngsters the long history of his office. Richard Coad, who is the 1,013th High Sheriff of the county, launched his series of visits last week with a trip to
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Darlington fight back to earn point at Dudley
A HAT-TRICK of tries by full back Iain Dixon helped Darlington Mowden Park to a 35-20 win at home to Bedford Athletic, which lifted them into mid-table in National Three North. Darlington moved up one place to third from the bottom after drawing 25-25
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CPS to launch unique initiative in N-E
THE Crown Prosecution Service in County Durham is launching a unique initiative in the North-East that will see cases of domestic violence dealt with in special courts. The move comes as one of a number of improvements in the organisation, including the
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Town miss out as league's new boys stand firm
NORTHALLERTON Town boss Paul Burton read the riot act to his team following their latest defeat last Saturday. They went down 3-0 at South Shields the previous Tuesday evening before producing another unacceptable performance to lose 1-0 at home to league
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Strike 'inevitable' after talks
UNION officials at a North-East factory said strike action was now almost inevitable after last-chance talks with management broke down acrimoniously. Workers at the plant of British Polythene Industries (BPI), also known as Visqueen, at Yarm Road, Stockton
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Manufacturers' confidence increasing, says survey
CONFIDENCE in the North-East manufacturing sector has soared - outstripping nationwide expectations. A survey of businesses in the region showed 80 per cent of manufacturers were expecting to improve turnover in the next year. The findings of the British
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Red meat producers told food chain must co-operate and communicate
RED meat producers must wake up to the new world in which they are about to operate. They must cut costs, increase efficiency, and produce what customers want - not what they think they should want. Speaker after speaker repeated that it would involve
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Tackling an embarrassing issue at the click of a mouse
NEWCASTLE Falcons rugby stars are promoting a new website designed to promote sexual health in the region. With soaring rates of sexually-transmitted infections, there is growing concern that people in the North are not taking sexual health seriously
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Delays for energy scheme but hopes remain high
A LEADING geologist has been describing how a wall of water has frustrated attempts to uncover so-called "hot rocks" near a redundant cement plant in the North Pennines. But he forecast that the French-owned drilling rig - nicknamed "the space station
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Abbey voters agree to takeover
Abbey National shareholders last night gave the go-ahead for a takeover by Spain's largest bank after a stormy meeting in which the group faced a barrage of criticism. At a fraught and lively gathering, in which the board was continuously heckled, Abbey
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Harvest has been grim
THE disastrous impact of the wet summer on the region's harvest became clear this week. While the average national wheat yield was forecast to be up 2pc on last year, the North-East's is expected to be down by almost 2.5pc. The NFU said the drop came
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Goosen's record win
Golf fans could be in for an early morning treat at Wentworth today - after seven of the eight first round games in the HSBC World Match Play championship failed to finish before darkness on the opening day. A two-and-a-half-hour rain delay at the start
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Huth row with Jose alerts Magpies
NEWCASTLE UNITED'S hopes of landing Chelsea centre-back Robert Huth have been boosted after the German admitted to a bust-up with boss Jose Mourinho. The 20-year-old has been left kicking his heels as Chelsea have remained unbeaten in both domestic and
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Conmen steal life savings of widow, 73
A WIDOW has been left heartbroken after callous burglars stole her life savings and love letters written by her husband 50 years ago. The 73-year-old woman, who has not been named, was the victim of bogus callers who targeted her home in Lowther Avenue
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Solicitor attacks Post Office over 'flawed' closure process
A SOLICITOR has attacked the Post Office's decision to close 11 branches in the region, claiming its consultation process in relation to one site was flawed. Middlesbrough solicitor Nigel Boddy yesterday wrote to Post Office Ltd demanding to know what
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Plan for 120 homes approved
MORE than 120 homes will be built on the site of a former council estate, as part of plans to regenerate a former pit village. Taylor Woodrow Developments will construct 127 houses on land at Ewehurst Road, Flint Hill, near Stanley. Derwentside District
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Hundreds to attend service for top doctor
