Archive
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Donovan, Newcastle City Hall
"WE love you Donovan" screams a less than sober Geordie and the whisper-soft drift of the great singer-songwriter halts momentarily to acknowledge he has a half-full hall of support out there. The 59-year-old has chosen this tour to discuss his career
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Sweeney and team-mates are playing happy families
AS Hartlepool United's ticket sales for Sunday's Millennium Stadium showdown edge towards the 16,000 mark, Antony Sweeney and his team-mates are helping boost them even further. The League One play-off game with Sheffield Wednesday will see Pool supported
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Mum hits out at legal aid for football star
THE mother of a boy allegedly spat on by a Premiership footballer earning £40,000 a week said last night he should pay his own legal bill for the court case. Bolton Wanderers striker El-Hadji Diouf has been granted legal aid for the case, which follows
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Appeal for witnesses after two die in crash
TWO men died and three other people were left seriously injured after a car crash. Taxi driver Michael Stewart, 39, and his rear seat passenger Michael Murray, 53, died at the scene of Sunday evening's accident near Consett town centre. They were fatally
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End of an era as Liddle calls time on playing days
AFTER seven years with Darlington and over 300 appearances, defender Craig Liddle last night announced his playing days are over. Following a season of struggling against injury, when he played only 22 games, the decision had been expected, but Liddle
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Attack of the teenage Triffids
AS a junior reporter with The Northern Echo I covered my fair share of stories about giant prize-winning leeks, cucumbers and marrows. Gardeners in the North-East excel at producing the sort of monster vegetables that defy the laws of nature. I can't
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My brother
Reality TV, especially involving celebrities, is on the wane elsewhere but Davina McCall expects the sixth series of Big Brother on Channel Four to attract millions once more. Steve Pratt reports on the failed pop star who found success with the oddball
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Museum staff get to work on locomotive 'jigsaw' puzzle
STAFF at the North-East's first national museum are facing the challenge of putting back together one of its locomotives after it arrived in several parts. The Avonside 0-6-0 Locomotive Woolmer had to be taken apart to have asbestos removed from the lining
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Car manufacturer is to recruit 100 apprentices
CAR maker Nissan is taking on 100 more apprentices at its North-East plant as it gears up for the launch of a new model. The Japanese group wants to recruit and train young people at its Sunderland plant as part of a £223m investment in the region. The
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Plea to visitors over beauty spot
VISITORS to a popular tourist site are being urged to respect its beauty and take their litter home. Cod Beck reservoir, near Osmotherley, North Yorkshire, attracts thousands of people every week, who visit for the scenery, to enjoy a country walk or
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Riverside prepares for Test match
FINAL preparations are taking place for the second Test cricket match in the North-East. Durham County Cricket Club's Riverside ground, at Chester-le-Street, will host the second and final Test of the England/Bangladesh mini-series, from Friday, June
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No final whistle for under-threat non-league team
A NON-LEAGUE football club threatened with closure because of a lack of volunteers is to keep playing. The committee of Albany Northern League Brandon United, in County Durham, decided not to close the club after a plea for help in running it was answered
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Fencer Matthew picked for exhibition as England calls
A NORTH student has been selected to represent Britain at fencing and is helping to promote the 2012 Olympic bid. Matthew Stewart, 16, who is taking GCSEs at Durham Johnston Comprehensive School, has been picked for the English Under 18s team and this
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Mayor takes up duties
THE new Mayor of Sedgefield Borough is the first Scot to hold the post. Former shipyard worker Jackie Piggott grew up 20 miles north of Glasgow, where he was a ship's joiner at the same time as Billy Connolly was an apprentice welder. He moved to Newton
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Science saviour
Tom Pringle talks to Viv Hardwick about how he managed to find the formula which has put science back on our TV screens, thanks to a menu of exploding hot water bottles, magnetic cornflakes and the Guinness World Record for the fastest chips on the planet
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Village honours Sir Bobby
FORMER Newcastle United and England manager Sir Bobby Robson will have a park named after him in his home village. The play area, for all ages, will be in the former pit village of Langley Park, where the Robson family lived. Sir Bobby, who still lives
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Volunteers to reopen pool
