Archive
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Call to extend free bus travel for pensioners
MPs have joined forces to demand free bus travel for pensioners across County Durham - instead of journeys ending at district council boundaries. The Government's £350m scheme for elderly and disabled people comes into force in April, but only provides
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Teenage girls rescued after car plunges into sea
TWO TEENAGE girls were plucked to safety after their car plunged over a harbour wall into the sea. An unnamed passer-by rescued one of the young women, while fire fighters saved the other. Both teenagers had managed to scramble free of the car as it sank
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Hospital orders chaplain to retire amid cash crisis
WHEN hospital chaplain Alan Powers reached retirement age last month, he offered to stay on. Conscious that there was no obvious Free Church replacement at the University Hospital of North Tees, in Stockton, the Methodist minister said he would be prepared
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Air hostess jailed for storing ecstasy tablets under bed
A YOUNG air hostess who turned to crime after her life fell apart was yesterday jailed for two years for storing drugs for a dealer. Rebecca Allan had left school with good exam results and worked as a junior manager with a train company before she landed
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Did child snatcher strike ten years ago?
A CHILD abductor who snatched a six-year-old girl from her bath may have struck twice before ten years ago, it emerged last night. Detectives are examining possible links between the abduction from Willington Quay, North Tyneside, on December 27, and
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Doctor takes Army to tribunal
A RETIRED lieutenant colonel who says he was subjected to racial discrimination will take the Army to a landmark employment tribunal later this month. Dr Surinder Saggar alleges he was the victim of discrimination while working at the Princess Mary Hospital
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Unsolved cases from decade ago could lead police to attacker
IN May 1995, a five-year-old girl is snatched from shops in Blakelaw, Newcastle. She is sexually abused, driven 40 miles and dumped in Woodland Road, in Darlington, three-and-a-half hours later. Four months later and three miles away from the scene of
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Regan keen to exploit Ashes
Yorkshire's new chief executive, Stewart Regan, is determined to exploit the rising feel-good factor in cricket which has been brought about by England winning the Ashes last summer, writes David Warner. But he said yesterday that he believed Yorkshire
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Rail group vows to take it steady
THE company lined up to take over a stricken tourist railway says it will take a cautious approach if and when trains start running again. The Ealing Community Transport Group (ECT) is poised to run the Weardale Railway, in County Durham, once a deal
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Date set for appeal against sentences
A DATE has been set for an appeal against the sentences of two sadistic killers who disembowelled a man in his home. The Crown Prosecution Service protested at the "unduly lenient" terms given last year to Sean Swindon and Michael Peart for the murder
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Discounting means no happy ending
HEAVY discounting by booksellers including Waterstone's and Amazon.com was yesterday blamed for flat Christmas trading at smaller rival Ottakar's. Ottakar's said there was no change in sales in the four weeks to January 7 as it struggled to compete with
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Did child snatcher strike ten years ago?
A CHILD abductor who snatched a six-year-old girl from her bath may have struck twice before ten years ago, it emerged last night. Detectives are examining possible links between the abduction from Willington Quay, North Tyneside, on December 27, and
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On TV
Horizon: Space Tourists (BBC2) IF only you could say, "Beam me up Scottie" and be transported to a distant galaxy. The reality for would-be space travellers is very different and very expensive. That hasn't stopped Virgin Galactic taking $10m in deposits
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Conference to highlight dangers of drinking
THE dangers of the North-East's heavy drinking culture will be highlighted at a conference next month. Doctors will warn drinkers who regularly drink to excess that they are storing up health problems for the future. The conference, held at Sunderland
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No quick fix to Pool's problems, says Scott
MARTIN Scott has warned there may be no quick fix in the coming weeks. Scott's Hartlepool United side have been dragged to the lower reaches of League One after just two wins in 12 games. And, while the returns from long-term knee injuries of Adam Boyd
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Shoptalk: In search of a super sandwich
READY made sandwiches are one of the boom areas of catering. We buy 1.8 billion sandwiches a year and spend £3.5bn on them. And do you know what? - most of them are rubbish. Think about it. When you make a sandwich at home, do you use low quality meat
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Given's no to Spanish transfer
SHAY GIVEN has played down talk of a move to Spain by insisting talks are continuing with Newcastle United over a new deal. Such is the high-regard for Given's goalkeeping ability, he has been regularly tipped to move on this year because of the Magpies
