Archive
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Teenager charged with double murder
POLICE have tonight charged a 17-year-old male with the murder of two sisters killed in a fire at their North-East home. Tatum Spence, 14, and her 12-year-old sister Demi-Jade died in the blaze at the house at Lisle Road, in South Shields, South Tyneside
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Every wondered what Northern Echo reporters get up to every day?
Now, I'm not one to dob on my friends. But who said they were friends? They're just colleagues, right? Anyway, logging to the website Facebook one work day (as is the obsession I talked about in my last blog) I discovered that no fewer than SIX fellow
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In fine voice
Want to sound like a Dalek or like Darth Vader? Voice changing masks are now widely available WHEN I was a kid, sucking on a helium balloon was the only way to change your voice. And even then you only ended up sounding like Mickey Mouse. Technology
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The Boy On The Bus by Penny Dale (Walker, £10.99)
NEARLY every toddler knows the Wheels on the Bus song - but this joyful book is an even better version, for the big red bus is driven by a little boy and his passengers are every kind of farmyard animal - ducks, pigs, goats and all. The publishers
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Rebel Cargo by James Riordan (Frances Lincoln, £6.99)
2007 is the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade and this fascinating novel paints a vivid picture of what slavery actually means. Abena is a West African girl, captured by fellow Africans and sold to an English slave ship. Mungo
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One Beastly Beast by Garth Nix (HarperCollins, £5.99)
THIS is a wonderful collection of crazily magic short stories by a truly brilliant author. There's a boy who gets kidnapped by a band of rats disguised as pirates, and a princess swallowed by a monster. A boy, abandoned as a baby inside a banana
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Birds in danger
THE LIVES lives of dozens of birds - including three rare avocet chicks - are in danger after an oil spillage polluted a North-East nature reserve. Staff at WWT Washington Wetland Centre on Wearside are monitoring the water at Wader Lake after oil
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The Essential Africa by Michael Poliza (teNeues, £20, www.teneues.com)
THE raw beauty and splendour of Africa are unveiled as seldom before in this more concise version of the ultimate coffee table book. Photographer Michael Poliza's bestseller Africa weighed in at over 13lbs and this more portable version contains
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Far From The Sodding Crowd by Robin Halstead, Jason Hazeley, Alex Morris & Joel Morris (Penguin/Michael Joseph, £14.99)
WELL now, here's a rather large claim. "Trust us," say the co-authors of this guide to non-mega tourist attractions. "We've never been disappointed." What? Clarks Shoe Museum (Street, Somerset) proved a perfect fit? The Witchcraft Museum (Boscastle
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Missing Jenny: police search field
POLICE were today searching a field for clues to the whereabouts of murdered North Yorkshire shop worker Jenny Nicholl. Detectives said nothing of significance was found. The search took place in a small field at Woodhouse Farm, near Richmond, North
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CUP FINAL ALLSTARS 2 BISHOP AUCKLAND 5
CUP FINAL ALLSTARS 2 BISHOP AUCKLAND 5 BISHOP AUCKLAND GOT OF TWO A FLYING START WITH AN EARLY GOAL AND KEPT THE PRESSURE ON RIGHT THROUGH THE FIRST HALF WITH SOME GREAT PASSING MOVES WHICH GAVE THEM A 3-0 LEAD AT HALF TIME.ALLSTARS STARTED THE SECOND
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Teenagers accused of young dad's murder are remanded in custody
THREE teenagers have been remanded in custody by magistrates after being charged with the murder of a young father. Kevin Johnson was stabbed to death at his front gate after confronting a group of youths in the street. Mr Johnson, 22, the father of
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Arthur: Light and fruity with hidden strength
IN the Victoria in Durham - that most glorious, most embracing and most unchanging of pubs - they're not just mourning Arthur Bell but have had a beer brewed in his memory.Arthur was a regular, fitted like a glove, so much part of the place that, like
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Industrial-size cannabis farm discovered
A "HIGHLY effective, industrial scale'' cannabis farm was uncovered in raids on Teesside, it emerged today. Forensic examination of the premises - a former probation service headquarters in Middlesbrough - will continue over the coming days and a police
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May 16, 2007
