Archive
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Resignation after wind farm approval
AN independent councillor yesterday resigned his position after a decision to allow a wind farm despite strong local opposition. Councillor John Pickersgill yesterday resigned from Derwentside District Council minutes after its development control meeting
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Factory staff will strike twice a week over pay deal
WORKERS at a County Durham factory will strike every Tuesday and Thursday until a pay deal is reached, the Amicus union warned last night. The majority of the 150-strong workforce at Hydro Aluminium Extrusions, in Birtley, near Chester-le-Street, yesterday
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Council honours former chairman
A LONG-SERVING councillor has been honoured for his contribution to his town. Ferryhill Town Councillor George Trotter received a commemorative medal to recognise his work as a former chairman of the authority. The Mayor of Ferryhill, Councillor Julie
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Armed robber on the run
An armed robber from Teesside is on the run from prison. Police are appealing to the public to be their eyes and ears - but not to tackle 31-year-old Darren Joseph Bedford. He was serving a seven-year jail sentence for false imprisonment and robbery,
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CCTV operators commended for spotting burglar
EAGLE-EYED council workers have been praised by police for helping to catch a burglar. Ian Bowerbank and Dave Leonard, who work in the CCTV control room at Darlington Town Hall, were on duty last September when they were contacted by police about a house
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More woe for Scott and Pool
AN improved performance, but again no joy for Hartlepool. Following the weekend's humbling by Tamworth, there was more to their display, but still no reward. In front of the first sub-3,500 crowd for a Football League game at Victoria Park since March
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1,000 households warm to scheme
MORE than 1,000 houses in east Durham are feeling the heat thanks to a free home insulation initiative designed to help elderly people keep warm Hundreds of households have received free loft and cavity wall insulation - with low energy light bulbs thrown
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Shops' tree display
VOLUNTEERS were busy yesterday putting up 47 Christmas trees outside shops around a town centre, ready for traders to attach the lights. One Christmas tree has already been erected outside the post office in Barnard Castle, and another will be put up
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Million dollar maybe?
The rich and famous splash out on millions of pounds on their parties - but would you really want to be one of them? GOSH, it's great not to be rich. Such a relief. There's David Beckham earning £47,000 a day - a day mind you, which is a bit of a jump
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A cold play on words
ALMOST all calls are welcome; almost none is newsworthy. Last wintry Wednesday someone rang to report that it was starvation out there - new meaning, perhaps, to cold calling. Use of the word "starvation" to mean cold - as in "Why man, aa'm half starved
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Brenda uses her head for victims
YOGA expert Brenda Noble-Nesbitt is taking the load of her feet to help victims of the Pakistan earthquake. Brenda, who teaches Iyengar yoga at Bannatyne's Health Club in Chester-le-Street, will stand on her head for ten minutes to raise money for the
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Doorstep-by-step guide to making Christmas wreaths
A FREE Christmas wreath-making event has been arranged with everyone invited to join in the fun. The event is being staged in the Eastfield-Westfields Doorstep Green, South Moor, Stanley, by Groundwork West Durham, from 10am to noon on Saturday. The Doorstep
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Claims are gathered against drug company
PATIENTS who suffered heart attacks after they took a banned painkiller are being urged to contact lawyers. More than 60 people in the North-East who may have grounds for compensation have contacted Newcastle solicitors Browell, Smith and Company. The
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Sven's joy as England declared second best
England will go into next summer's World Cup finals with the official tag as the second-best side on the planet. Sven-Goran Eriksson's team came out second behind Brazil in the seedings system devised by FIFA's World Cup organising committee and announced
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Hague returns as Cameron names team
New Conservative leader David Cameron today brought one of his predecessors William Hague back to the Tory frontbenches as shadow foreign secretary. Defeated leadership rival Liam Fox was made shadow defence secretary, while David Davis stays as shadow
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Pervert fails to overturn sentences
A LORRY driver jailed for sex attacks on young girls over a 13-year period has failed in an attempt to overturn some of his convictions. Melvin McFadden, 55, assaulted six girls between 1989 and 2002. He was jailed at Teesside Crown Court for nine years
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Merged regiments' new cap badge unveiled
