Archive
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Laboratory Technician, exceeds NMW, 37hpw. Must be educated to GCSE level or equivalent. Ref: CON 18767. Chemist, exceeds NMW, 37hpw. 2 years experience in an analytical or environmental laboratory required. Ref: CON 18766. Sales Person/Technician, meets
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Man found guilty of drug charge
A MAN caught by police with 29 ecstasy tablets has been found guilty of intent to supply the drug. David Simpson, 42, admitted possession of the tablets but denied supplying it, when he appeared before Teesside Crown Court. Yesterday, a jury found him
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Grey Street Hotel hooks a five-star finance chief
JOHN FISH has been appointed financial controller of Newcastle's Grey Street Hotel. The 24-year-old is the first person to hold the position since the hotel opened in December, creating 30 jobs. He was appointed by recruitment consultancy Matthew Reed
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Finding out the lie of the land
Books on the landscape paint a vivid picture of how many great gardens took shape discovers Harry Mead. SIR JOHN VANBRUGH AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE IN BAROQUE ENGLAND edited by Christopher Ridgway and Robert Williams (Sutton, £16.99) NO matter how familiar
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Dun to perfection
Named the North-East's Sunday best, the column finds that the Dun Cow, in Sedgefield, doesn't disappoint. THE Observer has named the Dun Cow in Sedgefield as the North-East's best place for Sunday lunch. Without offence to the Observer or to the Dun Cow
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Drugs network: eight jailed
EIGHT men who helped supply cocaine and ecstasy across a North-East town were jailed yesterday. They were convicted after one of the biggest Durham Police operations, Operation Karaman, which netted drugs worth more than £150,000 in Darlington. The undercover
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1,550 jobs under threat at bakery firm
A BAKERY group employing 1,550 staff went into administration last night after tough trading conditions and a fire at one of its factories. Rathbones Bakeries, which employs 35 people in Middlesbrough, had a fire in Carlisle in February. Corporate recovery
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Keeping your child safe in the home
THE home can be a very hazardous place for babies and young children. Children are naturally inquisitive and adventurous and however careful we are, the unexpected can occur, such as when a friend's son decided he was Superman and, convinced he could
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£130,000 to boost ties in community
PEOPLE are being offered greater community support through the creation of a £130,000 community centre. The Thirsk Community Care Association is expanding its efforts for local organisations by creating a centre in the heart of the town. The group has
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Journey of tears and laughter
Portraying a young soldier in the wartime play Journey's End, Richard Gaves is showing both the tragedy and comedy of conflict, he tells Steve Pratt. ACTOR Richard Glaves has never appeared at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in his home town of Scarborough
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Journey of tears and laughter
Portraying a young soldier in the wartime play Journey's End, Richard Gaves is showing both the tragedy and comedy of conflict, he tells Steve Pratt. ACTOR Richard Glaves has never appeared at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in his home town of Scarborough
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Town hosts new music festival
A TOWN is preparing to host a new music festival this summer. The first Masham Black Sheep Music Festival, in North Yorkshire, will feature a mix of folk, jazz, blues and roots music, and will run from Friday to Sunday, June 17 to 19. Events, including
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Blair announces election
TONY BLAIR finally launched the official election campaign today after weeks of speculation. The general election will be held on May 5. Speaking outside 10 Downing Street after returning from Buckingham Palace, Mr Blair said his ''mission for the third
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Northern vows to hold its course
MORTGAGE bank Northern Rock has refused to change its targets for the year, despite seeing further evidence of a slowdown in the housing market. In a trading update, the group said it was pleased that its pipeline of agreed new business remained consistent
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Boro face fight for Downing
MIDDLESBROUGH expect a fight to retain the services of Stewart Downing this summer, but believe the Riverside Stadium is the ideal place for the flying winger to develop his outstanding talent. Manchester United have long been mentioned as a possible
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Tabletop aims to improve health
TABLETOP sounds like a modern art installation that has strayed from Gateshead's Baltic art gallery. But today, hundreds of health experts from all over Britain will have the chance to look at a project that underlines the region's leading role in using
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Disabled workers in action vote
MORE than 200 disabled workers in the region are voting over industrial action. Staff at three Remploy centres in the North-East are being balloted over fears that the company is reducing its workforce through natural wastage. Remploy, a registered charity
