Archive
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Little Britain? Little fortune
TICKETS for sell-out live shows of cult comedy Little Britain are changing hands for hundreds of pounds on the Internet. Matt Lucas and David Walliams bring their surreal band of TV characters to Newcastle City Hall next year as part of a national tour
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Caldwell reprieve halts Collins' return
NEILL Collins' hopes of a first team recall this weekend have been put on hold after Sunderland's appeal against Steve Caldwell's red card against West Ham was upheld. In what has become largely uncommon practice this season, the Football Association
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Student injured in road accident
A university student was seriously injured after she and a fellow undergraduate were hit by a car as they crossed a busy road. The 18-year-old student suffered a serious head injury, a fractured hip and fractured leg after the accident in Durham City
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Police appeal over whereabouts of two men
POLICE are asking for help in tracing two men they wish to interview. Officers want to speak to Christopher William Graham about a substantial sum of counterfeit currency recovered in Middlesbrough more than a year ago. Others were charged at the time
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Virgin on a Far East breakthrough
Virgin Atlantic chairman Sir Richard Branson was in Hong Kong yesterday to promote the airline's latest route, a non-stop daily service between Hong Kong and Sydney, connecting with London. On Monday, Virgin Group launched a joint-bid with Stagecoach
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Changing Rooms pays for Grainger
THE UK's continued love affair with house renovations has helped Grainger Trust, in Newcastle, to profits of nearly £60m. Announcing its results for the past six months, the property investor said that despite predictions of a lull in the housing market
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Cautious buyers weaken trading
ELECTRICAL appliances group Alba yesterday provided more evidence that consumers have become more cautious. Alba saw uncertain market conditions, although a surge in demand for flat-screen televisions and MP3 players helped increase sales and contributed
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The Lifeblood Appeal
As part of The Northern Echo's Lifeblood campaign, which aims to encourage people to give blood, here are details of forthcoming donor sessions in the region: TOMORROW: * King James I College, South Church Road, Bishop Auckland, 2.45pm-7pm * Normanby
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Toothpaste firm to cut 4,400 jobs
TOOTHPASTE maker Colgate-Palmolive is cutting 4,400 jobs and closing a third of its 78 factories around the world. The group, which makes products including Colgate toothpaste and Ajax detergent, said the move would boost profits by generating annual
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Everybody loves a Winner
He's directed some of Hollywood's biggest stars and is a fearsome restaurant critic, but Michael Winner gets recognised as much now for his insurance advertisements. Nick Morrison meets the dandy who claims he's really a shrinking violet. HE rang from
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Minister points to Deepcut foul play
THE Leader of the House of Commons last night became the first Cabinet minister to imply foul play may have caused the death of a North-East soldier. Peter Hain, Leader of the House of Commons, described some of the allegations surrounding the deaths
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Pensioner was killed unlawfully
A PENSIONER who died ten days after falling during a brawl at a workingmen's club was unlawfully killed, a coroner ruled yesterday. John George Lacy, 65, a former landlord at Darlington's Globe pub, was assaulted when he intervened in a fight at the town's
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Strikers have silenced critics, says Southgate
GARETH SOUTHGATE believes Middlesbrough's deadly strikeforce have delivered the perfect riposte to the doubters accusing them of profligacy in front of goal. Mark Viduka and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink ended their barren runs on Monday night when they shared
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Consultation launched over plans to move fire stations
FIRE stations could be opened to residents in part of the North-East for the first time if plans for two facilities are approved. Consultation over County Durham's first two community fire stations, which could be built in Spennymoor and Bishop Auckland
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Quakers rocking to the play-offs beat
DARLINGTON fans were invited to bring their own drums to the Williamson Motors Stadium last night, but it was the players who made their own music. Quakers' home has had more spare seats than a One True Voice concert since it opened 16 months ago, but
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Smugglers ordered to pay tax of £400,000
TWO men responsible for one of the biggest hauls of smuggled cigarettes ever in the North-East have been ordered to pay £400,000 from the proceeds of their crime. Carlo Citrone, a gym owner and professional poker player, and haulage boss William Howard
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Strangers in the night can result in a rewarding experience for everyone
