Archive
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Jake and Elwood (The Blues Brothers), Gala Theatre, Durham
THE Jake and Elwood show features the music from cult film The Blues Brothers, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. It opens with the Black Rhino Band, fronted by two enthusiastic dancers in star-spangled costumes, then Jake cartwheels onto the
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Assault charges against schoolboy dropped
A schoolboy accused of throwing a bottle studded with safety pins at a dinner lady was told by magistrates he had no case to answer today. The 13-year-old, from Darlington, denied assault causing actual bodily harm and possessing an offensive weapon during
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Why I'm so sick of Blair's boobs
A 60-year-old former pin-up and 1970s gamourpuss has decided to take on Tony Blair in the General Election. Olivia Richwald reports on the day Cherri Gilham arrived in Sedgefield. IT is a very grey day for such a colourful personality to stride into Sedgefield
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Climate of fear rules at council, tribunal told
SENIOR council officials are creating a "climate of fear" amongst staff, an industrial tribunal was told yesterday. Jane Knox, who is claiming unfair dismissal against Stockton Borough Council, wept as she gave evidence. The 52-year-old, the authority's
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Toddle along to a big exhibition
THE womb-like room is pitch black and four visitors are lying on beds, listening to the muffled sound of a mother's voice talking and singing to her baby. The sounds are exactly what a baby hears after being in the womb for 25 weeks, and is the first
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Centre to be sold for homes
THE sale of a former sports centre for 'essential' affordable housing could get the go-ahead today. District councillors will decide whether to sell Richmond Sports Centre to a housing association at a meeting tonight. If the deal goes ahead, Tees Valley
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Time to drive it like Downing, says Sven
SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON has paid Middlesbrough's England new-boy Stewart Downing the ultimate compliment by comparing the winger to international skipper David Beckham. Even through Beckham's recent downturn in form for his country, Eriksson has continually
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Jail for man who sold drugs to friends
A COUNCIL worker was last night starting a 12-month jail sentence for dealing drugs to his friends. Christopher Teasdale, 24, was caught with 60 ecstasy tablets and three wraps of heroin when police raided his home in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, last
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Mascots take to the pitch for charity
THEY are usually seen cheering on the teams from the sidelines, but thanks to Comic Relief, team mascots have been under the spotlight. Football mascots from across the region took to the pitch at the McCain Stadium, in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, for
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Barbara O'Toole, Karen James, Victoria Johnson
Northern Film and Media, the regional screen agency for the North-East, has recruited two staff and a chairman. Former MEP BARBARA O'TOOLE has been appointed NFM chairwoman, replacing Monarch of The Glen creator Michael Chaplin, who steps down as chairman
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Lee's the star of Sedgefield show
LAST year's Aintree and Scottish Grand National winning jockey, Graham Lee, was the star of the show at Sedgefield yesterday, riding a near 15-1 double aboard Top Style and Super Sammy. Ingelby Barwick-based Lee first booted home spring-heeled Super Sammy
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Time for Sven's fluid flankers to impress
WHILE Sven Goran Eriksson has been unable to emulate Sir Alf Ramsey's biggest achievement, the current England boss has managed to replicate his most famous formation. Ramsey's 'wingless wonders' turned convention on its head when they won the World Cup
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The doors to stardom open for young actors and singers
A PERFORMANCE group which is being launched later this month will open the door to stardom for dozens of young people. Melting Pot Arts, a County Durham-based performance company, is starting a group called Sing, for talented teenagers. From Saturday,
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Visual record on every field of human experience
FIVE THOUSAND DAYS: Press Photography in a Changing World: foreword by Harold Evans (David & Charles, £29.99). THE five thousand days that have passed since the collapse of communism in 1989, as recorded by members of the British Photographers Association