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Smiths steering for the fast lane
AN electric vehicle manufacturer is poised to land a partnership deal that could lead to mainstream vehicle production. Smiths Electric Vehicles (SEV), near Stanley, County Durham, yesterday confirmed it was in talks with a company described as "a household
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Award to swim club
A SWIMMING club is celebrating after winning accreditation from the sport's governing body. Durham City Swimming Club has been awarded Swim 21 as a "skill development club'' at silver level by the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) and been given a Sport
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Operation Clean Sweep continues
HUNDREDS of homes will benefit from a purge of dirt and graffiti this week. The Throston Grange area of Hartlepool has been targeted for the clean-up operation carried out by the council, police, fire brigade and other organisations. Work includes the
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Animals perish in attack by arsonists
ARSONISTS left three helpless animals to perish as flames engulfed their shelter in a North-East village. Police were last night treating the blaze at Eldon Lane, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, as suspicious and immediately appealed for witnesses
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Scott steps down
ALAN Scott, a member of Durham County Council for the past eight years, is not standing at the May elections because of ill health. He said that since he became unwell 18 months ago - after five meetings in one day as far apart as Middleton-in-Teesdale
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Teenage chef sets sights on Venice trip
A TEESDALE teenager has beaten off college rivals to be named top chef. Sam Nutter, of Eggleston, walked away with the top prize in the special awards handed out at Darlington College of Technology. The 19-year-old works at the Rose and Crown Hotel, in
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New rules on council gifts
NEW guidelines on councillors accepting gifts and hospitality have been drawn up. Darlington Borough Council has produced the draft protocol, which will be considered by its standards committee next week. It warns authority members that they should "treat
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Builder says scheme won't be pub crawl
DEVELOPERS say their £30m scheme to boost a city centre's night-time economy will not become part of the pub crawl circuit. Amec, which transformed Newcastle's Quayside, started work three months ago on the redevelopment of the Walkergate car park, which
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College picks out the chefs of tomorrow
A DARLINGTON college has handed out awards to its young chefs. Darlington College of Technology held the awards ceremony to recognise the achievements of its students -with prizes totalling more than £2,000 handed out. Sam Nutter, of Eggleston, walked
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All hands on deck as cricket fans spruce up district's clubs
VOLUNTEERS have transformed their local cricket clubs in a Ground Force-style initiative. People living in Crook and Barnard Castle gave up their weekend to regenerate their respective grounds. The initiative, dubbed CricketForce, was instigated by the
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Local policing group seeking new members
A COMMUNITY and police group is hoping to attract new members when it relaunches itself at a meeting next week. The Bedale Community Area Policing group is meeting at 7.30pm on April 13 at the town hall and as many local people as possible are being urged
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College salutes its top chefs in training
THE students behind a host of hospitality events have been rewarded for their endeavours after months of slaving over hot stoves. Scores of budding chefs received special awards at a Darlington College of Technology awards ceremony. The Most Outstanding
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Spotlight falls on the Windy City
opportunities in Chicago will be highlighted this month. A delegation from the city is visiting the North-East for a breakfast conference to look at export opportunities. The event has been organised by UK Trade and Investment, in partnership with the
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Ex-mayor backs airport fight
A COUNCILLOR is backing residents of Middleton St George who object to the proposed £56m expansion of Durham Tees Valley Airport. Councillor Doris Jones, a former Mayor of Darlington, has been working with residents who oppose office and property development
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Call to owners of stolen bicycles
POLICE in Darlington are trying to find the owners of seven bicycles which they have recovered from a house in the town and suspect are stolen property. Officers need the owners to come forward and verify the bikes are stolen before they can prosecute
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Anger as Quakers centre closes
BOSSES at Darlington Football Club last night said they had been forced to close a local sports centre because it was no longer financially viable. The Quaker Sports Centre, near the club's old Feethams home, has been popular with five-a-side football
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Socks away for naked art bid
