Archive
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'I was a god but I hadn't done my GCSEs'
At 16 James Fountain was a hard-working and intelligent schoolboy, but after his drink was spiked at a party he descended into a waking nightmare. He tells Nick Morrison how his delusions and hallucinations may have been good for him. AT the time, the
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Twenty magistrates sworn in
THE latest intake of magistrates to serve the courts of County Durham and Darlington have been inaugurated. Twenty newly-appointed Justices of the Peace were sworn in at a ceremony at Durham Crown Court on Tuesday. Nine men and 11 women took the judicial
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Good work for staff at health trust
A HEALTH organisation has received an award for providing a good working environment. Sedgefield Primary Care Trust (PCT) has been awarded a Practice Plus accreditation, part of the Improving Working Lives programme set up to provide employees with a
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Funding secured to create path for walkers and riders
CYCLISTS, walkers and horse riders will be able to enjoy outings in the countryside in a safety thanks to a route to be created. Funding has been secured for the off-road path, so visitors to Guisborough can avoid a busy road and travel in safety. The
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Celtic favourites to help Shearer bow out in style
ALAN SHEARER is hoping to bring to an end his playing days by turning out for Newcastle United in a money-spinning testimonial game with Scottish champions-elect Celtic. The Newcastle talisman, who spoke last night of how age should not be a factor in
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Infant school pupils dig in for tree-planting project
A SEASIDE town became a little greener yesterday thanks to a joint tree-planting venture. Peterlee and District Round Table teamed up with Seaham Town Council, Durham County Council and Parkside Infants School for the environmental project. And at a ceremony
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Bus passenger was assaulted over German flag
RACIST abuse was hurled by a group of youths hanging around a bus shelter at a man wearing a German army jacket. Shouts of "Germans go home" and references to the Nazis were made as the victim waited for a bus in Front Street, Chester-le-Street, County
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Teacher secures her dream post
A TEACHER is to realise her dream to take over the helm of a neighbouring school. Mirjam Bhler-Willey will take charge of High Tunstall College of Science, in Hartlepool, when headteacher Ken Jones leaves at Easter for a school in London. Mrs Bhler-Willey
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Plan for new fire station to be debated
PLANNERS are recommending the go-ahead for a scheme to pull down Harrogate's fire station. Any agreement would pave the way for plans to build a replacement station, costing about £2.6m. North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service's application for the site
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Move to demolish part of ex-hotel
PLANS have been drawn up to demolish part of a former hotel to pave the way for a 77-bed care home. Councillors will next week consider an application by Orchard Care Home Limited to develop the western block of Rose Manor Hotel, Horsefair, Boroughbridge
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Talks over bus routes
TALKS could be held to prevent the axing of evening bus services in North Yorkshire. Councillors in Pickering have called for a meeting with North Yorkshire County Council, the National Park and Yorkshire Coastliner bus service to promote services in
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Branding change to mark milestone
A BUILDING society has appointed a new marketing agency to promote its brand as it celebrates its 150th anniversary. Darlington Building Society will now use Yarm-based company RDW for its marketing. It is the first time since 1994 that the society has
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Michele eyes mission
A NORTH Yorkshire optical assistant is preparing for her sixth trip to Africa to help restore the sight of some of the world's poorest people. Michele de Vaal, a volunteer with the Vision Aid Overseas charity, will lead a six-strong team to Ethiopia.