Asking people to give a homeless youngster a bed for the night is no easy task. "It is quite a difficult thing to get people to do," said Bridget Chapman, co-ordinator of Darlington-based charity Stop2Night. "People worry about who they are inviting into
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Magpies ordered to play at the Warren
NEWCASTLE have been told their David and Goliath FA Cup tie with Yeading will be played at the non-league club's tiny home ground. As the rules would not allow a switch to St James' Park, the Ryman League champions had been looking into the possibility
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Trip over fence led to death
A WOMAN bled to death in hospital, where she was being treated for a dislocated knee, despite the efforts of doctors and nurses to save her. As nurses attempted to turn 40-year-old Catherine Russell in her bed, to change her dressings, she had a major
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Farm runs out of room as customers gobble up free range turkeys
A FARM couple's winter sideline has given them a seasonal headache after proving a success each Christmas in recent years. Martin and Judith Dryden have reared a batch of newborn, free range KellyBronze turkeys for the Christmas dinner plate each year
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Town band to play concert
Ferryhill Town Band presents a concert at Mainsforth Welfare Hall, Ferryhill Station, County Durham, on Saturday, at 7.30pm. Guest soloist is Brett Baker, trombone player with the famous Black Dyke Mills Band. Tickets are £5, with concessions at £4, available
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Gadfly: When words are the weapons
NO offence spared, a newly published book of insults has landed unapologetically on the desk. Pulp fiction, half of it, and twice as unoriginal. Still, Prince Philip's in there, supposing that the Queen might decline a tour of the flight deck of Concorde
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When words are the weapons
NO offence spared, a newly published book of insults has landed unapologetically on the desk. Pulp fiction, half of it, and twice as unoriginal. Still, Prince Philip's in there, supposing that the Queen might decline a tour of the flight deck of Concorde
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£3.5m for town centre
A CONTROVERSIAL plan to pedestrianise Darlington town centre has taken a step forward after securing funding of £3.5m from the regional development agency. One NorthEast announced it was making the cash available so the borough council could continue
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Putting It Together, Harrogate Theatre Studio
LAST year's dinner theatre in the intimate surroundings of The Studio was a resounding hit, so a sequel was inevitable. Attempting to repeat something successful is a dangerous thing, although it helps when you're working with composer Stephen Sondheim's
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New ban 'would destroy fishing'
A report calling for fishing to be banned in almost a third of UK waters could spell the end of North Sea fishing, industry leaders in the region said last night. They said the report was two years out of date and, if the recommendations in the report
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Caldwell handed reprieve
NEILL Collins' hopes of a first team recall this weekend have been put on hold after Sunderland's appeal against Steve Caldwell's red card against West Ham was upheld. In what has become largely uncommon practice this season, the Football Association
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Children's writing talents shine through
TALENTED pupils from a Darlington school have won an award in a national writing competition. Children from Croft Church of England Primary School demonstrated journalistic flair in their entry entitled Newsflash. Mark Millman, Simon Walton, Lydia Armstrong
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Chance to see Shrek 2
A JUNIOR film club for youngsters will hold its first showing this weekend. Newton Aycliffe Film Club will show Shrek 2 upstairs at the Southern Club, William-field Way, Newton Aycliffe, on Sunday. The family film will be projected on to a 9ft by 12ft
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'No' campaigners to launch devolution pressure group
KEY figures from the campaign that delivered the No vote in the referendum on a directly-elected assembly for the North-East are to establish a pressure group demanding greater devolution for the region. Buoyed by their overwhelming success in November's
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Sports night
Bishop Auckland FC Supporters Club has a darts, dominoes and pool night in the social club, Kingsway, tonight from 7.30pm. Team manager Brian Honour will answer fans' questions and there will be a raffle for the Supporters' Stadium Fund. Entry to each
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Pupils raise funds and spirits for elderly
CHILDREN at a Darlington school raised more than £1,000 to throw a Christmas party for elderly people in their area. Pupils at Hurworth School Maths and Computing College organised an afternoon's entertainment. The guests were greeted by ten Christmas
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Police team set up to tackle violence among teenagers
