Archive
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Schwarzer determined to dream on with Boro
MARK SCHWARZER has already fulfilled two dreams at Middlesbrough and now, after recently pledging his future to the club, the super shot-stopper wants to achieve an even bigger goal. The Australian international's future had been up in the air for nearly
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Voice of Joyce
Viv Hardwick talks to actor Jim Norton about The Pillowman, which come to Newcastle next week. It's the lastest starring role in a remarkable career which includes cult film Straw Dogs, US TV series Star Trek and putting the work of James Joyce on audio-CD
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The alien culture in romantic Paris
'WE'RE going to a town called Paris," said Jonah's mum as we settled ourselves in our Eurostar seats. "Paris is in a different country. Do you know what country it's in?" "Homebase!" said Jonah, without a moment's hesitation. There are times when it's
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Greenall has class to inspire Sikander triumph
TOP northern-based amateur jockey Tom Greenall heads for Sandown this afternoon in search of success aboard Sikander A Azam (4.20). Trained by Mick Easterby's son, David, Sikander A Azam will be on most punters' shortlists, despite returning from a 285
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Final hunts held as bans loom
Hunts in the North-East have been out to mark the last day that hunting with dogs is legal. With the ban due to come into force at midnight tonight many riders were defiant and vowed their activities had only been "suspended temporarily". But anti-hunt
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Tycoon pledge on Allders jobs
A RETAIL tycoon has assured workers at two ill-fated Allders stores that their jobs are safe. Philip Green, who has bought some of the company's stores, said he will work with staff at the York Piccadilly and Knaresborough stores. But there was bad news
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Make the most of your staff
A CAMPAIGN has been launched to encourage businesses in County Durham to invest in their workforce. Business Link County Durham is targeting 5,000 small to medium-sized companies across the county to raise awareness of the range of support services available
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Staff at colleges vote to strike in pay dispute
COLLEGE lecturers have voted to strike because their bosses have failed to meet a national pay deal that should have come into effect 18 months ago. Workers at Bishop Auckland College and Newcastle College have voted overwhelmingly to join the national
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Forum will drive economy forward
THE Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has joined the Northern Business Forum in a move that will strengthen its role in helping shape the future of the region's economy. Welcoming the announcement, forum chairman Alistair Arkley said the move would
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Faye ready to plug midfield holes
NEWCOMER Amdy Faye has pledged to use his European experience to help overcome a midfield crisis that threatens to derail Newcastle's UEFA Cup hopes. The Magpies will take on Dutch side Heerenveen this evening shorn of two of their leading lights after
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Teen denies manslaughter charge after firework death
A teenagerhas appeared in court to deny the manslaughter of grandfather Arthur Lonsdale in a firework attack. Mr Lonsdale, 52, died in Sunderland Royal Hospital on October 30 last year, two days after a 36-cm firework - known as a Little Brother - was
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M&P buyout saves 11 jobs
ELEVEN jobs have been safeguarded and two created with the sale of metal fabrications business, M&P Metalcraft, on Teesside. The business has been bought by management team Harold Tuck and his son Jeffrey, Geoffrey Meager and Kevin Naylor. M&P
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Take-off scare caused by birds
LANDOWNERS have been warned against holding bird shoots after a plane had to stop on the runway seconds before take-off. The easyJet plane, which was carrying 100 passengers from Newcastle Airport to Rome, had to stop after hitting three partridges. Airport
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Juniors club facing new law threat
JUNIOR cricket could be wiped out by tough new child protection regulations, officials at one North-East club have warned. Barningham Cricket Club, in Teesdale, County Durham, believes new child protection regulations, which include criminal background
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WI news
