Archive
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Mum still unaware of son's fire death
A HEAVILY pregnant woman seriously hurt in an arson attack on her home was last night still unaware that her 11-year-old son died in the blaze. While Janine Dodd's condition continues to improve, and she is now able to breathe on her own, police believe
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Non-fiction: Braving the elements and fighting fat
UNDERWATER TO GET OUT OF THE RAIN: A LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE SEA by Trevor Norton (Century, £12.99): FOR a relative sea novice like myself, I admit I approached Trevor Norton's story of his "love affair with the sea" with some trepidation. Stereotypical
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Will star acts get HMV back in the groove?
ENTERTAINMENT retailer HMV will be looking to releases from big names such as Oasis and Coldplay to boost flagging sales. The high street chain will post full-year results today and analysts are predicting pre-tax profits will reach £130m, up by about
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Sir Bond has credentials to make it win number five
SIR BOND (3.15) can make it win number five for the year by taking Hamilton's DM Hall Handicap. After three victories at the fag end of the winter on the all-weather circuit, it looked as if Sir Bond was a sand specialist through-and-through, but that
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Eating Owt: A very friendly Dragon
After leaving the land of the ubiquitous red dragon, the column wonders why the fire-breathing beast in our own region are so often green. NEARLY 400 miles into the return journey from Pembrokeshire, we stopped at the Green Dragon in Exelby, near Bedale
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Mourned: the fiance of 35 years
TRIBUTES were paid yesterday to a councillor whose wedding - after a 35-year engagement - touched hearts around the world. Rod Burtt, who died on Sunday at the age of 64, made international headlines with the moving story of his marriage to Judith Kent
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Teenagers injured in car accident
FOUR teenagers were hurt, one critically, when a car believed to have been taken without the owner's consent hit a tree stump at the weekend. Police said the accident took place when a Nissan Micra failed to take a right-hand bend on the B6309 between
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Prison service is criticised again after inmate's death
A CORONER will write to the Prison Service to highlight shortcomings in the treatment of an inmate who committed suicide shortly after she was transferred to a North-East prison. For the second time in six months, County Durham Coroner Andrew Tweddle
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Heatwave refunds could top £500,000
TRAIN firm GNER could pay out as much as £500,000 in compensation to passengers who endured nightmare rail journeys in sweltering heat. Six trains were stranded on the East Coast Main Line between Huntingdon and Peterborough in temperatures as high as
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Crash driver leaves boy injured
A TEN-YEAR-OLD boy has described how he was left lying at the side of the road after being struck by a hit-and-run driver. Liam Kendell, who escaped serious injury, had to be treated in hospital for bruising to his right leg and a swollen foot. Police
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Mayor Stuart in running for global title
FORMER football mascot Stuart Drummond has been shortlisted for this year's World Mayor Award. The popular Hartlepool United fan, who was re-elected as Hartlepool Mayor last month with a landslide victory, is a finalist alongside outspoken London Mayor
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Recalling time the big three all played in black and white
Unavoidably between matches, Newcastle United publications editor Paul Tully is getting himself mightily excited - and with good cause - about a forthcoming visit to the cinema. Compiled by the British Film Institute, the 80 minute programme will incorporate
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Biography: Whores, wars and heroes
COLLINGWOOD: NORTHUMBERLAND'S HEART OF OAK by Max Adams (Tyne Bridge Publishing, £6.99): NELSON'S number two at Trafalgar, Newcastle-born Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, didn't think much of his commander's now-famous 'England Expects' message. He remarked
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Marton Jefferson
MARTIN JEFFERSON has joined community investment organisation Accent North East as business development manager. Mr Jefferson has more than 15 years experience in housing, planning and regeneration and will work on the group's affordable housing strategy
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Zenden approaching Boro's deadline
MIDDLESBROUGH officials remain confident that Bolo Zenden will sign a new deal at the Riverside despite imposing a Friday deadline for their latest round of transfer talks. The 28-year-old's current contract expires at the end of this week and, despite
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TV role for estate agent
ONE of the region's estate agents is to appear on national television today in a BBC documentary about the housing market. Jim Gillespie, from the Property Supermarket, in Hartlepool, will appear on daytime show Homes Under the Hammer, which starts at