A team of police officers is being assembled in Darlington to tackle anti-social behaviour. Four police constables and a sergeant are being recruited for the Street Safe unit. The officers will work to reduce anti-social behaviour and the violence associated
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Passengers tell of man's death
METRO passengers who saw the stabbing of a fellow traveller after a row broke out on a packed train pieced together the final moments of his life yesterday. David Moorhouse, 37, died after his former lover, Claire Park, 26, urged her partner, Sean Clarke
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Superstore to take on 200 staff
UP to 200 members of staff are being recruited for Durham City's newest superstore. B&Q opens its store in Dragonville in April and the company is looking to fill vacancies for customer advisors, night crew, check-out staff and trade experts for the
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Message of support for Palestinians
A LARGE Christmas card is to be sent to the birthplace of Christ to highlight the plight of present-day Palestinians in the town of Bethlehem. The card is to be sent to the Mayor of Bethlehem. Members of Durham County Palestine Solidarity Campaign will
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Village cooks up new book
A COOKERY book crammed with healthy recipes is to be produced in an east Durham village thanks to a grant. Residents of Wheatley Hill are working with the Healthy Communities Collaborative to produce a book with nutritious but affordable recipes, supplied
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Corus warned to get rid of red dust after complaints
STEEL company Corus UK has been been given six months to stop red dust from affecting nearby residents. Several concerned residents complained about the dust from the steel plant and an investigation was launched on November 8. Officers from the Environment
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Man in court over breaches
A MAN barred from his mother and stepfather's home was back in court yesterday. Harrogate magistrates imposed a restraining order on James Maine in January because of a violent and abusive campaign against Lyn Drummond and husband Robert. Yesterday, Mr
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Crowded bus service may be re-routed to help pupils
A BUS service taking pupils to a Hartlepool school may be re-routed to stop overcrowding. Service 826, from Throston Grange Lane to English Martyrs Secondary School, is operated by Stagecoach North-East, and runs during school terms on a morning and afternoon
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How waxwings and log fires can brighten the long winter months
DURING the past week or two, this region has produced reports of waxwings being seen along our coastline. In two cases which came to my notice, the sightings were of solitary birds, which suggests those in question had been separated from their companions
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Corus warned to get rid of red dust after complaints
STEEL company Corus UK has been been given six months to stop red dust from affecting nearby residents. Several concerned residents complained about the dust from the steel plant and an investigation was launched on November 8. Officers from the Environment
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Investment helps task force cut county's arson attacks
EXTRA funding has led to a significant drop in cases of arson across North Yorkshire. Deliberate fires dropped by 8.9 per cent in the 12 months up to April this year, compared to the previous year. The reduction comes after the Government gave £30,000
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Lifestyle store to expand
PSYCHE, the Teesside fashion outlet, is preparing to expand with plans to open six stores nationwide in the next five years. The award-winning lifestyle store is said to be in the final stages of negotiations with SKG Equity Finance to bring its brand
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Overdose was not suicide
A MAN who died after taking an overdose of painkillers after a night out drinking had not intended to kill himself an inquest ruled yesterday. Lee Dent, 24, of Brinkburn Avenue, Darlington, was found dead on a couch by his father, the hearing at Chester-le-Street
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Strikers have silenced critics, says Southgate
GARETH SOUTHGATE believes Middlesbrough's deadly strikeforce have delivered the perfect riposte to the doubters accusing them of profligacy in front of goal. Mark Viduka and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink ended their barren runs on Monday night when they shared
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Athletes make finals
ATHLETES from Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, Darlington, were successful at the recent British Colleges' North-East Championships in Huddersfield. Girls and boys teams were entered and both have qualified for the national finals at Loughborough University
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Travel card for students
UNIVERSITY students are being urged to take advantage of a travel card offering half-price fares. Stockton Borough Council has agreed to extend its Trailblazer travel card, aimed at promoting public transport usage by 16 to 19-year-olds, to students aged
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Angelic voices sing out
