Archive
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Councillors help to revive teenage disco
COUNCILLORS have stepped in to revive a town's popular teenage discos. They had come to an end in Pickering, because of a cash crisis. Now, Ryedale District Council has provided £600, which will enable the monthly discos to be held for the next year at
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Paul Fraser's Athen's Diary
WHILE sampling the local Greek cuisine in the Caf Bar Restaurant on Wednesday night with fellow press men, a few others on the trip to Athens decided to opt for a quick walk to the sacred rock of the Acropolis. As it was after midnight the doors were
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Looking Back
FROM this paper 100 years ago. - It is interesting to note that while the famous Beck case is exciting the attention of the country, a single case of mistaken identity has occurred in Darlington. Last weekend, a woman stood in the dock at Darlington charged
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Passion sets bells ringing
A RED-FACED couple launched a police emergency when they accidentally called 999 in the throes of passion. Officers at Durham Police's north communications centre became concerned when a call came through, but all that could be heard was the sound of
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Strategic centre launched to aid councils
A CENTRE of excellence which is hoped could save councils across the region millions of pounds a year was launched yesterday. The North-East Centre of Procurement Excellence is designed to share ideas on how public bodies from Berwick to Redcar can make
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North-East students beat national target set for GCSE exam results
THE Government has failed to meet a raft of key targets for GCSE results this year, according to new figures. The proportion of students getting five or more A to C grades at GCSE or equivalent qualifications this year rose by 0.5 per cent to 53.4 per
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Crowds flock to Wynbury open day
DESPITE the weather many people visited Ferdy Murphy's Wynbury Stables at West Witton on Sunday and so helped to raise £500 for the charity, Children Today. The open day was attended by the charity's director, Alan Dodd and his wife, and the local representative
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Old boy opens a new era
QUEEN Elizabeth Sixth Form College enlisted the help of an old boy who is a senior civil servant to unveil a £5m transformation, writes Lauren Pyrah. Sir Alan Wilson, director-general of higher education, performed the official opening ceremony in front
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22/10/04
MINING HERITAGE: THE industry's pre-eminent historian, Robert L Galloway, named the Great Northern Coalfield of Durham "the classic region of coal". So why was the National Coal Mining Museum for England established at Cap House Colliery, Overton, West
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Exchanging culture
A STUDENT teacher is bringing a flavour of the Baltic states to youngsters at a village school. Zeta Zvirbule is spending the next six months at Tanfield Lea Junior School in Tanfield Lea, near Stanley. The 25-year-old exchange student, who comes from
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Ancient axe ritual march is recreated
CAMPAIGNERS working to protect the surroundings of three ancient monuments from the effects of quarrying will recreate a 5,000-year-old ceremony this weekend. They will carry an ancient axe on a 20-mile march between Catterick and Boroughbridge, an area
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Host-a-roast raises cash for Alliance
MORE than 150 people flocked to a pro-hunting fundraiser at a Teesdale hotel. Barbara Johnson, co-owner of the Morritt Arms at Greta Bridge, organised the event in just ten days. And it is on course to bring in between £1,500-£2,000 for the Countryside
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Man found dead in prison cell
A man who was on remand accused of murdering a teenage girl has been found dead in his prison cell, police said today. Prison officers discovered the body of Andrew Maguire at Durham Prison on Thursday afternoon. His death is not being treated as suspicious
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Filial feuding and French farce
Too Close For Comfort (BBC1); No Going Back: Chaos At The Castle (C4): THINGS are getting desperate in the home makeover world, both at home and abroad. Too Close For Comfort attempts to wring yet more mileage out of doing up people's homes by offering
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Young gangs attack drivers
MOTORISTS have come under attack from schoolchildren in an East Cleveland town. Cars were first pelted with stones then fireworks hurled at motorists as they got out of their vehicles. Fitter Mark Ford slammed on the brakes as a stone crashed through
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Winning at all costs is bad for us all
THE great Bill Shankly was a manager to rival any other. He transformed Liverpool from also rans to a club that dominated Europe for years. But if Bill really did describe football as "more serious than life or death" then he was wrong. For most people
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Success on wheels for sisters
THREE sisters from Guisborough are celebrating after coming first, second and third in a regional cycling competition. The Raw sisters - Zoe, 12, Kirsty, nine, and Megan, eight, - competed in the North-West Youth Tour: Megan won the under-eight category
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Regions worst in England for con crimes
PEOPLE in County Durham and Cleveland are far more likely to be the victim of a distraction burglary than residents elsewhere in England, figures show. And they are up to five times more likely to be burgled by someone gaining entry by deception than
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Glasgow performance is season's best for Sarah
Sarah Borwell, from Nunthorpe, reached the women's singles semi-finals at the ITF £25,000 event in Glasgow. This was her best performance in the UK this year and should boost her rankings points somewhat. The last five months have been much interrupted
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Wellock's World: Obsession with football has reached its financial limit
IS THIS the season of myths, or does The Northern Echo really have two sports writers in Athens this week? You may have noticed they're called Wilson and Fraser, but our men perched atop the Parthenon are definitely not characters out of Dad's Army. One
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Life for a killer without remorse