A CONTROVERSIAL artist who photographs large groups of naked people in public places is hoping to stage a nude photoshoot in Newcastle later this year. Spencer Tunick, from New York, has held naked photoshoots involving thousands of people, all over the
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Women upset at cruelty to frogs
TWO women have spoken out after somebody started killing frogs in an ornamental lake. Ann Marie Coston and Julie Burrell found dead and maimed frogs around the Victor Pasmore Pavilion Lake, in the Sunny Blunts area of Peterlee. Mrs Burrell said someone
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Youth admits molesting boys
A YOUTH has admitted molesting two eight-year-old boys. The 15-year-old, who lives in Sunderland, admitted two counts of indecent assault, committed between July 22 and September 13 last year. At Newcastle Crown Court yesterday, sentencing was adjourned
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Community office plans to expand
PLANS to extend a community office to meet the needs of a growing number of users have been announced. Managers of Hudson House, in Reeth, Swaledale, want to convert a garage outside the former Barclays Bank building into extra office space. The extension
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Car maker reaches another milestone
NISSAN'S North-East plant was yesterday confirmed as Britain's biggest car exporter for the fifth year in succession. More than a fifth of all UK-made cars exported last year were made on Sunderland assembly lines. Colin Dodge, managing director of the
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Praise for scheme aiding job-seekers
AN organisation which helps teenagers into work has been given a good report from Government inspectors. Connexions County Durham was judged by Ofsted inspectors four months ago and the results, published yesterday, show the partnership to be performing
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Honours for pair who saved man from bleeding to death
TWO men who stopped a man from bleeding to death were yesterday honoured for their actions. PC Tony Slaney, of Northallerton Police, and Gareth Hare, from Northallerton, were presented with certificates of commendation from the Royal Humane Society by
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Voting fraud makes UK like a 'banana republic'
TONY BLAIR'S expected announcement today of a General Election on May 5 comes the day after a judge warned that the risk of postal voting fraud made Britain look like a "banana republic". The Prime Minister is expected to go to Buckingham Palace to ask
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Animals perish in attack by arsonists
ARSONISTS left three helpless animals to perish as flames engulfed their shelter in a North-East village. Police were last night treating the blaze at Eldon Lane, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, as suspicious and immediately appealed for witnesses
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Tabletop aims to improve health
TABLETOP sounds like a modern art installation that has strayed from Gateshead's Baltic art gallery. But today, hundreds of health experts from all over Britain will have the chance to look at a project that underlines the region's leading role in using
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Socks away for naked art bid
A CONTROVERSIAL artist who photographs large groups of naked people in public places is hoping to stage a nude photoshoot in Newcastle later this year. Spencer Tunick, from New York, has held naked photoshoots involving thousands of people, all over the
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Life literally on the edge
Going To Extremes (C4); Heartless (ITV1): GEOGRAPHER Nick Middleton should have looked at the small print in his contract, although the fact that the series' title is Going To Extremes was a hint that he might not like what was in store for him in Nepal
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Academies blamed as GCSE grades fall in nearby schools
A ROW has broken out over the revelation that GCSE results have fallen at schools near two controversial city academies. Critics of the academy programme warned that the expensive, privately sponsored academies took in the most able pupils from neighbouring
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Doves, Leeds University
EVER since their dark and evocative debut album, Lost Souls, arrived to almost universal acclaim at the end of the 1990s, Doves have been a mainstay of the UK music scene. Unfazed by the hype and glitz of the industry, they have steered a lone path, content
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Too early for talk of title-deciders
MICK McCARTHY has refused to label Sunderland's crunch meeting with promotion rivals Wigan a title-decider - insisting he is in no mood for making predictions as the race for the top two enters the final straight. With five points separating the two teams
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Bates arrives at new home
MIDDLESBROUGH will hand Matthew Bates over to Darlington this week, with the young defender lined up to make his Quakers debut at Cambridge United on Saturday, writes Lee Hall. Bates will finally link up with his new Quakers team-mates later this week
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Tests on bike link in murder
A BICYCLE belonging to a murder victim has been recovered by detectives investigating the case. The orange and silver Harlem USA Thunder mountain bike was discovered after an appeal by Cleveland Police for information into the death of Keith Philpott.
