Archive
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Bid to create 70,000 jobs
AMBITIOUS targets to create 70,000 jobs in the region within ten years have been set by a scheme tasked with bridging the £30bn North-South divide. Leaders of the Northern Way initiative held a summit in York yesterday to update business and civic leaders
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Girl rescued from burning house
Fire fighters who rescued a terrified 11-year-old girl from a blazing house, have condemned the vandals who set her home on fire. Ron Carr, station officer at Middlesbrough fire station said: "The front of the property was well alight. We were told everyone
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Hospital tent providing the best treatment for soldiers
THE week before I flew into Basra, in southern Iraq, the field hospital had dealt with three fatalities. One soldier was killed by a sniper, another hit by a roadside bomb, and the third died in a road accident. Staff at the main British hospital were
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Training centre to find IT solutions
A TRAINING centre has opened in the North-East in partnership with IT solutions firm Technology Services Group (TSG). InterQuad Learning has recently launched its twelfth training centre within TSG's head office in Gosforth, Newcastle. InterQuad Learning's
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Comment from The Northern Echo: Henges must prove their worth
THE battle over the Thornborough Henges is a classic conflict between the environment and industry; between the past and the future. All too often, The Northern Echo has the sad duty to report on job losses in its circulation area. We therefore sympathise
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Hospital tent providing the best treatment for soldiers
THE week before I flew into Basra, in southern Iraq, the field hospital had dealt with three fatalities. One soldier was killed by a sniper, another hit by a roadside bomb, and the third died in a road accident. Staff at the main British hospital were
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A recurring case of vowel play
M GEORGES Perec (1936-82) was a French novelist said best to be remembered for two great works, both of them manifestly barmy. (The French may have a word for it, too.) The first, in French, is a 5,000-word palindrome - that is to say, something that,
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Campaign to keep footballer in the UK
A FOOTBALL team are battling to stop one of their players from being deported. Marske United, in east Cleveland, are worried that former professional footballer Ballo Ousimaine, 22, could be put on a plane back to his native Ivory Coast after losing his
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Student nurse fell into coma and died
A STUDENT nurse who was one day away from completing her hospital placement collapsed on a children's ward and died. Student nurse Sara Ann Cole was nearing the end of her nursing training course when she suffered a brain haemorrhage and slipped into
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Crash driver's bystander ploy
A YOUNG driver abandoned his van and pretended to be an innocent bystander after knocking down a pensioner on a quiet country lane. Sixty-eight-year-old Margaret O'Sullivan was left injured in the road when she was hit by a van driven Daniel Robert England
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Worker denies rape bid
A FAST food restaurant worker tried to rape a teenage woman when the pair were alone at the premises late at night, a court was told. Kevin James Abson is accused of soaking the 16-year-old in soapy water before carrying out a sex attack when she went
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Charles the 'dissident' prince
The Prince of Wales sees himself as a "dissident" working against political opinion, a court heard yesterday. He also knows politicians are worried about his outspoken views, the High Court was told. The revelations were contained in a witness statement
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Pair on track for medals at Games
A NORTH-EAST student and a lecturer are hoping to boost England's chances of medal success in the Commonwealth Games in Australia. Johanna Jackson will be competing in the 20km race walking event, with high hopes of a medal in her first major competition
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Cleaner says she can tame pub with -high level of violent crime'
A GRANDMOTHER has taken over the pub where she was, until recently, the cleaner. Janice James said she is confident she can tame The Grove Inn, Middlesbrough - despite police saying that it suffers from an "extremely high level of violent crime". The
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Jury shown video of attack at club
A JURY has been shown a video of the events leading up to an attack on a man who was hit with a baton-style weapon and left with severe facial injuries. Trevor Fletcher denies the attack on John Myers which followed a New Year's Eve party at the Dorman's
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Water charges rise again
HOUSEHOLD water and sewerage bills will rise by an average 5.5 per cent across England and Wales, industry regulator Ofwat said yesterday. Northumbrian Water customers will see their bills rise by 5.6 per cent in April to an average of £268, below the
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Market report
Lower oil stocks derailed the FTSE 100 Index yesterday as further strides towards the 6000 barrier came to nothing. Takeover activity in Europe boosted energy stocks while gains for insurers and banks had earlier looked like continuing the market's recent
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Plea to driver after death
POLICE have appealed for a driver to come forward following a collision in which a pedestrian died. The accident happened in Westgate Road, near the Newcastle Tyne Theatre and Opera House, at 1.25am on Saturday. Alex Kirkpatrick, 49, of Summerhill Terrace
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Roofer admits charging £1,037 for £35 job
A ROOFER who charged £1,037 for materials worth just £35 has been handed a suspended prison sentence. James Varey, who ran his own business, Varey Roofing, Building and Joinery, cold-called on 57-year-old Ronald Pratt in Northallerton, North Yorkshire
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Warning after elderly targeted by thieves