A SWIMMING pool rescued by volunteers for community use will reopen to the public this weekend. Campaigners in Weardale have fought to save the pool at Wolsingham for a year after Wear Valley District Council said it could no longer pay a £20,000 annual
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Fears over ID card failure
TECHNOLOGY designed to recognise faces failed to identify a third of the North-East people who took part in an ID card trial, the Government admitted yesterday. The "facial verification" test did not work for 650 of the 1990 volunteers for the scheme
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Unsound DJ
He was once Dennis Pennis who asked celebrities unpleasant questions on TV, but now Paul Kaye tells Steve Pratt that he wants to move on with his career. So his latest movie is about a self destructing DJ. Paul Kaye is the man who asked American comedian
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Top Ten To Rent
UK DVD/VIDEO RENTAL: 1 (1) Meet The Fockers 2 (4) White Noise 3 (-) Ocean's 12 4 (-) Team America - World Police 5 (2) National Treasure 6 (3) Sideways 7 (7) Without A Paddle 8 (-) Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events 9 (-) Elektra 10 (-) Son
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Shipyard staff return bringing jobs to N-E
FORMER North-East shipyard workers who crossed the Atlantic in search of work two decades ago are bringing up to 50 jobs to the region. Norman Richardson, Peter Hansen, and John Shaw left the Swan Hunter yard in Tyneside for Canada in the 1980s, during
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Champagne is a Delite
PETERS DELITE (2.30) has a relatively simple task in the Moet Et Chandon Maiden Stakes at Ayr today. Richard Fahey's horses can do little wrong at present, and it appears as if Peters Delite is also ready to join in the stable's winning spree judged by
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Students make a meal of it
TYPICAL student meals of convenience food and takeaways could become a thing of the past thanks to students at a County Durham school. Boarders at Barnard Castle School have designed a cookery book for students planning to go to university. For the past
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Men admit brawl
TWO men were fined yesterday for their part in a street brawl which left a 61-year-old man in need of hospital treatment. Magistrates, sitting at Newton Aycliffe, heard that the fracas, in Trimdon Village, County Durham, last October, involved a number
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'Small schools may be forced to close over £600,000 centre'
SOME of County Durham's smallest schools could be forced into closure if a £600,000 Children's Centre opens in Weardale, it was claimed yesterday. Councillor John Shuttleworth criticised Durham County Council for having a "hidden agenda" behind its plans
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Banned driver told he may face prison
A BANNED driver who led police on a chase through a town centre has been warned he is facing jail. James Anthony Peacock, 19, was convicted after a trial of dangerous driving and driving while disqualified. The jury at Teesside Crown Court took an hour
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Sporting youngsters' efforts recognised in awards scheme
THE achievements of young sportsmen and women in Darlington were celebrated at an awards ceremony last night. The monthly Darlington Sports Winners' Scheme, supported by the borough council, aims to recognise the efforts of young people involved in a
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Forty jobs axed as bus firm enters voluntary liquidation
FORTY jobs have been lost as a Darlington bus company has gone into liquidation. The Green Bus Company withdrew its services on its eight routes last Sunday. However, Darlington Borough Council has said all the bus routes will be reinstated today using
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Half-term 'happily ever afters' at hall
A MEDIEVAL manor house attraction is offering visitors an enchanting treat next week. Crook Hall, half-a-mile from Durham city centre, hopes to attract families with young children during the Whit half-term holiday. The 13th Century hall, set in four-acres
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£400,000 gardens revamp begins
WORK has started on the first stage of a £400,000 project to revamp rundown public gardens plagued by vandalism. Organisers want to return Burn Valley Gardens, in Hartlepool, to its former glory. The first part of the regeneration scheme will be the replacement
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High hopes for sheep show success
OFFICIALS of a County Durham sheep show have been heartened by the number of entries they have received, despite atrocious spring weather. Farmers from North Yorkshire to Northumberland have put in more than 50 entries for the Eastgate, in Weardale, sheep
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Riverside prepares for Test match
FINAL preparations are taking place for the second Test cricket match in the North-East. Durham County Cricket Club's Riverside ground, at Chester-le-Street, will host the second and final Test of the England/Bangladesh mini-series, from Friday, June
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Annual meeting
MEMBERS of Hartlepool Borough Council will attend the authority's annual meeting at 7pm tonight, at the town's civic centre. A chairman and vice-chairman of the council will be elected, and appointments to committees, forums and other bodies will be made