MORE than 200 people are expected to attend a memorial service today for a leading North-East doctor. Professor Roger Freeman, 59, a microbiologist with an international reputation, died suddenly at work in June. He was regional microbiologist with the
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University tutor admits charges of child porn
A UNIVERSITY tutor and music festival worker appeared in court yesterday to admit Internet child pornography charges. Keith Burton, a course tutor in the physics department at York University, who helps run the Harrogate Competitive Festival of Music,
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The Italian Stallion strikes again
ROCKY LEGENDS: Publisher: Ubisoft. Format: PS2. Price: £39.99: Family friendly? Unlike the films, this game is for the over 16s only. JUST like the films it was based upon, the first Rocky game was something of a sleeper hit. And, just as a sequel followed
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Burton's Bytes
ROCKY LEGENDS Publisher: Ubisoft. Format: PS2. Price: £39.99. Family friendly? Unlike the films, this game is for the over 16s only. JUST like the films it was based upon, the first Rocky game was something of a sleeper hit. And, just as a sequel followed
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Masterplan is unveiled for multi-million pound park
THE masterplan for a multi-million pound business park which could create up to 20,000 jobs in the region was unveiled last night. The development at Wynyard Business Park, which is being pioneered by North-East business figurehead Sir John Hall, will
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Rare optimisim will fill the Quakers' air
AN unfamiliar sense of optimism is sure to be in the air at the Williamson Motors Stadium tomorrow when Quakers take on Bury. Darlington supporters are suddenly full of hope that their team can mount a serious promotion challenge after last Saturday's
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Town bypass is bypassed by drivers
DRIVERS are bypassing Thirsk bypass because the surface of the road is so poor. Nowadays many motorists prefer to travel into the town from the A1 via Topcliffe Road and the centre. Thirsk and Sowerby town councils have both been pressing for improvements
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Top riders all set to tackle Scott Trial
THE famous Scott Trial takes place next Saturday, October 23 with a full entry of 200 including competitors from as far away as Spain and the United States, writes Wally Richmond. Local past winners taking part are Gerald Richardson and Philip Alderson
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Salmonella warning over Spanish eggs
Health experts issued a warning yesterday about salmonella in Spanish eggs. An estimated 6,000 people in England and Wales have been made ill over the past two years by strains of the bacteria linked to eggs imported from Spain. Fifteen deaths in the
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Delays for energy scheme but hopes remain high
A LEADING geologist has been describing how a wall of water has frustrated attempts to uncover so-called "hot rocks" near a redundant cement plant in the North Pennines. But he forecast that the French-owned drilling rig - nicknamed "the space station
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Civic stalwart will carry banner no more
A MAN whose family has held a ceremonial role in Richmond for more than a century is stepping down after 35 years. Denis Sanderson became the civic banner man in 1969 and carried the town crest at the seven-yearly boundary riding and a variety of processions
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Parish's plea for joiner's home looks doomed
A SENIOR planning officer for the North York Moors National Park Authority warned that a Castleton joiner's proposal to build a home next to his business could open the floodgates for others. Jeffrey Thompson applied for outline planning permission to
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Top photographer opens new gallery
AN internationally celebrated photographer from the region has opened a new gallery in Northallerton. Joe Cornish celebrated the opening of the gallery in Zetland Street last Friday by unveiling his latest print entitled Approaching Sunset, Millennium
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Triumph before retirement for Magic
A PONY found tied to a fence at sales in Ireland has thrilled his North Yorkshire owner by winning a top prize at the Horse of the Year Show. Monivae Magic Rainbow, bought from Ballinasloe Sales by Philippa Porley, won the native/cob/traditional final
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Teeswaters at Leyburn
THE annual show and sale of pedigree Teeswater sheep, at Leyburn Auction Mart, saw a good crowd of buyers bidding well, with a record price of 1,700gns for a ram bred at Baudshaw Farms, bought by E. Thackery and Sons. The judges, Richard Webber, Minehead
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English country house style and standards at a knock-down price
COUNTRY house hotels are not the place one can normally expect to pick up a bargain. Some of course are excellent and charge accordingly. Many, however, are tired, short of customers and have a touch of the Fawlty Towers about them. I can painfully recall
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Wall row residents win reprieve
