Archive
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Scott Wilson writes...
IF possession is nine-tenths of the law, then a caretaker-manager role cannot be too far away from a permanent position. Rarely, if ever, can Newcastle and Sunderland have been under the control of a temporary ruler at the same time but, in Glenn Roeder
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Consultant surgeon arrested over death
A CONSULTANT surgeon has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after a patient he had been treating died, The Northern Echo can reveal. The surgeon, who has not been identified, is at the centre of an investigation into the death of 60-year-old Alan
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06/03/06
RURAL POST OFFICES: LAST week there was much ado about the threat to close upwards of 10,000 rural post offices in Britain; causing much distress to their customers and the hard-pressed small business community. The fate of the post offices centred on
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John North: West side story
Darlington already had a North Park and a South Park when the West one opened recently. But according to one enthusiast, residents seem unaware of its existence... and they are missing out. MONDAY was lovely. Tim Stahl climbed to the top of the little
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Alarm at cash crisis in NHS
FRESH evidence of the cash crisis facing the NHS emerged last night in the wake of the sudden departure of its top executive. A series of examples of cutbacks highlighted the pressure senior hospital managers were facing to make ends meet. In Greater
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£300 price tag on good behaviour
DISADVANTAGED teenagers in the North-East are to be given up to £300 in vouchers by the Government as an incentive to keep out of trouble. The swipe-card vouchers, which will be redeemable against sports, drama or leisure facilities - and perhaps even
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Fraudster told to prepare for prison
A BUSINESS advisor who has admitted pocketing £150,000 from his clients was told yesterday to prepare himself for a jail sentence. David John Hodgson, 43, who had trials with Middlesbrough Football club as a youngster, pleaded guilty in Newcastle Crown
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Survivor 'did all he could to save mountain victims'
A CLIMBER who risked his life in an attempt to save his father and two friends trapped in a snowstorm was last night back home with his family. Stephen Riddiough, 30, risked his own survival in an effort to get help after the climbers became stranded
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Cole in a hot streak
TEESSIDER Rob Cole made it three wins out of five to retain his North Yorkshire and South Durham senior men's title at Richmond. Cole, who left Middlesbrough Mandale last year to join British Athletics League Division One outfit Newham and Essex Beagles
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Town unveils blue plaque at birthplace of cricketing legend
ONE of the region's greatest cricketers was honoured yesterday by the town in which he was born. A blue plaque marking the birthplace of famous Yorkshire and England cricketer, George Gibson MacAulay, was unveiled at Town End, Thirsk. The plaque, detailing
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Comment from The Northern Echo: A ghostly albatross
THE bitter stalemate involving the so-called "ghost ships" becomes more frustrating with every day that passes. We all know that the region desperately needs jobs. Indeed, the local economy surrounding Hartlepool suffered another heavy blow yesterday
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Spalletti frustrated by pitch
FRUSTRATED AS Roma boss Luciano Spalletti last night suggested Middlesbrough's chances of gaining the upper-hand in the UEFA Cup last-16 meeting have been given a helping hand by the state of the Riverside Stadium pitch. The Teesside turf was waterlogged
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McClaren preparing to rock Roma and Europe
AFTER delivering perfect performances to overcome three of the Premiership's best this season, Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren has called for an English-style display that will send shockwaves around Europe tonight. Former Italian champions AS Roma
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Henges second in English icon poll
ONLY months ago, few people had heard of them, but some of England's oldest monuments have suddenly become among the best-loved in the country. Parts of the neolithic henges at Thornborough, near Ripon, North Yorkshire, date from 6000BC, but until they
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Rebecca helps charity hitching way to Africa
AN ADVENTUROUS teenager is to embark on a trip to Africa at the end of the month - using only her thumb. Rebecca Kitson, 19, will hitchhike to Morocco with two friends, to raise funds for Link Community Development. The charity works to improve education
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NRgetic youngsters
YOUNGSTERS can get NRgetic next week with a range of activities on Teesside. The NRgetic event takes place at The Willows Community Resource Centre on Saturday, March 18, from 12.30pm to 3.30pm, and will include activities, such as face-painting, arts
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Employees criticise decision as playscheme is shut down
A PLAYSCHEME which provides childcare for civil servants' children during school holidays is to close, it was announced yesterday. Employees at Mowden Hall, in Darlington, and trade union officials criticised the "shocking" decision to shut down the 48
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Kelsey ready to take on UK's best
A DARLINGTON youngster is to represent the region at a gymnastics competition later this year. Eight-year-old Kelsey Garbutt will represent the North after winning the North of England Gymnastics Level 4 Compulsory Competition. She will now compete against