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Taking on -L' of a TV challenge
A travel agent has cast aside her L-plates - on a national television programme. Amy Simpson, 20, from Catterick, North Yorkshire, was featured on BBC One show Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre as she underwent intensive driving lessons. She had to learn to drive
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N-E medical drama
A TV series that reveals the real-life medical drama of the NHS returns to ITV Tyne Tees on Monday. ITV Tyne Tees cameras have been filming with paramedics from the North East Ambulance Service, and staff at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Gateshead,
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Film and TV are worth £8.5m
THE film and television industry was worth £8.5m to the North-East economy last year, according to figures released last night. The boost for the region is double the amount it was in 2003, buoyed by hit television shows, including 55 Degrees North, Distant
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Sunderland chasing a Fuller figure up front
SUNDERLAND boss Mick McCarthy will step up his attempts to sign Ricardo Fuller this week before the Portsmouth striker jets off to the United States to play for Jamaica in the Concacaf Gold Cup, writes SCOTT WILSON. McCarthy, who has already been in contact
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O'Driscoll incident 'a pure accident'
All Blacks centre Aaron Mauger has described the sickening incident which ended Brian O'Driscoll's Lions tour as ''a pure accident.'' Lions players and management are still fuming about the double spear-tackle by All Blacks skipper Tana Umaga and hooker
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A very friendly Dragon
After leaving the land of the ubiquitous red dragon, the column wonders why the fire-breathing beast in our own region are so often green. NEARLY 400 miles into the return journey from Pembrokeshire, we stopped at the Green Dragon in Exelby, near Bedale
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NRGetic welcome for new recruits
RECRUITMENT group NRG has expanded its team in the Tees Valley. The company has taken on three workers to support the commercial and professional services teams at Dunedin House, on Tees Valley Business Park, Stockton, and the industrial team based in
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Kate Bodenham
THE Gateshead MetroCentre's management team has welcomed KATE BODENHAM as marketing co-ordinator. The 33-year-old, from Bristol but now living in Whickham, Gateshead, has worked as personal assistant to the centre's marketing manager since November 2003
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Laidlow plans for next year's Isle of Man TT
DETERMINED to leave her mark on the Isle of Man TT festival, sidecar racer Ruth Laidlow is already making plans for 2006 with the smell of engine oil and brake dust from this year's event still fresh in her senses. The Darlington mother-of-one finished
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Mark Oates
MIDDLESBROUGH property developers and managers Python Properties has appointed ex-Merchant Navy officer MARK OATES as general manager. He was a chief communications officer under Python partner Martin Johnson, who was Captain of MV Minerva, part of the
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Mental hospital replacement approved
A LONG-AWAITED replacement for an outdated mental hospital has been approved. Health bosses have approved the outline business case for the £23m development, which will serve the northern half of County Durham. It will mean a mental hospital will be built
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Builder shrugs off market pessimism
BUILDER Persimmon shook off gloomy reports about the health of the property market yesterday as it reported a rise in the price of its homes. The construction group, based in York, revealed that selling prices since the start of January were 7.6 per cent
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Val Kerridge
LAW firm Ward Hadaway, in Newcastle, has appointed VAL KERRIDGE as debt collection operations manager in its civil recovery division, which was launched last week. She previously spent 26 years in debt recovery at energy group npower and recently completed
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Nearer my Goth to thee
I'VE been spying on my Goth neighbours, the ones who used to annoy me with their noises, but who now intrigue me with their silences as well as wafts of half conversations I get through the bathroom window. I wasn't that interested in them until I was
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Collapsed Sealand can only pay creditors 10p in the £1
CREDITORS owed more than £600,000 by a collapsed cruise company are likely to recover less than 10p in the pound, it emerged yesterday. Sealand Cruising, which was based in Richmond, North Yorkshire, went into voluntary liquidation last month with the
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Christine Dormer, Lee Muter, Sarah Paslawska
THE Newcastle office of business advisors Ernst and Young has announced three appointments to its tax department. CHRISTINE DORMER has joined the firm as a personal tax consultant from Oxfordshire accountants Critchleys. LEE MUTER joins from KPMG as senior
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£3m care home creates 150 jobs