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'Teething problems' at TVR but not maladministration
A REGENERATION company has been cleared of maladministration following an investigation by Government officials. But a politician who instigated the probe said last night that it confirmed his fears over "incompetence and a failure to observe normal standards
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The danger of trying to be a yummy muummmy
Celebrity mum Victoria Beckham appeared looking svelte in her slim-fitting jeans only weeks after giving birth to baby Cruz, as did fellow 'yummy mummies' Liz Hurley and Claudia Schiffer. Women's Editor Lindsay Jennings looks at the pressure on women
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Singapore Chinese Orchestra, The Sage, Gateshead
IT was a rare and unique musical experience when the Singapore Chinese Orchestra appeared at The Sage, Gateshead, on one of only three dates on its European concert tour. Featuring a fusion of traditional and modern music, with a fascinating mix of instruments
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Dozens of bouquets as Alice celebrates 105th birthday with friends
GREAT-GRANDMOTHER Alice Gill is so loved, well-wishers were still presenting her with bouquets of flowers last night, hours after a party celebrating her 105th birthday. Mrs Gill, a surviving twin, who remembers the sinking of the Titanic, was born in
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'Public's duty to turn in road yobs'
POLICE are urging people to turn in "mindless yobs" who blocked a main road with rubble at the weekend. As reported in The Northern Echo yesterday, rocks, branches and rubble were strewn across all three lanes of the westbound carriageway of the 70mph
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Rivals to fear sound of Thunder
DARK THUNDER (3.30) could spell very bad news for the bookmakers in the St James Security Handicap Hurdle at Sedgefield this afternoon. Ferdy Murphy's gelding was tremendously impressive when leaving the opposition toiling abjectly at the rear to notch
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Honours for pair who saved man from bleeding to death
TWO men who stopped a man from bleeding to death were yesterday honoured for their actions. PC Tony Slaney, of Northallerton Police, and Gareth Hare, from Northallerton, were presented with certificates of commendation from the Royal Humane Society by
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Dun to perfection
Named the North-East's Sunday best, the column finds that the Dun Cow, in Sedgefield, doesn't disappoint. THE Observer has named the Dun Cow in Sedgefield as the North-East's best place for Sunday lunch. Without offence to the Observer or to the Dun Cow
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Farmer moves closer to his racing driver dream
A FARMER has moved a step closer to achieving his dream of becoming a racing driver after he took top honours in an international competition. Robert Lawson, 27, of Barton, near Richmond, started racing karts and was seeded ninth in the country in his
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Aussie Porter's future lies with Pool
WITH 14 goals to his name this season, Joel Porter could soon be heading back to Australia. Out of contract this summer, the Hartlepool United striker is a wanted man back home. Both Adelaide and Perth had made their intentions known, but Pool fans don't
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Postman failed to deliver 1,900 items of mail
A POSTMAN admitted failing to deliver almost 1,900 items of mail during a three-week "lapse". Andrew Robert McCardle, 21, was said to be out of his depth and suffering a depressive illness at the time. He appeared at Durham Crown Court yesterday, when
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Pupils tackle paper pressure
STUDENTS are hoping to make the news in a national competition designed to test their journalistic skills. Two dozen Year 10 pupils from Northallerton College took part in a newspaper day organised by the Times Educational Supplement. The teenagers took
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Playing a dangerous game
As Newcastle footballers Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer face further punishment for brawling in front of thousands of fans, Chief Football Writer Scott Wilson looks at the link between bad behaviour on the pitch and in our schools. FOR a sport that has marketed
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Sir Bobby's £2m upsets balance sheet
A £2M pay-off to former manager Sir Bobby Robson pushed Newcastle United's wage bill above 50 per cent of its turnover last year. The club has always tried to keep wages below the 50 per cent threshold, but an agreed pay-off of a year's wages - or £2.1m
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Author Anne's latest book out
ANNE FINE, the writer of 50 children's books, including Madame Doubtfire, had her sixth adult novel published yesterday. Raking the Ashes, which she wrote at her home near the River Tees in Barnard Castle, County Durham, is described as a dark comedy
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Fund helps veterans return to battlefield sites
NORTH-EAST veterans are preparing to visit the battlefields where they served during the Second World War. The visits have been made possible through the Big Lottery Fund's Heroes Return scheme. The fund today announced awards to almost 1,700 veterans
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Honour from a small island
A TRAVEL writer who wrote of falling in love with Durham had his feelings reciprocated yesterday when he was named the chancellor of the city's university. The love affair between Durham and US-born Bill Bryson began in 1995 when, in his Notes From a
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RAF lends a hand to charity
ROYAL Air Force officers have handed over a cheque for nearly £21,000 to Macmillan Cancer Relief. The money was raised at RAF Leeming last summer during a weekend of events. The highlight was a Tornado pulling competition, featuring 15 teams from the
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The promotion run-in
WITH five points separating Sunderland from tonight's opponents Wigan, manager Paul Jewell should have no problems in making sure his players are ready for the occasion, writes Paul Fraser. It promises to be a heated battle at the JJB Stadium but, with