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Region's toilets branded a disgrace after survey held
THE region's dirty public toilets are a disgrace, a survey has found. A poll of toilet-users found many conveniences in the North-East and North Yorkshire were dirty and run-down. The research by the National Consumer Council (NCC) also revealed that
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Magistrates are sworn in
FOUR magistrates from Hambleton and Richmondshire were sworn in yesterday. Former Northallerton mayor John Bacon, Clare Prince, of Burniston, Michelle Haswell, of Romanby, and Nigel Galvin, of Richmond, were sworn in at a ceremony at Northallerton Magistrates
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Final push for cash to give new life to railway station
CAMPAIGNERS working on a multi-million pound project to renovate an old railway station have launched a final push for funding. Leaders of the Richmond Station Regeneration Project say £1.73m of money pledged from public organisations towards converting
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92-year-old is robbed
A WOMAN of 92 has been robbed by three men. The woman was in Bowness Road, Wallsend, North Tyneside, when she was dragged to the ground and had her handbag and shopping bag stolen. They contained a small amount of money, shopping and personal items. Paramedics
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Three beds lost as wards reorganised at Friarage
THREE beds are to be cut as part of a ward restructuring programme at the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton. Bosses at South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Friarage, are about to change the way medicine and orthopaedic wards operate. The beds
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Abseil event
Bishop Auckland College principal Joanna Tait led staff in an abseiling event at the college yesterday afternoon. Those taking part abseiled down a four-storey classroom block dressed up as Batman, Robin and Catwoman to celebrate Adult Learner's Week.
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Athletics world says farewell to top coach
THE North-East athletics world will join family and friends to mourn the loss of a highly respected athletics coach tomorrow. Stan Long, pictured, best known for honing the talents of Olympic medal winning athletes Brendan Foster and Charlie Spedding,
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Hunt stepped up for 'machete' siege man
POLICE have issued a description of a man they are hunting after two teenagers were threatened with what is believed to be a machete. The man, thought to be in his late teens, triggered a six-hour siege of a house after allegedly waving the blade in Denecrest
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10,000th family gets into composting
A FAMILY has taken delivery of the 10,000th composting bin to be distributed in a scheme to encourage recycling. Louise Simms, from Langley Park, collected her bin, which allows kitchen and garden waste to be recycled to produce compost. The Compost At
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Cocaine found moments after it was delivered
POLICE recovered a bag of cocaine only a short time after a regular user paid for the drug, a court heard. Officers executing a search warrant at David Ainsworth's home, in Tate Avenue, Kelloe, near Durham, on December 1, found a plastic bag containing
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Mrs Brown Rides Again, Tyne Theatre, Newcastle
AGNES Brown, 'The Mammy', is an Irish legend totally new to me. There have been videos, books, a radio series and even a Hollywood film featuring the foul-mouthed fifty-something, and over a million people have seen the plays in Ireland and the UK alone
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Controversy mounts over boy's cancelled op
CONTROVERSY over a hospital's decision to cancel the operation of a nine-year-old boy who later died while waiting for treatment is mounting. It comes after it was revealed that Peter Buckle died following a fit while waiting for an operation to treat
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Musical ability is placed on record
MAKING music is a skill that can take years to perfect, but for a student celebrating the release of his first collection, it comes naturally. And that is all the more remarkable because 18-year-old James Butcher is blind. A student at Henshaws College
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Depot plan for carpet factory
A luxury carpet factory that closed its doors last month could become a distribution depot. The former Hugh Mackay Carpets plant, in Durham, is available to rent and the agents in charge are hopeful the 151,000sq ft site could attract a national retailer
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Warnings on sun threat are missed
MOST people in the region are missing vital weather warnings that could reduce their risk of sun-related skin cancer. Figures showed that only 32 per cent of people questioned knew what the UV Index was, despite its frequent appearance on TV weather forecasts
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Kim's top trainee
A trainee police officer was presented with an award at the Durham force's Aykley Heads headquarters this week. PC Kim Kitching, above, a 28-year-old officer based at Consett police station, received the Probationer of the Year award. Heroutstanding potential
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WI and Guild news