A MULTI-MILLION pound care home has opened in the region, creating 150 jobs. The home, in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, is the fifth to be opened by the Ladhar Group, which is based in Newcastle. The company's expansion plans mean more jobs are expected
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'Teenager tried to rape six-year-old'
A TEENAGER who offered to look after a sick boy and his six-year-old sister tried to rape the girl and showed both children porn, a court heard. Michael Hauxwell befriended the youngsters when one of the children became ill and offered to look after them
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Protestors vow to fight car park sale
PEOPLE protesting about the proposed sale of a town car park have vowed to fight on following a major setback in their campaign. Councillors on Richmondshire District Council's resources committee voted to proceed with the sale of York Square car park
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28/06/05
ZIMBABWE: CONGRATULATIONS to Mxolisi Ndlovu, a PE teacher at Darlington's Eastbourne Comprehensive School, for initiating a project to help his old school in Zimbabwe (Echo, June 18). As the British Government has given up on the persecuted people of
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Comment from The Northern Echo: Hypocrisy, or a change of heart
IT is two months since the General Election campaign in which the Tory Party put immigration and asylum at the top of its agenda, leading to accusations that it was playing on people's fears. But a metamorphosis has apparently taken place within the party
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Sea rescuers praised
surfers who pulled a man and his partner's six-year-old son from the sea may win bravery awards. The surfers dragged the boy to safety, but 46-year-old Tony Christon, from Thirsk, could not be revived and died at the scene. Mr Christon, his partner, Hannah
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Climber returns home with record
Mountaineer Alan Hinkes returned to the UK yesterday after securing his place in the record books. The former schoolteacher has spent the past 18 years on a personal quest to conquer all 14 of the world's 8,000m-plus peaks - a challenge he finally completed
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Not in the market for love
There was a single guy in the newspapers last week who was so sick of not having a girlfriend that he set up a stall in the middle of a busy north London spot with a big banner saying "Girlfriend wanted, apply here". He'd given out flyers for days beforehand
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Job Search - Vacancies
Chef de partie. 40hrs pw 5 days from 7, 9am to 11pm, must have experience, food hygiene certificate an advantage, must have own transport due to location. Ref: CRK 7831. Bar staff. 8hrs pw, 2 days from 7 between 11am and 11pm, experience preferred but
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A stroll in the park, Victorian style
PEOPLE could have been forgiven for believing they had stepped back in time when a newly-refurbished park went Victorian. Ropner Park, in Stockton, resembled its former self on Sunday when a fundraising Victorian Gala Day attracted the crowds. Members
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Two one-act plays in one
A theatre is to stage two one-act plays by two of Britain's greatest writers. The Georgian Theatre Royal, in Richmond, North Yorkshire, is to stage the dramatisations of The Signalman by Charles Dickens and the Three Strangers by Thomas Hardy. The plays
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Drunken men walked over police car
TWO drunken men who walked over a police car were among 110 people arrested last week in a North-East police force's continuing crackdown on drunkenness, violence and disorder. A Northumbria Police spokesman said the men walked over a police panda car
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Messy fun brings play message home
TODDLERS were caked in everything gloopy at a fun-packed day to highlight the importance of education and playtime for youngsters. SureStart, in Stockton, organised the messy activities day at Thornaby Family Centre while parents could learn more about
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Campaign group battles to save future of swimming pool
CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save a town's swimming pool are urging residents to attend a public meeting this week. The Friends of the Shildon Community Pool have called a meeting tomorrow night to discuss how urgently needed repairs can be carried out and
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Bakery firm plan leads to twenty jobs
TWENTY jobs are being created by a family food company with the opening of an outlet, and further expansion is being considered. Bakery firm Milligans is setting up an outlet in Middlesbrough and is discussing opening other sites. Operations manager Louise
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Children help boost hospice coffers
PUPILS had a day off from wearing school uniform when they donned the wrong trousers to raise money for charity. About 160 youngsters at Newton Hall Infants School, in Durham, took part in a day themed on the Wallace and Gromit animation to raise money
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Mum still unaware of son's fire death