RESIDENTS fighting plans for a high wall near their homes have won a temporary reprieve. Developers Bowey Homes and Dunelm Castle Homes are building a housing estate on the former Murray Park greyhound stadium in Stanley. Builders have started work on
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Political support for coherent policy vital
THE IMPORTANCE of the thousands of acres of heather moorland to the Ryedale economy was emphasised during a visit to the 7,000-acre Spaunton Manor Estate by MP for Ryedale, John Greenway. He toured moorland around Hutton-le-Hole, Spaunton and Appleton-le-Moors
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Wanted: A keen Sunday worker
IT means a lot of Sunday working but it's not a bad job - a salary of nearly £53,000-a-year, plus a chauffeur and a medieval palace to call home. There's also a lot of public speaking and some flamboyant formal dressing. But then the successful candidate
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A real Teesdale welcome
THE newly refurbished tourist information centre in Barnard Castle has become a tourist attraction in its own right, thanks to the skill of local craftsmen. For a £60,000 facelift has included a new counter which combines modern security and disabled
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United striker did 61mph in 40mph zone
NEWCASTLE United star Shola Ameobi has been banned from driving for 28 days for doing 61mph in a 40mph zone. The England Under-21 striker was fined £500 and ordered to pay £43 costs when he admitted speeding and failing to produce his driving licence.
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Anthology's N-E launch
AN anthology that went straight to number one in the UK's poetry bestsellers chart on National Poetry Day last week, will have its North-East launch tomorrow. Being Alive, the sequel to Staying Alive, is published by Bloodaxe Books. For the launch at
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Can we have our ball back?
A CRICKET ball has rebounded back to its spiritual home in East Cleveland after almost 100 years. Dave Beach, scorer at Marske Cricket Club, heard that the ball was due to be auctioned in Harrogate, when a man from Bradford who was bidding for a rugby
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Nursery could make way for development
A COUNCIL-owned garden nursery near Redcar could be closed to make way for a village development. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council confirmed this week that it is reviewing the future of Kirkleatham Nursery, in Kirkleatham Village, and looking at alternative
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Gallery fosters young talent
PUPILS of Bishop Monkton CE Primary School, near Ripon, celebrated the end of a year-long arts project with an exhibition of their work in an art gallery. The Hield Gallery in Bishop Monkton held the exhibition, entitled Inspiration in the Hield Gardens
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£2m appeal launched to transform old station
A £2M public appeal to turn Richmond's old station building into a community and commercial centre is to be officially launched before the end of the month. The nineteenth century listed building, which has been empty for nearly three years, will be gutted
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Looking Back
FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - The Bishop of Richmond, preaching at the cathedral on Monday night on "The divine gift of language - its use and abuse," said he believed there was less swearing in some sections of society now than when he was a boy
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Jobs-for-cash couple win £3m NHS pay-out
A COUPLE who once masterminded a jobs-for-cash fraud that netted them more than £250,000 have won a £3m pay-out for their disabled child. Richard Alderson, 34, and his wife, Alison, 36, won £3.15m of public money to help them to care for daughter Rebecca
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Young trials rider lifts European crown
A YOUNG motorcycle trials champion is celebrating after picking up a European title. Becky Rennison, 15, from Morton on Swale, near Northallerton, has been named junior champion of Europe after winning two out of three competitions this year. Becky competed
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The killer that took me by surprise
There's a killer on the loose claiming 900 victims a year - the majority of which are children and pensioners. To make matters worse half of these deaths are avoidable. I'm not talking about accidents in the home or on the roads but a condition most of
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Shoptalk
SEVEN pounds for baked beans on toast? That's what Jamie Oliver was charging at his Fifteen restaurant in London. True, the Best Baked Bean Bruschetta came garnished with cherry tomatoes, red chillis, basil, rocket and shaved parmesan. But still... After
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Knitting club starts up in former brothel
A FORMER brothel has become a haven for a more gentle pastime. The Miss Spiritual Tramp's Knitting Club has set up in The Forth Hotel on Newcastle's notorious Pink Lane. Fay Nixon, 19, a fine art student at Sunderland University, makes the trip to the
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Business link to boost tourism
BUSINESSES are linking up to bring the world to Weardale. The newly-formed Weardale Tourism Network, founded by hotel owner Liz Curry, hopes to bring thousands of extra visitors a year to the valley, creating jobs and putting cash into the rural economy
