Archive
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Date
09/05/06
TIME TO PROTEST: SOME would explain the localised BNP success in the recent elections on the basis that whites in areas with large immigrant communities are ignorant and bigoted about immigration, while those in almost exclusively white areas are well-informed
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Man accused over Big Brother star's injuries
A MAN accused of beating up Big Brother star Anthony Hutton in a nightclub has been given a police caution. Disco dancer Anthony, the winner of the reality television show last year, was left with cuts and bruises after a brawl at Manchester's trendy
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Wasting water can be a drain on resources
BUSINESSES across the region are being urged to enter a competition that acknowledges water efficiency. Backed by a range of organisations, including the Environment Agency (EA) and Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the awards reward
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Pride behind turnaround, says Viduka
BACK in February, when a Middlesbrough fan confronted manager Steve McClaren during a 4-0 home defeat to Aston Villa, striker Mark Viduka also had to contend with grief from disgruntled supporters. As he made his way to his car Viduka had a heated exchange
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Digital media division looks forward to bookings
DESIGN and marketing company Calm Asylum has launched a digital media division. Calm Digital will compete with agencies in the branded marketing and digital design and development markets. Mark Easby, director of Calm Digital, in Middlesbrough, said:
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Gangs 'are using abandoned school for sex and drugs'
GANGS of up to 100 youths are vandalising an abandoned school and holding late-night parties there. Residents near Springfield Primary School, Darlington, say children, some as young as 12, are trespassing in the school grounds and building to drink,
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Water supply in road disrupted
ABOUT 20 homes had their water supplies disrupted when workers accidentally punctured a 4in main in Iveston Road, Delves Lane, near Consett, County Durham, yesterday. A Northumbrian Water spokesman said contractors working for a gas company punctured
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Blind drivers needed for race day
BLIND drivers are being given an opportunity to drive cars at full speed around a track in a charity event. The fundraisers will drive dual-control cars at the Nissan test track, in Sunderland. British School of Motoring instructors will accompany the
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Margaret proud to be a big loser
A WEARDALE woman lost seven stones in 14 months with the help of her daughter. Margaret Booth, 52, from Wear View, Frosterley, went from 17st 10oz to 10st 10oz after embarking on a WeightWatchers course in January last year. It was when her daughter,
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Hospice shop gratitude
A CHARITY shop is marking a decade of trading in Spennymoor. St Cuthbert's Hospice last week celebrated ten years in the town centre by thanking all volunteers, customers and the community that have supported the shop and helped it reach the milestone
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Anger as fly-tipper dumps refuse in restored cemetery
VILLAGERS have spoken of their anger at the desecration of a cemetery by fly-tippers who dumped a lorry load of rubbish in the grounds of a former churchyard. Residents of Quarrington Hill, County Durham, spent years campaigning and working to tidy up
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Exhibits promote old skills
TEXTILE works of art have gone on display in an attempt to introduce a new generation to traditional British crafts. Black and White and Technicolour is a collection of almost 100 items by members of the Durham Guild of Spinners and Weavers, which has
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Worries over development
TOWN councillors at Kirkbymoorside want residents to give their views on the future of the Manor Vale site. The North Yorkshire County Council's highways depot on the site is to be put on the market and redeveloped. But at the annual town assembly, Mayor
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Pledge of safety in workplace
DURHAM City Council has signed an agreement to promote health and safety at work. It has joined County Durham's other district councils in working with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Councillor Carol Woods, cabinet member for environment and leisure
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History of the seaside resort
A TALK on British seaside resorts will be given to the Durham branch of the Historical Association. John Walton, Professor of Social History at the University of Central Lancashire, Preston, will give the talk, called History and Heritage - the 20th Century
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Man exposed himself to young girl
POLICE in Seaham are appealing for information after a man exposed himself to a 12-year-old girl as she passed his car. The youngster was walking along Dawdon's Embleton Street, close to its junction with Queen Alexandra Road, on her way to meet a friend
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Offenders' pictures could go on buses
TEARAWAYS could see their faces on buses and beer mats as part of a pioneering crackdown. Cleveland Police hope the offensive will keep closer tabs on unruly yobs guilty of terrorising communities. In what is thought to be the first of its kind in the
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Kids 1st reveals plans for growth
