Archive
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£300m expansion ahead of rival sites would help ease Southern discomfort
For the next few months, regeneration officials will be watching the fate of Teesport as it applies for permission for a £300m development that would bring 7,000 jobs. Business Editor Julia Breen looks at Teesport's case, and how it can chase off rival
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Theatrical troubleshooter lands two starring roles
THEATRE management expert Grahame Morris had his work cut out when he agreed to help with the appointment of the new chief executive for Newcastle's Northern Stage. But the surprise departure of Alan Lyddiard at Northern Stage was quickly followed by
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Nick James
THE Learning and Skills Council County Durham has appointed NICK JAMES as director of skills and planning. Bristol-born Mr James is a town and country planning graduate, and has worked at Stockton Borough Council, the Department for Trade and Industry
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Job Search: Vacancies
Men's Hairdressers, £6ph, 38hpw. Minimum 5 years' experience required. Ref: DUR 44172. Warehouse Person, £12,000-£15,000pa, 40hpw. Reach truck licence essential. Ref: DUR 44211. Landscape Operative, exceeds NMW, 39hpw. Full clean driving licence essential
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Win for engineering staff
STAFF at a Newton Aycliffe engineering plant are celebrating a golden hat-trick. The 3M site, on Aycliffe Industrial Estate, has been presented with a gold medal in the national occupational health and safety awards for the third year running. Gold medals
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New MP thanks her supporters with a post-election party
BISHOP Auckland's new MP Helen Goodman threw a thank you party for 100 Labour party election workers at the weekend. She cut a cake presented by constituency officers in the Manor House Hotel, West Auckland.
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Retirement of 71-year-old shipbuilder who had a calling for bingo
BINGO club boss Bill Richardson was guaranteed a full house of wellwishers yesterday when he retired after more than four decades in the business. The 71-year-old said a fond farewell to friends and colleagues at the Top Ten club, in Eldon Street, Darlington
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Residents object to pub's late night plan
MORE than 20 people have signed a petition to try to stop a pub from staying open later and having singers performing until midnight. Neighbours say they don't want a late night repeat of an Elvis impersonator, whose voice they heard recently booming
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Homes plan could jeopardise town's regeneration struggle
COUNCIL planners fear a proposed housing scheme for the outskirts of Spennymoor would harm another development planned for the town. Developer George Wimpey Ltd has applied to Sedgefield Borough Council for permission to build 135 homes on farmland off
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Campaign launched to stop litter bugs
A POSTER campaign launched yesterday marked the first anniversary of an environmental initiative brightening up communities across the Wear Valley. The Pride Campaign, run jointly by Wear Valley District Council and Groundwork West Durham, has tackled
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Choir renews dale links
A NORTH choir is looking forward to renewing an ancient link between two dales when it performs in a 12th Century abbey. Crook and Weardale Singers will sing the first two parts of Haydn's Creation in the church of St Mary, at Blanchland Abbey, County
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Singing a message across the continents
A BISHOP Auckland school is setting up a friendship link with an international choir of African children who spread the Aids-prevention message through music and dance. The Watoto Children's Choir sang and danced for 800 pupils at St John's RC School
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Travellers left high and dry after bus firm pulls out
THE council was last night battling to save bus services across the Darlington borough after a bus company stopped operating. The town's Green Bus services stopped over the weekend - to the surprise of customers and the borough council. The Green Bus
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Specialist school is hoping to expand
A SPECIALIST pupil referral unit for youngsters who need to be taught outside of schools is likely to be expanded. Durham County Council hopes to extend an existing facility for youngsters who have been excluded or suspended from their primary or secondary
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Traveller up for award
A TEMPORARY worker has proved so popular with employers that he has been nominated as a recruitment company's "one in a million". NRG City, in Stockton, has nominated Ian Blackburn, 25, for National Temporary Workers' Week, when the country's best short-term
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Inquest verdict on ex-college lecturer
AN alcoholic who was run over after falling down in a road was dying of sclerosis of the liver. Retired college lecturer George Middlemiss had reached the "end stage'' of the disease, medical evidence revealed at an inquest yesterday. Deputy Teesside
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Sounding out pupils over noise pollution
YOUNGSTERS were reminded of the nuisance of noise pollution as part of an environment education event at a North-East beauty spot. Parties of pupils from 42 schools are taking part in the Eco-Rangers initiative, held over nine days, at Herrington Country
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Discover history of the ground under your feet
A FESTIVAL celebrating the geology and landscape of the North Pennines opened with a busy weekend programme. Twelve events across the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) marked European Geoparks Week. Families made ceramic tiles for
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Blitz on abuse of free disc parking
DRIVERS are being warned not to outstay their welcome by ignoring parking rules in a town centre. Police officers and town councillors in Northallerton are launching a crackdown on people parking for too long in the High Street. The town operates a free
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School photo appeal
A FAMILY history researcher is seeking help in tracing a photograph of an old school. Dennis Gates, from Newton Hall, in Durham City, is compiling a family history for a friend and is looking for information about Gilesgate Moor Primary School, known
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Children to step up their fitness levels