A student's killer who escaped justice for more than four years was jailed for life yesterday. Bus driver Michael Robinson, 30, will serve a minimum of 17 years behind bars for the murder and attempted rape of Sara Cameron, whose naked body was discovered
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Abbey provides inspiration for play
A THEATRE group has used its experiences of performing in an abbey to provide inspiration for its latest play. The Confession of Brother Wormwood is a murder mystery set among the monks of a Yorkshire monastery. North Country Theatre artistic director
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Loco steams in for rail museum celebrations
A TOWN is bracing itself for the official opening of a multi-million pound railway museum today. A key Government figure will visit Shildon, County Durham, this afternoon to declare Locomotion: National Railway Museum open. The museum will be closed to
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Ooops, I've helped lift eBay profits
INTERNET auction house eBay has announced a massive 77 per cent rise in profits to more than $180m. The group, which hit the headlines recently for selling Britney Spears' wedding bra online, said sales had gone up by 51 per cent in the past three months
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Mowden can't call on India international
Darlington Mowden Park are hoping to have a winger from the Newcastle Falcons Academy for tomorrow's National Three North match at Fylde. But it will not be Amarveer Ladhar, who played for them several times last season, as he has been called up to play
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War hero's son sets the record straight
ANTONIO Staffieri more than played his part in the fight for freedom. During the First World War he was badly wounded as he fought in the trenches alongside the Allies. And after emigrating to England from Italy he decided to take out British citizenship
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A civilised and orderly debate but few votes
HOW often do public meetings start and finish on time - particularly the finish? Skelton Community Forum, an umbrella organisation of 21 local groups in East Cleveland, which only started in January, scored a commendable 10 marks out of 10 for its meeting
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Torturers jailed after man's kidnap ordeal
TWO men who kidnapped and tortured a Burnhope man were jailed for a total of 30 years. Paul Flannigan was beaten so badly during his ordeal that surgeons later had to remove one of his testicles. Newcastle Crown Court heard how three men in balaclavas
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Continued decline of Safeway profits
Supermarket group Morrisons last night revealed that Safeway's performance had continued to decline, with like-for-like sales 7.9 per cent lower in the first half. The Bradford-based chain, which acquired the Safeway business earlier this year, unveiled
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Unhappiness grows at Dales traffic management proposal
COMPLAINTS about a proposed traffic management strategy for Leyburn are pouring in even before an open meeting at Thornborough Hall next week. The town's mayor, Coun Ian Barker, has received telephone calls and visits at his jewellery shop from residents
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Praise for student production
A HORROR musical show of the butcher barber Sweeney Todd has been selling out at a Teesside school. Pupils of Ian Ramsey CE School, in Stockton, began rehearsals at the beginning of the summer holidays. Their hard work has paid off with near-sellout shows
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Why the cost of Remembrance may be set to soar
PARISH councils could face massive bills for Remembrance Sunday commemorations in the near future as they struggle to comply with strict new advice about public safety. Sgt Bill Dutton told Tuesday's meeting at Middleton in Teesdale of issues raised by
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Appeal for help made as Scott's pet barn owl goes missing
A HEARTBROKEN young bird enthusiast is desperate for the return of the owl he has hand-reared since it was a chick. Scott Patterson was devastated on discovering Barney, his barn owl, was missing when he went to feed him in his aviary at the family home
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Action plan calls for car club
A RURAL car club, more affordable housing and the promotion of renewable energy are some of the measures outlined in a council report on sustainable development. Richmondshire District Council has drawn up a draft strategy and action plan which aims to
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Children's welfare focus of shake-up
THE biggest shake-up of council services in Darlington for seven years was announced yesterday, with greater emphasis to be placed on children's welfare. Senior officials at Darlington Borough Council confirmed that the authority's education department
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Rabbit, rabbit
Members of the National English Rabbit Club will be at the Pets At Home store, at Cameron Retail Park, Gateshead, this weekend to give advice to rabbit owners. The event takes place tomorrow, between 10am and 5pm, and on Sunday between 11am and 4pm. Visitors
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Fourth player cautioned over pellets incident
A FOURTH Sunderland youth team footballer has received a police caution over the firing of paintball pellets. Republic of Ireland youth team international Niall Flynn has served a suspension imposed by Sunderland. The club will now decide what further
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Householders given warnings over contaminated land
HOUSEHOLDERS have been told their gardens may be contaminated. Officers from Hartlepool Borough Council told the residents of 97 properties at Seaton Carew that tests would have to be carried out. The measure is necessary after higher than normal levels
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Teenager hurt in random attack
A SCHOOLBOY is recovering in hospital after he was attacked by a gang of teenagers. The 13-year-old boy was a few hundred metres from his Bishop Auckland home when was set upon in an unprovoked assault. He was walking with friends through Cockton Hill
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Justice leaders are questioned
SOME of the most powerful upholders of law and order on Teesside were questioned by children yesterday. More than 180 pupils at Billingham Campus School, aged 15 and 16, questioned Chief Constable Sean Price and Judge Les Spittle, of Teesside Crown Court
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Correction
Hilary Armstrong MP for North West Durham claimed £1,861 for central IT expenses last year - not £8,861 as published in yesterday's Northern Echo. We apologise for the error.