A HEAVILY pregnant woman seriously hurt in an arson attack on her home was last night still unaware that her 11-year-old son died in the blaze. While Janine Dodd's condition continues to improve, and she is now able to breathe on her own, police believe
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A bright way to stay safe to and from school
TODDLERS were given bright ideas at their nursery about how to stay safe. Children at Staindrop Primary School were given high-visibility fluorescent jackets, as part of Child Safety Week, to show the importance of road safety. Pupils will wear their
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Health courses on offer
PLACES are still available on a course designed to help people with long-term health problems to take control of their condition. Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) is running the Living Well course. It starts on July 12, in Leyburn
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Service offers patients more independence
HEALTH chiefs in north Durham have launched a twilight and overnight district nursing service, aimed at boosting the independence of patients. Bosses at the Durham and Chester-le-Street Primary Care Trust say the service, which provides holistic nursing
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Village hall idea making progress
A PROJECT that aims to convert a Grade II-listed church into a village hall has taken a major step forward. The scheme, in Dishforth, near Thirsk, has won planning permission from Harrogate Borough Council. Parish councillors want to sell the current
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School Closure Debate: Letters
SCHOOL DEBATE: HISTORY, evidence and statistics have not proved that large schools with 1,200-plus pupils perform better in academic achievement than smaller community schools. Hurworth School may be small and the corridors narrow, but that is not what
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Low-cost homes plan boost for first-time buyers
A SCHEME to build an estate of low-cost homes in an area where first-time buyers have often been priced out of the market has been given overwhelming backing from councillors. Outline permission for the 23-home scheme at Chain Lane, Knaresborough, has
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Canadian crew pays flying tribute
MEMBERS of the Canadian Air Force have visited an RAF base to remember those who fought in the Second World War. The 415 Squadron crew from Greenwood, Nova Scotia, flew to RAF Leeming in a Lockhead Aurora to take part in the East Moor Squadrons' commemoration
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Lifeboat event will fly the flag for Tall Ships
AN annual harbour lifeboat fete has been brought forward to add to the excitement of next month's Tall Ships visit to the region. Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) organisers have changed the date of their Hartlepool event to coincide with the
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Girl chased in street by man demanding sex
A MOTHER has issued a warning after her daughter was chased along the street by a man demanding sex. The 15-year-old schoolgirl had just left her friends and was walking home along Brierton Lane, Hartlepool, on Sunday night when the man began following
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Land row village's '2ft high weeds'
Residents say a stalemate over land ownership has left their village overgrown and shabby. The tiny community of Wilton, near Middlesbrough, is becoming overrun by greenery, according to householders. Now they are calling for an end to the dispute, and
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Hinkes: Fish and chips is next goal
MOUNTAINEER Alan Hinkes returned from his record-breaking climb yesterday and said he would not feel truly safe until he had visited his favourite home town chip shop. The 51-year-old, from Northallerton, North Yorkshire, flew back to the UK after he
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Town fete rocks to a new beat
A ROCK concert proved a star attraction at Bedale's annual Scout and Guide fete on Saturday. For the first time, the Bedale and Villages Community Plan Forum arranged a Battle of the Bands to complement the fete. Five bands contested the first prize of
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Food and drink advice on web
A PROJECT linking the region's food and drink producers with academics was launched yesterday. For the first time, academic expertise in areas such as brewing, food storage and preservation, nutrition and logistics will be available to North-East food
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Centre bridges language gap
WORKERS at a car components manufacturer are learning French after the opening of a training centre. Mecaplast, a supplier to Nissan and Toyota, has set up a learning centre at its plant in Peterlee, County Durham. Along with training machine operators
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Patience is a virtue - Proctor
Despite twice being rebuffed in the transfer market this summer while other League Two clubs have made progress, Mark Proctor says Darlington are to remain patient in their attempts to bring in fresh blood. Striker Simon Johnson arrived on a free from
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Peace reigns for patients