PUPILS from 15 primary and nursery schools will step out tomorrow as part of a National Walk to Schools Week initiative. The health promotion team from Derwentside Primary Care Trust, in County Durham, has organised the synchronised walk. Youngsters aged
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Learning new skills at free sessions
PEOPLE in the Durham area have the chance to try out new activities and potential hobbies as part of the celebrations of Adult Learners Week. Two free taster sessions are being held to stimulate interest in learning, at New Brancepeth Village Hall, today
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701 pupils gather for official photograph
A SCHOOL with a record number of pupils has had them all recorded for posterity on a school photograph. In a logistical feat that only takes place once every six years, the staff joined the 701 pupils in the senior and preparatory schools at Barnard Castle
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Hedge complainants could face £300 fee
NEIGHBOURS who want councils to tackle complaints about high hedges under new laws should be charged a fee of £300, a North Yorkshire planning chief has recommended. New legislation on dealing with hedge disputes comes into force on June 1 as part of
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£5m revival of fishing villages hailed a success
A SCHEME aimed at breathing life into the fishing villages of Staithes, Runswick Bay and Port Mulgrave, near Whitby, has attracted nearly £5m of investment. The Spirit of Staithes, a Single Regeneration Budget initiative funded by the Government and covering
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'It's time to use my brain, not my body'
She's 24 and it's time to retire from the world of exotic dancing, writer Anna Mason tells Steve Pratt. STRIPPING as an exotic dancer in a Paris nightclub held no fears for Anna Mason. But stepping up to collect a Northern Writers award left the former
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Cash boost for town jobseekers
A DARLINGTON woman has received a £100 bonus after finding work a month after joining a council initiative. Central into Work is a project run by Darlington Borough Council, with funding from Jobcentre Plus and the European Social Fund. The project is
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Theft probe continues
DETECTIVES are continuing to investigate the alleged theft of cash from a non-profit making social housing company. David Andrew Aitken, 40, the company secretary, was arrested at his home in Ebchester, near Consett, County Durham, in March, over the
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Vandals strike again
A SCHOOL has been forced to spend thousands of pounds on repairs after its roof was vandalised for the third time in six weeks. Staff and pupils at St Bede's RC Primary School, in Kingsway, Darlington, said they were angry when they discovered the damage
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Market hall overhaul to be debated
PLANS for an £844,000 overhaul of a market hall will be considered by a council committee next week. A list of desired improvements to the hall, in Scarborough, has been drawn up by officers at Scarborough Borough Council. These include improving stalls
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Tributes paid as leading drama teacher dies, aged 96
A FORMER headmistress and drama teacher has died, aged 96. Nan Woodwark, of The Ghyll, Richmond, was born in Hurworth, near Darlington, but took her teaching qualification in speech and drama in 1941 at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She
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Transfer of contract puts jobs in doubt
MORE than 30 workers could lose their jobs next week after a dispute over the transfer of a council housing contract. The workers, who are employed by Connaught Property Services Limited, have been carrying out refurbishment work for nearly two years
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Shaking off the soap stigma
Peter Amory and Sally Anne Matthews are happy to star in Darlington's summer season - not least because it's a world away from soapland. Viv Hardwick reprots. JUST how high is the cost of playing a successful soap character to the rest of an acting career
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Ian Hedley
TEESSIDE-based Faithful & Gould has appointed IAN HEDLEY as quantity surveyor. Mr Hedley will be working for the project consultants on water treatment and waste water treatment for F&G's client Northumbrian Water, providing cost consultancy services
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Hot Curry is crowned
A REALISTIC yet delighted Michael Curry insists he is not about to raise his expectations after being crowned Durham County champion in emphatic style. Curry, unaware of his chances of success until walking onto the 17th green, finished top of the leaderboard
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Web project goes mobile
AN acclaimed project which has made the worldwide web more accessible to organisations all over the region is about to announce an exciting new development. The CommuniGate scheme - run by Newsquest North-East, publishers of The Advertiser series - will
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Playford proves 'small is beautiful'
A WINE merchant is expanding to bring the produce of exclusive vineyards to Britain's finest hotels and restaurants. Playford Ros, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, is launching a division called Prestige Agencies. It will source wines from smaller producers
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Cash crusade gathers pace
EFFORTS to fund building work to make a town centre church more accessible to the whole community are gathering pace. Ferryhill Methodist Church hopes to raise about £210,000 to redesign the worship room, improve disabled facilities, create a new kitchen
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Fiction
THE SEASON OF THE HYAENA by Paul Doherty (Headline, £18.99): MANY hands are reaching for the poisoned chalice of power during the early years of the boy pharaoh Tutankhamun with the unscrupulous Ay facing a double challenge from the aggressive Horemheb
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A safer option for all
A mobile shelter is to provide a safe haven for young people to meet in the Hambleton district. The £6,600 building will spend three months in set venues, but if successful it is hoped similar structures will become permanent fixtures across the district
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Man in court on firearms charge