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Experts to debate history
THOUSANDS of years of North-East history will come under the spotlight at an event next month. Tees Archaeology is running a day school at the University of Durham's Stockton Campus on Saturday, November 6, at which leading archaeologists will talk about
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City to get tough on litter louts by using instant fines
OFFICIALS in a city once voted the cleanest in the country are now handing out on- the-spot fines to litter louts. Members of Harrogate Borough Council's street cleaning team were out and about in Ripon yesterday using their new powers. Under the Environmental
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Teams needed for Lottery anniversary
A SEARCH has begun to find teams to enter an event in Hartlepool to mark the tenth anniversary of the National Lottery. The Summerhill centre will host an anniversary challenge on November 6, the first National Lottery Day. It involves teams of five taking
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Library to close for a week during refurbishment work
LIBRARY users are being given advance notice of the temporary closure of a Stockton library as it undergoes a week of refurbishment work. Roseworth Library will close for five days from Monday, November 15, to Friday, November 19, for redecoration and
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Rocket launched at driver after gang smashes window
A GANG of teenagers smashed a motorist's car window with stones before throwing a firework as he inspected the damage. Mark Ford made an emergency stop as a stone smashed the driver's side window of the car as he drove along Roseberry Road, Redcar. He
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Teenager admits racial assault
A TEENAGE girl could be sent to prison after punching, kicking and spitting at an Asian man in the street. Tracy Place, of Coleridge Gardens, Darlington, launched an unprovoked attack on Bewar Ahmed after drinking with friends on the bank holiday Monday
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Working together
A RANGE of projects throughout North Yorkshire will soon benefit from windfall grants thanks to a change in the law. Councils have been given the freedom to reduce the discount on council tax payable by the owners of second homes. It's an increase in
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Objections to waste station proposals
Mounting concern over a scheme to create a waste transfer station on a former airfield has sparked more than 70 objections from residents. Tockwith and Wilstrop Parish Council has also lodged objections in the "strongest terms" to the scheme which has
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Controversial flats likely to get approval
A PLANNING committee looks likely to allow a controversial development on land owned by a councillor. Turney Wylde Construction, of Wallsend, North Tyneside, wants to knock down Hilltop Farm and the Farmhouse Inn, in Chester Road, Stanley, and build a
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Town's firework display scrapped
A TOWN has been forced to pull the plug on its first organised Bonfire Night celebration because a funding bid has fallen through. Ferryhill was set to hold a professional fireworks display with fairground shows at the Mainsforth Sports Complex, on Friday
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Community spirit led to village's win
VILLAGERS have proved they have true community spirit after winning the title of Durham Village of the Year. Sedgefield has won the prestigious title after judges ruled it had a pro-active, caring community, which has made the best of local opportunities
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Get ready for the big chill with free flu jabs to help you
A WORKINGMEN'S club became the frontline in defence against flu when practice nurses gave free jabs yesterday. Nurses from the Sacriston Surgery and Durham and Chester-le-Street Primary Care Trust were at the Sacriston Workingmen's Club to give flu jabs
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Police appeal after man dies in ravine
A MAN froze to death after a stolen car in which he was travelling crashed. Danny McLeod missed his footing as he ran from the scene of the crash through woods and plunged to the bottom of a hidden ravine. Clad only in a light T-shirt and jeans, the 22
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No half measures for Blair as he backs assembly all the way
THE Prime Minister has thrown his backing behind the Yes campaign in the regional assembly debate, saying devolution would allow the region to target problems and tailor the solutions. Mr Blair was being questioned last night about anti-social behaviour
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Zetland riders head out from Forcett
THE Zetland Hunt is well under way with their autumn hunting and calendar of events including rural rides from various locations throughout their hunting area. Chris Gibbon from Forcett Valley recently organised one of these starting at his farm then
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Data matching boost in war on benefit cheats
BENEFIT cheats are being warned that they could face a court appearance when they are caught. Middlesbrough Council's benefit fraud team took action against 50 claimants in 2003-04 - almost twice the national average - and uncovered £200,000 worth of
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Woody can be your Valentine
FORMER Hong Kong-based champion apprentice jockey, Stanley Chin, has struck up a fine partnership with Woody Valentine, a leading contender for this afternoon's Persimmon Homes Handicap. After a slow start to his UK career, Chin is gradually finding his
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Strategy to improve rural transport
A strategy has been adopted for community transport to help the more remote areas of North Yorkshire. The county council has committed itself to providing greater access to rural outposts, often by using community mini-buses. The authority believes that
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Health staff's new uniforms
HEALTH workers have been issued with new uniforms to help patients identify them when they call at the door. District nursing staff at Derwentside Primary Care Trust have been issued with new work clothes after patients expressed concern that it was very
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Inspectors' praise for college
A college has been given top marks by the Government body that inspects and regulates boarding schools. The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) found that Harrogate Ladies' College, North Yorkshire, meets the highest standards in 46 elements
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Pupils impress with design for fashion label
SCHOOL pupils have tried their hand at fashion design to help out a new label aimed at the trendy 15-25 market. A number of 15 and 16-year-old girls from Durham High School were asked to design a range of outfits suitable for a ball or prom to be sold
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Students celebrate fundraising effort
BLIND and visually-impaired students have been celebrating after raising more than £1,600 for college funds. The youngsters, from Henshaw's College, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, raised the funds to help mark World Sight Day. They displayed some of their
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Meeting reviews issue of out-of-hours cover
EMERGENCY consultations via a video link may be introduced in the remotest area of Richmondshire for patients facing a drive of nearly 30 miles to see a doctor. Training is under way with a view to setting up equipment at Bainbridge Ambulance Station
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Last chance to introduce traditional cattle breeds
FARMERS in the Yorkshire Dales National Park have one last chance to introduce traditional cattle breeds into the area. They are encouraged to swap sheep for cattle such as Blue-Greys and Shorthorns which survive harsh winters living off the rough grasses
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Dalesman's skills rewarded
STAN Bargh's 50-year labour of love was officially recognised this week. The Dales farmer was only ten when he began repairing every limestone wall on his 220-acre upland sheep farm. And this week his Herculean efforts were rewarded when he was named
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North-East's most deprived area
THE Middlehaven ward of Middlesbrough is the most deprived area in the North-East and one of the poorest in England, according to research published by the GMB union. The GMB ranked areas across the country by taking into account factors such as income
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You Write
Ban hunting: I TRUST I am not alone in hoping that the 150th birthday of the Braes of Derwent Hunt (Advertiser week ending Oct 16) will be its last. Abuse of animals for pleasure is not anybody's right or freedom. No sane person argues for the legalisation
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Man denies murdering his wife
The husband of an Asian bride stabbed to death in front of her family has denied murdering her. Factory worker Amir Shazad, 29, pleaded not guilty at Teesside Crown Court to murdering Nusrat Ali. The 25-year-old was repeatedly stabbed in the garden of
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Winning at all costs is bad for us all
THE great Bill Shankly was a manager to rival any other. He transformed Liverpool from also rans to a club that dominated Europe for years. But if Bill really did describe football as "more serious than life or death" then he was wrong. For most people
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Conflict blows in over plan for 13,000 wind turbines off NE coast
A SCHEME to build up to 13,000 wind turbines off the North-East coast was unveiled this week. Greenpeace, which commissioned the report, claimed they could create up to 38,000 manufacturing jobs in the region. But Dr David Bellamy, botanist and environmentalist
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Souness hails Magpies
GRAEME Souness last night praised his players' professionalism after Newcastle ground out a 1-0 win over Greek side Panionios in the Group Stage of the UEFA Cup. The Magpies were not at their best in the Nea Smyrni Stadium, but Alan Shearer's 87th-minute
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Police say 999 call centre problems have been solved
NEW communication centres are overcoming teething problems to deal with the increasing number of calls to a police force. Durham's Assistant Chief Constable, Gary Barnett, said the two centres were handling a record number of police-related calls from
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Echo Health: Is cyber medicine killing you?