HOSPITAL patients are set to enjoy the best of the summer sunshine in their new-look garden. The garden, which is in a small courtyard area within the mental health unit of the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, provides patients with a quiet setting
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Another hospital unit included in closure plans
CONTROVERSIAL plans to reduce the number of hospitals offering inpatient services for leukaemia sufferers have been widened. Campaigners have fought against proposals to close the six-bed haematology ward at Darlington Memorial Hospital and merge it with
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Flexibility the key in new MA course
DURHAM Business School is launching two business-focused MA programmes this autumn. Managers can enrol for a one-year, full-time MA in marketing and in enterprise management. Designed to meet the needs of middle and senior managers from medium-sized enterprises
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Government facing ID cards test as MPs threaten to rebel
PRIME Minister Tony Blair was battling to win backbench support for identity cards last night amid fresh warnings they will create a "surveillance society" - and cost up to £300 for each card. At least 21 Labour MPs have signalled they will vote against
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Heatwave refunds could top £500,000
TRAIN firm GNER could pay out as much as £500,000 in compensation to passengers who endured nightmare rail journeys in sweltering heat. Six trains were stranded on the East Coast Main Line between Huntingdon and Peterborough in temperatures as high as
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Knowing when your number 's up
I CAME across a woman at work the other day who had studied numerology and she was working out people's personalities by converting their names into numbers and analyising their meanings. People were crowding round her, desperate for a bit of confirmation
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Referee caught up in Uefa Cup violence escapes ban
A QUALIFIED referee received a yellow card from magistrates after he was caught up in violence that marred Middlesbrough FC's Uefa Cup debut on foreign soil. Cleveland Police tried unsuccessfully to persuade Teesside magistrates to impose a two-and-a-half-year
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At Headingley today
Yorkshire are looking to bring an end to Derbyshire's 100 per cent winning record when the sides lock horns in the Twenty20 Cup competition at Headingley today, writes David Warner. Although Derbyshire are stuck at the bottom of the Second Division in
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Spurs target Jenas is going nowhere
NEWCASTLE chairman Freddy Shepherd last night told prospective suitors to forget all about trying to sign Jermaine Jenas and insisted the much-admired midfielder remains central to the club's plans. Jenas has been the focus of persistent transfer speculation
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It's a wrap as the inches melt away
Losing weight is tough, isn't it? Jenny Needham tries an instant inch-loss treatment where the most difficult thing to endure is the indignity. IT'S every slimmer's dream... lying back, reading a glossy magazine for an hour and a half, while the inches
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Fly away mother arrested
A MOTHER who went on a exotic holiday leaving her three children with a 15-year-old babysitter was arrested by police at a North-East airport this morning on suspicion of neglect. Kelly Ann Piggford, also known as Kelly Rogerson, 23, from the Red Hall
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Love just can't be this blind
I'm going on a blind date next week. A friend of mine thinks I'm just too passive to ever get myself sorted out and that I have reached an age when I have to go out and market myself. Hmm. It's not that I don't welcome her efforts but I'm worried because
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Eating Owt
NEARLY 400 miles into the return journey from Pembrokeshire, we stopped at the Green Dragon in Exelby, near Bedale. If not exactly chasing the Dragon, still very grateful to catch up with it. It's the red dragon which principally is assigned to Wales,
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Searching for the invisible man
I'D been persuaded to go on a blind date last week which didn't happen after all. My man bottled it. He hadn't been in touch in spite of having my email for over a week, so I knew something was up. On the morning of our date, I got a cursory email from
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Cheated solicitor asks police to launch inquiry into bank
A SOLICITOR who was cheated out of hundreds of thousands of pounds in a money laundering scam is urging police to launch an investigation into one of the world's biggest banks. John McArdle was the owner of the PMB Motors car showroom, in Darlington,
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Hunt for stabbing attack youths
A MAN was left seriously injured after he was stabbed in the back by a group of youths in what is thought to have been an unprovoked attack. The 20-year-old suffered a deep spinal wound when he was stabbed between the shoulder blades after being chased
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On TV
Dispatches: Living with Aids (C4) Is This the Worst Weather Ever? (ITV1) IN the last 20 years, 26 million Africans have died of Aids. Another 26 million are HIV positive, including one in five Zambians. Most expect to die before they are 38. These were