A man appeared in court today charged with firearms and robbery offences. William Craig Gatley, 28, of Laburnum Grove, Port Clarence, Stockton, is accused of possession of a firearm while committing a robbery in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, last Thursday
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There's more on the box these days
The next generation of video game mahines looks likely to bring a boom to the region's fast-growing software industry. Deputy Business Editor Dan Jenkins reports on how North-East businesses are in pole position. THE video games market is about to explode
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Bridge adopts saintly look
A nineteenth century railway bridge has been given a fresh coat of paint. The old blue and red paintwork has been grit-blasted off the bridge over North Road, between Chester-le-Street and Birtley. It is now resplendent in a new livery of three gold St
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Football club's future in the balance
The future of a non-league football club still hangs in the balance despite a "decent turn-out'' at a meeting for potential committee men. The existing committee of Albany Northern League side Brandon United in County Durham say they will resign from
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When is an employee not an employee?
Since the Court of Appeal's suggestion, in Dacas v Brook Street Bureau, last year, that an agency worker might be an employee of the firm at which they actually work, companies have viewed agency staff with increasing trepidation. Three recent decisions
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Yakubu deal shows Boro mean business
CHIEF EXECUTIVE Keith Lamb believes the multi-million pound capture of Aiyegbeni Yakubu acts as a warning to the rest of the Premiership that Middlesbrough mean business in the transfer market again this summer. Boro confirmed for the first time yesterday
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Estate folk try to quash mast plan
RESIDENTS are mounting a campaign in opposition to plans to install a 40ft mobile phone mast on an estate. Garden Farm and West Lane Community Association is writing to more than 1,400 people after learning O2 has submitted a planning application to site
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Two men charged over street stabbing
TWO men have been charged with attempted murder following the stabbing of a teenager on Sunday morning. Yesterday, police continued to appeal for witnesses to the incident in which a 17-year-old, from West Street, Blackhall, County Durham, suffered wounds
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Tories on the attack over funds
THE Tories last night condemned the withdrawal of Government funding for neighbourhood warden schemes across the North-East. The areas affected are Easington, Gateshead, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, South Tyneside, Stockton, Newcastle and Wear
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Software entrepreneur hints at TSG flotation
THE co-founder of Sage has given his strongest hint yet that his latest IT venture will follow the software group to the stock exchange. Graham Wylie launched Technology Services Group (TSG) less than two years ago, after he retired from Sage in 2003.
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Why it's no longer grim up North
Tourists brave enough to venture past the Watford Gap will be rather relieved to learn that it is no longer "grim up North". That's according to a new Lonely Planet guide, which says dynamic development has made the North-South divide a thing of the past
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Asharon is Ripon's best bet
ASHARON (3.10) is going to take some stopping despite having to hump top weight in Ripon's ten-furlong Sawley Handicap. Punters took a dim view of Asharon's prospects at Goodwood last time out, sending him off as an unconsidered 50-1 outsider. But fortunately
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Owen heads expansion of MMP's construction
CONSTRUCTION company the MMP Group has appointed OWEN GRAHAM to head up its construction division as part of ongoing expansion plans. Mr Graham, who has worked within the industry for nearly 40 years, will be responsible for the continued growth of the
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Dara O'Briain, The Customs House, South Shields
AS three times host of Have I Got News For You and with regular appearances on Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Dara O'Briain's profile is growing. And deservedly so, if the reaction from the audience at South Shields is anything to go by. They knew what to
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The plain case for uniforms
If you were a convicted yob and had to do community service, it would surely be a pleasure to be kitted out with a nice new uniform. I can't understand why there's all this talk about "humiliation". Part of the punishment for anti-social behaviour ought
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'My son lost his life long before he died'
When a promising young footballer died recently of a heroin overdose, it brought back painful memories for one County Durham mother. She tells Sharon Griffiths how her addict son lost his life, and why she believes that the liberalisation of the cannabis
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24/05/05
WILLOWBURN HOSPICE: AFTER your excellent articles on St Cuthbert's new building, on behalf of the trustees, staff and volunteers at Willowburn Hospice, I would like to ask you to clarify areas which could lead to misunderstandings. Willowburn Hospice
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Kel Fidler
NORTHUMBRIA University's vice-chancellor, Professor KEL FIDLER has been named the new chairman of the Engineering Council UK and begins his three-year post this week. The vice-chancellor has a wealth of expertise and experience in the field of engineering
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Ryan close to new deal
Ryan Valentine is close to agreeing a new 12-month deal at Darlington. The 22-year-old defender is one of nine out-of-contract players yet to agree new terms at the Williamson Motors Stadium. However, manager David Hodgson remains confident the former
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Eating Owt
THE high road out of Westgate-in-Weardale towards Rookhope is officially one-in-five, sometimes almost Trinitarian, the ascending panorama worth every last gasp. The fields are alive with larrikin lambs, with wet eared calves and with cush galloping like
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The match that marred football
The Explosive 80s: How Heysel Changed Football (C4): IT seems inconceivable that the 1985 European Cup Final between Liverpool and Juventus went ahead despite the tragedy of dozens of fans crushed to death before the match started. But play they did.