YOUNGSTERS dressed as kings and angels delighted crowds by singing Christmas carols at a town's annual lights ceremony. Children from schools and other organisations in Shildon took part in the town's Christmas procession last week, which ended in the
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Santa down on the farm
FATHER Christmas is leaving his grotto to take up temporary residence at Hall Hill Farm, on the B6296 between Lanchester and Satley. With him will be Bambi, Flower, Whisky, and Rudolph the deer, Primrose the Jersey cow, and Snowy the donkey. Visitors
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Children get into the festive spirit
schoolchildren have been decorating the civic Christmas tree at Middlesbrough town hall. Pupils from Newport and Ayresome Primary schools, Middlesbrough, dressed the tree, which stands in the civic suite. Councillor Javed Ismail, the chairman of the council
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Residents split over plan for gated alleyway
RESIDENTS who called for a gate to be installed in an alleyway to stop anti-social behaviour could be disappointed. People in Mountston Close, Hartlepool, have complained that they are regularly subjected to anti-social behaviour by youths using the footpath
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Residents seek a future for phone box
BRITISH Telecom bosses have been urged not to close a red telephone box in a moorland hamlet. Concern has grown about the box in Ilton-cum-Pott, above Masham, near Ripon. The handful of people who live in five homes near the box were dismayed to see that
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Change of fortune for estate
A HOUSING estate is shedding its image as a place where no one wanted to live. Empty and boarded-up houses used to be a common sight on Central Estate, in Hartlepool, but would-be residents now have to join a waiting list. Statistics show there are 369
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Store opens its doors
A CHILDREN'S hospice has received an early Christmas present from a supermarket. Zo's Place, in Normanby, was presented with £1,000 by Tesco, which has just opened its Ingleby Barwick store. Mark Guidery, general manager of Zo's Place, received the cheque
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Minister points to Deepcut foul play
THE Leader of the House of Commons last night became the first Cabinet minister to imply foul play may have caused the death of a North-East soldier. Peter Hain, Leader of the House of Commons, described some of the allegations surrounding the deaths
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Mercer ready to pilot Ulusaba to hat-trick
ICE-COOL Keith Mercer heads to Leicester this afternoon with a great chance of completing a quick-fire hat-trick aboard Ulusaba (2.15). Ferdy Murphy's in-form eight-year-old has won on his last couple of visits to the Midlands track, each time with Mercer
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Cabbies pledge to fight court ruling
NORTH-EAST cabbies last night vowed to fight on after a judge ruled against them in a test case that could affect every taxi driver in the country. Darlington Borough Council was told by magistrates earlier this year it did not have the right to order
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Alice marks 105th birthday
ONE of County Durham's oldest residents boosted her collection of telegrams from the Queen when she celebrated her 105th birthday this week. Alice Wood enjoyed a party at Castle Bank Nursing Home, Tow Law, to mark another landmark birthday and was thrilled
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Police hunt man who robbed bookmakers
Police are today hunting a man who made off with thousands of pounds after threatening to set fire to a North-East bookmakers. Staff at a Ladbrokes shop in Darlington were subjected to a terrifying ordeal as the masked thief insisted he would set fire
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08/12/04
CABBIES: HAVING spent over 30 years, most of it in managerial positions, in the Darlington taxi trade, it was with utter dismay that I read the article - and more to the point saw the photograph - of Darlington cabbies going to the High Court (Echo, Nov
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Funding blow for schools
THOUSANDS of pupils and teachers in Darlington will have to wait up to nine years before they get new school buildings. Darlington's Local Education Authority had hoped to get millions of pounds of Government money in the next two years through the Building
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Helping to drum up support for the Quakers
FANS of Darlington Football Club drummed up support for the Quakers last night with the launch of a scheme. Bang the Drum for Darlington was designed to encourage people to make as much noise as possible for the team in the Coca-Cola League Two clash
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Teenages arrested in fireworks death
Four teenagers were today arrested on suspicion of murdering a man who died in a blaze that was believed to have started when a lit firework was pushed through his letterbox, police said. The youths, one aged 17 and three 15-year-olds, were arrested in
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Speaking a universal language
INDEPENDENT brewer Black Sheep has discovered that success is all in a name, after exporting more than 30,000 bottles of its award-winning Riggwelter beer to Sweden. The locally-brewed ale takes its name from a Yorkshire saying, which in turn is derived
