Archive
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Chance to get closer to nature
A GUIDE has been produced filled with ideas for enjoying the countryside in and around Hartlepool. The Wild About Hartlepool leaflet lists countryside events going on during the summer and autumn. Produced by Hartlepool Borough Council's countryside wardens
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19/04/05
PENSIONER POWER: MAY I suggest that when any pay rise is given to Members of Parliament, the same percentage will be given to pensioners. And whatever pensioners get, the same percentage would be given to MPs. The election gives us an opportunity to ask
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Buyers virtually made at home
AN estate agency in Teesside is pioneering "virtual" house viewing for customers. Homes and Finance, based in Yarm, has invested in technology so customers can watch a slideshow projector presentation, which gives a detailed tour of each property. Customers
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In mourning for the city of my youth
'Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds" - so why am I so out of sorts with Leeds? I was born and brought up there. It is the glorious mythical place of my childhood and misspent youth. There was the jail opposite my grandad's newsagents
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Job Search: Vacancies
Nursery nurse, 16-40hrs pw, must be qualified to at least NVQ 2 but 3 preferred as is experience. Ref: SPE 14156. Kitchen team player, £5.50ph, 40-45hrs pw, must be capable of handling large volumes of food, City and Guilds 606 1 or II preferred. Ref:
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17-storey building sold in £16.55m deal
THE region's tallest office building has changed hands in a £16.55m deal. Middlesbrough's landmark Centre North East, was sold by Marchday to Kenmore Property Group. The 17-storey building was given a £5m facelift and is fully occupied. Tenants include
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Job Search: Vacancies
LGV Class C+E driver (HGV 1), £5.80ph plus allowance plus bonus, 50hrs pw Mon-Fri and some weekends, must have current C+E licence (minor points considered), tipping experience preferred but not essential as training provided. Ref: DUR 40925. Operations
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What Tony isn't telling us
Doctor Who (BBC1); Casanova (BBC1); The Morning After (C4): TONY Blair has been reading my mind. Seeing him on ITV1's Ant And Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway interviewed by Little Ant and Little Dec the other week, I thought to myself, "He should've gone
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Students' vigil for fair trade
STUDENTS in the North-East have staged an overnight vigil as part of a campaign calling for trade fairness. Twelve youngsters from the FairTrade group at Carmel RC Technology College, in Darlington, stayed awake through the night on Friday to support
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Eating Owt: A whiter shade of ale
It may be part of a so-called 'pubco', but the column finds the ambience plentiful at The White House. IT hadn't been a race for the White House so much as a brisk and bracing 90 minute stroll along the shoreline at Old Hartlepool, past Fairy Cove Terrace
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Bates won't be drawn on where his future lies
MATTHEW Bates is refusing to be drawn on which side of the A66 he will be playing next season, insisting his immediate thoughts are on helping Darlington to promotion. The 18-year-old Middlesbrough defender was outstanding on his debut in Quakers' 1-1
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New move in row over toilets
A PLAN is being drawn up to reopen town centre toilets amid reports of shoppers being 'caught short' because of the closures. The men's and women's toilets in Richmond Market Place were shut at the beginning of the month in a cost-cutting exercise by
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Car crime targeted with innovative tax discs
SPECIALLY designed tax disc holders are being handed out across east Durham as part of a drive against thieves. The theft of vehicle licences has been a minor, but persistent problem for some time in the area with a number of motorists left out-of-pocket
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The binman who killed four people
A former binman who killed his girlfriend, her twin sister and an elderly couple was facing life behind bars last night after pleading guilty to murder. Police believe Mark Hobson would have carried on killing had it not been for a member of the public
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Development begins
THE first part of work on a £170m development that will create up to 2,000 North-East jobs is nearly complete. The pylons and overhead power lines that littered the development site at Central Park, Darlington - a 75-acre piece of derelict land just off
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Fanning searching for Snap win at Southwell
JOE FANNING renews his association with Snap (4.30) at Southwell hoping to claim the feature event on the card, the £10,000 Betfred Handicap. Snap's not the biggest horse in the world, but what the gelding lacks in size, he more than makes up for in the
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Pressure free for Robinson
CARL Robinson thought he had scored the goal that had all but clinched promotion on Sunday, but the Sunderland midfielder is remaining "surprisingly relaxed" about the last-gasp leveller that has kept Ipswich's hopes of a top-two finish alive. Robinson's
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Not playing the Games
As we await the result of the ballot this summer to see who will host the 2012 Olympics, Paul Walker explains why he feels London is being unsportsmanlike in its domination of the bid. DURING the February half-term holiday I was in London with my family