While the Internet can make us into instant experts on our health, a new report suggests that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Health correspondent Barry Nelson reports. PATIENTS using the Internet to find out information about chronic disease
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Wilkinson is out for several weeks
ENGLAND captain Jonny Wilkinson misses Newcastle Falcons' opening Heineken Cup match against Gwent Dragons at Newport tomorrow and could be out for several weeks. New England coach Andy Robinson has already said he will not include Wilkinson for the opening
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Mosaic's 3,000th piece in place
THE final piece of an elaborate 3,000-piece playground mosaic was sealed in place by Redcar historian Vera Robinson. The ceremony marked the end of a project started in 1999 to mark the Millennium, featuring scenes celebrating the town's heritage. The
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Slow progress towards snail success
ONE friend of mine navigates on a "need to know" basis. The driver doesn't need to know the destination, just to be told in good time which road to take and where to turn right or left. It does keep her other half on his driving toes but, for the back
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Housing 'is too intensive for this rural area'
NEW homes on an East Cleveland site are making a "mish-mash" of the area. This was the view of a ward councillor yesterday as a scheme for 52 homes at Skelton was poised to get approval. Coun Helen McLuckie said houses were being "piece-mealed" together
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Recognition for town hall serving the community
STOKESLEY Town Hall has been highly commended for a re-furbishing project which has transformed it into a top community building. Stokesley Town Hall competed with four other outstanding projects in the final round of the Biffa Awards, and was highly
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Early strike puts Police on the right track
NORTHALLERTON Police recorded a impressive victory in the Cup at the weekend, winning 9-0 on their travels to York Corinthians Vets. They got off to a great start after just 31 seconds when Sam Vernalls hit a vicious 25 yard shot which left the York keeper
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Dales producers unite to show wealth of talent
PRODUCERS of food, drink and crafts from across the dales attended the launch of an initiative designed to promote their produce. Yesterday's Taste of Teesdale and Weardale event, at the Morritt Arms, Greta Bridge, near Barnard Castle, County Durham,
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Public to have say on licences
A COMMUNITY has been invited to comment on a council's draft policy that will influence the way in which licences are issued. Under the Licensing Act 2003 the responsibility to issue licences will transfer from the magistrates courts to Chester-le-Street
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Man jailed for hitting partner
A WOMAN who forgave her boyfriend for punching her repeatedly in the face wept as he was sentenced to jail yesterday. Paul Jones, 32, was jailed for eight months after he admitted fracturing 28-year-old Claire Corner's cheekbone and eye-socket with punches
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Triple championship victories for Lambert
SCOTTON sidecar racer Greg Lambert showed the opposition a clean pair of heels when he took a hat-trick of victories in the final round of the North East Motor Cycle Racing Club Championships last weekend. Aboard the 1000cc Dalepak Suzuki and with passenger
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Prices at the markets
BARNARD CASTLE. - Wed of last week. Fwd: 2,891 sheep. Store lambs: Suff £38.50; Mule £29.50. Lambs lt to 106p av 88.6p; std to 114p av 105.4p; med to 122p av 103.9p; heavy to 106p av 100.7p. Cast sheep: Suff £40.50; Cont £47.50; Cheviot £46.50; Swale
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Ross makes Navy grade
A former Chester-le-Street school pupil has successfully completed his initial training at HMS Raleigh in Plymouth. Ross Atkinson, 17, joined the Navy in June after sitting his GCSEs at Park View School. His proud family, including grandparents George
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London show ends - next stop Swainby
A NUMBER of pictures by the North Yorkshire artist, Elizabeth Smith, have been on show in the annual exhibition of the Royal Society of Marine Artists at the Mall Galleries in London. As a member of the RSMA, she is entitled to exhibit six works, and
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Cricketers honoured at awards night
THE Wensleydale Evening Cricket League presentation night was held at the Bolton Arms, Leyburn. Trophies were presented to winning teams, best performing individuals and for sportsmanship The presentations were made by Rachel Lambie, licensee of the Bolton
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Driver jailed after offences admitted
A MOTORIST was locked up again yesterday after driving while disqualified and on licence having been released from prison. Robert Thompson, of Portland Place, Darlington, was stopped by police in the town last month, South Durham Magistrates' Court heard
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Botham inquiry: Charges ruled out
POLICE said last night that no charges are to be brought over a motorway incident involving England cricket legend Ian Botham. An investigation was launched in August into claims that a BMW, in which the former England star was a passenger, was being
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Brewery announces funding plan
CAMERONS Brewery has announced a substantial funding package to help with firm's plans to expand its pub estate. The funding agreement from by The Royal Bank of Scotland will be used to increase the number of pubs owned by the brewery to 200 in the next
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Rollercoaster death ruled misadventure
HEALTH and safety officials may still take legal action against a theme park where a 20-year-old student died, despite a coroner not letting an inquest jury consider a verdict of unlawful killing. The family of Durham University student Gemma Savage,
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Football club unveils plan for 'home' training ground
AMBITIOUS Darlington Football Club yesterday unveiled plans for a purpose-built training ground to be established in the town. The Quakers, who have seen a transformation in fortunes since coming out of administration, have earmarked land next to the
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Rub of the Green for billionaire