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Go-ahead for town centre revamp
COUNCIL bosses have cleared the final hurdle in their efforts to bring about the transformation of a North-East town centre. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister confirmed yesterday that it had given the go-ahead for unpopular changes to Darlington's
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Warning after girls escape abductor
POLICE are warning young women to be on their guard after two attempted abductions of 16-year-olds. The incidents happened in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, in the early hours of Friday. One of the teenagers was standing beside the phone box and bench in
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More protests over land sale
A TOWN is in turmoil over plans to finance a £4.5m council move by selling off local assets. Repeated attempts by local councillors to discuss the issue have failed and meetings have been called off. In the face of the unprecedented level of protest now
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Musician has a touch of brass
A student could be forgiven for blowing his own trumpet. Tim Cooper, 17, from Thorpe Thewles, Stockton, has been invited to join the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain. Tim, who has played a euphonium for nine years, is a sixth form student at
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Gay rights campaigner challenges Catholic church
Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has challenged mourning Catholics - by blaming the Pope for creating a million orphans. The civil rights activist called on the Catholic church to change its attitude towards gays and women, and to end its "immoral
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Memories of an extraordinary man
A NORTH-EAST bishop has paid tribute to the "extraordinary human being", who was the late Pope. But the Right Reverend John Crowley, Roman Catholic Bishop of Middlesbrough, is not taking any bets on who will succeed John Paul II. As secretary to the late
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£10m plans for 'murder mansion' unveiled
DETAILS have been revealed for a £10m redvelopment for the North-East's pioneering police facility, dubbed "murder mansion". The UK's largest forensic teaching centre, at Harperley Hall, in Crook, County Durham, will become a police control centre and
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Car maker reaches another milestone
NISSAN'S North-East plant was yesterday confirmed as Britain's biggest car exporter for the fifth year in succession. More than a fifth of all UK-made cars exported last year were made on Sunderland assembly lines. Colin Dodge, managing director of the
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Male misconceptions and the modern psyche
THE FAMILY WAY by Tony Parsons (HarperCollins, £6.99): TONY Parsons seems to have cornered the market in blokey books about parenthood and now after Man and Boy, One for My Baby and Man and Wife, he has abandoned the lad's angle and written from the point
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Charles moves wedding date
THE Prince of Wales's wedding to Camilla Parker Bowles was postponed yesterday because it clashed with the Pope's funeral - further adding to the chaos surrounding the royal event. The move came after the Prime Minister had postponed the expected announcement
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Tories to take message directly to hard-working families
ONE of the Conservative Party's most senior figures today insisted that they would not be pushed to one side in the forthcoming election campaign in the region. Theresa May, the Tories' high-profile Shadow Secretary of State for the Family, said that
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Royals mark Air Force anniversary
TO commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, members of every squadron were invited to meet the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh. And among those who attended the event at London's RAF Club were eight former and current members of
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Northern vows to hold its course
MORTGAGE bank Northern Rock has refused to change its targets for the year, despite seeing further evidence of a slowdown in the housing market. In a trading update, the group said it was pleased that its pipeline of agreed new business remained consistent
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Charity fashion
ENDING his term of office as Mayor of Sedgefield, Jim Wayman is having one final event to try and reach £6,000 for his charity appeal. The appeal will help the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Appeal, the North-East Air Ambulance and local children. With the
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Schools to get £66m for better buildings
SCHOOLS in five areas of the North-East will benefit from a £66m Government handout to improve buildings. The money will be given to special schools in Middlesbrough, County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle and Sunderland as part of the Government's Building
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Motorcyclists warned
A POLICE swoop on motorcycle tearaways was last night hailed a success. Three motorcyclists were issued with notices warning them that their driving was causing alarm and distress to residents. Two motorbikes were seized and a rider was arrested on a
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Schools to get £66m for better buildings
SCHOOLS in five areas of the North-East will benefit from a £66m Government handout to improve buildings. The money will be given to special schools in Middlesbrough, County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle and Sunderland as part of the Government's Building
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£500 direct to rescuers
A RESCUE team is to receive £500 to help its work - thanks to its local council persuading residents to pay their council tax bills by direct debit. A successful campaign was run by officials of Teesdale District Council, based at Barnard Castle, to coax
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New pub plan gains approval
A COUNTRY pub/restaurant is to be demolished and re-built with a more traditional farmhouse feel. The Newton Grange opened as a pub/hotel in a converted former farmhouse, with adjoining car park, near Newton Hall, on the outskirts of Durham, in 1985.