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Workers wait for news over store cuts
ABOUT 200 workers at Index stores across the region were last night waiting to find out if they still had jobs. Littlewoods, which owns the catalogue store chain, yesterday announced it was shutting 126 Index outlets, with the loss of 3,200 jobs. John
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Pub gets ransom note for mascot
KIDNAPPERS have snatched a pub mascot from its North-East home and taken him back to Ireland - leaving the landlord so desperate for his return he is considering a rescue mission. The popular 2ft musical leprechaun - named Bertie O'Murphy - was stolen
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Ali images on show in N-East gallery
A FREE exhibition of photographs of Muhammad Ali training is being held in the North-East. They were taken in 1974 by young Philadelphia photographer Bill Peronneau. Ali was pictured in his cabin at his training camp in the Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania
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John Fozzard
BUS company Arriva North East has appointed JOHN FOZZARD as marketing manager. Mr Fozzard, based at Arriva's head office in Sunderland, will be responsible for organising promotions at the transport company's North-East division, as well as brand development
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Locomotion's prize hopes now in the hands of judges
JUDGES in one of the country's leading art competitions stepped back into the age of steam when they visited the North-East's first national museum yesterday. Museum bosses proudly showed off the attractions that have helped Locomotion: National Railway
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Quinton Hill-Lines
NEWCASTLE-based Grainger Trust plc has appointed QUINTON HILL-LINES as director of corporate development. Mr Hill-Lines will be responsible for developing growth initiatives through mergers and acquisitions, property fund creation and joint ventures at
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Jury shown lock knife allegedly used in attack
A JURY has been shown a knife allegedly used in an attack in which a woman was bundled off the street and raped. The lock knife, which the prosecution at Teesside Crown Court say was used by Mamya Baktyar to threaten his victim, was displayed during his
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Shearer tells of big changes to come
A RESOLUTE Alan Shearer last night insisted that Newcastle would recover from the double disappointment of Lisbon and Cardiff by embarking on a summer spending spree. But, after a catalogue of internal problems helped to scupper his side's season, the
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Humphreys targets three wins for Pool
RITCHIE Humphreys has set his Hartlepool United team-mates a fresh target - win the last three games. Last week's 3-0 thumping of play-off rivals Sheffield Wednesday put Pool in fourth spot in League One with only three weeks of the season remaining.
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Challenge to verdict on nerve gas victim
AN inquest jury's verdict of unlawful killing on a young British airman who underwent secret nerve gas tests more than 50 years ago will come under fire from Ministry of Defence lawyers at London's High Court today. Ronald Maddison, from Consett, Co Durham
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Animal drugs company expands
A SPECIALIST pharmacy for animals is lined up for expansion, creating jobs in an isolated rural area, if Government proposals go ahead. Hyperdrug Pharmaceuticals, based in Middleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham, already has a 70 per cent market share of
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Locomotion's prize hopes now in the hands of judges
JUDGES in one of the country's leading art competitions stepped back into the age of steam when they visited the North-East's first national museum yesterday. Museum bosses proudly showed off the attractions that have helped Locomotion: National Railway
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Museum to provide journey into space
A £1.5M interactive theatre that will take visitors on an intriguing journey into outer space to search for new life forms is being created at a North-East museum. The advanced facility, which will open at the Life Science Centre in Newcastle in October
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Fanning searching for Snap win at Southwell
JOE FANNING renews his association with Snap (4.30) at Southwell hoping to claim the feature event on the card, the £10,000 Betfred Handicap. Snap's not the biggest horse in the world, but what the gelding lacks in size, he more than makes up for in the
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Joy for soldiers with move nearer to N-E base
HUNDREDS of North-East soldiers are celebrating after hearing that they will be moving back to the North in 2007. The soldiers, from The Green Howards battalion, are to be based in Weeton, near Blackpool, as part of an Army shake-up. It has come as welcome
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Comment from The Northern Echo: Issues that get the votes
THE resignation from the Labour Party of Derek Cattell has caused a stir in the Prime Minister's Sedgefield constituency. Although never a New Labour enthusiast, Mr Cattell - former regional officer for the GMB union - has been a party man through and
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Recruits adding up
ACCOUNTANCY practice RMT has strengthened its management team with two appointments. The Jesmond-based firm has taken on MARK DEMPSEY, as special projects manager and SIMON STEPHENSON, as recovery and insolvency manager as part of its push for growth.