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Thieves get their swag in the bag
The Heist (C4): HOW many times have you watched a heist film and thought, as thieves stole something from a supposedly impregnable place, "They could never do that in real life?" I have news for you, The Heist sets out to prove that crime can pay by employing
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McArdle sells 22 care homes
CARE home business Helen McArdle Care has announced the sale of its 22 care homes in the region to a London company in a deal worth £100m. The acquisition of the business by elderly care provider Bondcare will see the London company take on £21m of debt
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Action ordered on NHS cleaning
HOSPITAL cleaning services were put on the spot again yesterday after inspections showed many NHS trusts were still failing to tackle the problem of dirty wards. The Government published new standards as a guide to hospitals on what is expected from cleaning
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Little Britain? Little fortune
TICKETS for sell-out live shows of cult comedy Little Britain are changing hands for hundreds of pounds on the Internet. Matt Lucas and David Walliams bring their surreal band of TV characters to Newcastle City Hall next year as part of a national tour
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Prisoners 'in need of family contact'
A GROUP working with prisoners has warned that depriving inmates of contact with their families could help to create the next generation of criminals. Christine Blakey, from the North-East Prisoner After Care Service, said: "Some people describe a parent
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Northumbrian Water on the crest of a wave
NORTHUMBRIAN Water said it had achieved significant progress after higher prices in its regulated business pushed half-year profits up by 57 per cent. The group, which has more than four million customers in the region, increased bills in April after
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'Cash machine charges must be made clearer'
Building societies have urged MPs to adopt measures to protect consumers against fee-charging cash machines. The Building Societies Association (BSA) called for greater advance notification of charges on ATMs with warnings that are clear, specific and
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Warm and generous with the Farmers'
I HAVE to admit it - when I booked our dinner at the Farmers' Inn at Helperby, I told a lie. Well, not a lie exactly, but not the whole truth either. When the person at the other end of the telephone asked me what was bringing us to the Farmers' Inn,
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Cathedral draws upon 'pillars of community'
ARTwork by young "pillars of the community" has gone on show at Durham Cathedral. Four and five-year-old boys from Bow School, Durham, can proudly view their work, on show today in the Galilee Chapel of the city's cathedral. Artists from the school's
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Early morning crash causes traffic chaos
A motorist had to be cut from the wreckage of his car after it was involved in a collision with a coach today. The crash occurred in the Faverdale area of Darlington during the early morning rush hour and led to huge tailbacks. The accident happened at
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Ameobi stars for reserves
Newcastle Reserves injected four first-teamers into their struggling side - and reaped instant rewards with a 3-0 win over Middlesbrough's second-string in the Tyne-Tees reserve derby last night. Striker Shola Ameobi, winger Darren Ambrose, midfielder
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Early cheer for the high street
RETAILERS were given some Christmas cheer yesterday with figures showing the number of shoppers had risen. The number of people in shopping centres last week was 8.7 per cent higher than the same time last year. FootFall, the retail information company
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Merson piles on the travel sickness for Pool
HOW can the team with the best home record in League One have the worst away record? After last night's defeat at Walsall, it gets even harder to work it out. A first-half which ended with Hartlepool United well on top finished with away defeat number
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Inquiry launched as man dies in custody
AN investigation has been launched after a man died while in custody at a police station. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) will manage the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Darren Bennett, 25, from Stockton
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Industry a shadow of its former self
IN the 1930s, British traw-lers regularly landed more than 300,000 tonnes of cod every year. Today, there are fewer than 70,000 tonnes of adult cod left in the North Sea. Not surprisingly. the industry is now a shadow of its former self. Fish landings
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Festival to light up parish church
FIFTY Christmas trees are to be decorated and lit up for a three-day festival which has taken parishioners six months to arrange. Volunteers have been recruited to lay dozens of yards of electric cable and erect tree stands for the event starting on Friday
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What's my line?