A NURSERY business is expanding across the region with plans to open three sites each year. Award-winning Kids 1st Nurseries plans to open centres in Durham and Hexham, Northumberland, in the next two months, creating up to 60 jobs. The family-owned business
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Crutes law firm raises turnover by nearly £1m
ONE of the region's largest law firms increased its turnover from £6.3m to more than £7m last year. Crutes, which has offices in Newcastle, Teesside and Carlisle, expects turnover to remain steady this year as it concentrates on consolidation. Helen Ager
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Inspectors praise improved school
A PRIMARY school has improved considerably since its last Ofsted inspection five years ago, officials reported yesterday. Inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education visited Throston Primary School, in Hartlepool, as part of its national programme
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UKIP opts to back independent in by-election
A BY-ELECTION in Hartlepool will not be contested by the UK Independence Party after bosses publicly backed another candidate. The decision has been taken in the wake of last week's local elections, which saw UKIP claim a 12 per cent share of the vote
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Warning over thefts from gardens
HOUSEHOLDERS have been put on the alert after a spate of thefts of ornaments from gardens over the weekend. A range of items worth hundreds of pounds, including figurines, bird baths and stone balls from gateposts, were taken from properties across Ryedale
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'Conventional wisdom' puts Cameron in the diriving seat
Whatever your opinion of the David Cameron photo-opportunity of him driving a dog-sleigh to view melting glaciers on the remote island of Svalbard, one thing is certain, he is trying to associate his party with concern for the environmental cost of individual
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Mitesh Dhanak, Ashley Guise
ENERGY efficiency company the Eaga Group has appointed two associate directors. MITESH DHANAK, 39, joined after two years leading the Thames Gateway Delivery Unit for the office for the Deputy Prime Minister. ASHLEY GUISE, 46, joined the company from
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Here's to you Mrs Robinson, soldiers love you more than you will know
HIGH Street Honey Tanya Robinson launched her bid for musical stardom last night with a concert in front of soldiers and their families. The 24-year-old founder member of all-girl group Mrs Robinson, performed alongside her band mates at Catterick Garrison
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B&Q shows students they can do it
ENTREPRENEURS of the future got a taste of real business as they visited their mentor's workplace. Students from Durham High School visited the city's B&Q to talk to manager Andy Watson about being a success in business. The visit was part of the
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Prisoner holds scissors to officer's throat in stand-off
POLICE used taser stun guns on a crazed prisoner holding a pair of scissors to the throat of a hostage during a dramatic showdown at a North-East hospital. The drama began at midnight last night when a woman prisoner from Low Newton Prison somehow managed
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Hodgson to be given financial backing
DARLINGTON chairman George Houghton has vowed to make every effort in ensuring David Hodgson can compete in the transfer market during the summer. While Houghton has yet to make his intentions for the club clear, Hodgson last night revealed he will be
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Mummy's a beautiful angel
THE moment I meet Jessica Briggs, I'm won over. I've come to talk to her dad John but being a typical three-year-old, she doesn't care. As far as she's concerned, it's all about her. A short way into the interview it's: "Daddy, I can't see the telly."
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'Mummy's a beautiful angel in heaven'
As the Race for Life leaves the starting blocks this weekend, women throughout the region will be doing their bit for cancer research. Women's Editor Sarah Foster meets a man who lost his wife to the disease - and who's asking for your support for the
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I'll quit early, but don't ask me when
TONY Blair yesterday tried to head off backbench plotting to force him out of Downing Street by pledging for the first time to quit early - but without setting a firm date. At a hastily-arranged Press conference, the Prime Minister signalled that he no
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Jury told to put emotions aside in Dean Pike murder trial
The jury has been sent out in the Dean Pike murder trial. A judge told the jurors in the trial of three men accused of murdering the schoolboy to put emotions aside when they considered their verdict. Judge John Milford today finished summing up the case
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Angela Edwards
Universal Building Society has hired ANGELA EDWARDS as a marketing manager. With more than 11 years marketing experience, Ms Edwards' career includes seven years in campaign management at software company Sage. She has also worked at Knowledge Futures
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Region's water industry could provide crucial help to Malawi
WORKERS in the UK water industry could set swap places with counterparts in the poverty-stricken African country of Malawi. The prospect of the exchange programme was raised after a visit to Malawi by officials from the charity WaterAid and representatives
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Will foreign competition kill off our call centres?