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Man jailed for sex attacks on schoolgirl
A SEX attacker was jailed for three years yesterday for indecent assaults on a schoolgirl. John Hodgson, 40, from Darlington, admitted the offences when arrested last year. He pleaded guilty to three specimen charges of indecent assault and one of sexual
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Hinkes goes for record
A TOP mountaineer has announced an expedition which he hopes will put him into the record books. Alan Hinkes, of Northallerton, is flying out to the Himalayas at the end of next month to climb Kangchenjunga, the world's third highest mountain. If he is
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Rider calls for vigilance on country roads after accident
A YOUNG woman who narrowly escaped death in a horrific riding accident has called on motorists to take more care on narrow country lanes. Anna Wood was riding her five-year-old bay thoroughbred Bindy on the B1283 road between Easington and Haswell, in
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Spoiled for choice
All right, I confess: I've been listening to the Woman's Hour phone-in again. The subject was women eating too much and getting fat. Except of course it couldn't possibly be put like that. The fashionable word obesity was all the talk. Getting fat - sorry
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Vardy to report subdued trading
MOTOR dealer Reg Vardy has warned that full-year results are likely to be at the lower end of market expectations. The group said motorists had been delaying buying new cars, leading to "subdued" trading in the first three months of the second half compared
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Husband stands by wife after false rape accusation
A husband is standing by his wife who falsely accused him of rape. Newcastle Crown Court heard that jealous Lynne Curry made up the claim because she thought her husband James was spending too much time with his ex-wife. Mr Curry was arrested and questioned
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Daly impresses in reserves bow
JON Daly impressed on his first game in a Hartlepool United shirt yesterday. The big striker moved to Pool from Stockport last week and played in the 1-0 reserve defeat at Preston. Daly had a header cleared off the line and reserve boss Martin Scott said
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T-Mobile to shed hundreds of jobs
HUNDREDS of job losses at mobile phone operator T-Mobile will affect one in eight staff, it was revealed last night. The company's customer services division in Doxford, Sunderland, will also be affected. T-Mobile's parent company Deutsche Telekom announced
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Close shave to help friend
A SUPERMARKET worker has lost her long hair to support a colleague who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Heather Ellis, 52, of East Cowton, near Northallerton, has not had short hair since she was a baby. That changed last week when the customer
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Making the earth move and doing it naked
Bodyshock: Orgasmatron (C4); Going Naked To Work (ITV1): DR Stuart Meloy was working in his pain management practice when a female patient let out an exclamation. She'd had an orgasm as a result of a procedure involving spinal implants and long needles
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Police hunt goes on for missing girl
POLICE have released a picture of a teenager missing from home. Leoni Onslow, 14, of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, was last seen in the town on Thursday, when she left to go to school. A police spokesman said: "We are very concerned for this girl and would
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Shipyards dispute puts jobs in doubt
A WRANGLE over the long-term future of the shipbuilding industry is placing 9,500 North-East jobs in jeopardy, it emerged last night. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is in talks with all the country's major yards, with a view to them merging or forming
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Job Search: Vacancies
Vehicle fleet senior storekeeper, Northallerton, £15,732 to £17,445pa, 37hrs pw Mon-Sun, must be commercially aware, IT literate with motor vehicle experience, working knowledge of Car Fleet Control system is essential, possession of or working towards
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West set for big stage
Still four years to go to the big occasion, plans are under way to mark the centenary of West Auckland's first "World Cup" win with a nationally touring theatrical production. It will be a project of "unique historic and sporting importance", says Co
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Comment from The Northern Echo: No answer to society's ills