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Bethanys Boy can cope with step up in class
BETHANYS BOY (1.00) is the banker bet on by far the best all-weather card seen at Southwell this year. Brian Ellison's Malton-based five-year-old made no mistake when asserting his authority in a slightly weaker contest at Wolverhampton ten days ago,
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Dismay as £100,000 slashed from fire safety initiatives
GOVERNMENT funding of £100,000 has been cut from schemes to reduce the number of people killed in fires. Officials at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service say they are disappointed by the decision and have warned the money will have to be found from
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Sessions to stress healthy living
YOUNG people from north Durham are learning about the benefits of healthy eating this week. The scheme involves more than 900 year seven pupils from six comprehensive schools in Derwentside, along with two special schools from Harelaw, in Stanley, and
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Communication award to school
PUPILS with special needs have received a boost to help them with their communication skills. Abbey Hills School and Technology College, in Stockton, has been given £1,000, a treasure chest including a DVD player, a full set of communication skills resources
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Kyle standing by to play walk-on part in Cup clash
SUNDERLAND manager Mick McCarthy has revealed he may unleash Kevin Kyle on the Brentford defence on Saturday as the Black Cats'secret FA Cup weapon. Winger Julio Arca, who believes there is a new lease of life in the dressing room following last weekend's
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Blinkered dismissal
WHILE Brian Barwick claims he is willing to leave "no stone unturned" in his search for Sven Goran Eriksson's successor, the Football Association's chief executive had better not be banking on adding to his air miles in the next six months. Innumerable
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Asbestos sufferers awaiting decision
THE High Court will this morning rule on future compensation claims from hundreds of sufferers of an asbestos-related condition in the region. The appeal judgement will finally resolve a legal battle by former workers from shipyards and the construction
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Crossbow attack 'was self defence'
A MAN who shot his nephew in the neck with a crossbow in a row about a dog said he had acted in self defence after being threatened with a Samurai sword. Allan Spensley, 43, of William Street, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, is also alleged to have thrown
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Author plans to challenge speeding fine
BEST-selling author Graham Taylor is planning to make a formal complaint to police after being convicted of speeding. Mr Taylor, the former vicar of Cloughton, near Scarborough, was fined £105 and had three penalty points put on his licence by the town's
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US police in touch with missing dad
A British man who disappeared shortly before his wife and baby daughter were found murdered at their home in the United States was last night believed to have returned to the UK. Police investigating the double shooting said they had tracked down 27-year-old
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Stabbed warden's HIV fears
A FEMALE traffic warden faces an agonising 18-month wait to find out if she has the HIV virus - after a stranger stabbed her with a hypodermic needle. The 24-year-old last night spoke of her anger at the man, who laughed as he stabbed her in the arm while
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Northern Rock breaks the £0.5bn barrier on profits
NORTHERN Rock pushed profits through the landmark £0.5bn mark yesterday as it said it expected further robust growth in 2006. With record profits up by 14.3 per cent, record lending and an increase in market share in 2005, the North-East mortgage lender
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Full steam ahead for book project
A RAILWAY museum has climbed on board a campaign to promote reading. Darlington's Railway Centre and Museum will host a Railway Children weekend on February 18 and 19. The events will go hand in hand with Darlington Borough Council's One Book for Darlington
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More choice for students
TEENAGERS in Darlington are to be given the chance to study an alternative to traditional GCSE subjects. The project, which links up Eastbourne School, Darlington Borough Council's Pupil Referral Unit and Darlington College, has given dozens of local
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Change of image for society
A BUILDING society has appointed a marketing agency to promote its brand as it celebrates its 150th anniversary. Darlington Building Society will now use Yarm-based company RDW for its marketing. It is the first time since 1994 that the society has changed
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Parents show support for £25m academy investment
PARENTS at a Darlington school have urged councillors to press ahead with a controversial £25m academy. An information session, held at Eastbourne Comprehensive School last night, saw many parents come out in support of the plan. Darlington Borough Council
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Ecological bungalow scheme for elderly
TEN eco-friendly bungalows have been built in Darlington as part of a £1.1m scheme. The development of two-bedroom houses in the Firthmoor part of town has been created to meet the needs of older people, but they can be adapted for family use. They have
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Residents: road is accident waiting to happen
RESIDENTS of a congested street leading to an industrial estate have branded it an "accident waiting to happen" unless speeding restrictions are introduced. Many homeowners on East Mount Road, in Darlington, say the volume and speed of the traffic has
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Stabbed warden's HIV fears
A FEMALE traffic warden faces an agonising 18-month wait to find out if she has the HIV virus - after a stranger stabbed her with a hypodermic needle. The 24-year-old last night spoke of her anger at the man, who laughed as he stabbed her in the arm while
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Helen opens salon
A THRIVING but small hair dressing business has taken the natural extension by moving to high street premises. Owner Helen Stratoudakis has made the big step from a mobile business, going to customers homes 18 months ago, to opening a two-storey salon
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Sex act dentist's career is in ruins trial told