MANUFACTURING once formed the bedrock of the North-East economy. And while the sector still plays an important role, a steady change has been taking place since the 1990s. Telecoms, finance and banking firms, lured by the promise of EU and regional development
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Downing realises his dream
STEWART Downing last night admitted that his call-up to the England World Cup squad was beyond his "wildest dreams". The Middlesbrough midfielder, for so long touted as the answer to England's perennial left-sided problem, was a surprise inclusion in
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Boro stand firm on parade timing
MIDDLESBROUGH officials last night defended the club's decision to hold a UEFA Cup victory parade on Thursday. The club said player commitments meant it had no choice, despite protests from fans who say they will not be back for the parade's 6pm start
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Sans all but my pride
I have long got used to seeing policemen young enough to be my sons - but now it's the bishops! And with age develops the urge to become a spoilsport. I mean, for instance, the staff at Mansion House here in the City of London say that of all the banquets
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Trish McDonough
l IT communications firm Alkaline Creative has appointed TRISH McDONOUGH as web programmer. The 23-year-old studied artificial intelligence and computer science at the University of Birmingham before taking a gap year in the French Alps. She will provide
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Job cut fears in NTL shake-up
North-East workers for cable companies NTL and Telewest will find out the future of their jobs today. NTL is rumoured to be about to announce that it is to cut between 4,000 and 6,000 jobs. Head office posts are expected to be shed and call centre jobs
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Celebrations at solicitors firm
A DARLINGTON firm of solicitors has marked its 60th anniversary of operating in the town. Close Thornton, which has its offices in Duke Street, held a celebration evening to mark the occasion, at which Frank Thornton - who founded the business - was the
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History students collect spare change to help oxfam project
HISTORY students have helped raise enough money to buy a goat and a toilet for a village in the developing world. The GCSE history students from Haughton Community School, at Darlington's Education Village, decided to raise money for Oxfam by handing
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New additions help Simply Dutch expand
A FURNITURE store is expanding after increasing its turnover. Simply Dutch, in Leeming Bar, North Yorkshire, has already grown in the past few years to include a cafe, conservatory and garden furniture department, as well as custom-built kitchen services
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More deals for game maker
VIDEO game developer Atomic Planet Entertainment is completing two million-dollar contracts with major software houses, writes Business Editor Julia Breen. The Middlesbrough group cannot reveal details of the games yet, but one of the contracts is with
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Inquest verdict rules on killer
A MOTHER has told how she begged her rapist murderer son to see a doctor on the day of his death in prison. Andrew Michael Pountley, 30, died of a heart attack at high-security Frankland Prison, in Durham City. An inquest at Chester-le-Street Coroner's
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Former Green Jacket goes into battle for North-East
FORMER jungle warfare instructor James Ramsbotham has been appointed to lead the North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC). Mr Ramsbotham will leave his post as vice-chairman of North-East construction company the Esh Group, where he had an influential role
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Mainsforth reward Bob - a gentleman and a slogger
Long elevated from critics' corner to clubhouse veranda, Bob Welsh was rewarded on Saturday for 80 years' service to the MCC, or Mainsforth Cricket Club as sometimes it is known. He is 90 today. It could have been even longer if they'd counted the time
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Self-sufficiency - the only way to tackle prices
Soaring energy costs are taking their toll on businesses across the North-East. Deputy Business Editor Kate Bowman looks at the impacts of the volatile market and explores what is being done to address the problem. FOR many companies in the region, energy
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Sharp track, draw and weights point to win for King Harson
Given the sharp nature of Catterick's course, it's no surprise that low drawn prominent racers fare best from five furlongs to a mile when the ground is good or faster. Pace-making King Harson, who had a good blow-out at Thirsk on his recent reappearance
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Self-sufficiency - the only way to tackle prices
Soaring energy costs are taking their toll on businesses across the North-East. Deputy Business Editor Kate Bowman looks at the impacts of the volatile market and explores what is being done to address the problem. FOR many companies in the region, energy
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Cost of raw materials lifted by oil price rises
MANUFACTURERS saw raw material costs surge by 2.5 per cent last month, their fastest pace in nine months, as crude oil prices hit record highs. Figures released by the Office for National Statistics yesterday showed that crude oil prices rose 10.6 per
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Dermasalve heading for profit