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Disability talk
THE parents of children with disabilities are being invited to meet Darlington's new head of children's services, Margaret Asquith. She will give a talk at the New Grange Hotel, in Darlington, on Tuesday, April 12. The event is free, runs from noon until
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Mike fired up for Sahara marathon
A FIREFIGHTER is taking on one of the world's hottest, harshest environments. Mike Dayson, of Cleveland Fire Brigade, in Redcar,will set out on Sunday to run the 150-mile Marathon des Sables, across the Sahara Desert, in a bid to raise £10,000 for the
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Disabled man told to rip up drive for ambulance access
A DISABLED man and his wife have been told to rip up a driveway built to provide ambulance access to their home because councillors feel it spoils a pretty village scene. Sedgefield Borough Council's development control committee refused to grant retrospective
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'We'll clear pollution if we win opencast mine scheme'
A COAL company has promised to clear up water pollution and create a wildlife habitat if it wins permission to opencast a former colliery site. But it looks likely to face opposition to its plans to work Stony Heap, Leadgate, near Consett. UK Coal is
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Sneak-in burglaries at shops
TRADERS are warned to be on their guard after a spate of sneak-in burglaries. Staff offices and rest rooms in shops in Bishop Auckland have been targeted by thieves who are gaining entry by smashing rear windows, jemmying rear doors or entering through
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Young poets picked to feature in work
GIRLS from a leading independent school are to become published poets, as part of a scheme recognising talented youngsters. Sixteen pupils from Polam Hall School, in Darlington, are having their sonnets - which were written during English lessons last
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Ex-mayor backs airport fight
A COUNCILLOR is backing residents of Middleton St George who object to the proposed £56m expansion of Durham Tees Valley Airport. Councillor Doris Jones, a former Mayor of Darlington, has been working with residents who oppose office and property development
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Religion - more than a hobby
There was one phrase heard over the radio last week that said everything. The newsreader told us: "The Pope is clinging to life." Actually, he wasn't. And this little misperception illuminates a whole chasm of ignorance when it comes to understanding
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Anniversary of nightclub
VETERANS of the swinging sixties will gather on Friday to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Club Fiesta, in Stockton. The former nightclub, in Norton Road, played host to string of stars. To commemorate the anniversary, the Billingham Arms Hotel, in Billingham
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Exhibit to help carers of disabled
AN exhibition to outline the help and information available to parents and carers of children with disabilities is to be held later this week. The event, organised by the County Durham Children's Network, will be staged in County Hall, Durham City, on
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Cemetery wall repairs
A CRUMBLING cemetery wall is to be repaired following years of campaigning. Work will start this month on the 240-metre sandstone wall at Eston cemetery with a full restoration planned through the summer. The wall was built in the 1860s and is suffering
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Strategy to tackle crime set for launch
A STRATEGY to fight crime will be launched next week with public involvement. The North York Moors and Coast Safer Communities Partnership has come up with the three-year crime, disorder and drug reduction strategy. Among its key aims are to combat hate
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Pupils to have their poetry published
GIRLS from a leading independent school are to become published poets, as part of a scheme recognising talented youngsters. Sixteen pupils from Polam Hall School, in Darlington, are having their sonnets - written in English lessons last term - published
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Pair lucky to be alive after 'dangerous driving' incident
A COUPLE were lucky to escape with their lives after their vehicle hit a tree and overturned on a stretch of dual carriageway at the weekend. Police said the husband and wife were injured when their Suzuki Liana ran off the A66, in Teesside, after a red
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Supermarket to open with giveaways
A NEW supermarket will be launched later this week. Aldi will open its store in Richmond Road, Catterick Garrison, on Thursday. To mark the occasion, the 1,000th customer through the door will receive a hamper containing pink champagne, cookies and chocolate
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Funds to pay for series of 20mph zones