MICHAEL Howard's proposals to lock criminals up for longer will strike a chord with voters, as will his description of sentencing in the courts as a "charade". It is what people want to hear: Put criminals behind bars and throw away the key. But while
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Lee's the star of Sedgefield show
LAST year's Aintree and Scottish Grand National winning jockey, Graham Lee, was the star of the show at Sedgefield yesterday, riding a near 15-1 double aboard Top Style and Super Sammy. Ingelby Barwick-based Lee first booted home spring-heeled Super Sammy
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Bungling hitman and gang are jailed for murder plot
A MAN who was accidentally shot in the crotch by a bungling hitman he hired to kill a rival was jailed for ten years yesterday. Thomas "Tommy" Anderson, 48, was standing behind intended target Stanley Creswell when the bullet passed through Mr Creswell's
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Consumer watchdogs celebrate after fax-scam firm fined £8,000
CONSUMER watchdogs in a North-East town are celebrating victory over a fax scam. Last November, Hartlepool Borough Council's trading standards team warned businesses in the town to beware of unsolicited faxes purporting to come from India. UK firms had
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Gardeners urged to take up recycling
A scheme to recycle garden waste is being introduced. About 15,000 households in the Easington area are to be offered the chance to take part in the scheme. These will be selected in areas that produce large amounts of garden waste, and will see the old
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Holiday fracas ends in court
VIOLENCE erupted at a caravan park after a security guard asked a group of holidaymakers to make less noise, a court was told. Almost 30 people became involved in a late-night confrontation at the Witton Castle site, near Witton-le-Wear, County Durham
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New mum waits for results of cancer treatment
A MOTHER who found out she could have cancer at the same time she found she was pregnant will hear next week if she needs more treatment. At 42, Dawn Golightly had two teenage daughters and was not trying for a baby when she discovered she was pregnant
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Appeal to secure park's future
A SECOND public meeting is to be held in a bid to generate interest in reviving a Darlington park. During the first attempts to form a Friends of North Park group, residents criticised Darlington Borough Council saying it would not invest any money in
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Time for Sven's fluid flankers to impress
WHILE Sven Goran Eriksson has been unable to emulate Sir Alf Ramsey's biggest achievement, the current England boss has managed to replicate his most famous formation. Ramsey's 'wingless wonders' turned convention on its head when they won the World Cup
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130 million pancakes on, John has no regrets about his job
DEDICATED John Perry is still mad about pancakes, even though he has made more than 130 million of them. In a career that has spanned 14 years, the 37-year-old father-of-one has broken all records at the factory where he works. Employer Findus said he
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Nissan gets turbines go-ahead
CAR manufacturer Nissan will build seven wind turbines at its North-East plant. The company was granted permission by Sunderland City Council yesterday to build the turbines, which will provide 7.5 per cent of the electricity needed at the plant in Washington
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Young and old to discuss impact of war
A TEESSIDE project which brings together war veterans and children to talk about war has received a £7,500 grant. The Learning to Listen project in the borough of Stockton will now recruit up to 12 young people to meet veterans who live in the same community
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Youngsters say 'no' to smoking
TEENAGERS at a Shildon school are spreading an anti-smoking message among thousands of other young people. Work by Sunnydale pupils will feature in a booklet and on posters for No Smoking Day on March 9. Sunnydale is one of three schools from Sedgefield
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Real-ale festival marks its return by unveiling Heavenly brew
A real ale has been brewed to highlight an event in the calendar of Teesside beer drinkers. The beer by Camerons has been produced to mark the Stockton Beer Festival, which returns after a four-year absence. It is called Heaven Knows because when asked
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Drunk driver jailed for fatal crash that claimed girl of 17
A DRUNK driver was jailed for four years yesterday after a teenage passenger died in a crash. Bradley Dickinson, 20, from Redcar, had drunk eight pints and some spirits when he lost control of his Renault Clio, killing 17-year-old neighbour Samantha Parker