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Nowhere to hide after massive manhunt launched
THERE was nowhere he could hide. Even a field in a remote area of North Yorkshire, away from the busy streets of York and Selby, provided no safe hiding place for Britain's most wanted man. Fugitive Hobson made no resistance when police caught up with
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Anger after Santa's sleigh targeted in vandal attack
VANDALS have wrecked Santa's sleigh locked away in its off-season store. The Bedford open-backed truck was locked in a garage, and is used to help raise money for local charities. Vandals broke a window to get in the garage, broke the truck's windows
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So evil - he would have gone on killing
A former binman who killed his girlfriend, her twin sister and an elderly couple was facing life behind bars last night after pleading guilty to murder. Police believe Mark Hobson would have carried on killing had it not been for a member of the public
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Seconds for Silverwood
Yorkshire's leading strike bowler, Chris Silverwood, is to spend a spell in the seconds with the aim of boosting his fitness and get back to top pace, writes David Warner. As a result, Silverwood turns out for the Second XI today in their three-day encounter
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Karen Mitchell
KAREN MITCHELL has joined Lambert Smith Hampton, in Newcastle. Ms Mitchell, who has five years' property experience under her belt, joins the surveyors' professional division to carry out valuation and landlord and tenant-related work for both national
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On the stump and off the cuff
ONCE, even William Hague's wrists made political statements. His cuffs were held together by a silver pound or a royal blue map of the British Isles. But yesterday, as he breezed through the marginals of the Tees Valley, his cufflinks contained no more
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Crimestoppers co-ordinator dies in road smash
A REGIONAL crime fighter has died following a road smash on the North Yorkshire Moors. Mother of two, Joyce Gawthorpe, 53, was admitted to Middlesbrough's James Cook University Hospital, where she later died, following Saturday's two car crash on a road
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Dispelling 'blokes and bums image'
WOMEN who work for a construction company in the region are helping to increase the number of females in building jobs and change the industry's image of "blokes, bums and bricks". Only one per cent of construction workers are female even though one in
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Joining the hard hat and overall brigade
Women may have made huge strides in the workplace, but they are still being pushed into traditional girls' jobs rather than industries such as construction, according to a new report. Women's Editor Lindsay Jennings reports. IT WAS one of those moments
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On the stump and off the cuff
ONCE, even William Hague's wrists made political statements. His cuffs were held together by a silver pound or a royal blue map of the British Isles. But yesterday, as he breezed through the marginals of the Tees Valley, his cufflinks contained no more
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Man of constant furrow
A RETIRED farmer has been honoured for a lifetime of competitive ploughing. John Metcalfe, 79, of Newby Wiske, near Northallerton, has been given a special award by the society of ploughmen for 50 years of consecutive entries in the National Ploughing
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Help us bring investment to region with port campaign
THOUSANDS of businesses across the North-East are being urged to throw their weight behind The Northern Echo's Support Our Port campaign. Members of the region's largest business network, the North-East Chamber of Commerce (NECC) are being asked to voice
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Angus Allan
CHARTERED accountants and business advisors Clive Owen & Co has promoted ANGUS ALLAN to partner. The company now has eight partners across its three offices in Darlington, Durham and York. Mr Allan joined the practice as corporate finance director
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Radcliffe undecided over Helsinki
Paula Radcliffe admitted she has a tough decision to make about what event to contest in this summer's World Championships. Radfcliffe, who comfortably won yesterday's Flora London Marathon, will definitely be in the British line-up in Helsinki this August
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Theatre unveils its latest addition
ACCESS to Darlington Civic Theatre has been made easier - thanks to the installation of automated doors. The doors at the venue's Borough Road entrance were tested out by the Friends of Darlington Civic Theatre and Arts, as well as representatives of
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Animal drugs company expands
A SPECIALIST pharmacy for animals is lined up for expansion, creating jobs in an isolated rural area, if Government proposals go ahead. Hyperdrug Pharmaceuticals, based in Middleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham, already has a 70 per cent market share of
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Man dies after fall from railway viaduct
A MAN died after he fell 100ft from a railway viaduct yesterday. Police said the man, who was in his early 40s and from the Durham area, was thought to have been receiving outpatient treatment at a psychiatric hospital near the viaduct, in Durham city
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Man appears in court over girl's death
A MAN appeared in court yesterday charged with killing teenager Kimberley Bage. Paul Andrew Knappett, 29, was heckled by onlookers in the public gallery during a brief appearance at Hartlepool Magistrates' Court. Mr Knappett was arrested following the
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Castle to host orchid show
ONE of the largest orchid shows in the North of England takes place at the end of this month at a County Durham castle. The Raby Castle Orchid Show, at Staindrop, takes place from Saturday, April 30, to Bank Holiday Monday, May 2. This year, the focus
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Bikers face losing out
THREE youths who upset villagers by roaring around grassland on motorbikes have been warned by police that their bikes will be confiscated if they do it again. The riders were stopped by police on a fell on the outskirts of Cockfield near Barnard Castle
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Bikers could lose out