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Schools are awarded specialist status
NINE schools have been granted specialist status by the Government. They join a growing number of schools that have a chosen specialism, resulting in grants for capital projects from the Department for Education and Skills. Schools Minister Jacqui Smith
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'Diving? It's like flying to the moon'
When Ian Denny started diving he had to make his own equipment. Now his is hoping to open a museum, with some of his original gear as exhibits. Nick Morrison meets a sporting pioneer. FROM as young as he can remember, Ian Denny was fascinated with the
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Bill Graham
BILL GRAHAM has been named as president of the 3,000-member Northern Society of Chartered Accountants (NSCA). Mr Graham, of Swainby, North Yorkshire, qualified as a chartered accountant in 1964, and has worked for Procter and Gamble, Laws Stores, in Gateshead
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Holiday firm to weather the storm
Parkdean Holidays yesterday reported a £4m rise in losses as its increased portfolio ran up bigger off-season bills. The Newcastle plc revealed pre-tax losses for the six months to April 30 of £9.6m, compared to £5.6m for the same period last year. Turnover
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Bryson notes friendliness of North-East
FAMOUS writer Bill Bryson is in the region this week to fulfil his duties as the new chancellor of Durham University. Over the next four days, the American author will confer more than 3,000 degrees on students from the university. Yesterday, he made
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I saw the future - and fled
A MUSLIM friend of mine asked me to go to an "introductions dinner" with her. It turned out to be a kind of speed dating for single Muslim professionals. It sounded naff, but maybe I'd find my perfect match and never have to go through the pain of mixed
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Collingwood seeks repeat performance
Paul Collingwood hopes history will come to regard last September's memorable Edgbaston victory over Australia as a major turning point in England's fortunes. The Durham all-rounder's memory of England's stunning six-wicket ICC Champions Trophy semi-final
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Simon Riddell
NORTH Yorkshire animal identification, healthcare and management group Ritchey has appointed SIMON RIDDELL, 44, as managing director of the £7m group with effect from Friday. He has a degree in land economy from Trinity College, Cambridge, and worked
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Neighbours From Heaven: Simon cruises to victory in our good neighbour contest
KIND-HEARTED Simon Astill is preparing for a well-deserved holiday after his amazing community spirit saw him named the region's Neighbour from Heaven. Mr Astill's friendly manner and willingness to help his neighbours at all times has won him first prize
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Suzie English-Stewart
DARLINGTON motor dealer SG Petch has appointed SUZIE ENGLISH-STEWART as group sales and marketing manager. She previously worked in radio, Press and, more recently, as sales director of a local advertising agency, managing a number of high-profile motor
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As close to hell as it's possible on earth
Dispatches: Living with Aids (C4); Is This the Worst Weather Ever? (ITV1): IN the last 20 years, 26 million Africans have died of Aids. Another 26 million are HIV positive, including one in five Zambians. Most expect to die before they are 38. These were
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Motorcyclist rides in memory
A MAN is taking a vintage motorcycle on the road in tribute to a friend who helped him to rebuild it. Barry Adamson, of Northallerton, spent nine months restoring the 40-year-old bike. He gave it a complete makeover, doing most of the work, including
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Job Search - Vacancies
Hairdresser, Consett, £4.85ph, 16hrs pw 2 days out of 6 between 9am and 5pm, must have relevant qualifications. Ref: CON 18746. Domestic staff (male), Chester-le-Street, £5ph, 40hrs pw between 9am and 11pm Mon-Sun, male only required to clean male shower
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No evidence offered in case against men
FIVE men accused after a confrontation following a fire at a village store had the charges against them dropped yesterday. The men had been accused of chasing and attacking a 20-year-old local man following a fire on a stairwell leading from a flat above
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Schools are awarded specialist status
NINE schools have been granted specialist status by the Government. They join a growing number of schools that have a chosen specialism, resulting in grants for capital projects from the Department for Education and Skills. Schools Minister Jacqui Smith
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Pupils' tuck shop fundraiser
DURHAM School pupils Jonny Brooke and Matthew Turnbull raised £507 for Cancer Research UK by setting up a tuck shop. The year ten students came up with the idea for the shop as part of their work towards gaining the Duke Of Edinburgh Bronze Award.