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Treasures galore unearthed at valuation day
THERE were no old masters found when antique owners took along their treasures to be valued, just a wealth of history waiting to be uncovered. Hospice supporters showed possessions to auctioneer Bonhams at St Mary's Church Hall in Barnard Castle to raise
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90-year-old man is robbed as he waited at bus stop
AN ELDERLY man was robbed of hundreds of pounds as he waited at a bus stop, a court heard. The 90-year-old was waiting at a bus stop to make his regular weekly visit to a workingmen's club. Durham Crown Court was told that the pensioner was approached
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Animator back in classroom - to teach
ONE of the world's most celebrated animators has returned to her North-East roots to pass on her knowledge to students at her former university. Sheila Graber, famous for her work on Paddington Bear, has returned to the University of Sunderland to teach
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Healthy living message
PROJECTS to promote healthy living messages to young people in Hartlepool have been a success. Schemes to offer advice to teenagers and children about sexual health, drugs, smoking, alcohol, emotional issues and coronary heart disease are to be repeated
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Chance to get blanket test
TIME is running out for people in Hartlepool to take advantage of a free electric blanket safety check. The checking sessions will take place at Hartlepool Civic Centre, in Victoria Road, next Thursday and Friday. The free check was originally open to
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Teacher's trip to Sri Lanka
A PRIMARY school headteacher has returned home after spending time in a country hit by conflict. John Lyons, headteacher at Holy Rosary Primary School, Billingham, visited some of the Tamil no-go areas in Sri Lanka to pass on teaching skills to trainees
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Exercise weights crushed girl, four
A FOUR-YEAR-OLD girl died when an exercise bench collapsed bringing down more than 60 kilograms of weights on top of her. On a visit to her grandparents' home, Shelby Tyers, of Newby Grove, Thornaby, near Stockton, was allowed to play in a converted garage
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Viking visits school to promote family learning workshops
HE may look fierce dressed as a Viking warrior, but Mark Hadlett's bark is worse than his bite. The re-enactment enthusiast and his wife, Amanda, stepped back in time to promote Family Learning Week workshops for children and parents. A taster session
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Shop couple sold alcohol to youngsters
A COUPLE who run a discount alcohol shop were described as atrocious licensees at Teesside Magistrates'court yesterday. Cecelia Hart and her partner, Hafeez Malik, were accused of turning a blind eye to the age of some of the customers in the Wine Lodge
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MPs urge action on railway franchise
MPs have launched a campaign to force the Government to renationalise rail services in the region after chaos in setting up a new franchise. They say that delays in the creation of the Northern Rail franchise - covering services from Newcastle to York
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Racing heroes turn out for Jimmy
Malton came to a standstill yesterday as the historic racing centre paid its respects to Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning trainer Jimmy FitzGerald, who died last week following a long illness, aged 69. Around 800 mourners gathered at St Mary's Priory Church
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Helpline is launched
AN online council helpline has been launched. Residents will be able to find information on household rubbish, trade waste, litter and street cleaning, dog fouling, dead animals, needles and syringes, abandoned vehicles, recycling, grass cutting and street
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No-one smelling of roses
IN the red corner Goliath Gascoigne; in the blue corner David Beckham. It would be the perfect showdown to decide which of them deserves the greater headlines. In the week when Boston's player-coach quits and tells us he doesn't want to be known as Gazza
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Trust's challenge to make a difference
A CHALLENGE is going out to children and young people in Middlesbrough to make a difference in the community. Youngsters aged between eight and 19 are being asked to come up with ideas to improve life in an area of the town undergoing a £52m revamp. Kevin
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Terror at hands of torturers for hire
THESE are the two vicious gangsters who kidnapped and tortured a North-East man, bringing terror to a peaceful village. John Henry Haase, 48, and Daniel Michael Lafferty, 42, burst into Paul Flannigan's home in Burnhope Lodge, Burnhope, near Stanley,
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Crackdown on anti-social youngsters starts
POLICE have launched a crackdown on young tearaways causing trouble on the streets of Loftus. A month-long, multi-agency operation to implement a dispersal order in the town began on Monday. Youths up to the age of 16 face being marched home to their