Belmont WI: ANN Cheeseman gave an interesting talk on her collection of powder compacts, not only the different types and uses but also the social history of them, some of which date back to the Twenties. Ann became interested in this subject through
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Friends gather for Edith's 100th
IT was party time last week for centenarian Edith Herbert, who shared her birthday with her family and friends. Born in Hunwick, Mrs Herbert left school at 14 and was 20 when she married her stonemason husband, Christopher, in Bishop Auckland, on Boxing
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O'Neill exit leaves Bellamy's future in doubt
CRAIG Bellamy will seek an urgent meeting with new Celtic boss Gordon Strachan next week to discover whether or not he has a future at Parkhead. Despite harbouring serious misgivings when he travelled to Glasgow in January, Bellamy has gradually warmed
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Circus makes comeback
A CIRCUS revival tour will bring back memories to Durham this week. Billy Smart's Circus is back on the road after a gap of more than three decades and will pitch a tent at the Sands, in Durham, this Thursday, for a three-day stay before moving on to
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Pride and nostalgia as nation remembers victory
Plans for the Queen to lead the national commemorations to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War were announced yesterday by the Government. After attending a service of remembrance in Westminster Abbey on Sunday, July 10 - designated
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Uzbek musicians perform in region
TALENTED musicians and dancers from Uzbekistan are performing in the region tonight as part of their first UK tour. The artists will perform alongside the highly regarded Scottish group the Battlefield Band, at Darlington's Arts Centre, in Vane Terrace
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Cash boost for fitness
A community sports project, backed by more than £184,000, has been launched in Darlington. The Zone Active initiative will attempt to encourage people in the Eastbourne, Lascelles and Park East areas of the town to get on the right path to fitness. The
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Woman who attacked with rhubarb needs psychiatric help - solicitor
The solicitor of a woman who attacked her brother with three sticks of rhubarb yesterday (thurs) urged magistrates to let her seek psychiatric help. Margaret Porter, of Tofts Farm, Newbiggin, near Leyburn, North Yorkshire, was at Northallerton Magistrates
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Mum At Large: Attack of the teenage Triffids
AS a junior reporter with The Northern Echo I covered my fair share of stories about giant prize-winning leeks, cucumbers and marrows. Gardeners in the North-East excel at producing the sort of monster vegetables that defy the laws of nature. I can't
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Mountaineer 'days away from history'
INTREPID climber Alan Hinkes, pictured, is days away from making mountaineering history - if conditions stay on his side. The weather has proved to be a fickle companion during his assault on towering Kangchenjunga in Nepal, the only peak over 8,000m
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Death crash driver facing prison term
A DRIVER who led police on a high-speed chase before crashing and killing a teenage passenger was last night facing a lengthy jail sentence. John McNaughton, 22, admitted causing the death by dangerous driving of Craig Morris when he appeared in court
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Mum hits out at legal aid for football star
THE mother of a boy said to have been spat at by a Premiership footballer earning £40,000 a week said last night he should pay his own legal bill for the court case. Bolton Wanderers striker El-Hadji Diouf has been granted legal aid for the case - which
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Bid to tempt tourists
TOURISM operators from across the country could bring coach loads of visitors to Wear Valley after seeing what the area has to offer. The district played host to 25 national tour organisers and travel companies for a Dales, Rails and Jails event to promote
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Sympathy or simple voyerism?
Compulsion (BBC2); Hunt For The Killer Croc (five): THE Trouble With Jonny, the latest instalment in the Compulsion series, began with a father reading out his son's suicide note which concluded "Yours for the last time..." Film of a happy 14-year-old
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'I have to keep going back to Africa'
When Chris Bowden went to East Africa for his Duke of Edinburgh Award, little did he realise how it would change his life. Nick Morrison meets a teenager with a mission. CHRIS Bowden still winces at the memory of how he let his class down. It may have
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Mother was drunk in pub with baby
A DRUNKEN mother who took her premature baby on a drinking spree walked free from court yesterday. The baby was still wearing an oxygen mask, which was ripped off when her 38-year-old mother snagged the tube on a chair after she was refused a drink, magistrates
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Villages install stained glass window