BILLIONAIRE retailer Philip Green is in line for a bumper £460m pay day after clearing his borrowings on fashion empire Arcadia. The entrepreneur and his family have a 92 per cent stake in the Top Shop to Burtons group, leaving them in line for most of
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Plan to cut motorbike fatalities successful
A scheme to cut down on motorbike fatalities in the Durham dales has been hailed as a success. This summer nearly 700 bikers in Teesdale and Weardale were stopped and given advice by police about their vehicles. The operation which began in April has
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Shop Talk: In thrall to the mall
The newly revamped Red Mall has restored the MetroCentre's status as Europe's largest shopping centre, but it is worth all the fuss? Shop Talk investigates. SO now we have the biggest shopping centre in Europe on our doorstep. Two weeks ago the MetroCentre
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Shoptalk
SO now we have the biggest shopping centre in Europe on our doorstep. Two weeks ago the MetroCentre regained its crown with the opening of the Red Mall amid much razzmatazz. The new mall is anchored firmly on newcomer Debenhams. There's more parking,
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Teenagers locked up for four months
TWO teenagers were jailed for four months yesterday after stealing more than £1,000 from a neighbour's house. Christopher Slater and Richard Green, both 18 and of Melland Street, Darlington, entered John Ramshaw's house on the same street and stole a
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Here's a chance: you can do it
AN INSPIRATIONAL Stockton man told his story to social services policy-makers at a national conference yesterday. Mark Crosbie, who was told as a teenager that he would never work, told delegates about his struggles to succeed. "I wanted to tell my story
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Scott Wilson's Athens Diary
Newcastle found themselves playing in the Nea Smyrni district of Athens last night but, had they been playing Panionios 90 years ago, they wouldn't have been lining up in Europe at all. The club was founded in 1890 in the area of Smyrni, a border region
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Fate of workers may be secured
THE fate of 240 workers at troubled manufacturer Pressworks Metals looks more secure after administrators admitted they were considering offers for the County Durham firm. It is understood by The Northern Echo that four potential buyers have come forward
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First-time success at Dalesbred show
RICHARD Brown, of Moody House Farm, West Burton, Leyburn, took the championship on his dbut at the annual Dalesbred Sheep Breeders' Association show and sale at Craven Cattle Marts' Skipton mart on Tuesday. His shearling, one of 68 entries at Skipton,
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Musicians invited to join project
A PROJECT has been launched that gives pupils and their teachers the chance to learn skills from professional musicians. The Ignite project is an initiative between Creative Partnerships Tees Valley, a Government-funded creative learning programme, and
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New book reveals the 'greening' of county
A BOOK revealing how a North-East council reclaimed swathes of land decimated by industry was published on Monday. Durham County Council mounted its land reclamation programme in 1954 and has since restored 22sq km - an area twice the size of Kie*der
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Sightings of the Mortham Dobby and other winter visitors
MONDAY, October 18, was St Luke's Day and this is known as the beginning of St Luke's Little Summer, a period of several very mild, sunny and dry days which often begins on or near the saint's feast day. There is no specific duration of this little summer
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Seminar on China trading
NORTH-East companies are being invited to a free seminar to learn about trading opportunities with China. The one-day seminar, which runs from 9am to 4pm on Thursday, offers small to medium-sized companies information about the opportunities available
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Returning McGurk hopes for chance in Hodgson's defence
After proving both his fitness and form during a month on loan at York City, David McGurk has appealed to Darlington manager David Hodgson to throw him back into first-team action. After helping to shore up what was a shaky defence at Bootham Crescent
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Shearer's golden strike
PAULA Radcliffe's dreams of Olympic glory imploded on an Athenian street earlier this year but, in their golden strips, Newcastle's hopes of success in the UEFA Cup marathon prospered in the final mile of their opening Group D game in the Greek capital
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Most expensive and most frugal MPs are revealed
MIDDLESBROUGH'S Ashok Kumar was revealed as the North East's most expensive MP last night after claiming £143,796 in allowances in 12 months. The Labour MP ran up a parliamentary bill 21 per cent higher than the average of £118,437 in 2003-04, according
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Special livestock sales
BORDERWAY (Carlisle). - Fri Oct 8. Fwd: catalogued entry of 825 for registered Blue-faced Leicester rams & females, inc dispersal of Kensington flock on behalf of the late M King, Woodlands Farm, Rillington, Malton. Judge, males: Robin Bell, Upper
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Garage network grows and work starts on giant biodiesel plant
THE North East's drive to become the "green fuel" capital of the country is continuing with the opening of a second One Green Route - a network of garage forecourts selling environmentally-friendly biodiesel. Peter McGough's garage in Low Willington is
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Shot in the arm for a surgery
A move to the former Blacketts pub will mean more than just a change of premises for Darlington's Netherlaw Surgery, as Barry Nelson finds out. IT is appropriate that the opening of a new GP practice in Darlington symbolises the end of an era. There used
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Is Harry becoming a yob?
A fracas outside a nightclub at 3am is just the lastest in a series of incidents which have painted Prince Harry as the bad boy of the monarchy. Nick Morrison asks if the third in line to the throne is heading for trouble. ONCE upon a time there were
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How family's estate grew out of land omce owned by monks
Last week we found that several scattered pit terraces developed in Gilesgate Moor during the 1800s along with a little village called New Durham. The settlements grew between Sunderland and Sherburn Road while the area outside remained agricultural.