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Store opens doors after facelift
A FAMILY retailer in Darlington has re-opened after a refurbishment. Woolworths, on Northgate, was opened yesterday. St Mary's Under 8s football team won a competition run in conjunction with all new Woolworths store openings, which included winning a
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Villagers welcome building proposal
OUTLINE plans to build houses, flats and business units on a steelworks site were welcomed by villagers yesterday. Banks Developments has pledged to include the views of local people in arriving at final proposals for transforming land at Wolsingham Steelworks
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Why trust really does matter
It's not just politicians who tell lies. We're all doing it, more than ever before. Or so it would seem from two recent surveys. One found that politicians are readier than they once were to bend and distort the truth. The other, that we're all more inclined
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Sure Start scheme 'a success'
CRITICISMS of the national Sure Start programme, which aims to improve the lives of children from birth - cannot be applied in Darlington, a committee has heard. A national evaluation of the programme was carried out and published in November. It found
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Second blow for opencast scheme
A CAMPAIGN has succeeded in blocking plans to create an 111-acre opencast mine in the North-East after planners rejected the application for a second time. Hall Construction Services wanted to extract 480,000 tonnes of coal and 100,000 tonnes of fireclay
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Bikers urged to mark machines in fight against theft
BIKERS are being urged to help police put a brake on a growing joyride craze. Cleveland Police receive thousands of complaints every year from across Teesside about tearaways on trail bikes roaring across playing fields and open spaces. Police say a large
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Teenager spared jail after headbutting policeman
A TEENAGER who headbutted a police officer as he was being arrested has been spared jail. Eighteen-year-old Terrence Young, of St Steven's Close, Crook, appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates Court yesterday, charged with assaulting a police constable
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Warning to keep keys out of sight
HOUSEHOLDERS in the Newton Aycliffe area are being warned to keep their car keys out of sight after thieves struck for the second time in two weeks. A Ford Street Ka convertible was taken from a driveway in the town's Oaklea Mews between 10pm on Tuesday
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Villagers get second chance to have say on speed limit
VILLAGERS fighting for a lower speed limit on the busy road that splits their community are to be consulted again after the intervention of a watchdog. Residents of Chester Moor, near Chester-le-Street, are pressing for a 50mph top speed on the A167 dual
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Academy open for talented youngsters
TALENTED young sports stars in the Tees Valley are to be guided to success with the launch of a new sports academy. The Tees Active Sports Academy was launched on Tuesday by Paralympic gold medalist Tanni Grey-Thompson, offering some of the brightest
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Trish wins commendation for her prison health work
A NURSE who has helped transform mental health services for inmates at one of the country's toughest prisons has been praised at a national event. Trish Hodgson, from Spennymoor, County Durham, has spent the past four years working at Frankland Prison
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Firm creates ten jobs
A MANUFACTURER of conservatory roofs will create ten jobs as it looks to expand its operations across the North-East. Quality Roofing Systems (QRS), which relocated from North Yorkshire to £900,000 premises in Hartlepool last year, plans to set up partnering
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Thousands will listen as children air their views
YOUNGSTERS are being given a chance to go public on issues they feel passionately about. An audio project is under way giving young people the chance to create their own radio programme - and then have it broadcast to thousands. The Your Voice Your Future
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Rental company Vp makes another acquisition
EQUIPMENT rental specialist Vp expects its fourth acquisition in two years to more than double profits in its oilfield division. The North Yorkshire-based plc announced yesterday it had bought Bukom General Oilfield Services for £5.7m. Bukom supplies
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Workers stopped stoning of train
QUICK-thinking railway workers have been praised for catching youths who were preparing to throw stones at high-speed East Coast Main Line trains. The workers, who are employed by Network Rail, spotted the teenagers beside the line at Ferryhill, midway
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Brewery backs jobs scheme with £2,500
AN innovative scheme to help people in rural areas find a job and travel to it has won the backing of a local brewery. Hambleton Ales has pledged its support to North Yorkshire's local employment enabling scheme, Wheels 2 Work. Brewery founder Nick Stafford
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Final decision over school bus charges delayed
A FINAL decision on whether to introduce travel-to-school charges for teenagers in North Yorkshire has been delayed. At an executive committee meeting in Northallerton, councillors approved proposals to introduce the charges for 16 to 18-year-olds living
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Centenarian's many happy returns to festival
RETIRED teacher Dorothy Walker celebrated her 100th birthday yesterday - by opening the music festival she has supported for almost 80 years. She rang the bell to open the 96th Wensleydale Tournament of Song in Leyburn, which she has been patron of since