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Charity runner shrugs off training regime
SHOP worker Joe Mewes is ready to run his tenth half marathon - without any training. As he raises money for Redcar's lifeboat, the Morrison's employee is aiming for a 90-minute finish time in the 23rd Liberata Redcar Half Marathon. Mr Mewes, of Arlington
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'I'll jail 14,000 more crooks'
CONSERVATIVE leader Michael Howard yesterday unveiled the tough new sentencing policies he believes could see an extra 14,000 criminals in prison if the Tories win the upcoming General Election. He revealed his plans at a keynote speech at Darlington
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Pub pays homage to local brews
DRINKERS at a North-East watering hole are marking National Pub Week by sampling locally-brewed real ale. The Durham Brewery, whose beers are the tipple of choice for many regulars at the city's Woodman Inn, in Gilesgate, have laid on extra supplies for
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Helping out
A VILLAGE school is appealing for memorabilia. Middleton St George Primary School, near Darlington, is producing a book and exhibition celebrating its past. Organisers are looking for old photographs and school reports. The project coincides with the
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Advice for farmers on changes to subsidies
TALKS offering farmers information on changes to subsidies starts tonight in a County Durham hotel. Chartered surveyors George F White have organised three talks following a successful conference attended by 300 people in Northumberland last month. Under
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Target in sight for appeal aid
EFFORTS in aid of the Asian tsunami appeal helped to bring joy to families in Sedgefield. All 220 pupils of Hardwick Primary School, Sedgefield, contributed to the fundraising, which is on target to raise £1,000. They collected sponsorship for a range
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Repair service is just the job for vulnerable people
ELDERLY, disabled and vulnerable people in Darlington are benefiting from a scheme to help them with household jobs and repairs. The Care and Repair Agency's Handyperson Service provides an affordable home repair and adaptation service. It has operated
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Young musician gets big break
MUSICAL teenager Lucy Herd could probably form a band all by herself, given her proficiency with a number of different instruments. The 17-year-old already plays the French horn, the bassoon, the double bassoon and the piano. On top of that she also sings
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Drink-driver reversed into ex-PC's car
A BUILDER was found to be almost twice over the drink drive limit when he reversed into a car driven by a retired police officer. Harrogate magistrates heard yesterday how Andrew Heatley, a father of two, drove from his home in Bridge Street, Boroughbridge
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Cyclist given chance to perfect skills
CYCLIST Jessica Roberts is celebrating being selected for the British Cycling Talent Team. The 15-year-old Northallerton College student was chosen from 3,000 riders across Yorkshire and the North-East to join the team. Jessica, who lives in Northallerton
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Shops face fines for alcohol sales
FIVE off-licences are facing fines and prosecution after being caught selling alcohol to a 14-year-old girl. Cleveland Police and Trading Standards targeted the shops in an undercover operation as part of a national campaign. The teenage volunteer visited
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Plans for church will centre on community
The owners of a vacant church are considering several offers to turn it into a community centre. St Columba Church in Thorpe Road, Masham, near Ripon, has been empty since August 2002, and is on the market amid complaints it is becoming an eyesore. Work
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Inspector calls for plan to replace hospital with homes
THE Mayor of Hartlepool has criticised proposals made by a Government inspector that houses should be built on hospital land. The inspector has identified changes to be made to Hartlepool Borough Council's proposed local plan, the blueprint for the town's
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Trees replaced after attack
TWENTY-EIGHT cherry trees hacked down by vandals across the Harrogate Stray have been replaced. Residents of the area paid for 20 trees themselves, such was their outrage at the midnight attack. Replacement of the trees cost almost £4,000, but Councillor
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The Lindsays, The Sage Gateshead