A stained glass window designed and made with the help of villagers has been installed in their local village hall. Sixteen people living in Barningham, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, worked with artist Joanna Hedley, from Newcastle, to make the
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Irani and Flower fight back
Yorkshire had Essex reeling on 76 for four on the first day of the Championship match at Headingley yesterday but it all turned sour as Andy Flower and Ronnie Irani both smacked centuries in a record fifth-wicket stand at the ground. They put on 213 together
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Liddle calls time on his distinguished career
AFTER seven years with Darlington and over 300 appearances, defender Craig Liddle last night announced his playing days are over. Following a season of struggling against injury, when he played only 22 games, the decision had been expected, but Liddle
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Hundreds gather to celebrate life of nine-year-old Peter
HUNDREDS of mourners turned up yesterday to say a fond farewell to nine-year-old Peter Buckle. Many wore colourful clothing, in line with his family's request that Peter's funeral be a celebration of his short life. Peter, who suffered from epilepsy and
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Fowler fears for home talent
FORMER England batsman Graeme Fowler yesterday questioned the logic of University Centres of Excellence producing first-class cricketers, only for them to be denied jobs by overseas players. After seeing his Durham University side dismiss a strong Durham
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Travellers stranded by bus cuts
THE council is battling to save bus services in Darlington after a bus company stopped operating. The town's Green Bus services stopped over the weekend. The venture was launched in 2003 after Darlington and District Services Ltd secured a contract to
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Guard of honour for Iraq victim
THE human cost of the conflict in Iraq was brought back to the North-East last Friday when a security worker was buried by his family, friends and colleagues. Those mourning the death of ex-para Alan Parkin filed out of The Parish Church of Consett to
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Killer car was danger to drive - court
A CAR involved in a fatal collision with a pensioner as he waited at a bus stop was in such dangerous condition that one policeman said it would be "remarkably silly if anyone drove it", a court heard yesterday. Christopher Eade, denies causing the death
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Scanners among best in the world
ONE of the world's most important centres for the study of the human brain will be officially opened tomorrow. At the heart of the £5.2m York Neuroimaging Centre are two of the most powerful brain scanners in the UK. Together, the scanners produce visually
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£60m ship breakers moves closer
PLANS to bring a £60m ship breaking yard in the region moved a step forward yesterday. Dutch firm NV Ecodock and Tyne shipbuilder Swan Hunter are in talks over setting up an environmentally friendly centre for decommissioning vessels. It would create
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Warnings on sun threat are missed
MOST people in the region are missing vital weather warnings that could reduce their risk of sun-related skin cancer. Figures showed that only 32 per cent of people questioned knew what the UV Index was, despite its frequent appearance on TV weather forecasts
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Book aims to help those turning over a nude leaf
NATURISTS can find the best places to hang out in the region thanks to a guide. Bare Britain will be launched on Sunday, June 5 -World Naturist Day. It lists the best beaches, resorts and country retreats for people considering baring all. While none
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Kyle's injury nightmare continues with more surgery required
KEVIN Kyle will miss the start of the Premiership season after a French specialist recommended further surgery to cure his long-standing hip problem, writes Scott Wilson. The Scotland international travelled to Paris this week to meet leading surgeon
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Village honours Sir Bobby
FORMER Newcastle United and England manager Sir Bobby Robson will have a park named after him in his home village. The play area, for all ages, will be in the former pit village of Langley Park, where the Robson family lived. Sir Bobby, who still lives
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On TV
Compulsion (BBC2) Hunt For The Killer Croc (five) THE Trouble With Jonny, the latest instalment in the Compulsion series, began with a father reading out his son's suicide note which concluded "Yours for the last time..." Film of a happy 14-year-old Jonny
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Green soap and meaning of life
Conversation overheard the other day in the Ladies at Sainsbury's: Small boy (washing his hands): "Green soap!" Mother: "Yes, the soap's green." Small boy: "Why?" Oh, don't we know that eternal 'why', we parents and grandparents of three-and-a-bit-year-olds
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Dog disaster
EVERY dog has its day and Schmeichel's has arrived in Coronation Street (ITV1). He doesn't come first at Crufts or save a small child from drowning. Unfortunately, he gets run over, proving that the roads in Soapland are as dangerous as anywhere else.