THE amalgamation of three Army regiments came a step closer last night with the unveiling of the unit's new cap badge. About 400 soldiers watched as an image of the new Yorkshire Regiment badge was beamed on to Clifford's Tower, in York. The unit will
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Ofsted names its top schools
SCHOOLS in the North-East and North Yorkshire have been named among the best in the country. A list compiled by school inspectors Ofsted has picked out the schools and colleges across the country which have been classed as outstanding, during the 2004
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N-E eco-friendly racing car gears up for Le Mans debut
RENEWABLE fuels company D1 Oils is putting its product to the ultimate test by entering a "green" car into the 24-hour Le Mans race in France. Yesterday, the Stockton company unveiled its D1 Lola B2K car, which runs on a blend of vegetable oil and diesel
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Weapons Inspector finds target
GRAHAM Wylie's Weapons Inspector wasted no time in starting to repay his hefty 40,000 guineas' price tag by making a winning debut under National Hunt rules at Sedgefield yesterday. Wylie, voted owner of the year at the prestigious Horserace Writers'
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Attempt to abduct schoolgirl is denied
A SCHOOLGIRL yesterday described the moment she feared she was going to be kidnapped or raped by a man accused of attacking her in the street. The 14-year-old said she was followed and knocked to the ground by the man, who told her: "You're coming with
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McCartney counting the cost
GEORGE McCartney last night revealed he is still paying the price for playing through the pain barrier throughout Sunderland's promotion-winning campaign. McCartney made 38 appearances as the Black Cats claimed the Championship crown last season despite
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'Fight Club' scandal at high-security jail
PRISONERS at one of Britain's toughest jails have been organising their own secret "fight club" behind the backs of prison staff, a report claims today. Taking their lead from the ultra-violent Brad Pitt movie, Fight Club, the prisoners are said to have
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Eyesight surgery restored my life
A NORTH-EAST woman has described how sight-saving surgery transformed her life. Helping to mark today's centenary of the first cornea operation, Tracy Lawther revealed how her cornea transplant 17 years ago had proved a life-changing experience. Her sight
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Quakers tamed by Shrews
DAVID HODGSON can forget talk of a top seven place at the end of the season and concentrate on ensuring Darlington aren't occupying the bottom two come May. Hodgson's problems show few signs of easing after they were beaten by Shrewsbury Town at Gay Meadow
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'Fight Club' scandal at high-security jail
PRISONERS at one of Britain's toughest jails have been organising their own secret "fight club" behind the backs of prison staff, a report claims today. Taking their lead from the ultra-violent Brad Pitt movie, Fight Club, the prisoners are said to have
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Wood roped off in murder hunt
POLICE searching for the body of murdered shopworker Jenny Nicholl last night cordoned off a wood in her home town. A police officer was on guard at the scene on the outskirts of Richmond, North Yorkshire, and tape was placed around the edge of the trees
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A welcome leap in the dark
WE welcome David Cameron as the new Tory leader. He is a leap in the dark but we believe it is a leap worth taking. He is inexperienced and unproven, but the Conservative Party is weary, stale, unappealing and in need of an overhaul. Mr Cameron offers
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Dr Martin murder trial nears its end
THE trial of a retired doctor accused of murdering three of his patients is nearing an end. Mr Justice Forbes has started summing up the case for the jury and is expected to continue today and tomorrow. The jury of six men and six women is expected to
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N-E eco-friendly racing car gears up for Le Mans debut
RENEWABLE fuels company D1 Oils is putting its product to the ultimate test by entering a "green" car into the 24-hour Le Mans race in France. Yesterday, the Stockton company unveiled its D1 Lola B2K car, which runs on a blend of vegetable oil and diesel
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Gazza is bailed in attack inquiry
PAUL GASCOIGNE was released on bail yesterday after being questioned about an alleged attack on a photographer. The former England, Newcastle, Rangers, Lazio and Spurs footballer was arrested on Monday night on suspicion of assault and interviewed by
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Tenants in favour of homes transfer
TENANTS in Derwentside have overwhelmingly voted in favour of transferring the running of council homes to a new arm's-length body. In a secret postal and telephone ballot, more than 4,000 tenants - or 75.7 per cent - voted in favour of transferring from
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United for a footballer?