A famous remark attributed to the 18th century philosopher Edmund Burke - "It is necessary only for the good man to do nothing for evil to triumph'' - has won a poll to discover the world's top ten quotations. It edged out such other celebrated quotes
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Party marks 102nd birthday for Doris
ONE of the North-East's oldest women celebrated her 102nd birthday yesterday. Doris Chatt marked the occasion with a small party among friends at Tenlands care centre, in Ferryhill, south Durham. Mrs Chatt was born in Sunderland but spent most of her
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Winter treat for all
A VICTORIAN winter wonderland will be recreated in the centre of Darlington later this month. It will be the first time the town has held a themed Christmas market on this scale. Shoppers will be able to buy local crafts, foods and other Christmas gifts
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Health trust suspends consultant
A HOSPITAL consultant has been suspended from clinical practice after health chiefs launched an investigation into his work. Orthopaedic surgeon Kassim Mahdi has had to leave his post at Bishop Auckland General Hospital, pending an investigation. His
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Plans for new fire stations
FIRE stations could be opened up to County Durham residents for the first time if plans for two new facilities are approved. Consultation over the county's first two community fire stations at Spennymoor and Bishop Auckland will begin next week. County
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Northumbrian Water on the crest of a wave
NORTHUMBRIAN Water said it had achieved significant progress after higher prices in its regulated business pushed half-year profits up by 57 per cent. The group, which has more than four million customers in the region, increased bills in April after
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Caldwell reprieve halts Collins' return
NEILL Collins' hopes of a first team recall this weekend have been put on hold after Sunderland's appeal against Steve Caldwell's red card against West Ham was upheld. In what has become largely uncommon practice this season, the Football Association
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Citizenship award for youngsters
A GROUP of young performers from the region have been given a national award in memory of murdered headteacher Philip Lawrence. The Jackass Youth Theatre Group, from Wear Valley and Teesdale, has won the Philip Lawrence Award for outstanding citizenship
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Superstore to take on 200 staff
UP to 200 members of staff are being recruited for Durham City's newest superstore. B&Q opens its store in Dragonville in April and the company is looking to fill vacancies for customer advisors, night crew, check-out staff and trade experts for the
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Success on the cards for young designers
A CHRISTMAS card designed by creative children at a village school will soon be landing on doormats all over the country. Sedgefield and Fishburn beat officer PC Keith Todd runs a Christmas card competition at one of the three primary schools in his area
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Pensioner was killed unlawfully
A PENSIONER who died ten days after falling during a brawl at a workingmen's club was unlawfully killed, a coroner ruled yesterday. John George Lacy, 65, a former landlord at Darlington's Globe pub, was assaulted when he intervened in a fight at the town's
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Don't be so soft, Santa
THE trouble with Father Christmas is that he's gone soft in his old age - all twinkly-eyed and sentimental and much too much of that ho ho ho. Last week psychiatrists said that we should let our children believe in Father Christmas because he is a symbol
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Comment from The Northern Echo: A welcome for Auntie
WHILE we will watch with interest to see what impact the BBC shedding 2,900 jobs has on the quality of its output, one aspect of yesterday's announcement by director-general Mark Thompson must be unreservedly welcomed. A chunk of the Corporation is to
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Waterfalls, viaducts and a remote dale
THE tiny village of Hardraw in upper Wensleydale is well know for its waterfall. It is approached for a small charge through the Green Dragon Inn along a 300yd path. After heavy rain, it becomes one of the most spectacular sights in Yorkshire. When I
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Lengthy sentences for armed club robbers
Two masked robbers who brandished a sawn-off shotgun at drinkers in a packed club before making off with thousands of pounds in cash were this evening facing lengthy jail sentences. Peter George Caswell, 52, and Shane Round, 31, were on trial at Teesside
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Jenas rallies team-mates
STAND-IN skipper Jermaine Jenas has urged all his team-mates to stand up and be counted to ensure Newcastle United start to climb the Premiership table. The Magpies have won just one of their last six league games, dropping to eight points above a relegation
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Cabbies pledge to fight court ruling
NORTH-EAST cabbies last night vowed to fight on after a judge ruled against them in a test case that could affect every taxi driver in the country. Darlington Borough Council was told by magistrates earlier this year it did not have the right to order
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Don't be so soft, Santa
Santa's been far from tough on badly behaved children of late. It's time he put them in their place. THE trouble with Father Christmas is that he's gone soft in his old age - all twinkly-eyed and sentimental and much too much of that ho ho ho. Last week
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Jenas rallies team-mates