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£16m deal secures jobs
THE future of a North-East engineering firm was secured last night as it clinched a £16m contract - ensuring 150 jobs were safe. Orders at Cleveland Bridge, based in Darlington, were due to run out by July, but the new contract will start immediately
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Anti-social revellers will be named and shamed
A tough-talking police chief has vowed to end the North-East's reputation as a "party capital". Mike Craik, the newly appointed Chief Constable of Northumbria Police, yesterday launched a blitz on yobs, drunks and violent criminals, particularly in Newcastle
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Comment from The Northern Echo: No sense in the law
THERE are times when the law would make a saint's blood boil. Our blood is still boiling over last week's case involving Mark Milton, the police officer who was let off a speeding charge despite test driving his new patrol car at 159 miles per hour on
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Champagne is a Delite
PETERS DELITE (2.30) has a relatively simple task in the Moet Et Chandon Maiden Stakes at Ayr today. Richard Fahey's horses can do little wrong at present, and it appears as if Peters Delite is also ready to join in the stable's winning spree judged by
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They're putting the band back together
THE sounds of soul are being brought to Teesside by two genuine Blues Brothers. Jake and Elwood Blues, original names William Smith-Eccles and Mark Moore, were so inspired by the Blues Brothers film they decided to change their names by deed poll to match
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Police call for safety zones around cash machines
Police are urging supermarkets and local authorities to introduce safety zones around cash machines to prevent thefts and fraud. Asda in Stanley is thought to be the first in the North-East to take up the advice from Durham Constabulary and is having
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Fives times two equals . . . twin challenge for teacher
TEACHER Clare Jackson already thought having four sets of twins in her class was a little unusual. That was, of course, until the recent arrival of four-year-olds Abbie and Melissa Stubbins. But Miss Jackson reckons she will have no double-trouble telling
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Artist who put the good into Guinness had first brush with royalty
THE recent announcement that Rolf Harris is to paint the Queen's portrait raised a few eyebrows, but he certainly isn't the first cartoonist to do so. He was beaten to the Royal canvas by 25 years - and by a renowned artist from the North-East. Newcastle's
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Jobs lost in liquidation
FORTY jobs have been lost as a Darlington bus company has gone into liquidation. The Green Bus Company withdrew its services on its eight routes last Sunday. However, Darlington Borough Council has said all the bus routes will be reinstated today using
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Youngsters release hundreds of balloons in celebration of Book Week
HUNDREDS of balloons were released in a school yard as youngsters celebrated Book Week. Children from Witton-le-Wear Primary School wrote descriptions of their favourite books and characters and why they liked them onto luggage labels. The labels were
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Women join race to raise funds
THOUSANDS of women stepped out in colourful costumes at the start of a North-East fundraising drive for the country's major cancer charity. The first of five regional Race for Life events was staged by Cancer Research UK at Saltwell Park, Gateshead. A
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Row over candidate's lost mayoral chance
A SENIOR councillor has described a colleague's claims that she lost the chance to be mayor because of opposition to a regeneration scheme as "laughable". Eston Independent and deputy mayor councillor Ann Higgins has criticised Redcar and Cleveland Borough
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Pupils prepare for lunchtime World of Music performance
PUPILS in the region will be giving a lunchtime concert as part of a World of Music conference. The conference will be held tomorrow at The Oakwood Centre, in Eaglescliffe, and will bring together about 100 delegates from across the Tees Valley. It will
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Course helps patients to become experts
RESIDENTS living with long-term medical condtions are being offered the chance to improve their lives. Sufferers are being invited to join an expert patients programme, developed by the Department of Health, to help people acquire skills to deal with
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Pain-free steps
Exercise classes are helping sufferers of a calf condition to walk without pain. The classes were devised as part of the Durham and Chester-le-Street Lifestyle Initiative, in partnership with a vascular nurse at Durham's University Hospital of North Durham
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Charity night in memory of boat victim
FAMILY and friends of a teenager who died in a boating tragedy will hold a charity auction this weekend. Luke Noble, a 15-year-old from East Boldon, South Tyneside, and his US friend Dennis Campbell-Harty died in August when they were hit by a speedboat
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Burglar returned to collect his haul
POLICE mounted a surveillance operation on a haul of stolen goods and arrested a man who returned to retrieve them. Items taken from two homes were discovered stored in an outhouse beside one of the properties, Durham Crown Court was told. Roger Moore
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Strategy reduces arson by a quarter
THE first partnership of its kind in the country has seen incidents of arson fall by more than a quarter in County Durham and Darlington. The multi-agency Arson Reduction Strategy was developed and launched a year ago. Last night, it was revealed that
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Drug raids arrest total reaches 33