It was with irony that I remarked here last week that George Best's funeral would need to be a state occasion if it was to live up to the grossly overblown reaction to the footballer's death. Well, with the service held in Northern Ireland's Parliament
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Railways chief to appear in court
THE Government's top rail advisor has been summonsed to appear in court following an alleged altercation on a train involving a GNER member of staff. Dr Mike Mitchell, who is director general of railways at the Department for Transport (DfT), is accused
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Rickshaws for city streets
ORIENTAL transport is to come to a North-East city. Tourists will be able to take in some of Durham's traditional attractions from the comfort of pedicab rickshaws, to be introduced in the New Year. Taxi operator James Taylor has won approval to operate
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Asylum seeker jailed for sentence defiance
A FAILED asylum seeker told a court he would rather go to prison than carry out unpaid work in the community. Sabah Dashti, 27, was jailed after he admitted driving while disqualified and driving without insurance. Magistrates in Teesside heard that Dashti
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Resignation after wind farm approved despite concerns
AN independent councillor yesterday resigned his position after a decision to allow a wind farm despite strong local opposition. Councillor John Pickersgill yesterday resigned from Derwentside District Council minutes after its development control meeting
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Tsunami inquests hear of anguish
THE relatives and friends of British victims of the Asian tsunami paid emotional tributes to their loved ones as the mass inquest into the loss of 91 UK citizens heard further accounts of individual tragedies. The second day of the inquest, in London,
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Demon drink one opponent Gazza can't beat
LAST week, Sir Bobby Robson told The Northern Echo that football could be Paul Gascoigne's salvation. Mindful of the sad demise of George Best, the former Newcastle and England boss drew parallels between the two and urged the former to learn from the
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Friends website nets couple £30m
A couple who launched Friends Reunited from their spare bedroom were celebrating a windfall of more than £30m yesterday after selling the business to ITV. Julie and Steve Pankhurst, who founded the reunion website in 2000, sold their stake in the firm
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Independents call for vote to replace council leader
A NORTH Yorkshire local authority is in turmoil today amid veiled accusations of bullying and claims and counter-claims of rule-breaking. Fifteen councillors from Richmondshire District Council have signed a motion calling for an election to replace council
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Sports fans fined for being drunk
FIVE sports fans have been fined £130 for being drunk at a Darlington Football Club match. Rushden and Diamonds fans Darren Ashby, 21, Owen Mitchell, 31 and Russel Payne, 27, all of Pratt Road, Rushden, in Northamptonshire, Stephen Filsell, 28, of Willow
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Boots get packed away
A BUSINESS park in Darlington has secured its first customer to use its flexible POD self-storage units. Crow Darlington, which sells a range of boots and footwear, has become the first company move its stock to Lingfield Warehousing Limited (LWL), based
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Jobs hope at Internet travel firm
INTERNET booking firm Bedsearcher has moved into bigger headquarters in Darlington - and set its sights on a record-breaking year next year. The accommodation provider, set up by Gill Chapple and Jim Mann in 2002, has secured fresh private investment
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Criticism as soldiers use deer park for training
THE National Trust has come under attack for allowing a World Heritage Site to be used for military training. Alan Cale, 69, of Ripon, North Yorkshire, who walks through the grounds of Studley Royal estate and deer park every day, says he has become a
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Hunt for masked robbers
POLICE last night issued an appeal for information into an aggravated burglary. Three masked men bound a 44-year-old woman and a 20-year-old man at a house in Plains Farm, Sunderland, before escaping with two bank cards and £450 in cash. The cards were
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A night out with officers cracking down on car crime
PC PAUL FOLEY and Sergeant Dave Kirton are staking out crime hotspots in an unmarked dark saloon car. The faces and the names of the criminals who break into and steal cars on a daily basis are familiar to them and they are looking for trouble. Before
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Kim gets to grips with martial arts
FOUR years of training have paid off for a young martial arts fan who has earned her Taekwondo black belt. Kim Roberts, 17, from Wolsingham, has been training three times a week since she took up the sport and has collected a string of honours. Earlier
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Wood roped off in murder hunt
POLICE searching for the body of murdered shopworker Jenny Nicholl last night cordoned off a wood in her home town. A police officer was on guard at the scene on the outskirts of Richmond, North Yorkshire, and tape was placed around the edge of the trees