Lanchester: THE vice president Jessie Goodall opened the meeting and welcomed members. The secretary June Wallis read the minutes of the last meeting and dealt with matters arising. The possibility of planting a tree to commemorate the 80th anniversary
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Gateway to child safety
A SCHEME to provide families with affordable child safety equipment was launched on Monday. The project, devised by SureStart Brandon and Deerness Valley, aims to reduce accidents in the home for families with children up to the age of four. Help will
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MPs deny rumours they will step down
THREE veteran North-East MPs yesterday quashed rumours of their impending retirements by saying they would stand to retain their Labour seats in the forthcoming General Election. Stockton North MP Frank Cook, 69, Middlesbrough MP Sir Stuart Bell, 65,
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Comment from The Northern Echo: No excuse to break the law
HAVING lost its latest legal bid to overturn the ban on hunting, the Countryside Alliance has vowed to take its case to the House of Lords and the European Court of Human Rights. But, as it stands, hunting with dogs in England and Wales becomes illegal
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Paul Fraser's Graz Diary
PREDICTIONS from all quarters suggested the weather, a build up from the Adriatic Sea, was going to be atrocious in Graz - snow six feet deep and a daytime temperature of minus four. But it's difficult to see what all the fuss was about. The picturesque
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Local rail stations shunned
TRAIN passengers are choosing to ignore their local stations in favour of travel on the East Coast Mainline because of service cuts, a report claims. The report, prepared on behalf of the North-East Assembly, calls for better public transport between
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Auctioneer is fined over sale
AN auctioneer maintained he had done nothing wrong, despite pleading guilty to supplying an unroadworthy horse trailer to a customer. Peter Honeyman told magistrates in Bishop Auckland that he would plead guilty despite believing in "his heart of hearts
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Auctioneer is fined over sale
AN auctioneer maintained he had done nothing wrong, despite pleading guilty to supplying an unroadworthy horse trailer to a customer. Peter Honeyman told magistrates in Bishop Auckland that he would plead guilty despite believing in "his heart of hearts
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Army seeks more recruits
ARMY teams will be looking for recruits in two south Durham towns next week. The Royal Logistics Corps will be in Bishop Auckland on Monday and Crook on Tuesday. For details, visit the careers office in Newgate Street, or call (01388) 604111.
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Revellers may be witnesses to assault
REVELLERS in Crook could have been witnesses to an assault in the town centre on Friday night say police. An appeal has been made for witnesses to the incident on Friday, between 11pm and 11.10pm. It is believed a man was assaulted in the bus stop near
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Revellers may be witnesses to assault
REVELLERS in Crook could have been witnesses to an assault in the town centre on Friday night say police. An appeal has been made for witnesses to the incident on Friday, between 11pm and 11.10pm. It is believed a man was assaulted in the bus stop near
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Image released of would-be baby snatcher
DETECTIVES have released an e-fit of the woman they say claimed to be a social worker and tried to abduct two babies. The middle-aged woman called on two mothers and tried to take the children away. She knew the name and date of birth of the youngsters
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Lurching, and laughing, from crisis to crisis
Life Begins (ITV1); Driving Mum And Dad Mad (ITV1): WITH the Caroline Quentin series Life Begins emerging as one of last year's biggest ratings winners, ITV1 wasn't going to let it go away. Time will tell whether audience figures remain high but, on the
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Youth bus in the pink
Young people in the Ryedale area are being offered advice and help from a minibus painted in pink - their own choice of colour. The vehicle is being used as a mobile resource centre by the Ryedale Detached Youth Project and was sponsored by Ashley Burgess
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Council takes legal advice
THORNABY Town Council could face a hefty payout after former clerk Leanne Plant won a tribunal last week for unfair dismissal. Ms Plant lost her job after she allowed members of Thornaby Independents Association (TIA) to photocopy political material.