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Still the best for budding Beckhams
FIFA FOOTBALL 2005, Publisher: EA Sports. Formats: PC, Xbox, PS2, GameCube. Price: £39.99: Family friendly? Yep. AS Sir Alex Ferguson keeps telling interviewers, the football season doesn't really hot up until after Christmas. But with computer soccer
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Concert will help repay Gurkhas
MUSIC lovers are being offered the chance to help repay a nation's soldiers who have supported Britain in conflicts across the world. The band of the Brigade of Gurkhas and the Pipes and Drums of the 1st Battalion Gurkha Rifles are to play at Darlington
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Councils have right to veto
FOLLOWING strong criticism from a Government minister, BT has said that it will not remove threatened public payphones over which it cannot reach agreement with local authorities. The admission came after communications minister Mike O'Brien told MPs
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AstraZeneca sales not hit by drug glitch
PHARMACEUTICALS group AstraZeneca yesterday overcame dismay at regulatory glitches for a key new drug by reporting a seven per cent hike in third-quarter sales. AstraZeneca said it achieved turnover of £2.88bn despite weaker demand from US wholesalers
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Quakers plan floodlit training ground next to stadium
DARLINGTON Football Club is hoping to turn four acres of land next to the Williamson Motors Stadium into a training ground. Plans are being finalised for the floodlit facility, which would include three training pitches and a pavilion. Two of the pitches
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Liddle blow for Quakers
THE Quakers face the daunting prospect of a trip to top of the table Swansea on Saturday with what can only be described as a makeshift defence. The shoulder injury suffered by club captain Craig Liddle has turned out to be worse than first thought and
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Safety fears over increase in fakes
PEOPLE'S lives are being put at risk by a sharp increase in counterfeit goods that look just like the real thing. Although they appear to be bargains when first bought, the fakes are frequently shoddily made, with no thought given to safety and reliability
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Winds cause chaos across the North
STORM-FORCE winds of up to 60mph yesterday brought havoc to the region. Residents of a retirement home had to be moved after a tree crashed on to the building. The rotten sycamore fell on the roof of Rosedale Residential Home, in Catterick Road, Catterick
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Clark hopes to forget Light work with starring role at Pool
NEALE Cooper's month-long chase for Sunderland defender Ben Clark finally paid off last night. Clark's trip down the A19 to Hartlepool finally happened when he signed a deal at Victoria Park. Cooper has been seeking competition in his back line, with
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Subs earn McClaren praise
STEVE McCLAREN paid tribute to match-winner Stewart Downing and his substitutes for helping Middlesbrough make a dream start to life in the second phase of the UEFA Cup. With Boro heading for a goalless draw against unglamorous Greek outfit Egaleo in
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D1 Oils launches new shares on market to create funding
BIOFUEL producer D1 Oils has been launched on the stock exchange in a move which will create £13m of funding for the Teesside-based company. D1 announced yesterday it was placing more than eight million new shares on the Alternative Investment Market
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Darlington at close to full strength ready for Yorkshiremen
AFTER another week's rest and recuperation Darlington hope to be virtually at full strength for the visit of National Three North leaders Halifax tomorrow. It will be only the second home game of the season for Darlington, who have already had four trips
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Fatal accident on A66 leads to demand to spped up improvements
CAMPAIGNERS are urging the Government to accelerate plans for improvement work at the A66 Long Newton junction following another fatal accident. The elderly driver of a Ford Fiesta died last Friday as he attempted to cross the busy dual carriageway through
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'Mr Guisborough' honoured
A MAN often referred to as "Mr Guisborough" has been named as the town's citizen of the year. Estate agent Roger Darnton, whose offices are in Westgate, was presented with the award at last night's Guisborough Town Council meeting. He was nominated for
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Mission accomplished
IN THE historical city of Athens, Middlesbrough's opening match of the inaugural UEFA Cup group stage will not live long in the memory but when the final whistle blew it was mission accomplished. And a dour, at times excruciating, encounter with Greek
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Woodward unveils 26-man staff for Lions tour
England's retired World Cup heroes look unlikely to be considered by their former boss Sir Clive Woodward for the Lions tour of New Zealand next summer. Although stars such as Lawrence Dallaglio, Martin Johnson and Neil Back are still playing top-flight
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Band get best ever result in contest
THE region's finest brass band is officially one of the best in Britain. The Reg Vardy (Ever Ready) Band won third place in the national brass championships, held in the Royal Albert Hall, London. It is the band's best result at the contest. Band manager
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Johnston joy tempered by loss of Mr Monet
KIPLING'S twins - triumph and disaster - are never far apart in racing, and Saturday for Mark Johnston saw the two out in force at Newmarket. Contact Dancer won the Cesarewitch and Shamardal landed the Dewhurst, but in between, Mister Monet was fatally
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Pensions talk to elderly
PENSIONS Minister Malcolm Wicks was in Durham City yesterday to meet a group of older people and outline changes in services for elderly people. The Government is consulting the public on its new document, Link Age, which is designed to inform thinking
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Compulsory purchase for footpath land
COUNCILLORS in Darlington are to use their powers to buy land for a long-awaited footpath between two villages. Because of problems in contacting a key landowner, a compulsory purchase order will now be applied for the Hurworth to Neasham footpath and
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Debt swoop not linked to crisis
AN embarrassing swoop by debt collectors on a district police headquarters was prompted by an administrative error. Cleveland Police were last night quick to point out that a visit by bailiffs to the force's divisional headquarters in Redcar had nothing
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Bookcase was catalyst for IT high-flier's new life with wood
WILLIAM Morris, the great late nineteenth century design guru, advised us never to have anything in our homes that we did not find beautiful or useful. Peter Cummings is determined to offer both qualities in one item from his studio in the heart of Swaledale
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US company chooses north hospital to test blood recycling machine
HEART surgery patients in the region are the first in the world to benefit from a medical invention. Seven heart surgery patients at the James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, have been connected to a machine that recycles their blood. The
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Sir Ben leads biomass task force
NORTH Yorkshire farmer Sir Ben Gill is heading a task force designed to boost the supply and demand for biomass. The appointment of the former NFU president, who farms at Easingwold, was announced last Friday. Lord Whitty, Food and Farming Minister, also
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Pyjama party to raise funds
YOUNGSTERS and teachers held a pyjama party to raise cash for a children's charity yesterday. Staff and pupils at Tanfield Lea Junior School, near Stanley, paid a voluntary contribution to dress in their night clothes. The event raised £317 for the National