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Frankenstein's monster on way to company car parks
GO for a top job and somewhere, lurking among the remunerations package, will be the issue of the company car. Thing is, if you really like cars, many of the executive-mobiles are a bit bland. Given the choice, many execs would opt for a sports car, but
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Another strong year for Mitie
THE company that provides security for the Tower of London and cleans the Palace of Westminster celebrated its 18th consecutive year of profits growth yesterday. Outsourcing specialist Mitie reported a 16.3 per cent increase in pre-tax profits to £46.9m
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David Bowden
NORTH-East law firm Watson Burton has appointed DAVID BOWDEN as a property law partner. Mr Bowden joins from Cobbetts in Leeds, and at Watson Burton, will continue to provide a service for his existing clients including Austin Reed plc, Country Casuals
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Legal support for isolated firms
RURAL businesses in North Yorkshire are being urged to take advantage of a support scheme. Support From Assured Professionals (Sap) helps small and medium-sized companies (SME) in the county's most remote areas. It provides access to the kind of legal
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Passenger dies after accident on A1(M)
A MAN has died in hospital more than a week after he was injured in a motorway car crash. Imran Yaseen, from Abbingdon Road, Middlesbrough, died in Newcastle General Hospital at the weekend. The 24-year-old was thrown from the car he was in when it was
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Motorcyclist cleared in fatal accident trial
A MOTORCYCLIST has walked free from court after he was found not guilty of causing the death of a man by dangerous driving. The jury in the trial of Jeffrey Dowson, at Teesside Crown Court, took just under 90 minutes to return a unanimous verdict. Mr
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Harvey frustrates Durham's hopes of win number five
WHEN an enthralling four-day contest came down to a classic one-day finish Yorkshire had the very man to thwart Durham's bid for a fifth successive championship win yesterday. Australian Ian Harvey is not known for taking championship wickets, but there
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Band ready for largest concert ever
MEMBERS of a brass band will perform their biggest ever concert at the North-East's leading music venue. Houghton Brass Band will perform a summer evening concert at The Sage Gateshead on Sunday, July 17. The band have lined up two soloists to perform
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Tories on the attack over funds
THE Tories last night condemned the withdrawal of Government funding for neighbourhood warden schemes across the North-East. The areas affected are Easington, Gateshead, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, South Tyneside, Stockton, Newcastle and Wear
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Former pit village fighting to cast off its drugs stigma
A FORMER pit village is fighting back against the drug dealers who have blighted the community and tarnished its reputation in recent years. Police officers, residents and community leaders in Grange Villa, near Chester-le-Street, came together yesterday
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On TV
The Explosive 80s: How Heysel Changed Football (C4) IT seems inconceivable that the 1985 European Cup Final between Liverpool and Juventus went ahead despite the tragedy of dozens of fans crushed to death before the match started. But play they did. The
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Somewhere, over the rainbow...