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Public service boost after council tax rise of 4.9pc
NORTH Yorkshire County Council has approved a council tax rise of 4.9 per cent. The increase means householders living in an average Band D property will pay £847 in the next financial year - a rise of 77p a week, or £40 a year, on the previous 12 months
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Revamp of visitor centre to provide new park attraction
Plans to give a Moors visitor centre a £900,000 revamp are being developed. The Moors Centre, in Danby, would be transformed under a scheme devised by the North York Moors National Park Authority. The project is still in its early stages, but bids for
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MP calls for more women in politics
A STOCKTON MP last night called for more women to be involved in running the country. Stockton South MP Dari Taylor said despite a higher proportion of women MPs, there was still a shortage of women at the highest levels of government. She said: "It is
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Council rapped over site plan
AN inspector has criticised a council's "blatant disregard" for planning procedures after an inquiry into camping at a country park. Local government ombudsman Patricia Thomas said Scarborough Borough Council was guilty of poor administration after wrongly
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Wartime bomber crew's sole survivor
AS a bomber rear gunner Elijah Welsh's survival prospects were not good. Tail end Charlies, as they were called, were particularly vulnerable if they were caught in the sights of German fighters. And the major bombing campaigns on German cities in the
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Silence for the victims of tsunami
IT is not an easy job to keep children quiet for long periods of time but a group of youngsters managed to keep silent for an hour. Pupils at Durham Johnston School stayed quiet and raised £545 for the tsunami disaster appeal fund through sponsorship
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Hospitals join bonus scheme
A BONUS scheme designed to reward doctors who do extra work is being extended to a second North-Eastern hospital trust. Since it was introduced in 32 NHS trusts last October, doctors and other staff have carried out an additional 6,000 outpatient consultations
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Council's deputy leader to retire
COUNTY councillor Murray Naylor, deputy leader of North Yorkshire County Council, has announced that he will not be seeking re-election to the authority on May 5. He has represented the Rillington ward for the past eight years, having been the county's
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Swimmer back from the dead turns embarrassment to use
IT was one of those moments of pure embarrassment. Peter Hayes returned to the beach after a long swim to discover police, thinking that he had committed suicide, had taken his clothes away. To add insult to injury, he had to walk miles into town in his
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Youngsters watch like hawks as birds of prey come to town
A BUSY high street provided an unlikely setting for an encounter with birds of prey. Children in Stockton High Street were able to get up close to eagle owls and kestrels. The birds of prey were from Ridgeside Falconry Display and youngsters were given
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A fair with a difference
A WEDDING FAIR with a difference is being held this weekend to raise money for charity. Wedding planner Lisa Gowler, of Cherished Moments, has organised the event at Pinchinthorpe Hall on Sunday, and goods will be auctioned for the Daisy Chain charity
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Dietician swaps hands-on care for a fundraising trek in Peru
A DIETICIAN has signed up for a mountain trek to raise money for cancer patients. Sarah Richmond, a former pupil of Huntcliff School in Saltburn, east Cleveland, is taking part in a hike across the Peruvian mountains. The Macmillan dietician spends her
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Backlash to mental hospital proposal
THERE has been an angry public reaction to councillors' approval of a hospital for mentally-ill patients, possibly including some on the Sex Offenders' Register. The hospital, in the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, will be based on the
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Tributes paid to former mayor
CIVIC leaders will join family and friends at the funeral of a well-known local councillor today. Bill Gustard, a former Mayor of Seaham, and Easington District Council chairman, died on Saturday, the eve of his 71st birthday, at St Benedict's Hospice
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Local rail stations shunned
TRAIN passengers are choosing to ignore their local stations in favour of travel on the East Coast Mainline because of service cuts, a report claims. The report, prepared on behalf of the North-East Assembly, calls for better public transport between
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Scott Wilson's Heerenveen Diary
GRAEME Souness will receive an unwelcome reminder of the not-too-distant past when he leads his side into action in Heerenveen's Abe Lenstra Stadion tonight. Heerenveen's home ground - capacity 20,000 - is named after the club's most famous player. But
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Vaughan puts his faith in Harmison