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Boro chase Gonzalez as Ehiogu moves on
MIDDLESBROUGH are exploring the possibility of snapping up experienced Inter Milan winger Kily Gonzalez, as manager Steve McClaren prepares for life without two of his longest servants. After days of will he, won't he, defender Ugo Ehiogu was finally
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Players pitch in to encourage young readers
FOOTBALLERS visited a library yesterday to chat to children about life on the pitch and the books they read off it. Darlington Football Club winger Neil Wainwright and football in the community officer Kevin Stonehouse were at Newton Aycliffe Library
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Police seek below inflation tax rise
POLICE chiefs in North Yorkshire are seeking a below- inflation rise in their element of the council tax this year. Three years ago, the force hit the headlines when it won an increase of 76 per cent, which was followed the next year by a rise of almost
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Ceremony will be highlight for staff at hairdressers
HAIRDRESSING salon staff are dreaming of winning of a national competition and a holiday. Saks, in Market Place, Durham City, is one of three salons in the final of the L'Oreal Salon of the Year competition for all the businesses in the Saks franchise
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Porche owner banned for drink-driving
A MOTORING enthusiast has been banned from driving for 12 months. Leslie Allison, 45, of Corporation Road, Darlington, pleaded guilty to drink-driving in his Porsche on November 13 last year in Darlington. Darlington Magistrates' Court heard that Allison
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Applications go online
PLANNING applications submitted to a local authority can now be viewed online. All drawings and plans relating to new applications will be posted on the Scarborough Borough Council site. Cases dating back to 1974, plus key dates for consultation and final
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Heroin and cannabis seized
HEROIN and cannabis with a street value of more than £15,000 has been recovered in Thornaby. Yesterday morning, drug squad officers from Cleveland Police raided two properties, in Hampden Way and Roseberry View, in the town. There they recovered cannabis
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Work under way to create people-friendly town centre
WORK has started to create a people-friendly town centre in the heart of a community once divided by a busy road. The £900,000 improvement scheme for Chilton aims to transform the town following the opening of a £9.1m bypass last year. Durham Road, which
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Rescue team seeks recruits
A MOUNTAIN rescue team is looking for recruits. Teesdale and Weardale Search and Rescue team is looking for volunteers to join the team, which covers the whole of County Durham, including Cross Fell, the highest mountain in the Pennines. The team averages
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Hunt for robber of young woman
POLICE have issued a picture of man wanted by detectives following the late-night robbery of a young woman. The 20-year-old victim was approached from behind when the man demanded her purse, before snatching it and pushing her to the ground in Norton,
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'A lot of my work isn't terribly cuddly'
As head of the prison service, Martin Narey was used to controversies, rows over the treatment of Jeffrey Archer and Maxine Carr among them. On a visit to his native North-East, he tells Nick Morrison why he swapped Britain's prisons for the challenge
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Move to protect smoking in clubs
LABOUR and Tory MPs joined forces last night to save smoking in private clubs - including the North's workingmen's clubs. A cross-party amendment was tabled to the controversial Health Bill to exempt members-only clubs from a smoking ban now expected
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Cigarette blamed in fire
A DISCARDED cigarette stub is thought to have caused a house fire. The alarm was raised by a neighbour who spotted windows of the house in Dallas Court, Hemlington, Middlesbrough, blackened with smoke and soot six hours after the woman who lives there
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No quick return for Wilkinson
Jonny Wilkinson's hopes of a return from groin surgery appear to have been dashed for another week. The England World Cup winner is back in training with his club Newcastle, but has not made the Falcons 22 for their European Challenge Cup clash against
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'I nearly drank myself to death'
There are fears that more and more of us are literally drinking ourselves to death. Health Editor Barry Nelson meets a reformed alcoholic and the specialist nurse who helps patients like him stay on the wagon. JIM knew he was drinking way too much. He
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More ethnic adoptions are needed
MORE ethnic people will be encouraged to adopt children and become foster parents. The Sahara Adoption and Fostering project has been commissioned by 11 North-East councils to increase the number of foster and adoptive places available to ethnic children
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'Thanks for support in TV competition'
A MIDDLESBROUGH man has thanked everyone who supported their home town in a national competition. Historian Araf Chohan, of Grange Road, Middlesbrough, put the town forward in the competition launched by BBC Breakfast TV. It called on viewers living in