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Plans for £1m city restaurant
AN entrepreneur is to invest £1m opening an Asian-themed restaurant in one of Durham City's best-known buildings. Entrepreneur Nigel Gadd plans to open the 3,000sq ft Zen oriental restaurant in Durham's former police station, in Court Lane. In 2001, the
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'I use the word surreal every day'
He started his career patrolling the streets of Easington, County Durham. Now Superintendent Tim Wilson is training police in the most hostile police environment on earth - southern Iraq. Lindsay Jennings meets him. TIM Wilson emerges from the plane and
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No resolution to row in sight
The clock is ticking on long-running plans by Able UK to scrap rusting ships in the North-East, as Stuart Arnold reports. ANYONE following the long-running saga could be forgiven for asking whether it will ever end. The original application to convert
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Profits of £239m show coal is not past its Selby date
THE revival of coal as a fuel source was underlined yesterday when the UK's largest coal-fired power station smashed expectations for its annual profits. North Yorkshire-based Drax posted pre-tax earnings of £239m for 2005 in its first results since listing
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09/03/2006
IF possession is nine-tenths of the law, then a caretaker-manager role cannot be too far away from a permanent position. Rarely, if ever, can Newcastle and Sunderland have been under the control of a temporary ruler at the same time but, in Glenn Roeder
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Webster is prepared to put Quakers first
ADRIAN Webster is prepared to put club before country - if it means winning back his place at Darlington. New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert is expected to name Webster in next month's two games against Chile in Santiago. But, with the 25-year-old on the
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Blackmail suspects held in store swoop
STUNNED shoppers watched as police swooped on a suspected blackmail gang in a crowded supermarket car park. A team of plain clothes and uniformed officers carried out the raid after a five-day investigation. A spokesman for Durham Constabulary said last
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Consultant surgeon arrested over death
A CONSULTANT surgeon has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after a patient he had been treating died, The Northern Echo can reveal. The surgeon, who has not been identified, is at the centre of an investigation into the death of 60-year-old Alan
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Guest is left singing in the Catterick rain
HEAVY rain at Catterick yesterday failed to dampen the spirits of Richard Guest, who sent out his fiftieth winner of the season when Move Over won the Alan Thompson 75th Birthday Novices' Handicap Chase. "The owners of Move Over sent him to me from Ireland
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Dad At Large
MY wife hardly ever puts a foot wrong. When it comes to all matters involving the home and the kids, she reigns supreme - a shining example of calm efficiency. So when she does make the occasional mistake, it's well worth making a song and dance about
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Classy Henry can take Pride of place
HENRY'S PRIDE (2.40) has a first-rate opportunity at Carlisle to atone for unseating his rider on a wasted journey to Southwell a fortnight ago. Backed as if defeat was out of the question, supporters of Henry's Pride were in for a nasty shock as he catapulted
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Henges second in English icon poll
ONLY months ago, few people had heard of them, but some of England's oldest monuments have suddenly become among the best-loved in the country. Parts of the neolithic henges at Thornborough, near Ripon, North Yorkshire, date from 6000BC, but until they
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Company facing further ship-breaking hurdle
ABLE UK last night hit yet another stumbling block in its bid to scrap redundant "ghost ship" vessels in the North. The Environment Agency said it maintained its objection to plans to convert the company's Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling
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Rewards for teenagers who stay out of trouble
The Govenment believes it can keep young people out mischief buy offering them £25 a month to behave. Gavin Havery reports. ACCORDING to the Government, respect cannot be learned, purchased or acquired, it can only be earned. Respect has become a buzz
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09/03/06
HEADSTONES SHOCK: ARE the relatives of people buried in the North Cemetery, Darlington, aware of the desecration that has been carried out to their loved ones' headstones? Notices were put on loose headstones, but for people who do not visit very often
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Survivor 'did all he could'
A CLIMBER who risked his life in an attempt to save his father and two friends trapped in a snowstorm was last night back home with his family. Stephen Riddiough, 30, risked his own survival in an effort to get help after the climbers became stranded
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Guest is left singing in the Catterick rain
HEAVY rain at Catterick yesterday failed to dampen the spirits of Richard Guest, who sent out his fiftieth winner of the season when Move Over won the Alan Thompson 75th Birthday Novices' Handicap Chase. "The owners of Move Over sent him to me from Ireland
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School hit by series of setbacks
A STRUGGLING North-East school has had to close to hundreds of pupils after a week in which it was the victim of an arson attack, a bomb hoax and a flood. Eastbourne Comprehensive, in Darlington, shut its doors to three out of five year groups yesterday