England captain Michael Vaughan retains complete faith in his mis-firing fast bowler Stephen Harmison - and insists Australia will be the team under most pressure to deliver in this year's Ashes. Vaughan's belief in former world number one bowler Harmison's
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Alien culture in romantic Paris
'WE'RE going to a town called Paris," said Jonah's mum as we settled ourselves in our Eurostar seats. "Paris is in a different country. Do you know what country it's in?" "Homebase!" said Jonah, without a moment's hesitation. There are times when it's
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Huntsman's horn blows the last time
A controversial ban on hunting with dogs will come into force tomorrow after the failure of a last-minute legal challenge. Catherine Jewitt visited the South Durham Hunt on a day that could mark the end of a countryside tradition. THE last chance to stop
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On TV
Life Begins (ITV1) Driving Mum And Dad Mad (ITV1) WITH the Caroline Quentin series Life Begins emerging as one of last year's biggest ratings winners, ITV1 wasn't going to let it go away. Time will tell whether audience figures remain high but, on the
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Clean Air awards winners
A drive to protect workers from the effects of inhaling other people's smoke is under way in the region. The National Clean Air Awards encourage employers to provide a smoke-free workplace. The first 12 awards to be won in the region will be presented
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McClaren back Wenger
MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren is expected to field two of his fledglings against Grazer tonight - Stewart Downing and James Morrison - while a number of Academy players have travelled with the squad to Austria, writes Paul Fraser. It is a far cry
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Town's quest to win acclaimed art prize
A COUNTY Durham town is appealing to the rest of the region to back its campaign to bring one of Britain's biggest art prizes to the North-East. Primary schoolchildren joined traders and civic dignitaries yesterday to promote Locomotion: National Railway
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'Party wagon' investigation
AN investigation is under way into claims that moonlighting firefighters drove a group of party-goers to a blaze in which a pensioner died. The firefighters, who could be dismissed, were said to have arrived only hours after the body of 87-year-old James
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Gran At Large: The alien culture in romantic Paris
'WE'RE going to a town called Paris," said Jonah's mum as we settled ourselves in our Eurostar seats. "Paris is in a different country. Do you know what country it's in?" "Homebase!" said Jonah, without a moment's hesitation. There are times when it's
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Image released of would-be baby snatcher
DETECTIVES have released an e-fit of the woman they say claimed to be a social worker and tried to abduct two babies. The middle-aged woman called on two mothers and tried to take the children away. She knew the name and date of birth of the youngsters
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Whitehead hopes to stay upwardly mobile
DEAN WHITEHEAD is ready to throw away his Championship boots and try on some Premiership footwear for size. The 23-year-old was an unknown quantity when he joined Sunderland last summer from Oxford United but, after featuring in all but three of the Black
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Patients in TB alert
DOCTORS are writing to 89 patients who may have been in contact with a tuberculosis (TB) patient at Bishop Auckland General Hospital. Experts say that the chances of the infection being passed in these circumstances is low but have issued the letters
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Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Middlesbrough Town Hall
THE mighty Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra filled the cavernous Middlesbrough Town Hall to the rafters with powerhouse performances from a varied programme. True to their roots, they opened with a work from their country's greatest living composer. A ten-minute
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War hero and businesessman dies, aged 86
A WAR hero and businessman who played a leading role in a town's sporting and social life has died at the age of 86. Friends and former colleagues have paid tribute to Bill Botcherby, from Bishop Auckland, County Durham, who served on the committee of
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Keep off the grass, says cricket club
A CRICKET club fears its future could be put in jeopardy because people are walking across its pitch and causing damage. Brandon Cricket Club, part of Brandon Community Sports Club, says it is suffering damage to its square because people are using it
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Flying start in appeal to raise cash for new air ambulance
A £2.5M appeal to replace an ageing air ambulance that has saved countless lives got off to a flying start yesterday. Within minutes of Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) launch-ing an appeal for a new helicopter, donations started pouring in. An 82-year-old
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Opera star hopes to uncover pupils' hidden singing talents
INTERNATIONAL star Sir Thomas Allen left the great opera houses of the world behind him to visit part of the North-East. Seaham-born baritone Sir Thomas joined pupils at Howletch Primary School, in Peterlee, County Durham, to help them rehearse for a