AMPHETAMINES with a street value of £12,000 have been seized in drug raids. Ten people were arrested yesterday in raids in Middlesbrough, and a suspected dealer walked into a police station and gave himself up. The operations bring the total arrests in
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Cliff lift running again after work
SALTBURN'S Cliff Lift has had its ups and downs but, following a £750,000 revamp, will be back in operation on Saturday and during the school half-term holiday week. It will be open from 10am to 7pm until Sunday, June 5, allowing access to the lower promenade
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Festival may turn into annual event
CHILDREN are determined to make an arts festival a blooming success. Pupils from Redcar's Newcomen, Dormanstown and Bankfield primary schools, as well as students at Redcar Community College, are growing giant daisies and orchids and creating blooms for
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Car manufacturer is to recruit 100 apprentices
CAR maker Nissan is taking on 100 more apprentices at its North-East plant as it gears up for the launch of a new model. The Japanese group wants to recruit and train young people at its Sunderland plant as part of a £223m investment in the region. The
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Community office hit by funding blow
A TOWN'S community office created out of an old public toilet is likely to fold shortly unless funding can be found. Kirkbymoorside Town Council was given the shock news by the office's chairman, Munro Donald, who said that its already precarious financial
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Residents oppose plan for car park
RESIDENTS are opposing a proposal to build a car park in meadows at Helmsley saying it would destroy views of the town. A packed meeting at the town hall vetoed moves to create the car park on the south side of the town to help cope with visitor traffic
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Soldier was paralysed after attack
TWO men who took part in an attack that left a soldier brain damaged after his head was kicked "like a football" have been warned they are facing years behind bars. Scott Halliday, 26, was paralysed down his right side after his head was kicked, stamped
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Homes 'too close to pub'
Councillors have rejected plans for six homes in Ripon city centre only 13ft from a pub's beer garden. Members of an area planning committee of Harrogate Borough Council agreed with planning officer Linda Drake, who said that the scheme would be an over-development
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Man took friend's car after drinking
A MAN crashed a friend's sports car after taking it without concent when they had been out drinking together, a court heard yesterday. Simon Michael Wild, 24, of Blackton Close, Newton Aycliffe, took the keys to a friend's MG TF car on October 7 when
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Air cadets flying high with BTEC awards
FOUR air cadets from Derwentside are among the first in the country to receive a BTEC award in aviation studies. Subjects studied by the cadets included principles of flight, air and pilot navigation, aircraft handling, and operational flying. Corporal
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Romans return fighting fit
THE Romans will reclaim an ancient fort as part of a Bank Holiday celebration. Binchester Roman Fort, near Bishop Auckland, will be giving visitors a chance to experience the life and times of the Romans. Soldiers, their ladies and families from Roma
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Community pulls together to make town's streets safer
KEY members of the Shildon community took to the streets yesterday in an attempt to clean up the town. Police and councillors were joined by representatives from Groundwork and Streetscene in a Shildon Community Safety initiative to make the town safer
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Town shows the way forward after ten year wait
FOR people visiting one North-East town, relief is at hand after ten years. The toilet block in the centre of Guisborough, east Cleveland, reopened yesterday following an £80,000 refurbishment. The reopening was marked with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
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Boon backs Harmison to put Australia on the back foot
EVEN today, David Boon revels in his reputation as the scourge of English cricket. Some nine years after the end of his Test career, the barrel-chested batsman still delights in having hit the winning Ashes runs in 1989, beginning an unbroken streak of
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Offshore off-licence sails into sunset
THE businessman who set up the country's first offshore off-licence is turning his back on Britain after failing to win support. Philip Berriman last night said he felt let down because his one-man crusade against high taxes on cigarettes and alcohol
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Primary schools net football cash
PRIMARY schools on Teesside have been given help to enable more youngsters to get involved in football. Eighteen of Hartlepool's primary schools are being given £200 by the Football Association - £100-worth of football equipment and £100 towards the cost
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Driving youngsters towards success
TEES Valley teenagers enjoyed a ride through pop culture when a team of car converters showed them how to customise their motors. Apprenticeships Live, an event that promotes vocational paths to university, was based around programmes such as MTV's Pimp
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Men awaiting sentence
TWO men will be sentenced next month for their part in a late-night disturbance outside town centre bars. Simon Skelton, 24, and Wayne Keers, 28, have been warned they face jail after pleading guilty to a charge of affray in Hartlepool. Their case, heard
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Club's plea for help answered
THE threat to the future of Brandon United Football Club has been lifted after people came forward to help run the club. The Albany Northern League side, which won the championship two years ago, was in danger of folding after the committee decided it