AN NHS dentist who masturbated over a teenage patient as she lay unconscious in his chair having had a tooth out walked free from court yesterday. Lee Gaukrodger, who initially tried to pass off semen in the 19-year-old's hair as polishing paste, later
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Northern Rock breaks the £0.5bn barrier on profits
NORTHERN Rock pushed profits through the landmark £0.5bn mark yesterday as it said it expected further robust growth in 2006. With record profits up by 14.3 per cent, record lending and an increase in market share in 2005, the North-East mortgage lender
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Blair hints at U-turn over police forces merger plans
TONY Blair hinted at a U-turn on unpopular police force mergers yesterday as Cleveland lobbied MPs against a single force for the North-East. The Prime Minister said forces might be allowed to work together more closely on cross-border crime, without
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Business confidence on rise in region
CONFIDENCE among businesses in the region has rocketed despite a slump in sales in 2005. Although many North-East firms have struggled in the past 12 months, most expect to boost turnover, order levels and profitability in the first half of 2006, according
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Tripping the light fantastic
There are golden beaches fringed with palms. There are mountains, blue-green, purple and gold, their high sunlit pastures rainbow-bright with flowers. There are houses in ochre and pink and cream ranged beside water so intensely blue it hurts the eyes
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When friendship takes flight
THEY say dads are just big kids. But some dads are bigger kids than others. Take my mate Phil... When the snow came recently, me and Phil took the kids sledging and we let our wives come along for the walk. The kids were all really keen, except our eldest
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Asbestos sufferers awaiting decision
THE High Court will this morning rule on future compensation claims from hundreds of sufferers of an asbestos-related condition in the region. The appeal judgement will finally resolve a legal battle by former workers from shipyards and the construction
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Curtain lifts on £170m plan as hunt for developer begins
THE search for a big-name developer to lead a £170m scheme, which will transform a North-East town centre and create up to 2,000 jobs, begins today. Tees Valley Regeneration (TVR), which is behind the Central Park scheme in Darlington, is showing more
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On TV
Animal Attraction: Femme Fatales (five) Who Do You Think You Are? (BBC2) CILLA Black never warned contestants about this on Blind Date - males forced to trek 70 kilometres on a date, a rat-like marsupial dying from too much sex and a mating ritual that
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Exciting times for Quakers
DARLINGTON manager David Hodgson last night expressed his desire to "excite fans" with his next signing. After watching his side move into the play-off zone following last week's comprehensive win at Oxford, Hodgson does not believe there is a better
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MP's views and schedule go online
BISHOP Auckland MP Helen Goodman will keep her constituents up to date via the world wide web after the launch of her own Internet site. Ms Goodman has set up the website to inform local people about upcoming events and surgeries and give her views on
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Church plan wins support of historic buildings group
PLANS to convert an empty church into a health and fitness centre have won the support of historic building experts. The Victorian Society has signalled its support of proposals to create the facility, in the disused St Luke's Church, in Sedgefield. The
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Increase in festival budget
A TEESDALE town council will be increasing its precept by 10.5 per cent. Barnard Castle Town Council's proposal to raise its precept from £50,500 to £55,810, was given the go-ahead by the full council on Monday evening. The council's finance committee
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Home development is opened
MOTOCROSS champion Brad Anderson opened a housing development in his home town, and made one of the biggest buys of his life at the same time. The 24-year-old British Four Stroke motocross champion bought one of the first houses at Valley Rise, on the
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Main street facelift backed
A COUNCIL says its plans for smartening up a village's main street have won support from residents. Durham County Council held an exhibition of its plans for Front Street, in Witton Gilbert, and said that the 50 people who attended supported the proposals
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Green-fingered young people help mayor plant trees
PLAYING fields in Ferryhill have been given a much-needed boost with the planting of trees. Mayor Julie Bainbridge joined members of Ferryhill's E-Caf to plant 24 trees on the King George V Playing Fields at the weekend. The trees were bought with a grant
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Car park is extended - as thank-you
A WATER company has extended a council car park to thank workers for their patience during an £800,000 sewer revamp. Yorkshire Water upgraded the sewers below the car park at County Hall, Northallerton, last year. The company has now concreted over the
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Plan unveiled for rail and road freight interchange
A MULTI-MILLION pound road and rail freight interchange could be built in the region, near the East Coast Main Line and the A1(M). A planning application for the facility, which would be part of an office and industrial development on 464 acres of land
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Teenager arrested by armed police
ARMED police were called to an estate when a teenager fired an airgun from a bathroom window. Bradley Appleby was shooting at trees from an upstairs window of his grandmother's home, in Chatham Square, Sunderland, when a pellet went astray. Newcastle
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Fun reading sessions for children
YOUNGSTERS are being invited to discover the joys of reading at a series of fun events. Hartlepool Borough Council's library service is staging the free events from Monday to Friday next week, to mark National Storytelling Week. Professional storyteller
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Drug dealer is jailed
A DRUG dealer who tried to flush heroin down the toilet during a police raid on his home was jailed yesterday. Stephen Trotter pleaded guilty to possessing heroin with a street value of £600 and was sent to prison for a month by Harrogate magistrates.