THE Lindsays are marking the end of a long and illustrious career with a residency at The Sage Gateshead. In their last appearances before they retire in the summer, the group will be working through the quartets of Beethoven and Tippett. The series began
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ScS in the comfort zone after sales rise
ScS Upholstery said the collapse of furniture chain Courts helped drive shoppers into its stores during the January sales. ScS, which has 63 stores in the UK, said like-for-like sales were 11 per cent up in the first 18 weeks of its financial year, following
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When points mean passports
Yesterday, Home Secretary Charles Clarke revealed the Government's plans for curbing immigration, just weeks after the Conservatives set out their proposals. Nick Morrison looks at why immigration and asylum has become the political issue of the moment
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Winner Wendy is the strongest link
A NETBALL-PLAYING mother-of-six brushed off the taunts of game show host Anne Robinson to win The Weakest Link last night. Wendy Withers, chairwoman of Gainford Parish Council, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, ended up as the strongest link with winnings
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Not everything in the garden is rosy
HARLOW CARR GARDENS: IT can be something of a craving for lovers of gardens at this time of year - the almost overwhelming need to see the first signs of growth. Such a craving drove me to pay a visit to the gardens at Harlow Carr in Harrogate. The chance
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Taylor to have big future on Tyneside
GRAEME Souness has re-assured teenage defender Steven Taylor that he has a future at the heart of Newcastle's back four. The 19-year-old will continue his rapid rise to prominence when he wins his third cap for England Under-21s in this evening's Pride
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Choir seeks male voices
A LONE male singer in a church choir has appealed for more men to join him. The Rev Robert Sellers recently formed a choir to serve churches in the Fountains area, near Ripon. But while enough women stepped forward, Mr Sellers, the Rector of Fountains
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Tracy uses her loaf and keeps staff happy
A BAKERY chain is planning to implement a new staff management system thanks to a North-East employee. Tracy Williams, 35, manager of the Greggs store in North Shields, North Tyneside, introduced a staff rotation system to keep her workers happy. The
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Shaadiva is tipped to break her duck
SHAADIVA (3.20) stands out as the day's best bet at Market Rasen in the Mares' Only Novices Chase. Trainer Alan King's stable is in sparkling form at present and there's a welter of evidence to suggest that Shaadiva is about to join in the action by winning
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Keltie facing a long spell out
DARLINGTON midfielder Clark Keltie will take his first steps on the long road to recovery when he goes under the surgeon's knife next Monday. Keltie faces six months on the sidelines after sustaining cruciate knee ligament damage in training eight days
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Accidental death verdict on spectator at bike event
AN elderly spectator who died after being struck by a motor-cycle at a trials event was stood in an "inadvisable" position, a coroner said yesterday. Horst Weinhardt, 76, died on June 6 last year after attending the event at Thorp Perrow, near Bedale,
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Time to think green again
RECENT milder weather has encouraged many people back into their gardens, clearing up before the onset of spring. With that in mind, green wheelie bin collections begin again in Hambleton next week after a ten-week lay-off. Monday marks the return of
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A deal to fill gap in social housing
THE sale of a former sports centre to help build more affordable housing could get the go-ahead today. District councillors will decide whether to sell Richmond Sports Centre to a housing association at a meeting tonight. If the deal goes ahead, Tees
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Holiday fracas ends in court
VIOLENCE erupted at a caravan park after a security guard asked a group of holidaymakers to make less noise, a court was told. Almost 30 people became involved in a late-night confrontation at the Witton Castle site, near Witton-le-Wear, County Durham
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Budget carrier predicts turbulent times ahead
BUDGET airline easyJet said it saw passenger numbers soar by nearly a quarter last month, but warned that the outlook remained uncertain. EasyJet carried 2.08 million people in January, 23.8 per cent up on the 1.68 million in the same month last year.