ELDERLY homeowners are warned to be vigilant after a spate of distraction thefts. The first theft in Middlesbrough was at 9.25am on Sunday, when a man conned his way into a 95-year-old's home in Stoneleigh Avenue, Whinney Banks, and took her purse, cash
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Peacock eager to help revive Quakers' hopes
ANTHONY Peacock may have suffered the frustration of watching Darlington's best spell of the season from the sidelines, but now the midfielder is ready to play his part in helping his side back into the play-off reckoning. Manager David Hodgson felt 20
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Rok solid case for makeover
PROPERTY developer Rok is to give Teesside Combined Courts a £100,000 makeover, without disrupting proceedings. Rok Property Solutions, which has offices in Teesside and Tyneside, will refit the Civil Court 2 with two separate Judges' chambers. Rok will
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Copthorne group's 45% profits
UPMARKET hotels group Millennium & Copthorne said high occupancy and increased revenues at its three New York premises helped boost profits 45 per cent last year. The company, which has 91 hotels worldwide, including the Copthorne Hotel, in Newcastle
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Barclays unveils a 15% profit increase
BARCLAYS yesterday unveiled a 15 per cent increase in annual profits to £5.28bn. The improvement was in line with expectations, but included a 19 per cent drop in profitability at Barclaycard after a greater hit on bad debt levels. High street banking
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Riggott for England - Queudrue
FIT-AGAIN full back Franck Queudrue has expressed his "complete amazement" at Middlesbrough team-mate Chris Riggott's inability to win a place in the England squad. With Rio Ferdinand struggling for form and Sol Campbell battling against both injury and
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Mystery as show suddenly cancelled
MYSTERY surrounds the cancellation of a show that was due to be performed in the North-East next month Personals, which has been co-written by award-winning sit-com writers, was to go on stage at Darlington Civic Theatre. But staff at the theatre announced
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Things are better in twos
WHEN you think about it, an awful lot of useful things come in pairs. Arms, legs, hands, eyes, various other bits and bobs - and parents. It takes two to tango, two to make a child. Nature wasn't daft. If she didn't think it took two people to raise a
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Matmata overhauls big deficit for thrilling win
THEY say the show must go on and despite a wicked combination of snow, sleet, hail and rain, Sedgefield's meeting went ahead as planned yesterday. One man who was delighted the fixture passed an early morning inspection was Middleham trainer Andy Crook
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Jones set for Test return
England are on course to field their fantastic four in the opening Test after Simon Jones came through the opening tour game unscathed. Although Indian conditions traditionally suit spin and will undoubtedly aid the home attack, it would be a surprise
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Battle goes on for the 'Stonehenge of North'
THE battle over a 5,000-year-old monument labelled the Stonehenge of the North took a new turn last night after construction company Tarmac said it would contest a ruling preventing it extending a quarry. Campaigners were delighted when North Yorkshire
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Bid to create 70,000 jobs
AMBITIOUS targets to create 70,000 jobs in the region within ten years have been set by a scheme tasked with bridging the £30bn North-South divide. Leaders of the Northern Way initiative held a summit in York yesterday to update business and civic leaders
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Ex-target Bent poses big threat to Magpies
WITH Alan Shearer and Michael Owen in their forward line, Newcastle already boast the faces of England past and present. When Charlton visit St James' Park this evening, the Magpies will be reminded of how close they came to signing the face of England
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Mystery as show suddenly cancelled
MYSTERY surrounds the cancellation of a show that was due to be performed in the North-East next month Personals, which has been co-written by award-winning sit-com writers, was to go on stage at Darlington Civic Theatre. But staff at the theatre announced
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Vowel play
M GEORGES Perec (1936-82) was a French novelist said best to be remembered for two great works, both of them manifestly barmy. (The French may have a word for it, too.) The first, in French, is a 5,000-word palindrome - that is to say, something that,
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Middlesbrough's plans for casino
A North-East town has unveiled its spectacular glimpse of the future if it wins the fight for the UK's first and only super casino. Leading casino operators Aspers have been chosen to take forward the bid for a £180m casino and leisure complex at Middlesbrough's
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Beauty pageant hopeful
A NORTH-EAST beautician will be representing the region in the Miss Great Britain 2006 contest on Saturday. Preeti Desai, 24, will be appearing as Miss Cleveland in front of a 1,000-strong audience, a panel of judges, and a host of celebrities, at The
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On TV
Holby City (BBC1) Jane is lying on a hospital trolley on her way to theatre for an emergency heart by-pass operation. Suddenly another trolley bearing her husband pulls up alongside. Or what's left of her husband. Not for nothing is this episode called
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Henry's Pride can make amends for Sedgefield defeat
FAILING to side with Henry's Pride (2.20) at Southwell could prove a costly mistake in the Beginners Chase. Despite looking a tad tubby in the parade ring on his Sedgefield comeback, Henry's Pride belied those flabby features by finishing in second spot
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Matmata overhauls big deficit for thrilling win
THEY say the show must go on and despite a wicked combination of snow, sleet, hail and rain, Sedgefield's meeting went ahead as planned yesterday. One man who was delighted the fixture passed an early morning inspection was Middleham trainer Andy Crook