ENHANCED road safety zones are to be created with the expected introduction of five new 20mph speed limits. The five Hambleton schemes will take up the bulk of a £55,000 sum that has been set aside in the county council budget. Any remaining cash from
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LibDems open town office
DARLINGTON'S Euro MP has opened the Liberal Democrat campaign office for the general election. Fiona Hall MEP opened the office, at 56 North Road for Robert Adamson, the party's prospective candidate for the town
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-Phone mast should not be near school'
A COUNCILLOR has hit out at the decision to approve a mobile phone mast near a Darlington school. Mobile phone giant Orange had sought approval from the borough council to erect the 15m mast in Staindrop Road, near The Mowden pub. And, despite concerns
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Councillor steps down over criticism
A COUNCILLOR has resigned from her cabinet post after criticising Darlington Borough Council in The Northern Echo. Eleanor Lister, the council's cabinet member for adult services, said she believed the council was failing dementia sufferers in the town
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Dozens of bouquets as Alice celebrates 105th birthday with friends
GREAT-GRANDMOTHER Alice Gill is so loved, well-wishers were still presenting her with bouquets of flowers last night, hours after a party celebrating her 105th birthday. Mrs Gill, a surviving twin, who remembers the sinking of the Titanic, was born in
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Poet plans to bend your ear
A DARLINGTON poet has recorded some of her favourite pieces onto cassettes to make them accessible to everyone. Joyce Crawford joined forces with Talking Newspapers to produce the tape, called Catastrophes, Mishaps and Muses. Since the late 80s, she has
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Church hosts last service
THE oldest non-conformist Christian group in a Teesside town has celebrated its last service at a church that members have used for more than 130 years. The Unitarian Church, in Wellington Street, Stockton, is soon to be demolished and replaced with a
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Strategy will make town safer
A three-year strategy for tackling crime, disorder and drug misuse in Hartlepool will be launched tomorrow. The Safer Hartlepool Partnership will set out its vision for making the town a safer and healthier place over the next three years. The partnership
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Disco to support family devastated by fire
A COMMUNITY continues to rally round a family devastated by the death of their son in a house fire. Support has been offered to the Blakelocks by friends and neighbours in Carrville and farther afield across Durham, since last month's tragic blaze, which
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Airport prepares for shuttle bus launch
AN airport is preparing to launch a shuttle bus to help travellers. From next month, customers with valid plane tickets for Durham Tees Valley Airport can take advantage of the free half-hourly Sky Express coach service linking the airport's main terminal
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05/04/05
TONY BLAIR: WITH Tony Blair being interviewed by Little Ant and Dec, one has to wonder if the Prime Minister is becoming desperate about the upcoming election. Not satisfied with his "masochism strategy" of live TV grillings by voters, which he plans
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Lib Dem leader insists party has "high hopes"
LIBERAL Democrat leader Charles Kennedy insisted his party had "high hopes" of making a political breakthrough in the North-East at May's General Election. Speaking in Newcastle only minutes after the election was called, Mr Kennedy insisted his party
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Council told to talk
PLANS to improve how North Yorkshire County Council listens to the public will be under the spotlight today. Councillors say staff should be trained and given more support in how they consult with residents to make sure it is not just a 'box ticking exercise
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Hussey decision expected today
DURHAM will find out today whether they are to lose new skipper Mike Hussey for part of the season, which starts next week. The word from Australia is that Hussey will not be in the Ashes squad, with former Durham man Brad Hodge - due to play for Lancashire
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Labrador on election roll after mix-up
MONTGOMERY the dog has been registered to vote at the General Election. The golden labrador has received notice that he is officially on the electoral roll and can make his mark on election day. His owners, Norman and Susan Montgomery, who live near Scarborough
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Officers risked all to tackle network of drug suppliers
IT was one of the most successfu l - and dangerous - police operations of recent times, designed to disrupt the supply of hard drugs in Darlington. For 18 months, a small band of covert officers from Durham Police became immersed in the murky world of
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Crutes names its high-flyers