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Police stage biggest rural crime operation ever seen in area
A MASSIVE two-night operation aimed at combating rural crime took place over 1,200 miles of North-East countryside last week. Operation Idaho involved 145 personnel keeping a look-out over Teesdale, Wear Valley, North Yorkshire and Cumbria and was the
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Survey uncovers structural problems at railway museum
URGENT repair work on one of the region's leading tourist attractions will get under way later this month. Up to £50,000 is to be spent securing the roof at Darlington Railway Centre and Museum, a renowned heritage site at the centre of multi-million
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£100,000 for school paths
DETAILS of three schemes providing paths to Darlington schools were revealed yesterday. The borough council has secured £100,000 from the Government for the schemes. There will be a link from Hummersknott School to Cleveland Terrace via the improvement
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Witnesses to accident sought
AN elderly woman was seriously ill in hospital last night after an accident in Malton. The woman, who has yet to be named, was in collision with a lorry in Wheelgate, in the centre of the town, at about 2.25pm. She suffered serious leg injuries and was
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Barnardo's class
PUPILS yesterday learned about Barnardo's and then put their knowledge to good journalistic use. As part of their study into the Victorians, year six pupils at Firthmoor Primary School learned about Barnardo's, set up in the late 1800s. Kirsty Guy, from
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Assembling capital ideas
With Durham City emerging as a clear favourite for the location of the proposed North-East Regional Assembly, Tony Kearney casts an eye over some of the buildings that could provide a possible home. FOR a thousand years, the skyline of Durham's historic
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Now that's Smartie thinking
CHURCH members have raised £1,000 in aid of homeless people in Chile by collecting money in Smartie tubes. About 400 chocolate-filled Smartie packets were given to members of All Saint's Church, Blackwell, Darlington, and the church's youth and Scout
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Fun night at nature park
A rare night-time glimpse of one of Gateshead's secret nature parks is on offer from 6pm to 8.30pm on Friday, October 29. The Norwood Nature Park, which is tucked away near the bottom of the Team Valley Trading Estate off Lobley Hill Road, will throw
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Builders con the elderly
POLICE in Peterlee are urging elderly residents who may have been targeted by conman builders to contact them. Officers have received reports of people being approached by builders who persuade them to have jobs done, then charge high sums for shoddy
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Bird of prey is adopted by school
A SCHOOL yesterday became the first in the North-East to adopt one of the rare red kites introduced to the region earlier this year. The birds of prey, which have a 5ft wingspan, had been extinct from Northern England for at least 150 years until 20 were
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Elliott can follow Keane, claims McCarthy
MICK McCARTHY claims Sunderland's Stephen Elliott can follow in the footsteps of Republic of Ireland record scorer Robbie Keane. Keane's double in the win over the Faroe Islands on Wednesday night took his tally to 23 goals in 56 appearances for his country
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'No' is winning
WITH ballot papers about to drop through County Durham and Cleveland letterboxes next week, the regional assembly debate enters its final phase. One opinion poll has suggested that the "No" campaign has edged ahead with more than a third of those polled
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Dales' loss is France's gain as sculptor and -doer' heads for pastures new
ONE of Middleham's major movers and shakers, Peter Hibbard, could soon be settling down to the simple life of being just a sculptor. He and his wife, Judith, are now negotiating for a house and studio in the small French village of Laroque-Timbaut south
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Able UK in ghost ships court battle
A LANDMARK court battle to decide the fate of nine rusting US navy ships due to be broken up in the North-East began today. The ships have been unable to leave the James River, in Virginia, for the Able UK yard on Teesside pending the legal fight. Officials
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Get on the bus now - or miss it
AN INDUSTRY leader described the conference as a "call to arms". Robin Tapper, NFU head of food and farming, said he found the whole issue of connections within the red meat industry a great cause of frustration. The Curry report had described it as one
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Deadly threat of diabetes
Almost two million people in the UK have diabetes but as many as half don't know it. Health Correspondent Barry Nelson takes a closer look at a growing but avoidable crisis. EDDIE Cusack fears for the future when he looks around at the other people at