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Newly-elected MP issues an invitation
THE newly-elected MP for Durham City has used her maiden speech in the House of Commons to invite her colleagues to see for themselves the progress being made in her constituency. Quoting Bill Bryson, the newly-appointed chancellor of Durham University
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Body, mind and spirit are cared for in mural at hospital chapel
THE sixth anniversary of a hospital chapel has been celebrated with the unveiling of a series of spectacular murals on its ceiling. Local artist Paul Humberstone created the artwork in Harrogate District Hospital at the invitation of chaplaincy team leader
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You write
Adds to problem: I entirely agree with your correspondent H Hansen, (Advertiser, week ending May 21). The suggestion of a relief road through Aykley Heads is a nonsense and would create more congestion not relief to traffic. The original suggestion of
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Japanese sea slime could be key to tackling MRSA bug
SLIME from the ocean bed half a world away could produce new antibiotic drugs, according to North-East scientists. A collaboration between scientists in Newcastle, Japan and Germany has found a new type of bug that could save the lives of millions. The
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Rutter welcomes his rival's return
CHAMPIONSHIP leader Michael Rutter has welcomed the increased competition he will get with the return of title-holder John Reynolds to the Bennetts British Superbike fray. Reynolds returned to the track on Tuesday after taking a month off due to a broken
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Middlesbrough face competition for Tymoschuk
UKRAINIAN international Anatolii Tymoschuk has claimed that Middlesbrough are one of a host of clubs hoping to lure him to England, writes Scott Wilson. The Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder is desperate to secure a lucrative move from his homeland this summer
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Student tests his green power
ELECTRONICS whizz-kid James Harrington will put his design ideas to the test at the region's leading motor-racing circuit. The 18-year-old, from Durham City, has spent the past year designing an electric-powered car, which will be put through its paces
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Elvis in their eyes
Viv Hardwick talks to Gordon Hendricks who has been judged such a good soundalike for Elvis that one of The King's songwriters has given him two precious Presley tunes. The ITV1 Stars In Their Eyes winner is concentrating on a new single and the launch
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North-east chuffed as region's stretch of rail line voted Britain's most scenic
A section of track running through the North-East has been voted the most scenic train journey in Britain. The stretch of the GNER-run East Coast Main Line, between Durham and Berwick, received the accolade after Country Life magazine canvassed eminent
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Exercise campaign targets one in ten people
ONE in ten people in the region are being targeted by an exercise campaign. People who are endangering their health by doing little or no exercise are in the sights of Everyday Sport. This week's launch of Everyday Sport 2005, following last year's successful
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Mother 'over the moon' as son is found
A MOTHER has told of her relief after her son, who went missing two weeks ago, was found. Concern had been mounting for Michael Swift, 30, after he went missing from the University Hospital of Hartlepool on May 13. But after he read an appeal by his distraught
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Report criticises youth services
COUNCIL bosses have been criticised by Government inspectors for providing a poor service to hundreds of teenagers - and they are now facing fresh demands to invest heavily in youth provision. A damning new report from Ofsted, published on Monday, says
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Service station raiders hunted
PEOPLE at a service station got a shock when ram raiders crashed a stolen car through the doors. Two men in a Land Rover Discovery targeted the Road Chef services on the A1(M) at Bowburn, near Durham City, as a handful of customers in the Little Chef
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'Put Teesport expansion at top of list'
NO southern port should be allowed to grow until £300m plans to expand Teesport have been properly considered, Government ministers will be told today. Vera Baird, Labour MP for Redcar, will use a Commons debate to urge the Department for Transport (DfT
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John North: Remembering the unflappable flapper
Norman Fannon may have staged his last greyhound race, but his spirit endures at Wheatley Hill stadium. JUST about any other Tuesday in the last 40 years they'd have been greyhound racing - flapping as the old hands still call it, yapping on any argument
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Friends gather for Edith's 100th
IT was party time last week for centenarian Edith Herbert, who shared her birthday with her family and friends. Born in Hunwick, Mrs Herbert left school at 14 and was 20 when she married her stonemason husband, Christopher, in Bishop Auckland, on Boxing
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26/05/05
CABINET ADVISORS: "SHOULD unelected advisors be appointed to the Cabinet?" (Echo, May 11). No. They may rightly, of course, be present as advisors (which is their job) as experts in the thing being discussed. Nor should unelected people be helping (or
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Bikers to halt tunnel traffic
MORE than 200 Norwegian bikers riding Harley-Davidsons will bring roads to a standstill tomorrow. A convoy of bikers from Bergen and Stavanger is expected to arrive at the ferry terminal in North Shields, North Tyneside, and will make their way south