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Logo design contest for anti-smoking campaign
BUDDING artists have started work on a logo for an anti-smoking campaign. The Smoke Free Derwentside scheme was launched in July and aims to improve health by encouraging companies and organisations to ban smoking. The move comes after Liverpool City
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Comment from The Northern Echo: With privilege comes duty
WHETHER he likes it or not, Prince Harry has found himself in a position of great privilege and responsibility. By lashing out at a photographer outside a nightclub and using bad language, he has fallen well short of the standards that extraordinary position
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Jail warning after attack on friend
A MAN who carried out a savage attack on a friend of 15 years was yesterday warned to expect a jail sentence. Michael James Davies struck the 21-year-old victim repeatedly with a club or stick, before biting his arm. Durham Crown Court heard that he maintained
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Work starts on hospital
BUILDING work has started on the £3m redevelopment of a hospital. The revamp of Malton Hospital will include a new ward, better facilities for outpatients, minor injury cases, day care surgery, dental services, out-of-hours services and rehabilitation
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Ghostly tours at farm
A GHOST-FILLED farm is opening its gates to youngsters with nerves of steel next week. Broom House Farm, outside Witton Gilbert, near Durham, is holding tours of its haunted barn from Wednesday until Sunday, from 2pm until 6pm. The Halloween activities
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Rail museum roof needs urgent repairs
URGENT safety work costing £50,000 is being done to the roof of Darlington Railway Centre and Museum. The need for the work was spotlighted during a survey carried out for a heritage lottery grant to boost the facilities. But permanent action will be
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Pupils honoured at award ceremony
YOUNG achievers at a village school were honoured at a ceremony on Wednesday. Pupils who have excelled at Hurworth School Maths and Computing College were recognised for their work in a range of fields. Certificates were presented to lower school pupils.The
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Burton's Bytes: Still the best for budding Beckhams
FIFA FOOTBALL 2005, Publisher: EA Sports. Formats: PC, Xbox, PS2, GameCube. Price: £39.99: Family friendly? Yep. AS Sir Alex Ferguson keeps telling interviewers, the football season doesn't really hot up until after Christmas. But with computer soccer
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'Ugly' town houses to be built in village despite objections
A COUNCILLOR described houses to be built in a village near Darlington as ugly and hideous. Councillor Doris Jones, chairwoman of Middleton St George Parish Council, criticised plans to put five, three-storey town houses on the village's Station Garage
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Falklands veteran is an inspiration
PUPILS at a Darlington school have been treated to an inspiring talk by Falklands veteran Simon Weston. Mr Weston visited Polam Hall school last night to speak to the pupils as part of the school's annual speech day. This was the first speech day for
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Why can't you just leave me alone?
Prince Harry's playboy image was last night under fresh scrutiny after an early morning fracas outside a nightclub which left a paparazzi photographer with a cut lip. The 20-year-old royal, who has tried to shed his wild reputation after dabbling with
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'Parking toll would damage town trade'
PARKING charges would be the "death knoll" for a town, say business leaders. One of the proposals in a county council traffic management study for Leyburn is to introduce a pay-and-display system in the Market Place and Grove Square. But some businesses
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Refurbishment commended
A TOWN hall refurbishment project has been highly commended in a national environmental awards ceremony. The scheme for Stokesley Town Hall received the accolade in the Community Indoor Amenity Category at the Biffaward Awards 2004. The hall was built
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Pair prepare for a really cool trip
TWO students are preparing to swap the warmth of home for a tent and sleeping bag in Iceland. Friends Rachel Logan, 22, Gainford, near Darlington, and Katie Grinter, 19, of Forcett, near Richmond, are planning to trek across the country to raise money
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On TV
Too Close For Comfort (BBC1) No Going Back: Chaos At The Castle (C4) THINGS are getting desperate in the home makeover world, both at home and abroad. Too Close For Comfort attempts to wring yet more mileage out of doing up people's homes by offering
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Strike looming at Teesside factory
Workers at a Teesside factory will vote next week on whether to go on strike following the collapse of pay talks. Bosses at British Polythene Industries (BPI) Stockton, also known as Visqueen, rejected a request for a 3 per cent pay increase and instead
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Inquiry into housing plan approval
GOVERNMENT officers are to investigate claims that a council has acted improperly over a controversial housing development. Officials from the Local Government Ombudsman have answered the calls of residents in Stanley, who believe they were not properly
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Call for landslip cash
GOVERNMENT ministers are to be urged to come up with funding for landslip repairs. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council commissioned the £3m reconstruction of Loftus Bank, following a devastating landslide in 1999. Five years on, there has been a further
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Pensioners' fears of a sad, lonely death
ELDERLY people in the upper dales fear they will die alone in the night because of changes to out-of-hours GP cover, a member of the clergy told a health review. The Rev Ann Chapman, vicar of Aysgarth, said many old and frail parishioners were terrified
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Menace gets football ban
A YOUNG tearaway who targeted shops and residents and moving cars with his football has been given the red card. Durham magistrates issued an anti social behaviour order on Monday, banning 15-year-old Dean Bell from possessing a football within a prescribed
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Award for commitment to training
AN engineering plant has received an award from one the industry's leading authorities in recognition of its efforts to nurture staff. Electrolux, in Spennymoor, has been awarded Accreditation standard by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)
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School athletes win title
EXTRA practice has paid off for a team of young cross country runners. The year eight girls' team from Wensleydale School, in Leyburn, won the Hambleton and Richmondshire area competition at Allertonshire School, Northallerton, recently. Head of PE Lee
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Grants awarded by charity
THE latest round of grants have been awarded to community organisations and worthy causes in the North-East by a regional charity. Christ's Hospital, in Sherburn, near Durham, handed out sums totalling £448,339 to a variety of groups across the region
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You know what you're eating at the Nag's Head
AT a time when the provenance of our food is becoming increasingly important to us, it's reassuring when a restaurant tells you the name of the river where its salmon came from. At the Nag's Head, at Pickhill, near Thirsk, they also tell you who caught
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Outbreak team reports on E coli cases
HEALTH officials remain convinced that a serious food poisoning outbreak that left 11 people ill can be linked to a butcher's shop. An official report into the E coli outbreak was presented to Durham and Chester-le-Street Primary Care Trust. It described