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Bagging a bright idea for safety
A ROAD safety initiative targeting older people is being relaunched after proving popular last year. Hartlepool Borough Council has bought 700 "See Me Bags" and will start distributing them from Monday. The shopping bags incorporate a high-visibility
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Marilyn's Christmas wish for special school is answered
A GENEROUS youth worker put aside her own needs at Christmas to come to the aid of some special children. Marilyn Shemmings could have asked for a trip to the Bahamas, a health spa retreat or a wardrobe full of new clothes, but instead she opted for a
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Music award
Rotarians in Chester-le-Street are seeking nominations for the annual James Etherington Music Trust Award, commemorating the local singer who went on to perform in West End shows. Applications from young musicians and singers in the DH post code area
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CPS to contest heroin dealer sentence
THE Crown Prosecution Service last night confirmed that it would contest the "unduly lenient" sentence given to a teenage drug dealer who was allowed to walk free from court. Thomas Scarth, 19, who was filmed by police stashing drugs behind the bumper
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'Secret e-mail' in Wembley row
A SECRET e-mail from the constructor of Wembley stadium allegedly proposed to "f***" Cleveland Bridge after a multi-million pound row broke out between the companies. Wembley's main contractor Multiplex, and Darlington steel firm Cleveland Bridge UK (
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Driving ban for Owen's pregnant wife
THE heavily pregnant wife of Newcastle United and England striker Michael Owen was banned from driving this morning. Louise Owen, 25, was disqualified for 56 days after being clocked at 104mph in her Range Rover as she rushed to pick up two-year-old daughter
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Why can't people be nice at work?
Try as he might, the BBC's chief rottweiler just couldn't stop the mask from slipping to reveal the real Jeremy Paxman. The Newsnight presenter swapped shows to take the starring role in the latest episode of the BBC programme Who Do You Think You Are
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Schmeichel solves keeper crisis
DARLINGTON have turned to the son of Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel in a bid to solve solve their latest goalkeeper crisis. Following David Knight's return to Middlesbrough with a hip injury, Quakers boss David Hodgson was last night forced
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Comment from The Northern Echo: A charge we readily accept
IT is common practice for politicians - national and local - to blame the media when they get themselves into a mess. The present controversy over sex offenders working in schools is a case in point. Barry Sheerman, Labour chairman of the education select
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TV reality shows 'give false hope', says businessman
A businessman has criticised reality TV shows Big Brother and the X Factor for creating false hope among North-East youngsters. James Ramsbotham, regional chairman of the Learning and Skills Council, said reality shows did not represent real life and
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Clinton Cards warning on earnings
GREETINGS card retailer Clinton Cards issued a profits warning yesterday after its "most challenging" Christmas in years. The company said that while sales volumes were higher than in 2004, customers were buying cheaper goods, resulting in sales of the
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Hail Alfred The Great, as Kelso will be conquered
ALFRED THE GREAT (1.10) has the class to maintain his 100per cent unbeaten record over hurdles in Kelso's opener this afternoon. The Patrick Haslam-trained raider was a fair middle distance performer on the Flat, a level of ability he transferred to the
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Battling teenager inspires ex-stars
FOOTBALL stars of yesteryear are pitching in to help a seriously ill teenager. Karlin Fish, 15, from Thornaby, Teesside, has an inoperable brain tumour. When former Middlesbrough midfielder George Smith heard of efforts by Karlin's parents, Tracy and
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Industry welcomes decision on rates
MANUFACTURERS in the region yesterday voiced their support for the Bank of England's decision to leave interest rates unchanged. Manufacturers' organisation EEF Northern said it believed the bank needed to wait for clearer evidence on the state of the
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Takeover target drives up profits
IT became clear yesterday why car dealership Reg Vardy is the subject of a £450m bidding war after posting record half-year profits. The Sunderland company made profits in the six months to October 31. Despite figures showing a fall in demand for new
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Sunday City joy at Catterick
Sunday City justified some heavy market support to record an impressive victory in the Leeds Handicap Hurdle at Catterick. Peter Bowen had sent the five-year-old on the 516-mile round trip from his Pembrokeshire base to North Yorkshire, and punters took
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Compact Echo gets a warm welcome
READERS are eagerly awaiting the launch of the historic first "compact" edition of The Northern Echo. Tomorrow, the usually broadsheet Echo will be printed in a handier-sized format. Although The Northern Echo will still be broadsheet from Monday to Friday
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Pilgrims crushed in stampede