THREE youths who upset villagers by roaring around grassland on motorbikes have been warned by police that their bikes will be confiscated if they do it again. The riders were stopped by police on a fell on the outskirts of Cockfield near Barnard Castle
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Police warning
DARLINGTON Neighbourhood Watch has issued a warning after reports of a team of cold-calling gardeners. Teesside residents have reported the men offering to do jobs for £25, then increasing it to £125 after the work. Watch co-ordinator Jacqui Snowball
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Advice service appeals for help
AN advice service is appealing for volunteers. Wear Valley Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), in Bishop Auckland, has launched its appeal to mark the Year of the Volunteers. Each month celebrates a different theme and this month the theme is justice. CAB manager
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Affray admitted
A man appeared at Teesside Crown Court yesterday where he admitted a charge of affray. Phillip Hopwood, 23, of Coral Street, Middlesbrough, will be sentenced at a later date
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Purse thieves strike
SHOPPERS were warned yesterday to take extra care of their purses after two women fell victim to thieves in a town centre. One woman had her purse stolen as she queued in the post office in Barnard Castle. The second victim had her purse stolen at the
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Riders celebrate link
THE British Horse Society is planning a ride to celebrate the opening of a new path. Darlington Borough Council invested £140,000 in creating the 2-km link between the West Park estate, at Faverdale, and the edge of the Branksome estate. The route - which
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Advice service on hunt for volunteers
AN advice service is appealing for volunteers. Wear Valley Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), in Bishop Auckland, has launched its appeal to mark the Year of the Volunteers. Each month celebrates a different theme and this month the theme is justice. CAB manager
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Emergency interrupts boxing presentation
BOXING champions from past and present are destined never to meet after the latest attempt to get together was marred by an emergency. Firefighter Andrew Ellison, the 1979 national title-holder from Shildon Boxing Club, was about to shake hands with the
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New leader selected for the council
THE new chief executive of Darlington Borough Council will be appointed next week. Ada Burns, who has worked as director of neighbourhood renewal in the London borough of Greenwich for the past four years, has been selected. The council will confirm her
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Security tightened at football club's disused centre
A BELEAGUERED sports centre has been targeted by vandals again. The Quaker Sports Centre, near Darlington Football Club's old Feethams ground, was closed by the club last month because it was no longer financially viable. The sports centre, which was
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Support urged for fire station
BISHOP Auckland fire station could be opened up to residents under a scheme being put to planners by fire chiefs. The town is in line for one of two community fire stations being built with private sector money under a regional plan to improve fire and
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Work to tackle cemetery flooding
WORK started yesterday on a £300,000 improvement scheme to ease flooding problems at a Teesside cemetery. The existing drainage system at Stranton Cemetery, in Hartlepool, is to be upgraded, and new drains and roads installed to serve a western extension
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Council speeds work after complaints
COUNCIL chiefs are bringing in extra workers to complete road works after complaints by businesses. North Yorkshire County Council says it hopes to have the improvements to Rosemary Lane, in Richmond, completed by Saturday. Work to widen pavements and
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Balance is right in weight loss plan
A GIMMICK-free diet initiative has been launched by Middlesbrough Council to help people get the right balance in their lives. The Balance Weight Management Course, being run at the town's leisure centres, will show people how to lose weight and keep
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Tiny treasures go up for auction
HUNDREDS of Matchbox models worth up to £8,000 will be sold at auction next week. Miniature cars, boats, vans and motorcycles dating back to the 1950s will go under the hammer at Tennants Auctioneers, in Leyburn, North Yorkshire. Nick Lambert, head of
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£400,000 to upgrade heating in cells
PLANS to spend £401,500 on better heating for police cells have been given the go-ahead. Members of North Yorkshire's Police Authority approved the investment at a meeting yesterday morning. Heating and ventilation systems in cells at Northallerton, Harrogate
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Lib Dems call on police to investigate theft of posters
POLICE have been asked to step into a growing election row after hundreds of Liberal Democrat posters were apparently torn down and stolen. The party has asked the police to investigate after claiming that 400 posters, on supporters' property across the
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Farewell toast and thanks to publicans
REGULARS at a Consett pub have raised their glasses to the couple who have served them for the past 16 years. The landlord and landlady of The Grey Horse, in Consett, Paul and Rosaleen Conroy, retired yesterday and were presented with a garden seat. It
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Celebration of success
A SCHOOL is celebrating recognition of the achievements of its PE department. The Wensleydale School, in Leyburn, has received an extension to its Sports Mark Award. The award is handed out by Sport England to schools which meet targets for staff training
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Plan to reopen toilets as anger mounts over closure
A PLAN is being drawn up to reopen town centre toilets amid reports of shoppers being 'caught short' because of the closures. The men's and women's toilets in Richmond Market Place were shut at the beginning of the month in a cost-cutting exercise by
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Saunter to aid hospice
ST Cuthbert's Hospice is inviting walkers and cyclists to take a sponsored trip into the countryside next month. The hospice, based in Park House Road, Merryoaks, Durham, will hold its eighth annual Sunflower Cycle or Saunter on Sunday, May 22, to raise
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Want to be the next Richard Branson?