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08/02/05
LEUKAEMIA UNIT: I AM annoyed and disappointed that the County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust wants to move a six-bed in-patient unit for leukaemia patients from Darlington to Bishop Auckland (Echo, Feb 2). A Trust spokesman says that its priority must
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Tory leader takes close look at war on drugs
MICHAEL HOWARD got a glimpse of the war on drugs in the North-East yesterday when he joined police officers on early morning raids. Hours before the Conservative leader unveiled his proposals to combat hardened criminals, he witnessed Cleveland Police
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McCartney: Conference will put North-East on the map
THE North-East will be put on the map by this weekend's Labour spring conference, the party chairman promised yesterday. Ian McCartney said the conference, to be held on Tyneside, will be an opportunity to showcase how the region is regenerating itself
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New mum waits for results of cancer treatment
A MOTHER who found out she could have cancer at the same time she found she was pregnant will hear next week if she needs more treatment. At 42, Dawn Golightly had two teenage daughters and was not trying for a baby when she discovered she was pregnant
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Access All Areas: Not everything in the garden is rosy
HARLOW CARR GARDENS: IT can be something of a craving for lovers of gardens at this time of year - the almost overwhelming need to see the first signs of growth. Such a craving drove me to pay a visit to the gardens at Harlow Carr in Harrogate. The chance
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MP's support for hunt
A HUNT master has welcomed the support of his local MP after the politician visited his kennels yesterday. Richmondshire MP William Hague called in to see the Wensleydale Foxhounds, near Hawes, North Yorkshire. The 40-hound fell pack, which is followed
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The smallest room and little ones
Parenting columnist Anne Sutton runs the nannying agency, Internannies, and has 30 years experience in childcare. This month she gives advice on toilet training. HOW do I toilet train my two-year-old? He doesn't seem interested and my mother-in-law says
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MoD plan puts N-E jobs in jeopardy
A WRANGLE over the long-term future of the shipbuilding industry is placing 9,500 North-East jobs in jeopardy, it emerged last night. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is in talks with all the country's major yards, with a view to them merging or forming
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Fitting tribute to hero who followed his father's lead
HE was honoured in a ceremony to befit the hero he was. The bells of Durham Cathedral could be heard throughout the city as about 1,000 people filed in to pay tribute to the courage of Captain Richard Annand, who died on Christmas Eve, aged 90. The memorial
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Marketing boss takes the helm at Cyberlyne
SURVEILLANCE specialist Cyberlyne Communications, in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, has reorganised its management team. STEPHEN QUIGLEY has been appointed managing director and will report to the board on operational issues. He was previously sales
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Boro's bid to help tackle drugs issues
A PREMIER league football club has helped to launch a campaign which aims to steer children away from drugs. Middlesbrough Football Club is believed to be the first premiership football club to become involved in a drug awareness drive with primary schools
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Caldwell backing for Collins
STEVE CALDWELL has sympathised with the Collins partnership after manager Mick McCarthy opted for experience in a bid to strengthen Sunderland's promotion push. During the absence of Caldwell and Gary Breen, both Neill and Danny Collins proved more than
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Informer identified by inmate on arrival
A POLICE informer was recognised by a fellow inmate within minutes of arriving at a North-East prison, an inquest heard yesterday. The inquest into the death of 31-year-old Paul Day heard that on the day he was transferred to Durham's Frankland Prison
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Drunk driver jailed for fatal crash that claimed girl of 17
A DRUNK driver was jailed for four years yesterday after a teenage passenger died in a crash. Bradley Dickinson, 20, from Redcar, had drunk eight pints and some spirits when he lost control of his Renault Clio, killing 17-year-old neighbour Samantha Parker
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Eating Owt: Stifled by the silence
A brewery ban on noisy pubs can be tiresome - especially when, like The Bay Horse at Tunstall, you've plenty to shout about. QUIET revolution or not, there seems to be an almighty row over the decision by Samuel Smith's Brewery to make its 200 pubs less
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Not so funny off-duty, Jeeves
Harry Mead has some brief encounters with the famous and infamous, from writers and inventors to 'sexual exhibitionists', in an array of fascinating glimpses into other people's lives. WODEHOUSE: a life by Robert McCrum (Penguin Viking, £20) TAKEN at
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On TV
Bodyshock: Orgasmatron (C4) Going Naked To Work (ITV1) DR Stuart Meloy was working in his pain management practice when a female patient let out an exclamation. She'd had an orgasm as a result of a procedure involving spinal implants and long needles.