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Connor's karate success
SKILFUL karate chops helped Saltburn youngster Connor Marshall on the road to success. Nine-year-old Connor, of The Parkway, was picked to represent his club and train with the England squad in Huddersfield. The Saltburn Primary School pupil, who took
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Public views sought on £1.1m facelift
MEMBERS of the public are being asked to comment on plans to re-model the main reception area of a town's civic centre. The £1.1m improvement scheme in Hartlepool, funded through efficiency savings, aims to ensure a better standard of customer service
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Bail terms changed for mother's party
MAGISTRATES who had banned a soldier from pubs and clubs relented when they heard he would miss his mother's birthday party. Philip Ladd, who has pleaded not guilty to assaulting his wife, Katherine, and also denied making a threat to kill her, is due
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£4 tax increase for struggling council
A LOCAL authority struggling to balance its books after Government intervention expects to increase its council tax by less than £4 next year. Hambleton District Council plans to stick to the five per cent rise built into its new financial strategy to
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Spotlight on farming the moors
HILL farmers in a remote corner of County Durham got together last week to discuss the best ways of managing their moorlands. The event, organised by the Heather Trust, was staged at Acton Farm, near Blanchland, just over the county border in Northumberland
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Students master Maori weaving skills
VISUALLY-impaired youngsters have been getting a taste of life on the other side of the world. Students at Henshaws College, Harrogate, have been learning about the ancient customs of the Maori people of New Zealand. Josephine Puha, a Maori, visited the
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Council unveils its new website
CHESTER-LE-STREET District Council has revamped its website as part of a programme to modernise how residents access its services. The new-look website is designed to be more user-friendly and easier to navigate. All information is now structured in an
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Aiming for rural growth
SALLY RAWLINGS has been appointed a champion for North Yorkshire. She has taken over as the chief executive of the Yorkshire Rural Community Council (YRCC), succeeding Ian Strong who has retired after 22 years in the role. She joins YRCC after working
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Scooter girl in hit-and-run
POLICE are appealing for witnesses to a hit-and-run accident, in which a teen- ager was knocked off her scooter. The accident happened at the junction between Newgate Street and Railway Street, in Bishop Auckland, on Friday, November 25. Shortly after
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Mini energy centre at school
A MINI version of Weardale's proposed green energy centre could spring up in school grounds years before the full version gets under way. Wolsingham School and Community College hopes to include an eco-garden, incorporating hydro-electric, solar and wind
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£4.6m college expansion announced
THE start of the second phase of a multi-million pound college was launched yesterday. Stockton Riverside College moved to its site in the Teesdale area of Stockton in 2003. The official ground breaking of phase two was performed by guest of honour Mark
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Art in the shop window
A RETAIL park is to help would-be artists develop their talents. Dalton Park, near Seaham, is with East Durham Artists Network (Edan) to help Easington residents fulfil their creative aspirations. Work from Edan's members is already on display in a gallery
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£105m upgrade for tenants' homes
A £105m improvement plan for homes across Middlesbrough has been launched by Erimus Housing. Thousands of tenants will benefit after a successful pilot project was carried out by the housing association. The organisation has now signed contracts with
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Charities' boughs will be decked with lolly
YOUNG people have been working round the clock in the run-up to Christmas to raise money for charity. So far, they have raised more than £1,250 by making Christmas holly wreaths for three charities - and hope their next sale will boost the total further
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Dermasalve acquired by cash firm
SKINCARE products firm Dermasalve has been acquired by an AIM-listed cash company. The County Durham-based firm, set up by GP Dr Mark Randle in 2003 for the over-the-counter and prescription skincare market, will be incorporated into Meon Capital and
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Queen's medal a tribute to efforts of force, says chief
THE head of Cleveland Police has been to Buckingham Palace to pick up his Queen's Police Medal. Chief Constable Sean Price received the honour after turning around the financial fortunes of one of the country's most controversial police forces and distinguished
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Million dollar maybe?