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Rules of work for youngsters explained
YOUNG people who want part-time jobs are being urged to find out what the rules of their employment are. Children must be 13 years old to get a part-time job, and employers must get a work permit from the Education Welfare Service if they are taking on
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Competition for youngsters to paint a picture of sun threat
YOUNG artists in Darlington are being urged to draw attention to the dangers of playing in the sunshine. Prizes are up for grabs in a poster competition run by Darlington Sun Safety Steering Group. The contest will highlight the damage that the sun can
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Meals firm to make 320 redundant
A READY meals manufacturer last night confirmed it was making 320 staff redundant in the region - despite investing millions of pounds at one of its North-East sites. Kerry Foods, which saved hundreds of jobs when it bought Hibernia Foods' ready meals
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Fears allayed over use of sewer pipe to deter travellers
RESIDENTS have raised concerns after sections of sewer pipe were placed near their homes to prevent travellers taking lorries and caravans on to riverside land. But they were promised that the eyesores, and four others due to arrive this week, will look
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Bishop gives his blessing to chapel
THE BISHOP of Hexham and Newcastle visited a Roman Catholic school yesterday to bless a chapel due to be reopened as part of an £8m refurbishment. The Right Reverend Kevin Dunn was at St John's RC Comprehensive School, in Bishop Auckland, County Durham
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Ban to be introduced in hospitals
A SMOKING ban is being introduced in three hospitals in the region. Patients, visitors and staff will not be allowed to smoke inside or in the grounds of the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, North Yorkshire
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Crash driver charged with being over limit
A WOMAN was yesterday charged with drink driving after her car was involved in an accident which left the other driver with a broken shoulder. The charge was brought after a collision in Abbey Road, Darlington, at about 6pm on Tuesday, when a Nissan Pickup
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Funday for charity cash
A FUN day is being held to raise funds for the charity Still-birth and Neo-Natal Death Society later this month. Local fundraising co-ordinators are staging the event at Fyndoune Community College, in Findon Hill, Sacriston, near Durham, on Sunday, March
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Driver led police on 100mph car chase
A MOTORIST who led police on a five-mile car chase while drinking cider narrowly avoided being sent to prison yesterday. Stephen Turton, 33, downed most of a two-litre bottle during the pursuit, as he reached speeds of up to 100mph on the A19, in east
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PCT opts to go it alone in shake-up
A NORTH-EAST primary care trust (PCT) has opted to go it alone in a proposed shake-up of the NHS. But Easington PCT's decision to vote against merging into a single county-wide trust flew in the face of advice from its chief executive, Dr Roger Bolas.
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Roma arrive with revival mission well under way
Middlesbrough enjoyed a taste of the momentous European occasion when Lazio arrived on Teesside last season. Tonight promises to be even bigger and Chief Football Writer Paul Fraser learned a little more about AS Roma by talking to Italian football expert
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Concern over plans for boat house
A PLAN to turn a landmark boat house into a shop has hit choppy waters. Harrogate Borough Council has tabled an application for approval to change the building on the River Nidd, in Knaresborough, to allow retail use between March 15 and October 31 each
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Rebecca helps charity hitching way to Africa
AN ADVENTUROUS teenager is to embark on a trip to Africa at the end of the month - using only her thumb. Rebecca Kitson, 19, will hitchhike to Morocco with two friends, in order to raise funds for Link Community Development. The charity works to improve
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Ambulance auction
A PUB will be hosting a night of entertainment to raise funds for the Great North Air Ambulance. The Turners Mill, in Greenstones Road, Redcar, is holding a charity auction event on Sunday. Bidding guests are invited to start their night with a taste
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Success of IT crowd
AN early-warning IT system launched by a computer consultancy firm has prevented one of its clients' businesses from breaking down. The MindIT system is designed to pick up on computer problems and repair them before the client is aware of them. It has
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Unsung heroes awarded for efforts
UNSUNG heroes across Teesside have been honoured for their achievements. In the seventh annual Mayor's Community Achievement awards, 19 individuals and groups from across the borough were recognised for their efforts. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's
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Blinds factory expands
A MANUFACTURER of sunscreens and blinds for the marine industry is looking to boost turnover by 15 per cent as it moves to larger premises. Solar Solve Marine, which produces anti-glare sunscreens, is moving to a 12,500 sq ft factory at Tyne Dock, in
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It's the engine, it might be flooded
TWO anglers who tried to collect their boat from the beach sparked a £1,000 rescue operation when the tide pulled their car into the sea. A witness said the men drove their car and trailer on to the sand to retrieve the boat off Roker beach, Wearside.