A SKINCARE company set up by a County Durham GP is aiming to be in profit by November next year. Dermasalve, which is based in Newcastle, has been trying to gain a foothold in the £15bn global skincare market with a range of creams designed for sensitive
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Premier Direct buys cosmetics company
TYNESIDE shopping-at-work retailer Premier Direct Group (PDG) yesterday announced the acquisition of cosmetics business Oriflame UK. The company is based in South Shields, South Tyneside, and sells books, toys and novelties at workplaces. It bought the
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Gadgets could make us lose our balance
As a nation, we are working the longest hours in Europe. Most of us are now notching up well over the standard 37.5-hour week. We are also increasingly taking work home, whether that's burning the midnight oil to finish a report or losing sleep over an
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Expansion will create jobs
THE region's largest law firm is planning to expand, creating 30 jobs over the next two months in its residential property division. Dickinson Dees said the department had grown from six staff in 2000 to 180, handling more than 5,000 property transactions
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'Independents under threat'
A PILOT scheme to allow supermarkets to sell homes could be the beginning of the end for independent estate agencies, a law firm is warning. Those who use the system, which will be trialled in ten Asda stores in the Sunderland area this summer, will pay
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Rail boss branded for naive comment
A HIGH-SPEED North-South rail line should miss out the North-East and Yorkshire, it was said last night. Network Rail's deputy chief executive, Iain Coucher, said it was difficult to see how a business case could be created for the anticipated £14bn link
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Cheque to support students' work in the community
LAW firm Irwin Mitchell has presented Northumbria University's student law office with a cheque for £3,000 to support its free work in the community. Julie Fawcett, para-legal at Irwin Mitchell's Newcastle office and former Northumbria University law
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Given ready to pen new contract at Newcastle
WITH a European spot safely secured following Sunday's win over Chelsea, Newcastle are set to receive their second major boost of the week when Shay Given signs a new contract. After yet another impressive season between the sticks, the Republic of Ireland
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Naturist tour operator sells up for £1.8m
THE founder of Britain's biggest naturist tour operator joined the millionaires' club yesterday after selling the business he founded in 1971. Seventy-year-old Peter Englert shook hands on a £1.8m deal that will see Peng Travel, based in Romford, Essex
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PC hailed hero for second time
A QUICK-THINKING police officer has been hailed a hero for the second time in two years after freeing a hostage during a terrifying siege at a hospital casualty department. PC David Morgan used his Taser stun gun to disarm a prisoner who was holding a
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Now is the time
The main driver of global markets is the US. As the largest economy by some way, what happens in the US and the global reach of its companies, affects the rest of the world. That does not mean, however, that the US market is an area where UK investors
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City shopping centre recycling drive reduces cardboard landfill
A shopping centre has shown the value of recycling with a programme to save cardboard and paper from landfill. The Prince Bishops Shopping Centre, in Durham city centre, carried out an audit that discovered it was saving the equivalent of 1,360 trees
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Take care in cases of sick leave dishonesty
Few employers will have missed the recent story of the two Northumberland County Council highways department employees who, while they were supposed to be on sick leave, turned up to lay a patio at the home of the council's leader. As a result, both were
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Dolan hopes to benefit from Lewis' advice in pro debut
SUNDERLAND heavyweight David Dolan will make his long-awaited professional debut on Saturday after finally bidding farewell to the amateur ranks. The 2002 Commowealth Games super-heavyweight gold medallist will ditch the headgear for the first time in
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Job cut fears in NTL shake-up
North-East workers for cable companies NTL and Telewest will find out the future of their jobs today. NTL is rumoured to be about to announce that it is to cut between 4,000 and 6,000 jobs. Head office posts are expected to be shed and call centre jobs
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Pride behind turnaround, says Viduka
BACK in February, when a Middlesbrough fan confronted manager Steve McClaren during a 4-0 home defeat to Aston Villa, striker Mark Viduka also had to contend with grief from disgruntled supporters. As he made his way to his car Viduka had a heated exchange
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Man shocked at child sexual abuse accusations
A MAN accused of sexually abusing a child when he was a 16-year-old has told of his shock at his arrest. Marc Livall - now a 35-year-old father-of-two - was giving evidence on the second day of his trial at Teesside Crown Court. He told the jury the allegations
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Vodafone cuts roaming charges
PRESSURE on mobile phone operators to cut the cost of calls abroad showed signs of paying off after two companies announced new prices yesterday. Vodafone said the average cost of its roaming calls in Europe will be 40 per cent lower by next April than