BUDDING Richard Bransons can find out how to burst into business at an event in Stanley aimed at would-be entrepreneurs. Experts from Business Link County Durham are holding an event in Craghead Village Hall for anyone thinking of starting up on their
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Man treated after blaze
A MAN needed treatment by paramedics for the effects of smoke inhalation following a fire at a house in Brandon, near Durham City, on Sunday night. A small fire broke out in the kitchen of the house, in Willow Close, shortly after 8pm and fire crews were
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Charity cuisine event
PEOPLE are invited to enjoy an evening of Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine - and help save young lives at the same time. The Mayor and Mayoress of Northallerton, Tony and Janet Hall, are raising funds for the special care baby unit at the town's Friarage
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Marathon effort pays off after kidney transplant
TWENTY months after a kidney transplant saved his life, Harry Burrell completed the London Marathon, despite losing his shoe halfway. The 32-year-old North Yorkshire telephone banker aimed to complete the course in five hours, but finished in four hours
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Russian choir heading to North
A RUSSIAN choir is arriving in the North-East for a free concert on Sunday. The St Petersburg Blagovest Ensemble will play St Nicholas Church, in West Tanfield, near Stanley, County Durham, at 7pm. They consist of a bass, baritone, tenor and mezzo-soprano
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Workers wait for news over store cuts
ABOUT 200 workers at Index stores across the region were last night waiting to find out if they still had jobs. Littlewoods, which owns the catalogue store chain, yesterday announced it was shutting 126 Index outlets, with the loss of 3,200 jobs. John
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Museum to provide journey into space
A £1.5M interactive theatre that will take visitors on an intriguing journey into outer space to search for new life forms is being created at a North-East museum. The advanced facility, which will open at the Life Science Centre in Newcastle in October
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Driver stopped by road block
WINDOW cleaner Mark Ward, who led police on a seven-mile drive along one of North Yorkshire's most notorious stretches of road, ignored efforts to persuade him to pull over, a court heard yesterday. Magistrates were told how Ward, 41, swerved from side
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Change at the top for hospital
A NEW man has taken over the reins of a North Yorkshire hospital radio service. Bill Caw has been named as chairman of Harrogate Hospital Radio, succeeding David Simister. A former regional manager with a major financial institution, Mr Caw has been a
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Enjoying taste of Japan
COUNCIL offices got a taste of the orient last week when artists organised a special Japanese day. The event marked the end of a three-month exhibition of oriental art and vintage kimonos at Hambleton District Council's civic centre in Northallerton.
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Experience put to use for Haslam
ANDREW McINTOSH has been appointed financial director of North-East housing company Frank Haslam Milan. The 35-year-old has spent four years at Haslam Homes, which, like Sunderland-based FHM, is part of the Keepmont Group. He was regional financial controller
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Big names lined up for gala concert
A LINE-up of big names has been announced for one of the region's top arts festivals and a new spring gala concert. The concert, at Ripon Cathedral on May 21, will feature the Orchestra of Opera North and award-winning opera singers Martene Grimson and
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Flyball dog club seeks members
A CANINE sports club is looking for members. Teesdale Flyball Club, which has been a semi-finalist at Crufts, is hoping to attract more members. The club is also hoping to attract more junior members aged over 11. In the flyball event, dogs must stamp
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Luxury brand to sell stores
The owner of department store Liberty said it would wipe out its debts by selling the shop and another property for £66.5m. Retail Stores has sold the flagship London store and an office building to property developer Great Portland Estates and insurer
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Scott Kinnaird and John Noone
Newcastle-based insurance brokers Bishop Skinner has made two appointments to its board of directors. SCOTT KINNAIRD, who joined the company in 1986 and was appointed an associate director six years ago, moves up to full membership of the board. JOHN
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Job Search: Vacancies
Joiners, Northallerton, 39hrs pw 8am to 4.30pm Mon-Thur, 3.30pm Fri, must be time served with own tools, own transport an advantage. Ref: NAL 1970. Optical assistant/optical dispenser, Northallerton, £10,000 to £12,500pa plus bonus, 37.5hrs pw 5 out of
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Joseph Ratzinger elected as Pope
Joseph Ratzinger has been elected as the successor to John Paul II in a fourth ballot by the 115 cardinals. Confirmation of a newly elected pope came earlier as white smoke was seen from the Sistine Chapel chimney. The election was also confirmed shortly
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Public to help plan for future
LOCAL people are invited to have their say on the planning blueprint that could determine the future of their area for the next 16 years. The early work on a plan which will shape the future of Hambleton to 2021 moves into the public arena next week.