STAND-IN skipper Jermaine Jenas has urged all his team-mates to stand up and be counted to ensure Newcastle United start to climb the Premiership table. The Magpies have won just one of their last six league games, dropping to eight points above a relegation
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Connor, nine, enjoys a golden day
A YOUNG Taekwondo champion kicked his way to gold at a competition in Darlington. Nine-year-old Connor Woodcock, who trains at the town's Kim Chung Do Dojang, competed in the yellow belt to blue belt category and achieved three gold medals and one bronze
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Entertainment for youngsters
Stories and crafts for the Twiglets Under-Fives are in Bishop Auckland Town Hall today and tomorrow at 10.30am and 1.30pm. Admission is free. Krafty Kids for eight to 12-year-olds are on Saturday, December 11, and Saturday, December 18, from 10am until
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Courses' slow start on estate
PARENTS and carers from a Darlington estate have been slow to take up family learning courses. Darlington Borough Council's Libraries and Community Learning Service delivers a range of family learning courses in schools in the town. In many areas - including
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Farm runs out of room as customers gobble up free range turkeys
A FARM couple's winter sideline has given them a seasonal headache after proving a success each Christmas in recent years. Martin and Judith Dryden have reared a batch of newborn, free range KellyBronze turkeys for the Christmas dinner plate each year
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Man attacks girl after following her home
A TEENAGER was followed home by a man who forced his way into her house and demanded money. The 18-year-old was walking home from Thornaby train station at about 4.20pm on Monday after getting a train from Yarm. She believes the man had begun to follow
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Police: 'we need help enforcing parking'
A POLICE inspector has said new parking restrictions in a Teesdale market town cannot be enforced by the police alone. Inspector Kevin Tuck, of Barnard Castle police, has said he will ask for help from traffic wardens and police Community Support Officers
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Man is accused of groping woman in busy city centre
A WOMAN was indecently assaulted in broad daylight on a busy city centre pedestrian bridge, a court heard. The university graduate was visiting her boyfriend in Durham, who studys at the city, when the attack took place in early October 2002. The woman
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David reaches final in craft competition
A PAINTING and decorating student reached the national final of a construction craft competition. NVQ level three student David Edson, from New College Durham, recently represented the region at the Skillbuild national final in Somerset, having won the
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Back to work for Deborah
A MOTHER who went back to school to get back to work has found herself a permanent job. Deborah Bradwell spent two years helping at Cotsford Infant School, in Horden, on a voluntary basis and impressed staff so much that they wanted to take her on as
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Teenagers get a taste of German culture
A GROUP of 14-year-olds took part in a work experience week with a difference after they travelled abroad to sample different working cultures. The group of 11 pupils, from Blakeston School, Norton, travelled to Germany last month with their teacher,
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Bakery hands out grants
TWO community projects are celebrating after winning large grants. Greggs Trust, the charitable arm of bakery chain Greggs, has donated £30,000 to the Single Homeless Action Initiative in Derwentside. The group, based in Stanley, provides services for
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Father admits threatening police with kitchen knives
POLICE used CS gas to subdue a man who had armed himself with a pair of knives and terrified his family, a court heard yesterday. Waheed Omran-Baber, prosecuting, told Harrogate magistrates that the incident started when two officers called at the home
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Snow for late shoppers
THE first snow of the season fell in Darlington town centre last Thursday. However, the snowfall was restricted to one small area of Skinnergate - and it was not cold because it was fake. Nevertheless, the snowflakes marked the official start of the late-night
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Hotline is set up to tackle fly-tipping
A HOTLINE has been set up to speed up reporting of illegal fly-tippers. The phone line has been launched for use by anyone who sees unscrupulous operators dumping waste and rubbish in County Durham. It is available during office hours and all calls will
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Radio team makes the right connections ahead of Internet launch
A RADIO station bidding for a commercial broadcasting licence was preparing to go live on the Internet yesterday. Northallerton FM will switch to a full-time Internet service when its month-long trial comes to an end later this month. Station manager
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Primary school a rising star
Crooksbarn Primary School in Norton, Teesside, has been named one of the 100 most improved schools in the country. It has improved each year since 2001 in national tests for English, mathematics and science. Headteacher Jonathan Twidle said: "All staff
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Prison threat for store boss
SUPERMARKET manager Gary Thistlewhite stole £5,000 from his employers, a court heard yesterday. Stephanie Waite, prosecuting, told Harrogate magistrates that Thistlewhite, 36, had been guilty of a significant breach of trust. He took the cash from a Harrogate