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Agency searching for North Poles
RECRUITMENT agency LMR has recruited a Polish consultant. The Newton Aycliffe agency has appointed AGNIESZKA GIELAK to find qualified workers for positions at companies across the region. LMR's branch operations manager Elaine Shears said: "We've discovered
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Inquiry rejects conduct charge
A MIDDLESBROUGH councillor has been cleared following an investigation into his involvement in a planning application which was branded "a disgrace". Coun John McPartland was reported to the council's standards committee by the owner of Cassidy's nightclub
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Town may get new sites for allotments
COUNCILLORS look set to approve plans to establish three new allotment associations in Darlington . Darlington Borough Council's cabinet meets today to approve the process of establishing the associations at allotments in Smithfield, Dodmire and Brinkburn
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I'll quit early, but don't ask me when
TONY Blair yesterday tried to head off backbench plotting to force him out of Downing Street by pledging for the first time to quit early - but without setting a firm date. At a hastily-arranged Press conference, the Prime Minister signalled that he no
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Spotlight on Oliver to mark anniversary
AN amateur dramatic society has brought its adult and youth sections together to celebrate 25 years of performing. St Augustine's Repertory Society is busy rehearsing for their production of Oliver!, which will open in Darlington later this month. Evening
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Cliff tribute
A musical tribute concert to Cliff Richard and the Shadows will be on at the Scarborough Spa Complex on Sunday, May 21. The two-hour performance starts at 8pm and will feature more than 30 of their greatest hits. Tickets cost £12.50 for adults, £10.50
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Pensioners to parade through town
Elderly residents are preparing to parade half a mile through a town with a large banner to mark the 50th anniversary of an organisation that runs their home. Ten men and women are hoping to take part in the walk from an Abbeyfield home, in Galgate, Barnard
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Workers alerted to extremist threats
EMPLOYEES of a pharmaceutical company have been warned to be on their guard against animal rights extremists. The warning for the 1,150 staff at GlaxoSmithKline's (GSK) Barnard Castle site, in County Durham, comes after extremists launched a campaign
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Warriors fly flag for UK
A YOUNG American football team in the North-East will fly the flag for the UK when it takes to the field for its biggest ever game. Woodham Warriors, from Woodham Community Technology College, in Newton Aycliffe, has won the UK Schools American Football
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Fight images highlight city's racial tensions
IMAGES of fighting between white and Asian youths in a city have been captured on a mobile phone camera. The pictures show brawling rival Asian and white gangs - some members dressed in school uniform. Girls can be heard screaming racial insults at Asian
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Tea party aids charity
MADNESS broke out at a town supermarket on Friday when it hosted a Mad Hatter's Tea Party in aid of a national charity. Staff at Asda, in Spennymoor, set out a cafe in the store and baked more than 300 cakes, pies and scones to sell to shoppers, while
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Schoolchildren get a taste for healthy food
YOUNGSTERS at a village primary school and their parents were given a taste of some healthy food and shown how to prepare it by a top chef. Mark Earnden, from healthy food promotion company Expo Chef, visited Kirk Merrington Primary School on Friday.
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Man accused over Big Brother star's injuries
A MAN accused of beating up Big Brother star Anthony Hutton in a nightclub has been given a police caution. Disco dancer Anthony, the winner of the reality television show last year, was left with cuts and bruises after a brawl at Manchester's trendy
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Energy village boost for farmers
FARMERS and agricultural businesses in Weardale will be consulted over opportunities arising from a new renewable energy village on the former cement works, at Eastgate. Academic Mike Dunn, from Bishop Auckland, will begin a three-month study next month
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Beaten man to have surgery
A 25-YEAR-OLD man is to undergo surgery following a vicious and unprovoked weekend attack. Police in Peterlee are appealing for information following the assault on the man, outside a pub in Shotton Colliery, on Saturday night. The victim, who comes from
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Walk recalls history of taking the waters
A SPA custom has been revived in Harrogate and could become an annual event. Driving rain kept onlookers down to a few hundred people as the Mayor of Harrogate, Councillor Caroline Bayliss, stepped out to lead a well-to-well walk through the town at the
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Market stall for compost
VISITORS to Northallerton market will see a stall with a difference this week. As part of National Composting Week, recycling officers from Hambleton District Council will be on hand to promote the use of compost bins. They will explain how to use them
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Europe day salutes Germany as host of World Cup