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North-East 'is lowest ranked in country'
THE North-East is still the least competitive region in the UK, academic research has shown. The region has stayed bottom out of 12 areas on the national index since 1997. The report shows that all districts measured in the North-East are below the national
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Neighbours from Heaven: Praise for Ron's tireless efforts
A DISABLED woman has heaped praise on her 77-year-old neighbour, who will drop anything to help out. Ron Hick has mown lawns, fixed letterboxes and even hosted residents' association meetings at his house in the North Road area of Darlington. Neighbour
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A whiter shade of ale
It may be part of a so-called 'pubco', but the column finds the ambience plentiful at The White House. IT hadn't been a race for the White House so much as a brisk and bracing 90 minute stroll along the shoreline at Old Hartlepool, past Fairy Cove Terrace
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Grants to stave off job losses
Grants of £300,000 have been paid to firms which used to supply MG Rover to prevent hundreds of job losses caused by the crisis. A special task force set up to help workers at the Longbridge factory in Birmingham, as well as other supplier firms, said
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On TV
Doctor Who (BBC1) Casanova (BBC1) The Morning After (C4) TONY Blair has been reading my mind. Seeing him on ITV1's Ant And Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway interviewed by Little Ant and Little Dec the other week, I thought to myself, "He should've gone on
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Stephen Calvert
Middlesbrough-based IT company Clear Digital Solutions has appointed STEPHEN CALVERT as director of development. He will be responsible for managing Clear's software development team, which provides software solutions for specific needs. He joins from
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Car crime targeted with innovative tax discs
SPECIALLY designed tax disc holders are being handed out across east Durham as part of a drive against thieves. The theft of vehicle licences has been a minor, but persistent problem for some time in the area with a number of motorists left out-of-pocket
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Keys: I'm ready to slug it out with Blair
THE father of a Royal Military Police officer killed in Iraq yesterday claimed that a huge political upset could be on the cards as he stepped up his campaign in Tony Blair's Sedgefield constituency. Independent candidate Reg Keys said he was ready to
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Court is told of sex acts by babysitter
A TEENAGE babysitter raped a schoolgirl, telling her "Don't be selfish", a court was told yesterday. The girl told police that the 15-year-old boy made the same remark when he forced her to perform a sex act every night she was left with him. The boy,
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Fake vodka thought to contain meths
COUNTERFEIT vodka thought to contain methylated spirits has been found on sale in a North-East pub. Trading standards officers in Stockton warned people after the product was found in a routine inspection at a town centre pub. The bottles are marked Hanacka
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101-year-old targeted by bogus caller at home
POLICE are urging pensioners to be on their guards after a bogus caller tried to steal from the home of a 101-year-old man. Last Thursday, a man walked into the house in Ellam Avenue, Nevilles Cross, Durham, and told the pensioner, who had seen him walking
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Scheme trains refugees for NHS
A PIONEERING North-East initiative is helping more than 60 refugee doctors retrain so they can work in the NHS. The Refugee Health Workers Programme was set up in Newcastle in 2000 to try to make use of the skills of refugee health workers. So far, it
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When 'wickedness and evil visited our village'
NOTHING could have prepared George Sanderson for the scene that greeted him at his daughter Claire's home. Concerned about the welfare of his two daughters, the 56-year-old had travelled to the flat in Camblesforth, with Diane's boyfriend, Ian Harrison
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Visitors soar at Easter
A TEESDALE visitor attraction has seen visitor numbers soar over the Easter holidays. The Meet the Middletons visitor centre, in Middleton-in-Teesdale, which only opened last year, exceeded its visitor targets over the Easter period and gave the centre
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Art in spotlight
ONE of the largest art societies in the country is coming to the North-East next month to take part in a show. The Society for All Artists (SAA) will be at Newcastle Metro Radio Arena to take part in the first Art and All Show, from May 5 until May 7.