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Ambrose in safe hands after Echo appeal
A MISSING cat who needed an urgent operation has been found and is now back safe with his family. Ambrose, a ten-month old silver- haired tabby, was reunited with his owner Rachael Higgins, 14, from Morley, in Teesdale, County Durham, following an appeal
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Officers learn to deal with dramas
IT is not often teenagers can be openly abusive to police officers without being fearful of the consequences. But youngsters at a North Yorkshire school were given that opportunity yesterday. The county's force has been training eight community support
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Rallying call for museum
A TOWN is appealing to the region to back its campaign to bring one of Britain's biggest art prizes to the North-East. Primary school youngsters joined traders and dignitaries this week to kickstart Locomotion: National Railway Museum's bid to win the
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Club's gymnasts jump with joy
YOUNG gymnasts are celebrating a £12,000 grant to develop their sport around Bishop Auckland. The town's gym club at Bishop Barrington School has won cash from the Community Network and Local Network Funds. The club runs weekly sessions for 50 children
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Refugee who fled to N-E dies at 81
ONE of the few Basque children who fled war in Spain more than 60 years ago and settled in the North-East has died. In 1937, about 4,000 Basque children - many orphans - fled the civil war and 200 were put up in the North-East - at Hutton Hall, near Guisborough
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How we made the Bishop blush
'WHICH do you prefer - Cinnamon Grahams or Golden Grahams?" isn't the most obvious question to ask a bishop during an interview at his home on the eve of the General Synod. I have interviewed several bishops, even an archbishop, before. But this one was
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Brave Emily receives ambulance award
LITTLE Emily Barrett may only be young, but she has courage well beyond her years. Her fortitude was rewarded when an impressed 999 crew presented her with an award for her bravery. Emily, seven, of Ugthorpe, near Whitby, suffered scalds and burns to
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Spot on pair
Middlesbrough's Mark Benton and Lesley Sharp were keen to take on the double challenge of playing real life plane-spotting couple Paul and Lesley Coppin, who are famous for ending up in a Greek prison. Steve Pratt reports. SOMETIMES it seems as though
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Thirty jobs go in £1m blaze
THIRTY people have lost their jobs after a fire caused more than £1m worth of damage to a bakery. Managers at Tindale and Stanton took the decision after the blaze destroyed the bread bun making facility at Hobson Industrial Estate at Burnopfield, near
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Pool look to squad
HARTLEPOOL United assistant manager Martin Scott wants to see his squad players make the most of their opportunities. Pool are without Mark Tinkler and Chris Westwood for the weekend trip to Port Vale and Antony Sweeney is also a major doubt. Tinkler
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Former patients respond to TB scare hospital helpline
A "HANDFUL" of former patients have rung a telephone helpline set up after a tuberculosis scare. Yesterday, bosses at Bishop Auckland General Hospital, in County Durham, revealed that they had written to 89 former patients warning them that they may have
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Why it's cool to back Kyoto
According to Tony Blair, it is our biggest challenge; his chief scientific advisor believes it is a greater threat than international terrorism. Now, the first concerted effrot to tackle climate change has come into force. Nick Morrison reports. JUST
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Time to remove 'L' plates
MIDDLESBROUGH have taken to European football like a penguin to icy water but they were last night warned by manager Steve McClaren: "It's time to get serious." Boro's first adventure into the continental game has been a success with the side progressing
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Murphy ups Credit rating
Timmy Murphy made his first visit to Musselburgh pay off in double style on the Howard Johnson-trained, Graham Wylie-owned duo Galero and Credit at the Scottish course yesterday. Galero (9-2) had opened his hurdling account at the second attempt at Catterick
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Brave Emily receives ambulance award
LITTLE Emily Barrett may only be young, but she has courage well beyond her years. Her fortitude was rewarded when an impressed 999 crew presented her with an award for her bravery. Emily, seven, of Ugthorpe, near Whitby, suffered scalds and burns to
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Firm's new castle role
A FIRM that designed sets for blockbuster films such as Tomb Raider and Die Another Day has started work on a £250,000 redevelopment of Lumley Castle. The Baron's Hall, dating back to the ninth century, has been the venue for the hotel's Elizabethan banquets
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Success is the only answer for Souness
GRAEME Souness has admitted that he is paying the price for "40 years of failure" as his attempts to turn Newcastle around continue to come in for criticism. The United boss will lead his side into UEFA Cup action in Heerenveen this evening, knowing that