THE star of children's TV classic Rainbow heads the cast list at a North-East theatre's Christmas pantomime this year. Geoffrey Hayes, whose main claim to fame was his 20 years starring in the ITV series, will star in the Gala Theatre panto in Durham
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Temporary worker vying for 'one in a million' award
A TEMPORARY worker has proved so popular with employers that he has been nominated as a recruitment company's "one in a million". NRG City, in Stockton, has put forward Ian Blackburn as its nominee for National Temporary Workers' Week, when the country's
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Commander for air base
A NORTH-EAST man has become a high-flyer in the RAF after being appointed station commander at an air base. Group Captain John Harrison took charge of RAF Halton, near Aylesbury, at a recruits' graduation parade earlier this month. Halton is the gateway
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Pensioner praised by court after confronting burglar
A PENSIONER who sent a burglar running from her home was praised in court yesterday for her bravery. Teesside Crown Court was told that Freda Brown, 74, who uses a wheelchair because of her arthritis, faced up to the teenage burglar when she found him
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Boyd hopes to realise ambitions
ADAM BOYD has revealed a personal desire to play at a higher level and is pinching himself at the prospect of the dream being fulfilled at hometown club Hartlepool United. Boyd's 29 goals in League One this season have not only propelled Pool into Sunday's
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Cabinet minister opens jobseeker service
CABINET Minister Hilary Armstrong has opened a jobseeker service designed to help hundreds of people back into work. The MP for North-West Durham opened the Jobcentre Plus office in Consett, one of the most notorious unemployment blackspots in the 1980s
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Youngsters clean up for cancer fund
teenagers have been proving their hearts are in the right place by raising £1,780 for vital medical work. The 14-year-olds from Easingwold School staged a series of events to raise the cash for Yorkshire Cancer Research. Over six weeks, they held sponsored
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£700,000 to be spent on port
A GROUP is to be set up in Whitby to improve the town. The historic port is one of 12 small towns in North Yorkshire to benefit from the Government's Market Towns Initiative. Ray Williamson, head of regeneration at Scarborough Borough Council, says about
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Father admits damage to window
A FATHER smashed a window to his estranged wife's house after being refused permission to see his daughter. James William Irven, 34, of Chester Road, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to damaging the property, but said he had not intended to break the glass.
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Where the pub's the hub
A stroll in the countryside exceeds all expectations with its sights and solid sustenance. THE high road out of Westgate-in-Weardale towards Rookhope is officially one-in-five, sometimes almost Trinitarian, the ascending panorama worth every last gasp
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Man guilty of attempted car break-ins
A MAN admitted trying to break into two cars while under the influence of alcohol. Jason Stuart Eames, 20, admitted interfering with two cars in Hartlepool in the early hours of last Wednesday. The town's magistrates' court was told yesterday how the
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Training courses are reaping rewards for job-seekers
TRAINING courses tailored to individual needs are helping unemployed people back into work on Teesside. Middlesbrough's Thorntree and Brambles Farm estates are being targeted in a pioneering partnership forged between three training agencies. The area
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Peter the polar bear is booked in for makeover
A 100-year-old polar bear will get a makeover this week. The stuffed polar bear, known as Peter, is on display in the window of the Curiosity Shop, in Stockton High Street. However the exhibit is showing its age, having lost an ear, and his claws are
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Facing up to finances
PUPILS from Longfield School have been given expert advice on how to get to grips with their personal finances after a visit by Royal Bank of Scotland staff. They were given an early insight into managing a bank account and the principles of budgeting
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Gang Show actors revive wartime memories
TWO actors who entertained troops as part of the famous RAF Gang Shows during the Second World War are coming to Darlington to talk about their experiences. Harry Herring and Helen Russell will relive their wartime days and provide old-fashioned entertainment
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Mayor's rise goes on trips for OAPs
MIDDLESBROUGH Mayor Ray Mallon has promised to hand over his allowance rise to help fund pensioners' seaside trips. Mr Mallon said he felt uneasy about accepting the £4,000 increase at a time when hundreds of council workers in the authority were facing
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Young VIPs take up chains of office for a day
ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD Libby McCollom became a VIP for a day - but could only take up her civic duties after finishing her exams. The youngster was chosen to be Darlington's junior mayoress for a day last Thursday, with ten-year-old Lauren Turner taking on the
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'Power to MPs' bid by Tory chiefs