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First networking day for women is a success
NETWORKING conferences for Hambleton businesswomen could become a regular event following the success of the inaugural event. More than 50 people visited the Springboard Business Centre, in Stokesley, for the first Inspire event. It saw exhibitions from
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Off-form Federer still too hot for Davydenko
Roger Federer squeezed through to the semi-finals of the Australian Open after seeing off fifth seed Nikolay Davydenko in four sets. The world number one struggled against Tommy Haas in the last 16 and he was again a long way from his imperious best,
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Police oppose 24-hour drinks party
POLICE are trying to call time on plans for a 24-hour drinks party on Teesside. But last night, one of the organisers vowed to fight the bid to stop the event. Paul Angus, events manager at the Blue nightspot in Middlesbrough, is seeking a temporary licence
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Rich pickings for swimming siblings
A BROTHER and sister cost their parents dear when they excelled in a recent swimming competition. Jodie and Robert Galtrey, from Thirsk, managed to beat five personal bests by nearly two seconds each, meaning they took a £20 bonus from their mother and
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Becky's guinea pig website looks for nibbles from on-line buyers
A GUINEA pig enthusiast has launched an on-line pet shop. Becky Magson, 23, from East Appleton, near Richmond, first published a guinea pig advice and information website five years ago. Now she has started selling equipment to owners of small pets through
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Comment from The Northern Echo: Every parent's nightmare
SOCIETY faces a dilemma when it comes to paedophiles and we do not pretend there is an easy answer. On the one hand we believe that parents have a fundamental right to know if a paedophile is living in their community. How could anyone argue with a parent
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Kennel staff win recognition for flood rescue
KENNEL staff who risked their lives to save 29 dogs from drowning have received an award for bravery. Mary Griffiths and her partner, Ray Yoward, plunged into rising flood waters to free the trapped dogs. Their kennels, in Hawnby, near Pickering, North
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Two parties for Ina to celebrate 100 years
CAKE and candles and a party helped celebrate Thomasina Grange's 100th birthday. Family from as far as Canada joined the former school dinnerlady at the Parkside Day Centre, in Billingham, on Tuesday, the second party to mark her birthday. Her son, Don
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Clergyman leaving to be vicar on Guernsey
LIFE has gone full circle for the Reverend Philip Carrington. At 57, the grandfather of one is leaving Teesside to become a vicar on the island of Guernsey where he worked as an electronics engineer before he was ordained, 21 years ago. "We are staggered
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Sex act dentist's career is in ruins trial told
AN NHS dentist who masturbated over a teenage patient as she lay unconscious in his chair having had a tooth out walked free from court yesterday. Lee Gaukrodger, who initially tried to pass off semen in the 19-year-old's hair as polishing paste, later
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Boyd spot on in comeback
ADAM BOYD will be monitored this morning after making a scoring return to action for Hartlepool United, writes Paul Fraser. The highly-rated striker, who has not played since September 3 with a serious knee injury, scored from the penalty spot for Pool
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Town in shock over child sex supporter
A MAN with a 25-year link to a paedophile network has been living in a North-East town, it emerged last night. Sixty-year-old Thomas O'Carroll, a founding member and former head of the now defunct Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE), was arrested in
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Ex-civic chairman denies stealing
A FORMER council chairman has appeared in court to deny stealing money from a community association in his ward. Alex Clements spoke only to confirm his name and address and to plead not guilty to two charges of theft, when he appeared at Sedgefield Magistrates
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Arrests in early morning drug raid
Nine people were arrested this morning after a major drug raid in a County Durham village. Around 50 police officers swooped on addresses in Great Lumley, near Chester-le-Street, including the Warriors' Arms pub in Front Street, where four people were
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John North: Drawing on a colourful past
A book about a former court sketcher evokes memories of a cruel but highly colourful time. FOR reasons which need not concern today's column - written in its entirety on the 12.02 from Darlington to Kings Cross - Robin Brooks in Richmond wonders about
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Recognising those who make difference
A CHURCH service, recognising the efforts of people who have made a significant contribution to their community, will mark Holocaust Memorial Day in Darlington today. The service, in the Dolphin Centre Central Hall, starts at 2pm and will be led by the
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When the going gets tough...