EUROPE Day celebrations took on a World Cup flavour in Durham yesterday. More than 250 young people from 25 schools across the area descended on Durham County Council's headquarters to take part in workshops on German art and fairy tales, making traditional
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Fiddler on roof is taken to court
A SHODDY workman nick-named the fiddler on the roof for his roofing rip-offs has been given an anti-social behaviour order to protect the public from his botched repair jobs. James Bowes is now banned from plying his trade after ripping off pensioners
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News in brief
VAN PLEA: Police are appealing for a van driver to contact them following a road incident on Friday. The driver of the burgundy Transit-type van was involved in a near-miss at about 9.35pm when a taxi lost control in Plantation Road, Redcar. The taxi
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Spanish travellers targeted
TOURISM chiefs hope to welcome more Spanish visitors to the region. The Newcastle Gateshead Initiative sent a delegation to Barcelona, capital of the Catalan region, for an international travel fair at the weekend. Chief executive Andrew Dixon said it
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Comment from The Northern Echo: Too much to celebrate
THERE are two very good reasons for North-East football fans to celebrate this week - and that doesn't happen very often. Steve McClaren's Middlesbrough make history by appearing in the UEFA Cup final against Sevilla in Eindhoven on Wednesday and have
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Rail boss branded for naive comment
A HIGH-SPEED North-South rail line should miss out the North-East and Yorkshire, it was said last night. Network Rail's deputy chief executive, Iain Coucher, said it was difficult to see how a business case could be created for the anticipated £14bn link
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Chorister School raises charity funds
TWO charities benefited from a day of fun for schoolchildren and staff. The Chorister School, in Durham, staged the annual charity fundraiser recently, with youngsters paying for the privilege of swapping their uniform for fancy dress for the day. They
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Country outing as Hague plants tree and opens farm shop
WILLIAM Hague, MP for Richmond, has opened a farm shop and cafe in his constituency. The shadow foreign secretary also planted, and sponsored, a plum tree and an apple tree at the Lakeside Farm Shop and Country Cafe at North Farm, Ellerton, near Scorton
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Proposal for cycling centre divides dales community
CONTROVERSIAL plans to convert a barn into a cycling centre look set to be refused permission. Members of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority's planning committee will meet today to discuss the proposals for Field Barn, in Fremington, near Reeth
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Residents get say on eco schemes
RESIDENTS are being urged to have their say on potential further environmental improvements in their area. The schemes for the Hartlepool Headland are being considered by the North Hartlepool Partnership and would include work in Croft Gardens and Fairy
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Pedalling safety to young cyclists
A COUNCIL is pioneering a new pre-school cycling scheme to help youngsters on the road to safety. Children as young as three will be involved in the initiative as Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council becomes the first in the country to launch the training
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Moves to ban ice cream vans outside schools
SCENES of youngsters jostling to buy ice cream outside the school gates after a long day could be a thing of the past if new legislation is passed. For 60 years, the jingling vans have signified the arrival of summer - but now MPs and health officials
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Burglar is spared jail to tackle alcoholism
A BURGLAR walked free from court yesterday so that he could tackle his alcoholism. Craig Wynne, from Stockton, has had a serious drink problem since he was 14 and had 24 convictions for burglaries, Teesside Crown Court was told. Wynne, 36, pleaded guilty
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Town looks to French connection to boost tourism
TEESSIDE is hoping to further boost its reputation as an international tourist destination by playing host to a French student. Elodie Masson, 24, aims to reap the mutual benefits of spending more than three months in Hartlepool by enhancing her own career
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Cyclists' 13-day effort is lucky for hospice
THREE cyclists are saddling up to take on the John O'Groats to Lands Ends challenge for charity. Friends David Hughes, 34, Andrew Laing, 46 and Terry Brunton, 48, will start the 13-day ride on Friday. Mr Hughes, of Eston, said: "We are all keen cyclists
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Pub's menu for success
A LANDLORD couple are hoping they have found the recipe to success at a popular Thirsk pub. Neil and Pat Carter took over the Lord Nelson pub, on St James Green, in March and aim to turn it into a quality food venue. They bring with them three decades
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Awards celebrating young music talent
THREE talented young musicians have been named as Ripon Young Musicians of the Year. More than 50 music students up to the age of 18 took part in what was billed as a celebration of young talent, at Ripon Grammar School. The adjudicator was conductor
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MP's plea to parents as son, 12, recovers from a stroke