TORy grandees yesterday unanimously agreed a proposed new constitution for the party, including changes to the way its leader is chosen. The proposals will be presented to Michael Howard's shadow cabinet and Conservative MPs today, before going out to
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Nurse retires after 46 years
A NURSE has retired after 46 years of service with the NHS. Community staff nurse Chris Verity started work at St James' Hospital, in Leeds, where she trained as a staff nurse and later as a midwife. In 1976, she transferred to the Friarage Hospital before
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Uniq announces job cuts
CONVENIENCE foods group Uniq is cutting 300 jobs as part of plans to save more than £20m a year. About 100 jobs will go in the UK and the remainder in Northern Europe after Uniq saw pre-tax losses widen to £70.6m from £15.6m in the year to March 31. Many
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Drama teacher
A drama teacher has become the proud joint owner of a Bafta award through her involvement in an interactive learning programme. Sarah Davison, left, from Chester-le-Street, features in the Roman section of the Headline History programme as a female gladiator
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Buying well, selling cheap still pays off
Everyone loves a bargain and one family-run North-East company has gone a long way on that buisness plan, with the fifth generation of the family now running the company. Francis Griss looks at the history of Boyes. PRIMITIVE Methodist William Boyes,
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North pubs back moves to cut down on binge drinking
PUBS and police in the region have backed efforts to rid town centres of drink-fuelled violence. Pub chains have been joined by a police chief in welcoming a British Beer and Pub Association ban on happy hour promotions to reduce binge-drinking. Northumbria
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Man found guilty of battering disabled man to death
A man previously identified as a serious risk to the public has been found guilty of battering a kindly disabled man to death. Keith Jones, 33, battered MS-sufferer and father-of-two Robert Carter, 63, to death with a table leg. Jones was found guilty
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Cabinet minister opens jobseeker service
CABINET Minister Hilary Armstrong has opened a jobseeker service designed to help hundreds of people back into work. The MP for North-West Durham opened the Jobcentre Plus office in Consett, one of the most notorious unemployment blackspots in the 1980s
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School 'assault' trial abandoned
THE trial of a teacher accused of slapping a pupil has been abandoned after a judge decided he could not longer preside over the case. District Judge Michael Wood adjourned the trial of science teacher Ron Harbottle following legal arguments after defence
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County-wide ban for yob who slashed 20 cars' tyres
A YOUTH who went on a drunken rampage, slashing the tyres of more than 20 cars, has been given an an anti-social behaviour order. Ricky Lee Beadle, of High Hope Street, Crook, County Durham, pleaded guilty to six cases of criminal damage, two matters
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BBC staff poised for 48-hour walkout
THE BBC, which was yesterday forced to ditch some of its flagship programmes, is bracing itself for a second wave of strike action. Unions said nationally the 15,000 journalists and technicians who joined the 24-hour walkout from BBC studios are preparing
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Former police chief is helping offenders to go straight to jobs
After decades of putting offenders behind bars, a former police chief is establishing a business to help them find jobs. Deputy Business Editor Dan Jenkins reports. AS CHIEF Constable of Northumbria Police, Crispian Strachan enjoyed a hard-earned reputation
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Driver jailed after killing boy
A driver who swerved in and out of traffic before knocking down and killing a seven-year-old boy on a pedestrian crossing was jailed today for more than five years. Mark Tye, 22, was estimated to be driving at more than 60mph in a 40mph zone as he approached
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Nigel McNeil
FINE arts graduate NIGEL McNEIL has been appointed to the communications team at Pensions Management in Darlington. Joining the team as an assistant communication manager, he also works supporting the First Stop Darlington charity that assists homeless
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Car crash victims are named
THREE survivors of a car crash that left two men dead were still in a serious condition in hospital last night. Police yesterday named the dead men as taxi driver Michael Joseph Stewart, 39, of Surrey Crescent, Moorside, Consett, and his passenger, Michael
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Househunters reach their peak thanks to former banker
A FORMER Swiss banker who quit the rat race for rural North Yorkshire is hoping to sell his homeland to UK househunters. Beat Hartmann has teamed up with Mick Singleton to form Hartmann Singleton, a property consultancy for UK residents looking to buy
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Why the Chinese currency stance infuriates the US
A major spat is growing between the two world superpowers, the historic No.1, the US, and the rapidly expanding economic force of China. The Americans have been trying to push China into revaluing its currency, the renminbi, for some time now, and their
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Decision on sports hall funds
SPORT and leisure in Richmond may be improved thanks to a council cash boost. Richmondshire District Council will decide this evening whether to give £150,000 to Richmond School towards an extension of its sports hall. The move would mean better facilities