At least 345 people were killed when Muslim pilgrims rushed to complete a symbolic stoning ritual on the last day of the hajj in Mina, Saudia Arabia. More than 1,000 pilgrims, including two Britons, were injured during a stampede toward a series of three
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In search of a super sandwich
READY made sandwiches are one of the boom areas of catering. We buy 1.8 billion sandwiches a year and spend £3.5bn on them. And do you know what? - most of them are rubbish. Think about it. When you make a sandwich at home, do you use low quality meat
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Stem cell scientist selected for national development scheme
A NORTH-EAST scientist with a novel idea for using stem cells to test new drugs is getting a rare chance to develop it for the business world. Dr Nico Forraz, of Newcastle University, is one of only four scientists being given the opportunity to take
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Latest model from Nissan priced to sell
NISSAN has announced an aggressive pricing structure for its Sunderland-built Note hatchback. The new models will cost just under £10,000 for the 1.4 S model, and go as high as £13,395 for the 1.6 SVE automatic. The price means the Note will be more than
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School Closure Debate: Town's Youth MP supports academy plan
THE Youth Member of Parliament for Darlington has come out in support for the council's plans to merge two schools into a £25m academy. Kevin Nicholson said: "As a former pupil at Eastbourne, I think it is great that the school is involved in an exciting
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Anger at decision to build homes
ANGRY residents of a Darlington street yesterday hit out at a decision to demolish a block of garages - and replace them with more housing. Homeowners in Welbeck Avenue, in the Haughton area of town, said building seven homes would make the congestion
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Woman in court after bar assault
A WOMAN who assaulted another woman in a bar has been given a conditional discharge. Yesterday, Louise Mooney, 34, of West Auckland Road, Darlington, pleaded guilty to assaulting Lisa Cook in Route 66, on November 13 last year. Darlington Magistrates'
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Players pitch in to encourage young readers
FOOTBALLERS visited a library yesterday to chat to children about life on the pitch and the books they read off it. Darlington Football Club winger Neil Wainwright and football in the community officer Kevin Stonehouse were at Newton Aycliffe Library
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Help for those refused credit
A COUNTY-WIDE scheme could help about 86,000 people who are routinely refused credit, according to new research. The Association of British Credit Unions Ltd has examined the feasibility of setting up a union to cover the whole of North Yorkshire. It
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Greggs expecting another record year
BAKERY chain Greggs expects to report record profits for the 14th consecutive year at its end of year results in March. Financial director Malcolm Simpson said profits are likely to rise to about £48m, from £46.7m last year. In a trading update yesterday
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Volunteer wins award for work
A VOLUNTEER who has spent the past two years helping blind and partially sighted people has been rewarded for her work. Freda Vitty, of Chilton, received a Year of the Volunteer award in recognition of her contribution to the work of the County Durham
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999 crews balloted on action over meal break row
AMBULANCE crews are being balloted on industrial action in the region. Members of the North-East Ambulance Service (NEAS) are voting on whether to support an overtime ban. Workers are concerned at the failure to resolve a long-running dispute over pay
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Girls invited to join Guides
PLANS are under way to relaunch a Girl Guide group in a Teesdale village. Leaders planning to set up the group in Middleton-in-Teesdale have been encouraged by the response to an open evening held this week. The village has not had a Guide group for four
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Call to extend free bus travel for pensioners
MPs have joined forces to demand free bus travel for pensioners across County Durham - instead of journeys ending at district council boundaries. The Government's £350m scheme for elderly and disabled people comes into force in April, but only provides
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Witness care facilities launched in region
SUPPORT units for victims and witnesses who have to give evidence against criminals in court has been launched in the region. Two new witness care facilities, which will support people through the legal process, were officially opened today by Redcar
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Man airlifted to hospital after being crushed
A WAREHOUSE worker was airlifted to hospital yesterday morning after being crushed by a forklift truck. The accident happened at the headquarters of storage firm the Potter Group at Melmerby, near Ripon, shortly after 9am. Warehouse operative Wayne Crick
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Hair-raising excitement as salon staff in line for a holiday prize
HAIRDRESSING salon staff are dreaming of winning a national competition and bagging themselves a holiday. Saks, in Market Place, Durham, is one of three salons in the final of the L'Oreal Salon of the Year competition for all the businesses in the Saks