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Clare Moor
* Seaham Hall Hotel and Serenity Spa, owned by Tom's Companies, has boosted its events team on the sales side with the appointment of CLARE MOOR as Events Sales Manager. Clare, 24, joins from the Malmaison Hotel Newcastle, where she worked as sales executive
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18/04/05
FAN CLUB:IT SEEMS very arrogant of Michael Howard to dictate to local Conservative associations who they should have as their candidate in the General Election. The only sin that Howard Flight committed was to be open about the public spending cuts that
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Workers wait for news over store cuts
ABOUT 200 workers at Index stores across the region were last night waiting to find out if they still had jobs. Littlewoods, which owns the catalogue store chain, yesterday announced it was shutting 126 Index outlets, with the loss of 3,200 jobs. John
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Airport park debate
PLANS for a business park at Durham Tees Valley Airport are to be examined after concerns about its location were raised. The park, proposed for the north side of the airport, is part of a £56m expansion that would see the main terminal refurbished, car
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McClaren sights set on the top six
MIDDLESBROUGH fans had two reasons to celebrate on Sunday: rivals Newcastle crashed to a 4-1 FA Cup semi-final defeat and confirmation duly arrived that Manchester United and Arsenal will contest the FA Cup next month meaning seventh place in the Premiership
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Famous baritone and pupils in opera
INTERNATIONAL opera star Sir Thomas Allen will join east Durham primary school pupils on stage this week for a gala performance of the musical Olympics. Seaham-born Sir Thomas, whose rich baritone voice is renowned the world over, will be narrator and
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Police try to piece together student's final hours
Detectives investigating the death of a well-liked student are trying to piece together her final hours. Sixteen-year-old Kimberley Bage was found with multiple stab wounds in her mother's home at around lunch-time on Friday. But police are anxious to
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Public toilets to be reopened for visitors
A PLAN is being drawn up to reopen town centre toilets after shoppers were 'caught short' because of the closures. The men's and women's toilets in Richmond Market Place were shut at the beginning of the month by the district council to save money. The
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Castle to host orchid show
ONE of the largest orchid shows in the North of England takes place at the end of this month at a County Durham castle. The Raby Castle Orchid Show, at Staindrop, takes place from Saturday, April 30, to Bank Holiday Monday, May 2. This year, the focus
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Inquiry under way after children hurt in bus crash
AN inquiry is under way after several children were hurt when their school bus crashed. Department of Transport officials have inspected the vehicles involved in the collision at a notorious accident blackspot. Initial reports said only one driver was
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Museum to provide journey into space
A £1.5M interactive theatre that will take visitors on an intriguing journey into outer space to search for new life forms is being created at a North-East museum. The advanced facility, which will open at the Life Science Centre in Newcastle in October
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Project launched to uncover town's origins
A PROJECT tracing the unknown origins of Northallerton is under way. Northallerton and District Local History Society has been awarded £25,000 of lottery money to fund a two-year study into the history of the town. Local volunteers are now needed to learn
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Trouble on the Tyne
After suffering two humiliating defeats in the space of four days, Newcastle fans are inevitably asking 'Where did it all go wrong?' Chief Sports Writer Scott Wilson offers six suggestions. Injuries It is a convenient excuse to make, but Newcastle undeniably
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Parker, the King of cards
The unscripted story so far: following the little contretemps between Messrs Bowyer and Dyer, former referee Eric Henderson rings to recall a similar civil war outbreak at Darlington, probably late 1980s. Eric can't remember the opposition, only that
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Days of sail and rigging
Tall Ships on the Tyne by Dick Keys and Ken Smith (Tyne Bridge Publishing, £6.99): PERHAPS the largest congregation of sail ever to be trapped in the Tyne was in Shields Harbour in the winter of 1847-8, when 1,700 ships were counted there. In those days
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Strange and fascinating feast
A COUPLE of Saturdays ago, about 36 weeks after arriving in Taiwan, we gave in to our desires and took a trip to Tesco - Taipei branch. Catherine and I had, up to that point, avoided Western 'luxuries', but as we approached the halfway stage of our stay
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Tragic teenager's family comforted by Sir Alex
Sometimes sour faced, Sir Alex Ferguson showed his other side after the death on the East Coast mainline of football mad Stuart Adams, writes Mike Amos. Stuart was buried on Friday covered in Phil Neville's shirt from the 2004 Community Shield, after
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Labour vow for full N-E employment
LABOUR yesterday said it could deliver on its manifesto pledge to bring about full employment in the North-East within the next five years. Speaking at the party's regional manifesto launch in Durham Castle, Durham North-West candidate Hilary Armstrong
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Big names lined up for gala concert
A LINE-up of big names has been announced for one of the region's top arts festivals and a new spring gala concert. The concert, at Ripon Cathedral on May 21, will feature the Orchestra of Opera North and award-winning opera singers Martene Grimson and
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Famous baritone and pupils in opera
INTERNATIONAL opera star Sir Thomas Allen will join east Durham primary school pupils on stage this week for a gala performance of the musical Olympics. Seaham-born Sir Thomas, whose rich baritone voice is renowned the world over, will be narrator and
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Fitting venue for play
A TOWN'S rugby team will feel at home when a comedy drama is staged in their clubhouse - for the action is set in a rugby club. The play, Dangle in the Dust, by former rugby player Ken Reay, will be staged at the rugby club in Barnard Castle, on Friday
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Visitor centre hosts tribute evening to dales poet
A CELEBRATION of the life of a dales poet is to be held later this month. The Meet the Middletons visitor centre, in Middleton-in-Teesdale, is holding an evening dedicated to Teesdale poet Richard Watson. The evening will consist of a talk by Watson expert
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Visitors soar at Easter
A TEESDALE visitor attraction has seen visitor numbers soar over the Easter holidays. The Meet the Middletons visitor centre, in Middleton-in-Teesdale, which only opened last year, exceeded its visitor targets over the Easter period and gave the centre
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Tennis anyone?