The rich and famous splash out on millions of pounds on their parties - but would you really want to be one of them? GOSH, it's great not to be rich. Such a relief. There's David Beckham earning £47,000 a day - a day mind you, which is a bit of a jump
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A cold play on words
ALMOST all calls are welcome; almost none is newsworthy. Last wintry Wednesday someone rang to report that it was starvation out there - new meaning, perhaps, to cold calling. Use of the word "starvation" to mean cold - as in "Why man, aa'm half starved
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Souness won't use Rangers as an escape route
GRAEME Souness has ruled out a return to Rangers and maintained that his current job at Newcastle will be his last in the game. The Magpies manager has come under increased pressure in recent weeks, with last month's catastrophic Carling Cup defeat to
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Expect Flintoff to hit his rivals for six
ANDREW FLINTOFF'S tour of Pakistan has been poor by his own high standards, but at least the England all-rounder still has plenty to look forward with his horse and namesake at Leicester. Trained by Richard Guest, Flintoff (3.30), who is jointly owned
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Planners unveil new college
Planners have taken the wraps off a new £70m state-of-the-art college that will form the educational centrepiece of a massive regeneration plan. The new Middlesbrough College will offer state-of-the-art education in an eye catching building as part of
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Scott suffers as shot at redemption falls short
AN improved performance, but again no joy for Hartlepool United. Following the weekend's humbling by Tamworth, there was more to their display, but still no reward. In front of the first sub-3,500 crowd for a Football League game at Victoria Park since
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Decision due on job cuts at Elementis
WORKERS at troubled Elementis Chromium should know next week whether jobs will be saved. Union representative Joe Keith, of the Transport and General Workers' Union, said bosses at Elementis, in Eaglescliffe, near Yarm, will reply to questions about the
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Technolgy aids wardens in speeding vital information
MODERN technology is cutting the time it takes community wardens in Stockton to report incidents. The wardens are being trained to use hand-held personal digital assistants (PDAs) to pass on vital information in a fraction of the time it used to take.
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Attempt to abduct schoolgirl
A SCHOOLGIRL yesterday described the moment she feared she was going to be kidnapped or raped by a man accused of attacking her in the street. The 14-year-old said she was followed and knocked to the ground by the man, who told her: "You're coming with
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Tearful Holmes calls it a day
Dame Kelly Holmes choked back the tears yesterday as she revealed the tragedy behind her decision to retire from athletics. The double Olympic champion had planned on a glorious farewell in Melbourne next March by defending her 1,500 metres title at the
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Boro face the prospect of losing Yakubu for a month
THE likelihood of Aiyegbeni Yakubu disappearing for more than a month increased last night when Nigeria coach Austin Eguavoen revealed the Middlesbrough striker had a "50-50 chance" of being selected for the African Nations Cup. Eguavoen is expected to
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Writers offered chance of £60,000 win
WRITERS in the region are being given the chance to win £60,000 in the UK's largest literary competition. The search is on for the winner of the annual Northern Rock Foundation Writer's Award, which has previously been won by the late Julia Darling, poet
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Rickshaws for city streets
ORIENTAL transport is to come to a North-East city. Tourists will be able to take in some of Durham's traditional attractions from the comfort of pedicab rickshaws, to be introduced in the New Year. Taxi operator James Taylor has won approval to operate
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Fighting for the honour of his party
It has been the longest leadership campaign in history - or at least it feels that way - but yesterday David Cameron was elected Tory leader. Nick Morrison looks at the challenge facing him if he is to transform his party and challenge for the keys at
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Ofsted names its top schools
SCHOOLS in the North-East and North Yorkshire have been named among the best in the country. A list compiled by school inspectors Ofsted has picked out the schools and colleges across the country which have been classed as outstanding, during the 2004
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Depressed woman fell to her death
A woman who suffered from schizophrenia and depression plunged 475 feet to her death, an inquest heard. Fifty-one-year-old June Hetherington, of Thirlmere Drive, Skelton, was discovered at the base of Hunt Cliff in Saltburn on August 25. She died from
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Profits increase for Northumbrian Water
Northumbrian Water has reported a 54 per cent increase in half-year profits following a recent rise in water bills. Pre-tax profits were £64.3m for the six months to 30 September, and the interim dividend was lifted to 3.52p a share, from 2.87p a year
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Boro face the prospect of losing Yakubu for a month
THE likelihood of Aiyegbeni Yakubu disappearing for more than a month increased last night when Nigeria coach Austin Eguavoen revealed the Middlesbrough striker had a "50-50 chance" of being selected for the African Nations Cup. Eguavoen is expected to
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07/12/05
ROYAL VISIT : You would think that a visit from Princess Anne would rate quite highly in the annals of Willington's recent history. So why was it that details of this visit were kept from the good citizens of Willington? Whose decision was it to suppress
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Another defeat has Quakers looking down
DAVID HODGSON can forget talk of a top seven place at the end of the season and concentrate on ensuring Darlington aren't occupying the bottom two come May. Hodgson's problems show few signs of easing after they were beaten by Shrewsbury Town at Gay Meadow