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Cash windfall will boost borough's health services
HEALTH care bosses in Sedgefield have vowed to use a multi-million pound boost to tackle the area's appalling rates of heart disease and cancer. Sedgefield Primary Care Trust plans to use its share of a £7bn NHS cash injection to prevent and treat two
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Man injured by police car settles claim out of court
A MAN who sued police after he was knocked down by a speeding patrol car has settled his claim out of court. David Layton had his left leg amputated below the knee as a result of injuries he suffered in the accident six years ago. He then won a damages
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Swimmer back from the dead turns embarrassment to use
IT was one of those moments of pure embarrassment. Peter Hayes returned to the beach after a long swim to discover police, thinking that he had committed suicide, had taken his clothes away. To add insult to injury, he had to walk miles into town in his
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17/02/05
KEVAN JONES: YOUR anonymous correspondent from Chester-le-Street (HAS, Feb 11) criticises Durham North MP Kevan Jones. I do not know Mr Jones, but I would have more respect for an MP who openly criticised councils - as Mr Jones does - than one who says
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Bang goes man's wartime curio - in Army blast
A MAN sparked a bomb alert yesterday after turning up at a police station with a wartime shell inside a supermarket carrier bag. The building and the immediate area were swiftly evacuated and the Army Bomb Disposal Unit called in to carry out a controlled
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Cancer test hope from North-East scientists
SCIENTISTS in the region believe they have developed a more accurate and potentially life-saving test for prostate cancer. Early trials of the test - which looks for high levels of "biomarker compound" in the patient's urine - suggest it could become
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Tyne-built warship homeward bound
THE last warship built by Swan Hunter on the Tyne will sail into port today. HMS Richmond will dock at Spillers Wharf in Newcastle for a six-day visit. During the visit, students from Bishop Auckland College and Darlington College of Technology will take
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Town's skatepark plans unveiled
THIS is the first glimpse of designs for the long-awaited skatepark to be built in South Park. If the plans get the go-ahead from Darlington Borough Council's planning committee, the £55,000 park could be finished in June. But the proposals have sparked
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Former mayor's anger over council 'ignoring plan'
A FORMER mayor is threatening to report her council to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for allegedly ignoring a key document when making a planning decision. Councillor Doris Jones claims Darlington Borough Council failed to take into consideration
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Police team set up to tackle young gangs causing havoc
A crack team of police officers has been set up in Darlington to tackle a hard core of 50 trouble-making youths who are terrorising the town. The officers will target notorious places where teen-agers hang around. They will operate in uniform and plain
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Army seeks more recruits
ARMY teams will be looking for recruits in two south Durham towns next week. The Royal Logistics Corps will be in Bishop Auckland on Monday and Crook on Tuesday. For details, visit the careers office in Newgate Street, or call (01388) 604111.
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Session to aid young volunteers
A CONFERENCE for young people interested in becoming sports club volunteers in County Durham is being held today. It is taking place at Ferryhill Leisure Centre and is an opportunity for the volunteers to pick up some practical experience of issues they
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Market town centre in line for a facelift under scheme
THE centre of a market town is to be given a facelift as part of an extensive improvement scheme. The first stages of work to improve Barnard Castle town centre will begin next month and will continue into the summer. The work is expected to cost a six-figure
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Children create local board game
PUPILS are helping to put their town on the map by creating a local version of the world's most famous board game. Youngsters from five primary schools in Ferryhill and Chilton have designed their own Monopoly boards featuring the buildings found on their
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Housing to replace historic building
A HISTORIC building which became a target for vandals is being demolished to make way for new housing. Many locals are sad to see the former candle factory at Loftus flattened. However, the building has been empty for years and Redcar and Cleveland Borough
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Stalker avoids jail
A STALKER who brought months of terror to the mother of his two children escaped a jail sentence yesterday. Harrogate magistrates imposed a restraining order on 34-year-old Stephen Walker and warned him that if he breached it he would ''go away, and not
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Nursery receives glowing Ofsted report