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Security offer for cyclists
CYCLISTS can get their bikes security-coded for free at a series of crime-prevention events starting this week. The workshops have been organised by the Harrogate District Safer Communities Partnership. They run tomorrow, from 10am to 3.30pm, at Knaresborough
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Hygiene salesman sold products illegally
WHEN hygiene products salesman Roy Dickinson failed to persuade his bosses to pay him a bonus or commission he decided to supplement his wages illegally, a court heard. So Dickinson, 37, sold goods from his employer Cater-Lyne Ltd, which manufactures
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Sunderland target wants a move
SWISS midfielder Ricardo Cabanas has given Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy the assurance he has been waiting for by insisting: 'I'll stay on Wearside even if you go down'. Now the Black Cats are to step up their bid to land the Grasshoppers of Zurich captain
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Hospice to open department store
A HOSPICE is preparing to open a bargain hunter's paradise - Hartlepool's first charity department store. Hartlepool and District Hospice is taking the concept of charity shops one step further by opening the department store on the corner of Furness
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13/01/06
RUTH KELLY: ALL teachers who apply for a job must undergo a Criminal Records Bureau check. As an athletics coach, I must have a CRB check done for each group/authority that I work for, and if I don't I am not allowed to take that post. I can only assume
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Pension crisis threatens jobs
A NORTH-EAST company last night became the latest victim of the UK's mounting pension crisis as it called in administrators, putting almost 50 jobs at risk. Aptec Technologies, in West Auckland, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, had a £14m pension
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Residents are asked to help renewal of rundown estate
A RUN-DOWN Middlesbrough estate is to be revamped - with residents having the opportunity to shape its future. People living in Grove Hill are being urged to get involved in a consultation exercise to help deliver the final plans for the area. Boarded-up
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Help for people to give up smoking
SMOKERS are being offered help to kick the habit at two Stop Smoking clinics. They take place every Wednesday at the Sure Start centre, in Durham Road, Ushaw Moor, Durham City. From 12.30pm to 2pm, a clinic led by nurse Jennifer Peel is open to any smoker
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MPs making joint push for countywide free travel plan
MPs have joined forces to demand free bus travel for pensioners across County Durham - instead of journeys ending at district council boundaries. The Government's £350m scheme for older people and the disabled comes into force in April, but it provides
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Market fee rise plans scrapped
PLANS for a rise in stallholder fees at an outdoor market have been ditched in a bid to boost its fortunes. Charges for stallholders were due to go up by three per cent, but the increase has been scrapped for traders at Ripon's Thursday market. Announcing
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Councillors buoyed by Westminster talks on funding
COUNCILLORS on Teesside who went to Westminster on Tuesday say they had constructive talks concerning a Government funding deficit. East Cleveland councillors in the delegation called for a better financial deal for the Tees Valley. Councillors from Redcar
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Young rider on the road to the top
A TEENAGE rider is seeking international glory - with the help of a Government scholarship. But the challenge facing Fiona Maynard is all the greater because she is visually-impaired, which has a major impact on her ability to compete in her chosen event
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Classes lead to a healthier lifestyle
THERE is no time like the present to adopt a healthier lifestyle. That is the message from Hartlepool Exercise for Life (Help) co-ordinator Margaret Boddy, who said a healthy lifestyle could turn lives around. "When it comes to adopting a healthy lifestyle
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Food hygiene course is free
A FREE course is being run next month for unemployed people who are trying to get a job working with food. Hartlepool Borough Council's Working Solutions team is running a one-day food hygiene certificate course on Thursday, February 2, at Belle Vue Sports
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A charge we readily accept
IT is common practice for politicians - national and local - to blame the media when they get themselves into a mess. The present controversy over sex offenders working in schools is a case in point. Barry Sheerman, Labour chairman of the education select
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Book explores the enigma of rock carvings on moors
THE work of prehistoric sculptors who carved intricate designs into age-old rocks has fascinated archaeologists for decades. Many of the carvings have withstood the effects of industry and the weather and can still be found on hilltops and in valleys
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No quick return for Wilkinson
Jonny Wilkinson's hopes of a return from groin surgery appear to have been dashed for another week. The England World Cup winner is back in training with his club Newcastle, but has not made the Falcons 22 for their European Challenge Cup clash against