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A soldier's return to his gay lover
The fact that her main character was homosexual delayedthe publication of Marion Husband's first novel, she tells Steve Pratt. AFTER many rejections, Marion Husband resigned herself to her first book, The Boy I Love, being her "bottom drawer novel" -
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More self-service at international airport
BRITISH Airways has introduced more self check-in kiosks for travellers at Newcastle International Airport. Following the success of the first three kiosks, three more have been added. So far this month, more than 41 per cent of British Airways passengers
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Henman's easy win
Tim Henman showed no mercy as he gave a harsh lesson to a tennis rookie on the red clay he once struggled to master. The British number one defeated the top scrabble score who goes by the name of Juan-Pablo Brzezicki 6-2 6-1 6-4 in as routine a first-round
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Hays sets turnover target
BRITAIN'S largest independent travel agent has announced plans to increase turnover by £50m this year. Hays Travel, based in Sunderland, recently reported turnover for the past 12 months of £200m. Owner John Hays intends to increase that by a quarter
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Bells can ring out anew
THE bells will soon be ringing out again at a Grade I listed church after a successful restoration project. St Mary's Church at South Cowton, near Northallerton, is a closed church, and only used for services three or four times a year. Recently the woodwork
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Coroner: Let angler's death be a warning on sea danger
A CORONER last night said he hoped an angler's death would be a warning to others. After hearing how experienced fisherman Stuart Simpson died in hospital after he was washed off Redcar's South Gare breakwater into the sea, Deputy Cleveland Coroner Gordon
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Edna's new role is a first for women
A STANLEY grandmother has made history by becoming the first female vice-chairman of Durham County Council. Edna Hunter, who has represented Tanfield division since 1997, will serve in the post for two years and will move up to be the Labour- run authority's
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Burger van man found with knife
A MAN with mental illness lived in a disused burger van after being released from hospital. Damien John George Ridley was staying in the vehicle in someone's garden when police found him carrying a kitchen knife. Hartlepool Magistrates' Court heard yesterday
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Cash boost for town jobseekers
A DARLINGTON woman has received a £100 bonus after finding work a month after joining a council initiative. Central into Work is a project run by Darlington Borough Council, with funding from Jobcentre Plus and the European Social Fund. The project is
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Girls killed as bus overturns
Five teenage girls were killed yesterday when a school bus overturned in the Irish Republic. The bus was taking more than 40 youngsters home from secondary schools in Navan, County Meath, when it was involved in a collision shortly before 5pm in Kentstown
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Eco-racer James preparing for six-hour track test at North circuit
ELECTRONICS whizzkid James Harrington will put his design ideas to the test later this year at the region's leading motor-racing circuit. The 18-year-old, from Durham, has spent the past 12 months designing an electric car that will be put through its
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Asharon is Ripon's best bet
ASHARON (2.40) is going to take some stopping despite having to hump top weight in Ripon's ten-furlong Sawley Handicap. Punters took a dim view of Asharon's prospects at Goodwood last time out, sending him off as an unconsidered 50-1 outsider. But fortunately
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Babies put town to the breast test
Is breastfeeding in public still taboo, or has it become more acceptable to feed our babies breast milk in restaurants, cafes and pubs? Lindsay Jennings took two mums and their hungry six-month-old babies around Darlington to find out. AT only six months
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Priory staff grow nearer to God every day
MONKS living hundreds of years ago used herbs to drive away evil and protect them from the plague. Now visitors to Mount Grace Priory, near Osmotherley, North Yorkshire, can see for themselves the array of herbs and what they would have been used for.
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Police vow at start of drug-bust fortnight
A POLICE chief says he is determined to eradicate drug-dealing in a community. Middlesbrough district commander Chief Superintendent Mark Braithwaite spoke as two weeks of dawn raids on suspects' houses began across the town. Seventy-five police officers
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Coroner: Let angler's death be a warning on sea danger
A CORONER last night said he hoped an angler's death would be a warning to others. After hearing how experienced fisherman Stuart Simpson died in hospital after he was washed off Redcar's South Gare breakwater into the sea, Deputy Cleveland Coroner Gordon
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USA tour is no Mickey Mouse trip, McClaren
ENGLAND assistant Steve McClaren last night claimed Graeme Souness was "well wide of the mark" when he branded this month's controversial tour of the United States a Mickey Mouse affair. McClaren will fly out of Manchester Airport with the rest of the
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Comment from The Northern Echo: So, did you miss Auntie?