A TEAM of martial arts experts will be aiming to record an unprecedented third title this weekend. Darlington Boxing and Martial Arts Academy will be competing in the Tough Guy challenge on Sunday. Last year, the academy won both the winter and summer
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Final curtain for long-serving usherettes
THE show is over for two theatre usherettes who are retiring after working for a combined total of nearly 25 years. Margaret Hawkins and Joan Adams are leaving the jobs they love at Darlington Civic Theatre to spend more time with their families. Mrs
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Dad At Large
THEY say dads are just big kids. But some dads are bigger kids than others. Take my mate Phil... When the snow came recently, me and Phil took the kids sledging and we let our wives come along for the walk. The kids were all really keen, except our eldest
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Council made parking errors
A NORTH-EAST council made a string of errors when it took control of a city's parking from the police, according to a report. Campaigner Neil Herron has been calling on Sunderland City Council to scrap on-street parking restrictions and refund everyone
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Woman, 77, in hospital after blaze
A PENSIONER was last night recovering in hospital after being rescued unconscious from her blazing home. The 77-year-old was found collapsed on the floor by firefighters who smashed their way into the smoke-filled house in Durham Road, Humbleton, Sunderland
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Delay frustrates council in plan to regenerate shopping
DEMOLITION work has begun on a disused bus station as part of a plan to regenerate a former mining town. But a multi-million pound development in its place has been delayed. Bulldozers moved in this week to tear down the dingy brickwork shelter in Stanley
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Set up for the day with hearty breakfast
A TEESDALE farm shop is celebrating Farmhouse Breakfast Week. The Broom Mill Farm Shop at the Thorpe Farm Centre, on the A66 near Greta Bridge, is promoting cooked breakfasts and locally-grown produce, on Saturday and Sunday, between noon and 2pm. Matthew
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Missing miner - suspect released
POLICE searching for a miner who disappeared nearly four years ago last night confirmed they had released without charge a fourth person arrested in connection with his murder. A police spokesman said a 45-year-old man from Sherburn Hill, County Durham
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26/01/06
COUNCIL TAX: IN TWO months' time we will be faced with the annual hike in council tax bills. Since Labour came to power in 1997, council tax has risen by a massive 80 per cent. This is desperately unfair for pensioners and those on a fixed income. Durham
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Who will have the write stuff for this year's title?
A SUCCESSFUL national short story competition has been launched for the third year, with a new category and more prize money on offer. Orange New Voices is organised by Darlington's Inscribe Media Limited backed, as in previous years, by The Northern
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Pleural plaques sufferers lose claim for compensation
Thousands of workers suffering from pleural plaques after being exposed to asbestos at work have lost their claim for compensation. The Court of Appeal this morning overturned the right of pleural plaque sufferers to receive compensation for the condition
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Police launch murder investigation after body found
Police have launched a murder-style enquiry after a woman's body was found at a house. The woman, believed to be in her forties was found at a house in Pity Me, County Durham. A man, also believed to be in his forties, was arrested at the scene. Police
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Public and private link
A programme to improve links between the public and private sectors has won a Government minister's backing as it celebrates its first year. David Miliband, the Government minister for communities and local government, praised the North-East People Exchange
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Experts offer advice to cut winter deaths
EXPERTS have urged North-East people to take winter weather more seriously after research showed that cold weather kills hundreds every year. Health officials are recommending that everyone should consider wearing warm clothing, including hats and gloves
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1,700 face the sack at Rentokil
UP to 1,700 workers were braced for redundancy yesterday after Rentokil Initial cut its losses on its UK linen and workwear services business. Rentokil said the business had suffered from a significant lack of investment, an inefficient distribution structure
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Child sex campaign leader in our midst
A MAN with a 25-year link to a paedophile network has been living in a North-East town, it emerged last night. Sixty-year-old Thomas O'Carroll, a founding member and former head of the now defunct Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE), was arrested in
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McClaren to stay but contract row goes on
STEVE McCLAREN has no intention of quitting Middlesbrough and has taken a temporary vow of silence to prove his contract farce remains a non-issue at the Riverside Stadium. Boro's supporters have become increasingly frustrated by the manager suggesting
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Twins born 14 weeks early enjoy the most special of birthdays
TWINS born 14 weeks prematurely will celebrate their second birthday today. Last year, Charlie Fletcher was so ill that the family could not celebrate, as he spent his birthday recovering from an operation. But this time, he and his sister Alanniah will
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Impressive Prince Of Slane aims for Scottish National
A tilt at the Scottish Grand National could be on the cards for the progressive Prince Of Slane after he put up another solid staying performance to score at Catterick. Melsonby trainer Alan Swinbank's seven-year-old came from well off the pace to win