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Firefighters praised for efforts
FIREFIGHTERS in part of the North-East have been commended for their fundraising efforts by the Fire Services National Benevolent Fund (FSNBF). The FSNBF is a charity that provides services that preserve the quality of life for serving and retired fire
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Litterbugs and truants are targeted in town clean-ups
CLEAN-UP schemes have been launched in two towns on Teesside. In Hartlepool, the 600-home neighbourhood of Owton Manor is being given a clean-up, including cutting-back overgrown shrubs, removing graffiti, repainting streetlight columns and replacing
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Hundreds join fight against plan for school at hall
MORE than 800 objections have been lodged against proposals to convert a former royal home into a residential school for children with learning difficulties. The Senad Group wants to turn Goldsborough Hall, near Knaresborough, into a home for 27 students
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School's 75th anniversary party
PRIMARY school youngsters have taken a step back in time as their school celebrates its 75th anniversary. Some of the children from Copeland Road Primary School, West Auckland, enjoyed scripture classes and maths using pounds, shillings and pence as they
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Setting healthy standard
HEALTH officials in Darlington have become the first in the country to use computer technology to monitor standards in doctors' practices while protecting patient privacy. Darlington Primary Care Trust is introducing a quality outcome framework (QOF)
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Chance to see Shrek 2
A JUNIOR film club for youngsters will hold its first showing this weekend. Newton Aycliffe Film Club will show Shrek 2 upstairs at the Southern Club, William-field Way, Newton Aycliffe, on Sunday. The family film will be projected on to a 9ft by 12ft
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Election candidate is named
CONSERVATIVES have announced their candidate to fight a strong Labour seat in the next election. Richard Bell, 41, from Eggleston, Teesdale, will contest the Bishop Auckland seat in the next General Election, which is expected to be in May. The seat has
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Patrols to target anti-social behaviour near churchyard
A police operation is targeting gangs of youths who disturb the peace of residents living near a 13th Century church. Patrols started on Monday at St Andrew's Church, in South Church, Bishop Auckland, where residents have long-standing complaints over
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Passengers tell of man's death
METRO passengers who saw the stabbing of a fellow traveller after a row broke out on a packed train pieced together the final moments of his life yesterday. David Moorhouse, 37, died after his former lover, Claire Park, 26, urged her partner, Sean Clarke
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National final spot for student
A PAINTING and decorating student has done himself proud in the national final of a craft competition. NVQ level three student David Edson, from New College Durham, represented the region at the Skillbuild national final in Taunton, Somerset, having won
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Don't be so soft, Santa
Santa's been far from tough on badly behaved children of late. It's time he put them in their place. THE trouble with Father Christmas is that he's gone soft in his old age - all twinkly-eyed and sentimental and much too much of that ho ho ho. Last week
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When words are the weapons
NO offence spared, a newly published book of insults has landed unapologetically on the desk. Pulp fiction, half of it, and twice as unoriginal. Still, Prince Philip's in there, supposing that the Queen might decline a tour of the flight deck of Concorde
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Soldier dies after crash
A YOUNG soldier died when the armoured vehicle he was commanding overturned. Lance Corporal Tony Carr, 21, died when he was thrown from a Saxon armoured personnel carrier near Salisbury Plain. His parents, Brian and Patsy, of Grangetown, Sunderland, spoke
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Store owners delighted at Prince's visit
A KNITTING company celebrated its 30th anniversary with a royal visit. Prince Charles went to a Swaledale Woollens shop, in the village of Muker, during his visit to North Yorkshire last week. David and Grizel Morris set up the company in 1974 to keep
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Theakston to increase capacity
BREWER T&R Theakston has announced plans to increase production capacity at its North Yorkshire brewery. The development of the brewery, in Masham, is timed to coincide with the move of Theakston Best Bitter production from the Tyne Brewery, in Newcastle
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Reaching out to help Africa's needy
A CHARITY Christmas show has been held to help Africa's poor. Adults with learning disabilities put on the show at the Methodist Church Hall, in Newbiggin, Richmond, on Monday. As well as a celebration of Christmas, the event raised money for the Send
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Jobs scheme is successful
UNEMPLOYMENT levels on a Darlington estate have dropped by almost half since the creation of a job-seeking scheme. Firthmoor into Work was set up in May 2002, to provide help, advice and training to get residents back to work, particularly after a long
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Police patrol church
A NEW police operation is targeting young gangs who disturb the peace of a thirteenth century church. Special patrols started on Monday at St Andrew's Church in South Church, where residents have long-standing complaints over anti-social behaviour. Groups