A Labour MP has told of his anguish after his 12-year-old son suffered a stroke after a football match with friends. Iain Wright, who succeeded Peter Mandelson in Hartlepool, is waiting for more news about son Benjamin. The youngster is recovering after
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Digging in for the long haul
MIKE and Claire Chambers were British Airways cabin crew, between them 30 years before the massed, until last year investing all their savings in a "dream" pub. What happened next - more precisely, what failed to happen - lends itself to all manner of
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Phil Walsh
TAX specialist PHIL WALSH has joined law firm Robert Muckle in the newly-created role of head of private client and director of tax services. The 56-year-old was managing partner and head of tax at Ernst and Young in Newcastle until 2004. His specialist
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Downing realises his dream
STEWART Downing last night admitted that his call-up to the England World Cup squad was beyond his "wildest dreams". The Middlesbrough midfielder, for so long touted as the answer to England's perennial left-sided problem, was a surprise inclusion in
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6,000 jobs to go at NTL
TELECOMS company NTL today announced plans to cut its workforce by 6,000 following its merger with rival Telewest. The company, which employs 460 people in a call centre in Stockton-on-Tees, said more than a third of its 17,000 staff will be affected
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Down the da Vinci road
Will he go this year, next year, or wait until the end of his third term? Tony Blair has left us with a riddle worthy of a Dan Brown novel. Political Editor Chris Lloyd attempts to crack it. NO matter who calls for it, what wings of the party they are
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Police back crackdown on drunken disorder
ROGUE licensees and drink-fuelled louts will be targeted in the latest seasonal crackdown on drunken disorder. Senior police officers in the North-East yesterday gave their backing to the fourth Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign. A joint Government
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Call for more nuclear power
CHEMICAL and process industry leaders have warned that companies face "financial disaster" unless the Government takes immediate action against volatile energy prices. Fears that huge price rises this year will inevitably lead to a lack of investment,
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Les has a spring in his step
LES WATTS has been appointed as entertainment and bar manager at the Springs health and leisure complex, on the Marina, at Hartlepool. He is a former radio presenter, referee, DJ, hotel assistant general manager, and was also in the Army. As a soccer
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Cats' eyes on title, says Davis
THE SUMMER of strife facing Sunderland will not diminish the playing staff's view that a Championship title surge is the number one target next season. While Niall Quinn's consortium goes through the books and prepares a formal offer for the club, the
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Eating Owt: Digging in for the ong haul
Mike and Claire Chambers have fulfulled their dream of running an inn in the country. But for the moment, their business hasn't quite taken off. MIKE and Claire Chambers were British Airways cabin crew, between them 30 years before the massed, until last
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Fiddler on roof is taken to court
A SHODDY workman nick-named the fiddler on the roof for his roofing rip-offs has been given an anti-social behaviour order to protect the public from his botched repair jobs. James Bowes is now banned from plying his trade after ripping off pensioners
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Will foreign competition kill off our call centres?
Mobile phone group Orange, which employs more than 5,000 people in call centres in the North-East, announced on Thursday it was cutting between 1,800 and 2,000 jobs across the UK. Business Editor Julia Breen looks a the future of the sector in the region
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Shipyard deadline claims rejected
THE owner of troubled shipbuilder Swan Hunter last night dismissed claims that he had only nine days to find a buyer for the shipyard or face closure. Dutch millionaire Jaap Kroese said he would sell the North Tyneside yard if the right buyer was to come
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The blob's still packing a punch
PAC-MAN WORLD 3. Publisher: Namco, Format: PS2. Price: £29.99. Family friendly? Yes: IT'S a quarter of a century since the gaming world was hooked by a little yellow blob being chased around a 2-D maze by a bunch of ghosts. And Pac-Man World 3 is always
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Are petrol prices to blame for putting brakes on car sales?
SOARING petrol prices may be to blame for falling sales in the new car market after predictions of a slight recovery were dashed last month. The nine per cent sales drop was so sudden and spectacular that official forecasts for the full year have been
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Man denies raping schoolboy
A schoolboy was raped on holiday by another guest at his seaside hotel, a court was told. A police investigation began after the 12-year-old from County Durham with learning difficulties told his social worker that he had been attacked by a man he called
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Roll of Honour: Magnetic particles thesis attracts prize from physics institute
SCIENTIST RECOGNISED: Sharon Louch has won the Institute of Physics Roy Prize for the best thesis in solid state physics. The 36-year-old, who has a PhD from the University of Leicester, is based at the Centre for Process Innovation, Wilton, Teesside.