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07/03/06
NOT A FIELD: RE: Illegal camping site to be closed (Echo, Feb 23). I would like the following points to be made clear. The area where the vehicles are parked is not a field as stated, but is industrial land with full planning permission as a coal storage
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Garage ditched in house plan row
TWO dozen residents in a tiny village have complained over a neighbour's ambitious plans to alter their home. Stockton Borough Council has received 26 letters of objection to the proposal to extend and alter the bungalow, known as Summerhill, on High
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People needed to help at green day
A GREEN group is preparing for an action-packed environmental day in north Durham this weekend. The Recreational Action Team (Rat) will be litter-picking, planting native species of heather and designing work for the future. All tools and gloves will
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Residents hold vigil as their community is demolished
PROTESTING residents held a candlelit vigil last night to mark the passing of a once-thriving community. St Hilda's in Middlesbrough, has been earmarked for demolition, to be absorbed into the town's £500m Middlehaven flagship redevelopment of Middlesbrough's
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Park is searched
POLICE yesterday combed a park where two carrier bags that sparked a bomb alert at a police station were found. Forensic experts and sniffer dogs searched Burn Park, next to Sunderland University's Murray Library on Tuesday. The city's Gilbridge Avenue
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Team gets support from bus firm
A GIRLS' football team from Consett has secured a cash handout from a bus company. Go North East donated the money to Blackfyne Girls' Football Club as part of its Busmiles community investment programme. The money will be used to buy new jackets for
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Victim of fatal accident on A19 named by police
POLICE yesterday named the victim of a fatal car accident. The incident took place at the entrance to the Hawthorn Service Station, at Easington, east Durham, on the northbound carriageway of the A19. The victim has been identified as 23-year-old Matthew
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Chieftain's workforce grows
INDUSTRIAL group Chieftain said last night that it had clinched two major contracts in Teesside which saw its workforce there grow to 260 in just over a year. The Newcastle-based plc said its Wilton-based subsidiary company, R Blackett Charlton (RBC),
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Jury hears of amnesia claims
A PSYCHIATRIST has told a murder trial jury that a man's vague memory of events surrounding the death of his wife were typical of a condition known as dissociated amnesia. Dissociated -or "hysterical" - amnesia often affects people involved in traumatic
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Shell's green bid to boost oil supply
ROYAL Dutch Shell yesterday unveiled groundbreaking plans to increase oil production while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Anglo-Dutch company signed an agreement with Norwegian state-owned energy company Statoil to capture harmful carbon dioxide
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'Feeding frenzy' for legal expenses
SOLICITORS and a union have double-charged more than 1,000 miners and textile workers seeking compensation for deafness in a scandal dubbed "the worst yet". The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has refused to pay the fees because of "up to six unnecessary
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Dad At Large: Wrong-footed on the school run
MY wife hardly ever puts a foot wrong. When it comes to all matters involving the home and the kids, she reigns supreme - a shining example of calm efficiency. So when she does make the occasional mistake, it's well worth making a song and dance about
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No let-up in cash restrictions for new boss
CANDIDATES for the vacant Sunderland job have been told the next permanent manager will have to work within the club's strict transfer policy. Caretaker boss Kevin Ball is in the driving position for the seat full-time after being told to steer Sunderland
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On TV
The Armstrongs (BBC2) Dunblane: A Decade On (five) AS John McEnroe said under other circumstances, "You cannot be serious". Watching reality series The Armstrongs leaves me with the feeling that someone is having a laugh. I wouldn't be surprised if at