MORE than 100 people attended an open day at Thirsk Tennis Club at the weekend. The open day was sponsored by the Lawn Tennis Association. A number of people became members of the club and signed up for coaching this summer. Adult and junior coaching
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Trainee who'll travel far, say judges
A TEENAGE travel agent has won an award after just a month in the job. Travelcare employee Stacey Ritchie has earned her branch the Top of the Shops award from a trade magazine. The 18-year-old, who works in the Redcar branch, served a mystery client
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Turn off the TV
PEOPLE in Darlington are being encouraged to turn off their televisions and enjoy the countryside. The borough council's countryside team is staging a walk around Drinkfield Marsh nature reserve on Sunday, from 2.30pm to 4.30pm. The event is being held
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Schools to fight crime with water
HEADTEACHERS from schools across Darlington are meeting today to find out about a new crime-fighting device that could help cut theft and vandalism. Police and council chiefs will be demonstrating how SmartWater can be used to tackle criminas. The clear
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Principal aims to put school on track
A TROUBLED school is hoping to get back on track with the appointment of a new principal. Unity City Academy, in Middlesbrough, which has one of the highest exclusion rates and worst exam results in the region, has been dogged by controversy since its
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Hundreds march in protest at building plan
HUNDREDS of protestors took to the streets to make their opposition clear to plans for a housing development at a seaside town. Property developer Persimmon is planning a £55m project in Redcar, which will see hundreds of new homes built along the seafront
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Village postman praised for his role in the community
A POSTMAN has won a national magazine award for the first-class service he provides to his community. George Frazer, who has delivered mail in Sadberge, near Darlington, for 14 years, has been named the most dedicated postman in the country by House Beautiful
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Drug row ended in accident on road
A HEROIN addict knocked over a cyclist and then drove off, leaving him in the road, a court heard. John Briggs believed that his cousin, Graham Coggins, had sold his daughter's bike, which the defendant had lent him as a favour. Spotting him on a different
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Estate shop bans under-age drinkers in crime crusade
AN off-licence is taking a tough stance against under-age drinkers, by barring them from the premises. Bells Stores, in White Hart Crescent, Red Hall, Darlington, is also banning anyone who is known to buy alcohol at the store and pass it on to youngsters
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Housing protest carries on despite Government snub
PARISH councillors will continue to protest against housing developments they say are stripping their area of its identity after Government officials rejected an invitation to visit. Egglescliffe Parish Council has been campaigning for five years to prevent
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Scheme aims to improve life in village
A CRACKDOWN on anti-social behaviour and low-level crime was launched in a County Durham village yesterday. The Streetsafe initiative in Pelton, near Chester-le-Street, involves a range of agencies aiming to improve the quality of life for residents.
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Walkers step out in memory of tragic Levon
WALKERS will step out at the weekend in memory of a young man killed by a rare heart condition. Levon Morland, of West Rainton, was 22 when Wolfe Parkinson White syndrome claimed his life in 2002. Since then, his family have raised money for the national
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Hundreds to benefit from £219,000 fund
HUNDREDS of visually impaired people will benefit from a £219,000 Government grant. An open day will be held from 1pm to 4pm on Saturday at St James's Park, Newcastle, to celebrate the funding, which will provide a children and family service run by local
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Dance scheme to tackle social issues
YOUNG people in Saltersgill, Middlesbrough, will soon be able to express themselves through dance and movement. A new £77,000 dance academy is designed to engage the youngsters in fun activities and prevent them from becoming involved in crime, substance
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Who's sorry now?
THE APOLOGIST by Jay Rayner (Atlantic, £7.99): LOOK, I'm really sorry about this. I'm sorry for so many things, right back to letting my best friend Susan take the blame for upsetting the ink pots in Standard II to forgetting my gran's birthday, to not
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Clowning around
YOUNGSTERS were inspired to explore the life of clowns after watching a clip of the famous International Cirque de Soleil. Artist Lady Kitt, 23, was on hand at Bishop Auckland Town Hall last night to encourage the children to wear face paints and blow