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8,000 use meals on wheels service
ABOUT 8,000 older people in North Yorkshire receive meals through the county council's delivery service. Members of the authority's care and independence scrutiny committee were told the service was being developed. A report said the hot meals on wheels
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Church plan turned down
A PLAN to relocate headstones in a churchyard and make way for a car park has been refused by planners. A planning application for an eight-space parking area was tabled for Christ Church, Harrogate, part of Harrogate's 200-acre grassland Stray. The application
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Painting gift to college
A PAINTING of a North-East college at the centre of a £5m revamp has been handed over to staff. Curtis Office supplied the furnishings for a building programme which is nearing completion at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, in Darlington. The firm's
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Crime still low in village
POLICE have insisted that a rural village continues to have low crime levels, despite problems involving youths causing trouble. Hurworth Parish Council heard this week that there had been five cases of youths causing an annoyance in the area over the
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The Phantom Of The P'opera, Billingham Forum
THIS rock musical is so bad that you end up studying everything from the lack of sets, ill-assorted costumes, poor acting, rotten script and second-hand sound to the "kitchen sink" rock/pop song crashing out on stage. This can't seriously be heading for
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WH Smith turns page on weak profits
ONE of the worst chapters in WH Smith's 212-year history was laid bare yesterday after its core UK business wilted in the face of competition from price-cutting rivals. With an "unacceptable performance" on the high street and a raft of one-off costs,
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Nutty idea that can save lives
Cashew nuts - that favourite party nibble - are now improving safety on the roads. Hartlepool firm Palmer UK has produced a friction powder derived from the nut shells that helps braking efficiency. The nuts are being used in cars across Europe. The University
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Arriva picks up German rail operator
BUS and train company Arriva has acquired a German rail operator in a deal worth £43.4m. The national group, which is based in Sunderland and operates bus and train services in the North-East, has bought a stake of nearly 80 per cent in Regentalbahn AG
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Football club signs for town's website
A FOOTBALL club is the latest organisation to sign up to a town's online community website. Hartlepool Now was launched earlier this year and provides 24-hour access to everything anybody may want to know about the town. Now, Hartlepool United FC has
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Couple's lifeline legacy for those in peril on the sea
LIFEBOATS along the region's coastline are to receive a cash lifeline - thanks to the generosity of a retired naval officer. Mike Seymour and his wife, who shared a love for the sea, have helped to ensure the water safety of others. Mr Seymour, a retired
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Noon blow adds to Falcons' woes
NEWCASTLE Falcons have suffered another injury blow ahead of Sunday's match at home to Saracens. England squad centre Jamie Noon, who set a Premiership record last season for successive appearances, has a sore calf and will miss his first game of the
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Neighbour is told to behave or face prison
A MAN who nearly forced his neighbours out of their homes with a torrent of abuse and unruly behaviour was yesterday ordered to curb his conduct or face jail. Terence Cuthbert Brannigan, 52, of Verdun Terrace, West Cornforth, County Durham, was made the
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Second French foray is a success for Easterby
O LA LA, Somnus showed the French the way again to land his second Group 1 race this year over the Channel, in the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp on Saturday. Tim Easterby's runner had given American rider Gary Stevens his only Group 1 success last August
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Thomas is steaming up for Dales debut
ONE of the most celebrated engines in railway literature - Thomas the Tank Engine - will run on the revived Wensleydale line this month. The children's favourite, which paid a visit to the yard at Leeming Bar station in June, will this time be puffing
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Extra parking spaces part of hospital redesign
A MAJOR scheme to increase parking space at the Memorial Hospital, Darlington, is likely to get the go-ahead. A sensory garden, new reception foyer and covered walkway are also part of an application to be considered by councillors next week. But approval
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UK harvests rise despite delay caused by bad weather
THE size of the UK's harvest rose slightly this year, according to figures published yesterday. Estimates from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) showed wheat production was up ten per cent to a total of 15.7 million tonnes