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Safety advice for children
HUNDREDS of youngsters will be given vital safety advice at an event in Newton Aycliffe next month. About 1,300 year six pupils will attend Newton Aycliffe Young People's Centre between November 3 and 12 for Sedgefield Borough Council Leisure Services
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Downing dazzles to give Boro flying start
IN THE historical city of Athens, Middlesbrough's opening match of the inaugural UEFA Cup group stage will not live long in the memory but when the final whistle blew it was mission accomplished. And a dour, at times excruciating, encounter with Greek
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Butler's snub shocks Sunderland
FORMER Sunderland winger Thomas Butler has delivered a double snub to the club who turned him from a promising schoolboy into a Premiership player. Firstly the Black Cats were informed that the Irishman planned to take them to an industrial tribunal,
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Research into low rates of start-ups by young people
Researchers at Durham Business School have been chosen by the Government to shed light on the flagging entrepreneurial spirit among young people in the UK. The National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship, which has been set up by the Government, has
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Obsession with football has reached its financial limit
IS THIS the season of myths, or does The Northern Echo really have two sports writers in Athens this week? You may have noticed they're called Wilson and Fraser, but our men perched atop the Parthenon are definitely not characters out of Dad's Army. One
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Continued decline of Safeway profits
Supermarket group Morrisons last night revealed that Safeway's performance had continued to decline, with like-for-like sales 7.9 per cent lower in the first half. The Bradford-based chain, which acquired the Safeway business earlier this year, unveiled
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Football fans hit by airport dispute
A flights fiasco left soccer fans stranded as they tried to jet to Athens to watch last night's crucial Uefa Cup game. A strike by air traffic controllers at Athens airport has caused major delays, with some flights being cancelled or delayed. One group
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Neighbour's plea over 'depressing' tree
A NORTH-EAST woman is begging local councillors to allow her neighbour's huge tree to be chopped back - because it depresses her. Large branches of the 40ft Cedar of Lebanon tree hang over her garden at Jepson Cottage, in Heighington, near Darlington,
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Auction promises prizes
DINNER at a top restaurant and signed memorabilia are up for grabs at a Guisborough school's charity auction. The Auction of Promises is set to raise £2,000 to help to pay for a computer upgrade at Highcliffe Primary School. The school's parent teacher
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Postal loss won't mean passport fee
FARMERS will no longer have to meet costly fees to replace cattle passports lost in the post, following successful lobbying by the Country Land and Business Association. Until now, the £50 replacement charge had been levied unless farmers could demonstrate
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Work begins on museum extension
WORK has begun on a warehouse that will save thousands of pieces of the region's industrial heritage. Construction has started on a £2.8m extension to the Regional Resource Centre at Beamish Museum, near Stanley, County Durham. It will provide storage
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Promise to rid town of reputation as 'suicide capital'
HEALTH officials have issued a vow to rid a North-East town of its unwanted reputation as the suicide capital of the country. Darlington has an unenviable record for the number of people taking their lives. Statistics show that 18 per 100,000 of the population
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Blair and Kennedy united to promote assembly
The old Lib-Lab pact was briefly restored today as Tony Blair and Charles Kennedy staged their own balcony scene. The PM and the Lib Dem leader stood shoulder to shoulder to proclaim they were both yes men in the regional assembly debate. Voting on the
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Durham Memories: How family's estate grew out of land omce owned by monks
Last week we found that several scattered pit terraces developed in Gilesgate Moor during the 1800s along with a little village called New Durham. The settlements grew between Sunderland and Sherburn Road while the area outside remained agricultural.
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Hunt for accident victim's relatives
POLICE were last night still trying to trace relatives of a middle-aged woman who died when her car collided head-on with a passenger-laden bus. The woman had been driving a Jaguar which was overtaking a line of traffic when the accident happened on the
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£78m yearly expenses 'vital for MPs to carry out work'
A total of £78m in expenses was claimed by MPs last year, figures released yesterday showed - but the Government insisted this was good value for money. Details of expenses and allowances paid to MPs for the last three years have been published for the
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Downing praised
ENGLAND coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has singled out Middlesbrough's Stewart Downing as the cream of the Under-21 crop, and admitted he is on the brink of the full national side. Downing has impressed with a string of top-class performances this term and
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Pupils to perform as you like it
STUDENTS from across North Yorkshire are taking part in the first school drama festival at Richmond's Georgian Theatre Royal. Pictured are Northallerton College pupils preparing for their version of Shakespeare's As You Like It. Thirteen schools are performing
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Why can't you just leave me alone?
Prince Harry's playboy image was last night under fresh scrutiny after an early morning fracas outside a nightclub which left a paparazzi photographer with a cut lip. The 20-year-old royal, who has tried to shed his wild reputation after dabbling with
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Pay back time for criminals
CAREER criminals who make a living from the black economy are being targeted in new moves to hit offenders in their pockets. Police across Durham are being charged with clawing back funds from criminal activities, which account for hundreds of thousands
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Woody can be your Valentine
FORMER Hong Kong-based champion apprentice jockey, Stanley Chin, has struck up a fine partnership with Woody Valentine, a leading contender for this afternoon's Persimmon Homes Handicap. After a slow start to his UK career, Chin is gradually finding his
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Second homes tax cash starts to pour out
PROJECTS in Bedale, North-allerton, Easingwold, Ripon and Richmondshire are among the first to benefit from funds generated by a reduction in the council tax discount on second homes in North Yorkshire. The county council has established a £1.9m fund
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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. BSPS Area 3a.
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A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Arc, Stockton
TWO years ago, a bunch of North-East state school kids went to see some Shakespeare plays. There they heard words that had a magic unimagined. For not only did those Stockton teenagers form their own company, Arden Theatre, but last year staged Julius
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Brass band crowns a great year
THE region's finest brass band is officially one of the best in Britain. The Reg Vardy (Ever Ready) Band won third place in the national brass championships, held in the Royal Albert Hall. It is the band's best ever result at the contest. Band manager