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Inquest of missing girl's brother
A HEARTBROKEN mother has suffered more family anguish. Tina Wilson, whose 19-year-daughter, Rachel, went missing three years ago, is expected to give identification evidence at the opening of an inquest tomorrow into the death of her 29-year-old son,
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Merger and £5m investment will put firm back on track
A MANUFACTURER that laid off workers last year has announced it is to invest £5m in its North-East site. Veriplast International, formerly known as Mono Containers, has built an improved production facility and bought machinery for its factory on the
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Young musician gets big break
MUSICAL teenager Lucy Herd could probably form a band all by herself, given her proficiency with a number of different instruments. The 17-year-old already plays the French horn, the bassoon, the double bassoon and the piano. On top of that she also sings
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Lender chooses to remain in the UK
THE owner of the Yorkshire and Clydesdale banks said it was merging and expanding them as part of a bid to revive its lacklustre UK operations. National Australia Bank (NAB) has turned Yorkshire and Clydesdale into one legal entity and had opened 12 branches
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£20m boost for homes facelift
HOMES in a North-East town will be given a multi-million pound makeover after funding was secured. Coast and Country Housing received the £20m boost from the European Investment Bank to provide the facelift of houses in Redcar, east Cleveland. The cash
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Action against homes proposal
DALES residents are forming an action group to fight a housing plan they say would swamp their remote village community. With a population of less than 350, St John's Chapel, in Weardale, one of Durham's smallest villages, which has been hit by shop and
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Tuning up
AN orchestra is seeking viola players. Darlington Orchestra is a community ensemble of 45 musicians of all ages, ranging in ability from grade four to professional. Its repertoire includes film scores, jazz arrangements, new commissions and classical
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Travelling bear takes island trip
MUCH-TRAVELLED teddy bear Doddy was a civic guest when the Mayor of Darlington returned to the country of his birth. The mascot of Dodmire Infants' School took a trip to Trinidad with Councillor Roderick Francis, who was returning to the island to visit
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Housing estates facelift begins
A £500,000 project to give two Teesside housing estates a facelift is under way. The money is being spent on the Parkfield and Mill Lane neighbourhoods, in Stockton, as part of the Government Neighbourhood Path-finder programme. Work to be carried out
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Week full of fun and activities
THE Low Barns Nature Reserve, in Witton-le-Wear, has organised a full week of half-term activities. Today is reducing refuse and recycling day. Tomorrow, youngsters can make their own bird boxes. On Thursday, it is an opportunity to make bird food and
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Inquest told of woman's plunge from bridge
A WOMAN who had threatened to kill herself, slipped and drowned in the River Tees, an inquest heard. The inquest was told that Camelia McDonough, 50, of North Albert Road, Norton, Stockton, was under the influence of alcohol when she was spotted perched
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Police hunt driver who fled crash scene
POLICE have appealed for witnesses to a collision where a driver failed to stop. The accident happened at the junction of Holmehill Lane and Cocken Road, north of Pity Me, near Durham, at 8.45am, on Friday, January 28. The Leyland Daf pick-up truck was
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Farmers prepare for subsidy reform talk
A TALK informing farmers of changes to subsidy payments opens tonight in a County Durham hotel. Chartered surveyors George F White organised the three events following a successful conference attended by 300 people in Northumberland, last month. Under
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Snapshots of the past bring life to exhibition
PENSIONERS who live in a care home have provided snapshots from their family albums to create a social history exhibition. Their photographs of picnics, weddings, seaside holidays, school events and social gatherings are being used to highlight decades
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Inquest opens into death of plasterer
THE inquest into the death of a man who was attacked outside a pub was opened and adjourned yesterday. During the brief hearing at Teesside Coroners' Court, John Francis Carr, of Oak Walk, Loftus, east Cleveland, was formally identified by his wife, Deborah
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Reform or face jail, attacker is warned