A TEESDALE nursery has been praised for the quality of its teaching in a government report. A recent Ofsted report into Bowes Pre-School rated the school as "good" and praised the work of the staff and the behaviour of the children. Twenty children, aged
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Pervert admits 14 sex attacks
A MAN was yesterday warned to expect "a substantial prison sentence", after admitting a string of sex attacks on girls as young as six. David Joseph Forster was remanded in custody to return to court in three weeks to be sentenced for offences committed
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Jobs lost in £1m bakery fire
THIRTY people have lost their jobs after a fire caused more than £1m of damage to a bakery. Managers at Tindale and Stanton made the layoffs after the blaze destroyed the bread-making facility at Hobson Industrial Estate, Burnopfield, near Stanley, County
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Housing demolition project has 'no vision'
A MULTI-million pound housing demolition scheme heading for the Tees Valley lacks "vision", a spending watchdog said today. The Audit Commission report criticises the 'Pathfinder' projects in the North for failing to build the foundations for long-term
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Mother trains for charity run
MOTHER-of-two Samantha Skilbeck is planning to compete in May's BUPA Great Manchester Run, supporting Yorkshire Cancer Research. Samantha, from Whitby, said: "I chose to support Yorkshire Cancer Research because my family has been affected by this awful
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Nightmares of machete attack
A GRANDAD was left suffering nightmares after a thug hacked off his ear with a machete, a court was told. Victim Alan Robson lost his ear and part of his finger in the street attack. Mr Robson, 51, of Bensham, Gateshead, was repeatedly slashed and stabbed
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Cancer test hope from North-East scientists
SCIENTISTS in the region believe they have developed a more accurate and potentially life-saving test for prostate cancer. Early trials of the test - which looks for high levels of "biomarker compound" in the patient's urine - suggest it could become
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On ice to support Cancer Research
A CHARITY effort to visit all the country's ice hockey rinks will visit Durham - even though the city's rink closed nine years ago. Six supporters of the Nottingham Panthers team are spending a week travelling from Elgin to the Isle of Wight, calling
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Elderly take up flu jab in record high numbers
A RECORD number of people took up the chance of a free flu jab over the winter, new figures reveal. The Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) recorded that 78.1 per cent of people in their area aged 65 or over had the injection - well above
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College jobs put at risk by shortfall in funding
A COLLEGE facing possible job losses is joining a national campaign for the Government to close the funding gap between school sixth forms and further education colleges. The call, backed by Derwentside College, in Consett, has already received support
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John North: If paradise is half as nice
THE extraordinary passion which binds Witton Park folk to their home - the village which wouldn't die - is about to find another outlet. Already there've been road shows and reunions, enough television footage to encompass a country mile, more column
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Hodgson targets Premiership striker
DAVID Hodgson is preparing to add some attacking weight to Darlington's quest for promotion by signing a Premiership striker on loan. Hodgson last night revealed discussions will take place today, with a view to signing the teenager until the end of the
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Scrapbook challenge
YOUNG people delved into the past this week at a museum to find out how their ancestors dressed. Preston Hall Museum, in Preston Park, Stockton, invited local children to consult a costumes scrapbook and build up their own pictures of people from the
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Firm's new castle role
A FIRM that designed sets for blockbuster films such as Tomb Raider and Die Another Day has started work on a £250,000 redevelopment of Lumley Castle. The Baron's Hall, dating back to the ninth century, has been the venue for the hotel's Elizabethan banquets
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Charity secures royal approval
A SECOND royal seal of approval has been given to a charity that a couple started in their garden shed. Jennyruth Workshops provides employment in craft workshops for people with learning difficulties. The firm has now been awarded the Duke of York's
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Refugee who fled to N-E dies at 81
ONE of the few Basque children who fled war in Spain more than 60 years ago and settled in the North-East has died. In 1937, about 4,000 Basque children - many orphans - fled the civil war and 200 were put up in the North-East - at Hutton Hall, near Guisborough
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Learning about health
MORE than 150 schoolchildren are to take part in a special event aimed at promoting environmental and health issues. The children, who come from five primary schools in Hartlepool, will take part in the Hartlepool Environment Roundabout, at the town's
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Widow's death an accident: coroner