One of the region's law firms has appointed five associates to its team. Crutes, which has offices in Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Carlisle, has appointed NICHOLAS FAIRHURST, SUE HOWES, NIKKI HYAM, TOM WHITFIELD and ANGELA KIRTLEY. Stephen Crute, managing
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Panto star's vow that show will go on
PANTOMIME star Berwick Kaler yesterday vowed that his new show will go on, despite suffering a health scare last week. The 58-year-old was taken to hospital with severe stomach pains on the day after Hobson's Choice opened at York Theatre Royal. He said
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Professor John Leopold
THE University of Newcastle's Business School has appointed PROFESSOR JOHN LEOPOLD as deputy director. He joins from Nottingham Trent University, where he was associate dean at Nottingham Business School. As a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel
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Widow who inspired movie Calendar Girls to marry
THE widow who inspired the hit movie Calendar Girls is to marry the vicar who helped her through her grief. Angela Baker, 58, shot to fame after posing naked for a charity calendar with friends from her Yorkshire Dales Women's Institute group. The calendar
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Peter Couch
BRIDGEWATER Equity Release has appointed PETER COUCH as managing director. Bridgewater is a subsidiary of Newcastle plc the Grainger Trust. Mr Couch, who was previously managing director for AMP Retirement Services and later an independent consultant
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Francis Eames
ONE of the team behind the Guinness brand has joined a business support group. FRANCIS EAMES managed the Guinness brand in 150 countries and his experience will now be used to help companies in the North-East to grow. He has joined The Alchemists, an
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Museum celebrates its past with plates display
THE North-East's first national museum is celebrating a key part of its heritage with a display. Visitors to Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at Shildon, in County Durham, can see a selection of wagon plates that were placed on the side of vehicles
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Kate Adie will host concert to aid hospice
BBC correspondent Kate Adie is to compere a concert in Durham Cathedral in aid of the city's St Cuthbert's Hospice. Kate, whose new book "Nobody's Child: The Lives of Abandoned Children'' will be published this autumn, will be fronting the concert on
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Rivals to fear sound of Thunder
DARK THUNDER (3.30) could spell very bad news for the bookmakers in the St James Security Handicap Hurdle at Sedgefield this afternoon. Ferdy Murphy's gelding was tremendously impressive when leaving the opposition toiling abjectly at the rear to notch
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Quakers in raffle to aid Donna
A YOUNG cancer sufferer received a special visit from Darlington Football Club players and manager David Hodgson during a fund-raising event to send her on holiday. Donna Long, 20, from Billingham, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer in February, is undergoing
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Michelle Jones
ARRIVA Vehicle Rental has appointed MICHELLE JONES as rental manager at its Sunderland branch. She will be responsible for the running of the rental business at the branch's offices in Riverbank Road. Part of her role will be to ensure that vehicles in
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Comment from The Northern Echo: Not fitting the crime
LEE Bowyer - a man who should hang his head in shame - was fined an estimated £200,000 by Newcastle United yesterday for starting a punch-up on the pitch with his team-mate Kieron Dyer. That's an awful lot of money to the vast majority of people. To Bowyer
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Bowyer lucky not to be sacked, Shepherd
FREDDY Shepherd last night insisted that Lee Bowyer should "go down on his hands and knees" to show thanks for keeping his job. The Newcastle chairman admitted that the one-time England international had come within a whisker of being sacked after attacking
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On TV last night
Going To Extremes (C4) Heartless (ITV1) GEOGRAPHER Nick Middleton should have looked at the small print in his contract, although the fact that the series' title is Going To Extremes was a hint that he might not like what was in store for him in Nepal
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Journey of tears and laughter
ACTOR Richard Glaves has never appeared at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in his home town of Scarborough - unless you count working front of house as a student. And his current tour of duty with the First World War play Journey's End won't be taking him
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Robinson keen to avoid more play-off heartache
CARL ROBINSON has become a play-off expert in recent years and wants to ensure Sunderland avoid the end of season shoot-out this time around by securing Championship glory. The Black Cats can take a huge step towards doing just that tonight when they