A JUDGE has given a man one last chance after hearing how he was beginning to turn his life around. John Blenkinsop, 20, had his sentence for attacking another man deferred for six months yesterday to give him time to prove he could stay out of trouble
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Informer identified by inmate on arrival
A POLICE informer was recognised by a fellow inmate within minutes of arriving at a North-East prison, an inquest heard yesterday. The inquest into the death of 31-year-old Paul Day heard that on the day he was transferred to Durham's Frankland Prison
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Gun battery plan moves on
A PROJECT to restore a North-East landmark and develop it as a visitor attraction has taken another step forward. Leading design company Past Forward has been appointed to draw up designs for the second phase of the restoration of the Heugh Gun Battery
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Councillors hone their skills
A COUNTY Durham council is seeking to extend the skills of its elected members. Easington District Council this week put its name to the North-East Charter for Elected Member Development, which aims to encourage greater focus on individuals. Councillors
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School's nursery scheme complete
A £270,000 nursery at a County Durham infant school is getting ready for its official opening next week. The 26-place Lumley Medway Infant School nursery at Great Lumley, near Chester-le-Street, is part of a project developed by Durham County Council
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Cooks curry favour with fundraising feast
CURRY was the lunchtime meal of choice for hundreds of civil servants at a council headquarters yesterday. The traditional Indian dish was specially cooked up by chefs in the canteen at County Hall, Durham, to help raise funds for the Asian tsunami relief
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Housing project gets top award
A DURHAM City housing project has won a prestigious award for its period design. This year's City of Durham Trust's award was open to all buildings completed or restored in the Durham area last year. Yesterday, the trust announced that its top accolade
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Choir seeks male voices
A LONE male singer in a church choir has appealed for more men to join him. The Rev Robert Sellers recently formed a choir to serve churches in the Fountains area, near Ripon. But while enough women stepped forward, Mr Sellers, the Rector of Fountains
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Town crier leads gallery celebration
CHAMPION town crier Alan Booth yesterday helped spread the good news about the opening of a community centre and gallery. The centre at Ravenscar overlooks Robin Hood's Bay and is attached to the village church, St Hilda's. Mr Booth, from Scarborough,
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Public rejects plans for parking fees
CONTROVERSIAL plans for parking charges in a North Yorkshire town centre are set to be scrapped following a public outcry. The North Yorkshire County Council's director of environmental services is recommending that a proposal to introduce parking restrictions
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Job Search: Vacancies
Embroidery digitiser, £17,000pa, 45hrs pw 8am to 5pm Mon-Fri, must have at least two years' experience digitising. Ref: DUR 42971. Stores manager, 37.5hrs pw 9am to 5pm, must have at least three years' experience with one year in managerial position,
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Winner Wendy is the strongest link
A NETBALL-PLAYING mother-of-six brushed off the taunts of game show host Anne Robinson to win The Weakest Link last night. Wendy Withers, chairwoman of Gainford Parish Council, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, ended up as the strongest link with winnings
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Natural disasters blow Swiss group off course
Swiss insurance group Zurich Financial Services said the Asian tsunami and a string of hurricanes would cost it £98.8m in the fourth quarter. The group, which owns the Eagle Star and Allied Dunbar brands in the UK, said it expected claims from the Boxing
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T-Mobile to shed hundreds of jobs
HUNDREDS of job losses at mobile phone operator T-Mobile will affect one in eight staff, it was revealed last night. The company's customer services division in Doxford, Sunderland, will also be affected. T-Mobile's parent company Deutsche Telekom announced
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Previous threat to take life, say police
A FORMER armed robber who is believed to have shot himself had threatened to take his life at a court hearing only a few days before his death. It is thought Jonathon Longstaff, 33, from Shildon, County Durham, had a long history of depression dating
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Job Search: Vacancies
Toolroom technician, temporary minimum three months, must be time served with experience in milling, turning or grinding essential, must have background in manufacturing, tooling, welding fixtures and able to read engineering sketches. Ref: BIS 15664.