A PENSIONER died in hospital weeks after banging her head when she fell at her nursing home, an inquest heard. Georgina Thompson, 95, bruised her head and grazed her hand last year, at Wellburn House Residential Home, in Stockton. Teesside Coroner's Court
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Man 'driven to drink by break-up'
A MAN who sold the same car to two different men before being arrested for drink-driving could not cope with the break-up of his marriage, a court was told yesterday. Harrogate magistrates heard how Kenneth Hedley, 57, once a successful paint sprayer
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Epilepsy treatment improved
AN EPILEPSY specialist nurse has been appointed at a north Durham hospital. Epilepsy Action and Durham and Chester-le-Street Primary Care Trust has appointed Pamela Mantri to fill the role at the University Hospital of North Durham. The aim is to improve
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Lord of the Flies, Durham Gala
SIR William Golding's masterpiece, Lord of the Flies, was brought to life in Durham's Gala Theatre in a magnificent portrayal of the struggle between good and evil. The performance was attended by a packed audience, mainly GCSE pupils, who are studying
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Dirty work
THE flags are flying at half-mast in Soapland. Dirty Den is dead. Again. Who says lightning never strikes twice? This time a chance of a resurrection are as likely as Dot Cotton running topless through the Square. No-one will miss his lying, cheating
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Major's shame over child pictures
AN ARMY officer told a court yesterday how he traded in paedophile pornography on the Internet. Major Andrew Shaw, who was the executive officer of the Cleveland Army Cadet Force, said he took obscene photographs of a schoolgirl and sent them to three
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Chief executive defends council against claim of massive fraud
THE chief executive of a North-East council has defended the organisation against allegations of fraud, racism and bullying. George Garlick, chief executive of Stockton Borough Council, rejected allegations that the authority had claimed hundreds of thousands
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Estrella de cine is born
Steve Pratt discovers how Spanish actress Paz Vega managed to land a Hollywood role as a Mexican housekeeper who can't speak English when she really couldn't communicate without an interpreter herself. SPANISH actress Paz Vega was perfectly cast as a
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Repair bills rising after roof collapse
THOUSANDS of pounds worth of damage was caused when scaffolding and a temporary roof crashed on to the main shopping street of a town. Engineers have been assessing the damage in Middle Street, in Consett, after a roof fell on to the street below. Early
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The more you recycle, the more cash donated
WASTE recycling has given a £5,000 boost to County Durham charities. Premier Waste Management, the company which runs Kerb-it household waste recycling collections, pledged to donate £1 to charity for every tonne of paper, cans and glass bottles it collected
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Historic shipyard offered for sale
A historic shipyard is being sold only four months after being mothballed. A&P Tyne, in Wallsend, North Tyneside, which dates back to the 1800s, is on the market for an undisclosed price. Unions said it was unlikely a buyer would come forward to take
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Car crash kills young soldier
A SOLDIER was killed in a road accident only 48 hours after returning from active service in Iraq. Mark Dixon, 22, from South View, in Meadowfield, Durham City, sustained head injuries when his car veered off the road in Bearpark, just outside the city
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Police seek justice in unsolved murder case
DETECTIVES are still determined to find justice for a teenage murder victim one year after launching a fresh investigation into a North-East force's longest unsolved murder. Durham Constabulary reopened the case of May Rebecca Thompson's murder after
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Forum will drive economy forward
THE Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has joined the Northern Business Forum in a move that will strengthen its role in helping shape the future of the region's economy. Welcoming the announcement, forum chairman Alistair Arkley said the move would
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Fruity by the sea not my cup of tea
I'm no prude but I rolled my eyes like a disapproving aunt when I heard about the latest ploy to encourage more young people to visit the seaside. Romantic couples in Eastbourne can now hire double deckchairs so they can get fruity with a great sea view
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D1 Oils in Saudi joint venture
A TEESSIDE company has established a fuel business in oil-rich Saudi Arabia. D1 Oils, of Stockton, has formed a joint venture with Saudi-based Jazeera For Modern Technology, to create D1 Oils Arabia. If a pilot project is successful, refineries for renewable
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Norsk Hydro celebrates
IMPROVED performance from its polymers division ensured that 2004 was a good year for Norwegian group Norsk Hydro. The company employs 400 workers at its Hydro Polymers UK plant, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham. The Oslo company, which marks its centenary