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Fury over suspension of priest from church
PARISHIONERS furious at the removal of a Roman Catholic priest from their church have written to investigating authorities demanding answers. More than six months after Father Michael Higginbottom was withdrawn from St Augustine's Church, in Darlington
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Bringing soul to dances
DANCERS from Columbia are visiting Northallerton next month. Colegio del Cuerpo will be performing The Soul of Things, at the Hambleton Forum, at 7.30pm on July 7. The show is part of a week- long visit to North Yorkshire by the group, who will also be
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Calls are leading to arresting results
THE number of arrests made as a result of calls to Crimestoppers by people in North Yorkshire is well above the national average, say police officers. But there is still room for improvement according to regional co-ordinator, Detective Sergeant Ian Froggett
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School takes steps to create extra classroom
A VILLAGE school that had not been renovated since 1878 has been given a makeover. The junior section at North and South Cowton Community Primary School, near North-allerton, has had a staircase and second floor put in to create a new classroom. The Victorian
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Small pub, but big donation
REGULARS and business have helped a Willington pub raise almost £1,000 for charity. The Lion and Unicorn in Commercial Street collected £906 for the British Heart Foundation thanks to various events and donations. The charity was chosen after the death
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Council's top marks
A TEESSIDE council has been marked top of the class in value for money by inspectors. Middlesbrough Council has received "excellent'' ratings from the Audit Commissionfor its delivery of services and the way the authority is managed. It won the top ratings
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Text messaging aims to increase duck race entries
PEOPLE wanting to take part in Durham's third annual duck race will be able to enter by sending a text message. Sending the word "duck" to the number 60999 will cost £1.50, although people will still be able to buy a duck from outlets in the city for
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Finding new friends
CHILDREN have been forging new friendships through an initiative run by Barnard Castle School. Youngsters have been coming together to sing songs, culminating in a service in Barnard Castle School's chapel. Children from Arkengarthdale, Cotherstone, Gainford
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Police seek details about injured man
POLICE were looking for an injured man yesterday after a pool of blood was found outside next to a smashed shop window. The man was seen nearby after a large window worth £200 was shattered at Allen Jenkins' decor shop, in Galgate, Barnard Castle. Insp
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Successful care scheme to expand
A HEALTH care project which brings together services for adults celebrated its first anniversary last week. The Adult Community Care Partnership, which was officially launched last December by Cherie Blair, held a garden party to mark the birthday. Sedgefield
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Try a tipple of pickled parson
ORGANISERS of a prize-winning annual event are brewing up plans for a beer festival and jazz night. The 13th annual beer festival will be held in Ceddesfeld Hall, Sedgefield, the home of Sedgefield Community Association, on Friday and Saturday. Among
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Police seize teenager's moped
A TEENAGER has had his moped seized by police after he annoyed other residents in his village. He had previously been issued with an anti-social behaviour notice after complaints about the way he used the machine in Cockfield, near Barnard Castle, County
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Vandals attack sculpture at beauty spot
TWO pieces of sculpture have been vandalised at a North-East picnic spot - only days after they were put up. They were put into place at Forest-in-Teesdale near Barnard Castle, County Durham last Thursday. It is part of Britain's first geo-park, denoting
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Mob rule cannot help the poor
Bob Geldof used to be a Boomtown Rat. Now he's just a... Now he's just Bob Geldof. But he looms like a giant in the public's awareness and bestrides our TV screens like a colossus. I saw him last Saturday afternoon, for instance, at Glastonbury, before
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Praise for standards of education
ADULT learners on Teesside are getting a better education and service, college inspectors have said. Government watchdogs said they found Hartlepool's Adult Education Service (AES) had improved in many areas since its last inspection, and found that all
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Bakery firm plan leads to twenty jobs
TWENTY jobs are being created by a family food company with the opening of an outlet, and further expansion is being considered. Bakery firm Milligans is setting up an outlet in Middlesbrough and is discussing opening other sites. Operations manager Louise
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Initiative launched to tackle post scams
PEOPLE are being warned about postal scams that offer the world and usually lead to nothing. Stockton Consumer Support Network has launched a campaign to raise awareness about unscrupulous mail cons, as part of a ten-week campaign to safeguard people's
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Dog owners urged to help tourism campaign
DOG owners are being urged to support ongoing efforts to promote their town as a tourist destination by cleaning up after their pets. The appeal has been issued by council officials in Hartlepool to coincide with National Poop Scoop Week, an initiative
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Tributes to a councillor who enriched the lives of many
TRIBUTES poured in last night for a respected councillor who made an immense contribution to the Darlington community. Roderick Burtt, Conservative member for Hurworth on Darlington Borough Council, died on Sunday, aged 64. Born in July 1940, near Middlesbrough
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Rising turnover triggers engineer's expansion
AN ENGINEERING company is expanding after turnover increased tenfold in only three years. Teescraft Engineering, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, has increased its turnover from £120,000 in 2002, to £1.3m last year. The rise follows a management buyout
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Crash prompts calls for action
PEOPLE living with one of County Durham's busiest roads on their doorsteps are stepping up their campaign for a speed limit following an accident at the weekend. A blue Ford Escort hit Barry Hall's home in West End, Witton-le-Wear, on Sunday morning.