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Girl will not have to wear curfew tag
A TRAINEE hairdresser who racially abused a policeman has had her request not to wear a tag accepted. However, Newton Aycliffe magistrates have said the decision not to place the Darlington teenager on a curfew was not because of any potential embarrassment
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Report praise for children's homes
DARLINGTON councillors will hear about the success of children's homes across the town. Darlington Borough Council cabinet will discuss an external inspection report when it meets today before making the report public. The four homes and a short- break
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Telecoms firm completes dairy contract
TELECOMS specialist Executel has completed a £30,000 contract for the UK's leading dairy farmers' co-operative. The Gateshead company has provided the Dairy Farmers of Britain (DFB) with Voice over IP (Internet Protocol) telephony at its site in Blaydon
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Minimum jail term set for child killer
A psychopath who mutilated and murdered three-year-old Rosie Palmer more than ten years ago today had his minimum jail term set at 16 years today. Shaun Armstrong, then 33, was jailed for life at Leeds Crown Court in July 1995 after pleading guilty to
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Success by design ... and a bit of pot luck
A BUSINESS venture that started as an idea in a garden shed is about to bloom. Elaine Young has developed Parasol Pots into a fast-growing company, supplying garden centres and gift shops with plant pots designed for outdoor tables, with a hole in the
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Shipyard deadline claims rejected
THE owner of troubled shipbuilder Swan Hunter last night dismissed claims that he had only nine days to find a buyer for the shipyard or face closure. Dutch millionaire Jaap Kroese said he would sell the North Tyneside yard if the right buyer was to come
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Boro stand firm on parade timing
MIDDLESBROUGH officials last night defended the club's decision to hold a UEFA Cup victory parade on Thursday. The club said player commitments meant it had no choice, despite protests from fans who say they will not be back for the parade's 6pm start
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Smaller firms paying price for lack of ICT know-how
THOUSANDS of small and medium-sized businesses in the region have missed opportunities because of inadequate information and communications technology (ICT), according to research. The findings showed about 15,000 businesses in the North-East were losing
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Story competition attracts global attention
THE success of The Northern Echo's short story competition has gone Europe-wide for the second year in succession. European literary website www.literati-magazine.com is urging its members to enter Orange New Voices, which is developing an international
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Bedsearcher launches new service
ONLINE accommodation provider Bedsearcher has launched a website for walkers and climbers. The "walks and peaks" site offers information on walks throughout the UK and allows users to book accommodation en route. The site's search engine technology allows
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Tom's kitchen return
HOSPITALITY entrepreneur Tom Maxfield rolled up his sleeves and returned to the kitchen to mark the launch of Business Week Tyne and Wear. The owner of Tom's Companies, which runs several hotels and restaurants in the region, including Seaham Hall and
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Transport boss to step down after 12 years
Director general of Nexus Mike Parker has announced he will be leaving the post in August. He said last night: "It has been a difficult decision for me to make. I have enjoyed my time at Nexus. We have a great team here and I believe we have done an enormous
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Now homeowners can log on to check crime in their town
NEW statistics can allow householders in the North-East to check on local crime levels online. Senior police hope the figures will allow local people to get more accurate information about their local area. Thirteen police forces, including three from
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Landowners braced for taxing developments
Changes to the tax system for land development which are likely to have a major financial impact on landowners and developers are expected any day now. They relate to the increase in value that land gains when permission is granted for new development
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Clarissa's call to keep it local
BUSINESSES that protect the environment will be honoured next month. Television presenter Clarissa Dickson Wright will be the guest speaker at the North-East Awards for Excellence, at Beamish Hall, County Durham, on Monday, June 19. The chef and countryside
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'Patterson Ford will never float on the stock market'
The motor retail sector has been consolidating, with market leader Pendragon buying Reg Vardy for £450m. But small North-East retailers, such as Patterson Ford, are looking at ways of competing with the big players. Business Editor Julia Breen reports
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Dr Alan Greggains Tom Talbot
DURHAM Business Club has made two appointments to its board of directors. DR ALAN GREGGAINS, of E-Cat Partners, and TOM TALBOT, of Talbot Associates, join the board as non-executive directors. Dr Greggains, leads the sales and marketing team at web design
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Nurse ordered to get help with breast obsession
A groping nurse who was ordered by a judge to get treatment for his obsession with breasts has been banned from working to protect the public by his professional body. Jason Regala, 28, had faced prison for tricking a 23-year-old hospital patient into
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Sven takes a massive gamble
Sven-Goran Eriksson admits he may have made the biggest gamble of his entire football career by taking teenager Theo Walcott to the World Cup. Eriksson has never seen Arsenal's young striker play a game - except on videotape - and has barely spoken a