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Two are better than one
WHEN you think about it, an awful lot of useful things come in pairs. Arms, legs, hands, eyes, various other bits and bobs - and parents. It takes two to tango, two to make a child. Nature wasn't daft. If she didn't think it took two people to raise a
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Appeal vow after quarry decision
THE battle over a 5,000-year-old monument labelled the Stonehenge of the North took a new turn last night after construction company Tarmac said it would contest a ruling preventing it extending a quarry. Campaigners were delighted when North Yorkshire
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Tributes paid to young man with a passion for justice
TRIBUTES have been paid to a popular young man who helped dozens of homeless people in his home town. Andrew Christopher Banks died suddenly at his home in Wycombe Street, Darlington, on Friday, aged 26. Police have said that there are no suspicious circumstances
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Inquest told of driver who was high on drugs cocktail
A MOTORIST who died after crashing a stolen minibus into the back of an articulated lorry was high on a cocktail of drugs, an inquest heard. Toxicology tests on William Shippen revealed traces of heroin, cocaine, methadone, diazepam and cannabis in his
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Pub prepares for return of 'kidnapped' mascot
A PUB mascot who went on a round-the-world tour for a year after being "kidnapped" is coming home. A party is being planned at the Three Tuns in Sadberge, near Darlington, to celebrate the imminent arrival of Bertie O'Murphy, the 2ft-high singing leprechaun
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Cold case team to look for new clues
DETECTIVES are reopening their inquiry into the disappearance of a North-East student three years ago. Craig Hetherington, of Guisborough, vanished after a night out with friends in Middlesbrough in February 2003. Despite an intensive search, appeals
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Mayor proposal for 'city region'
A POWERFUL elected mayor should enjoy tax-raising powers over an area stretching from north of Newcastle into County Durham, a report will conclude today. The study proposes a single leader for the Newcastle "city region", with a £300m annual budget for
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Man admits headbutt
A MAN faces jail after he admitted attacking a member of staff at a pizza takeaway who refused to serve him. Darren Sayers headbutted Ahmet Vural, leaving him with a cut lip, during the incident at Vinos pizza shop in Brotton, east Cleveland. Sayers,
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Shop worker jailed over fake refunds
SHOP worker Paul Watson was locked up for 12 months after he admitted stealing more than £11,000 from the till. Watson, 23, had been fiddling the till for 18 months at Game by pretending to give refunds to customers, said prosecutor Sue Jacobs. A check
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Search for spoof note prankster
A NORTH-EAST university is looking for the prankster behind a spoof notice which has been circulating on the Internet. Durham University said it was checking to see if there had been a misuse of its computer system after the false notice came to light
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Training centre to find IT solutions
A TRAINING centre has opened in the North-East in partnership with IT solutions firm Technology Services Group (TSG). InterQuad Learning has recently launched its twelfth training centre within TSG's head office in Gosforth, Newcastle. InterQuad Learning's
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S&N looking forward to World Cup
SCOTTISH & Newcastle said "phenomenal" sales of Foster's lager and Strongbow cider in the UK boosted annual profits by nearly ten per cent last year. John Smith's bitter and Kronenbourg 1664 lager also performed well as the UK's largest brewer raised
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Wimpy - strong year ahead
HOUSEBUILDER George Wimpey counted the cost of last year's weaker housing market to reveal a 16 per cent fall in full-year profits yesterday. The group said pre-tax profits for 2005 fell from a record £437.6m in 2004 to £366.5m last year, after its UK
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By George, Asda has got it all lined up with expansions
SUPERMARKET group Asda is opening a clothing store in the region as part of its aggressive expansion plans announced yesterday. The UK's second biggest grocer said it is to launch a 10,000sq ft George clothing store in Middlesbrough later this year, creating
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Primark move will create 20 new positions
BUDGET retailer Primark is creating 20 jobs with the relocation of one of its stores in the region. The clothing chain is moving from its site on Northgate, Darlington, into the former Littlewoods store within the town's Cornmill Centre. The move, due
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Tears as blaze destroys hall
VILLAGERS have been left devastated after fire ripped through a £3m community centre in the early hours of yesterday. The centre, in the village of Waterhouses, close to Durham City, suffered massive damage in the fire, which broke out at about 3am. Flames
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Americans go crackers for cheese
AMERICANS cannot get enough of Wallace and Gromit's favourite cheese. The Wensleydale Creamery, in North Yorkshire, is preparing for an order from a US grocery firm that has 165 stores. Dairy bosses from Hawes, in Wensleydale, are also in talks with two
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Murphy insists he's the man to end Cats' woes
WHILE Jon Stead continues to wait for an end to his marathon goalscoring duck, fellow Sunderland striker Daryl Murphy is hoping his first Premiership goal proves a stepping stone to even greater success. Despite making just one senior start since his
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It wasn't rock 'n' roll - but they liked it
IN the beginning, before rock 'n' roll and a whole decade before the Beatles, there were boys making music out of washboards and tea-chests. This was called skiffle, and they were called the Black Jacks. They formed in 1955 and, for drummer Roy Richardson