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A share of the proceeds for all
CHARITIES and community groups are celebrating cash windfalls after a town mayor shared out the proceeds of his annual fundraising appeal. Former Sedgefield town mayor Jim Wayman raised £6,249.28 during his term in office with fundraising events, which
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Where the grass is truly greener
Sharon Giffiths meets... national plant collection gardener Dianne Nichol-Brown. JUST before her garden is about to open to the public, Dianne Nichol-Brown is sitting outside in the sunshine, a big bowl on her lap, happily mixing up the scones to serve
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Punk gig expected to be a sell-out
THE organiser of a third punk gig at a North-East university venue believes it will be a sell-out. The Damned sold out Durham University's Dunelm House weeks in advance of their performance, and The Buzzcocks almost attracted a capacity crowd. North-East
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IT training scheme takes to the road
A PROJECT is under way to give North Yorkshire businesses access to IT training. The Vipex Vector demonstration vehicle will give electronics companies onsite training relevant to their business. The scheme is operated by Electronics Yorkshire, the body
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Point to prove for Durham
DURHAM will be desperate to prove they have learned something about new wave cricket when they stage their first home Twenty20 match of the season tonight. Nottinghamshire are the visitors in a repeat of Durham's inaugural match in this competition two
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Latin rhythms at salsa show
LATINO rhythms are coming to Teesside with performances by an eight-piece salsa band. People are being invited to the performance of Almeida Girl and Descarga on Saturday, July 9, at the Arc centre, in Stockton. Tickets for the performance by the Manchester
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Youngsters show their soccer skills
HUNDREDS of junior players have taken part in a football festival. Darlington Mount Pleasant Rangers staged its fourth tournament at the weekend on playing fields at the town's Branksome School. A growing number of teams from across the North-East are
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Wheels to spin for air service
A TEAM of cyclists will set off on a 150-mile trek on Friday to raise money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. The group, from Northallerton and District Round Table, who will start from St Bees, near Whitehaven, Cumbria, aim to finish on Sunday in Northallerton
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Award after 40 years fighting fires
A FARMER who has been a volunteer firefighter for more than 40 years was yesterday honoured for his long service. Michael Atkinson is one of the longest-serving volunteer firefighters anywhere in the UK. The 69-year-old was one of the founding members
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A fresh start for Clarke
DARRELL Clarke will report for pre-season training with Hartlepool United next week desperate to put his injury misery behind him. The midfielder spent last season on the sidelines as two separate knee injuries ruled him out. And now, with Martin Scott
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To the Big Smoke from the Big Apple
Top young jazz trumpeter Abram Wilson is one of the star attractions at this year's Durham Brass Festival, yet he only really set out from the US two years ago. He talks to Viv Hardwick. TO promising twenty-something US jazz performer Abram Wilson it
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Coastal holiday village to be created
PLANS to redevelop a former Butlins holiday park on the North Yorkshire coast have been approved after years of wrangling. The park, in Filey, attracted 11,000 holidaymakers a week at its height, until it closed nearly 20 years ago. Run by Knaresborough