YESTERDAY'S strike at the BBC presents an opportunity to assess the institution's importance to the nation. The licence fee is £2.42 a week, and yesterday's lack of current affairs will have reminded many people how much they get for their money: from
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Bargain store at centre of probe
THE company behind a controversial discount electrical shop is being investigated by trading standards departments across the country, The Northern Echo can reveal. The unnamed bargain shop, in Northgate, Darlington, was yesterday confirmed to have ceased
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Magpies chasing Boa Morte
GRAEME Souness will move closer to his first summer signing later this week by triggering a get-out clause in Luis Boa Morte's contract that will pave the way for the winger to leave Fulham. But the Magpies manager could yet see one of his longest-standing
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Save time and money with proper back-up
Storing and managing data is an increasingly important process for companies. There are a million ways to back up and manage information, some more efficient than others. Nearly as important as safeguarding data is the manpower cost of the task. A recent
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New On The Web
THE Northern Echo has launched an online discussion forum to add to the lively discussion and debate about everything that matters in the region. Readers who want to discuss sport, news, music, politics, family history, and health, among others, are invited
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From back room to tourism boom
John Hays presides over a North-East empire worth £200m a year. But the spark of innovation that grew his travel business was born 25 years ago, in the back room of a County Durham store. Deputy Business Editor Dan Jenkins reports. AS the saying goes,
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Eating Owt: Where the pub's the hub
A stroll in the countryside exceeds all expectations with its sights and solid sustenance. THE high road out of Westgate-in-Weardale towards Rookhope is officially one-in-five, sometimes almost Trinitarian, the ascending panorama worth every last gasp
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Town parking crackdown
POLICE are warning drivers not to outstay their welcome by ignoring parking rules in a town centre. Officers in Northallerton are launching a crackdown on people parking for too long in the High Street. The town has a time-disc system where cars can park
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Nominations invited for export awards
NOMINATIONS are being sought for the annual North-East Export Awards, which recognise the success of businesses from the region. Last year, the North-East maintained its position as one of the country's top exporting regions, with more than £10bn-worth
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Nissan cleared of 'wild claims'
MOTOR manufacturer Nissan last night said its reputation was vindicated after a former employee's claims were rejected by a tribunal. Former mechanic Alan Richardson said he was dismissed by the international car company to cover up his complaints of
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The Rocky road to Barrhead
The FA Cup Final Escape Committee (and Scotch Pie Fest) held its annual meeting on Saturday at Arthurlie v Cumnock Juniors, Mr Harvey Harris, Mr Martin Haworth and Mr Peter Sixsmith also in attendance. Arthurlie play in the Stagecoach Super League, home
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Poom back for Estonia
MART Poom is expected to make his eagerly-awaited comeback in 11 days time after being passed fit to play in Estonia's forthcoming World Cup qualifiers, writes Scott Wilson. The Sunderland goalkeeper, who has been out of action since undergoing knee surgery
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Boy, seven, killed by speeding driver
A SPEEDING BMW driver knocked down and killed a seven-year-old boy who had followed a friend across the road for a drink of water, a court was told yesterday. David Josh Cameron was hit on a pedestrian crossing while on his bicycle. He had been playing
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Damaging wildlife areas may land your firm in the dock
BUSINESSES in the region have been warned about the dangers of damaging protected wildlife areas. The comments from a senior English Nature officer follow the successful prosecution of a company which damaged protected moorland in North Yorkshire. Andy
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Officer's accolade for raid bravery
AN off-duty police officer who faced up to a gang of masked, armed robbers will receive a force's leading bravery award. PC Phil Clapham will be presented with Durham Police's Matt Wilkinson Trophy at a ceremony at the force's Aykley Heads headquarters
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Chris takes over as care manager
THE Middleton Hall Care home in Middleton-St-George, near Darlington, has appointed CHRIS MIRANDA, pictured front centre, as residential care manager. Following a career in the voluntary sector and time in Australia, she will manage the team delivering
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Ann Laverty, Josh Wong, Sue Hadfield, Greg Preston
YORK-based commercial law firm Denison Till has made a series of appointments. ANN LAVERTY joins the commercial property department from solicitors Philip Ashworth & Co in York, where she was head of commercial property and a partner for more than
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Job Search: Vacancies
MORE details about the jobs below are available from Jobseeker Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Hair Stylist, Must have minimum 3 years' experience and be fully qualified. Ref: BIS 15810. Organist/Pianist/Keyboard Player, Experienced and beginners both welcome
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Job Search: Vacancies
Assistant Hotel Manager, exceeds NMW, 40hpw. Previous experience an advantage, but full training given. Ref: NAL 2279. Warehouse Operative, exceeds NMW, 37hpw. A counter balance / reach truck licence is an advantage but not essential as full training
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Nissan cleared of -wild claims'
MOTOR manufacturer Nissan last night said its reputation was vindicated after a former employee's claims were rejected by a tribunal. Former mechanic Alan Richardson said he was dismissed by the international car company to cover up his complaints of
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Walkers urged to join guided trek up Skiddaw
CHARITY managers have high hopes for a fundraising event later this month. Cruse Bereavement Care in Darlington is organising a guided walk up one of the country's highest peaks to raise cash for new computer equipment. The sponsored walk up the 3,000ft
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Care home residents will spend a week raising cash
SENIOR citizens and staff at a care home are raising money for a hospice. The fundraising week starts with a concert and strawberry tea on Sunday, June 5, at 3pm in Charles Dickens Lodge, Barnard Castle. There will be bingo, a Mad Hatter's party, a music
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Tin church proves doubters wrong
EVENTS will be held to celebrate the centenary of a "tin church" that some people felt would not last more than a few decades. Local volunteers dug the foundations before the corrugated iron building was put up on a site given by a colliery company at