Solutions ACROSS 1 Not out. N(OT+O)UT 5 Watchman. W+ATCHM+A+N 9 Masterless. (anag.) 10 Mold. M+OLD 11 Lovelace. L(O+V+EL)ACE 12 Circle. CI(R)CLE (Cecil anag.) 13 Stop. ST+O+P 15 Abstract. ABS+TRACT 18 Sentinel. SENT+IN+EL (
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Crash that killed pensioners remains a mystery
THE reason why a car swerved violently and plummeted 50ft into a swollen river, killing an elderly couple, will remain a mystery, a coroner said. Harold Douglas Elkins, 88, known as Doug, and his 68-year-old wife, Sheila, died when their Nissan Micra
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May 16, 2007
Cryptic Clues ACROSS 1 In with teachers carrying books around (3,3) 5 William cancels match with a northern guard (8) 9 Worried as smelters get beyond control (10) 10 Many visit ancient Welsh town (4) 11 Poet's material includes nothing against
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Bamburgh Castle taken by Robin Alderton
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Redcar beach taken by Gary Knaggs
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The Angel of The North Gateshead taken by Kaye Curry
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Dropswell Farm near Trimdon Colliery taken by Owen Young
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Deaf Hill Primary School taken by Brian Booth
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Brian Clough
THE unveiling of the statue of Brian Clough, in Middlesbrough, (Echo, May 17) reveals a legend with a legacy. A man of principle and courage off and on the football pitch, his achievements as a player could have been greater had injury not cut
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Mobile phone tariffs
A FEW people will not give any credit to the work of our MEPs, however good and relevant their work is for the people of Europe. The spread of the use of mobile phones created bonus conditions for the companies involved. The lack of effective market
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Legal Aid
FOLLOWING your article entitled "Ex-miners face court fight over injuries" (Echo, May 1) - about former miners seeking compensation in relation to knee injuries - I would like to clarify that the Legal Services Commission (LSC) has agreed to contribute
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Gordon Brown
HAVING read Hugh Pender's letter (HAS, May 17) I suspect he still believes there are fairies at the bottom of his garden. The outgoing Chancellor has the satisfaction of knowing that all the stealth taxes he has imposed on the Sassenachs will not
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Information Act
WHAT sort of devious people are managing to get themselves elected to the House of Commons these days? Parliament passed an act, introduced by the Labour Government, that allows the freedom of information about business conducted in the House
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Waverley offers rare opportunity
City & Northern has instructed DTZ and Naylors to sell Waverley, Market Dock, a high-specification development of office buildings offering a rare opportunity for businesses in South Shields to acquire new premises. Due to be launched this month, the
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May 22nd, 2007
THE WEAKER SEX Young women wearing glasses Often make glancing passes Timid males they do seek For the match of the week Smooth words sweet as honey He trembles like a frightened bunny Her radiant charm is great fun Should he linger or just run?
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Attractive scheme
A new industrial scheme at Thirsk in North Yorkshire has just been completed and is set to act as a catalyst for attracting further new business into the area, according to Savills. Savills advised on the sale of the Europark development, on Station Road
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We're not hippies, we're just green
FEW companies can claim to have embraced the green message like thecitysecret. Based in Richmond, North Yorkshire, the company has introduced a range of measures that fit in with its ethos that business should look after its staff and the world around
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Yahoo! . . . Infoserve agrees tie-up with search engine
IT specialist Infoserve has completed a deal with internet search engine Yahoo! that could bring hundreds of jobs to the region. The Darlington firm first announced it was in talks with Yahoo! in March, about a tie-up that could push Infoserve's turnover
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Could I have that in English, please?
The IT industry must drive a lot of us potty. Why can't the big names in the industry stop using technical jargon and scary acronyms? We would all be so much better off. Here is a great example. I was talking to a friend of mine the other day and we
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Personal injury team becomes 'largest in the area'
ASKEWS solicitors has boosted its personal injury legal team with two internal promotions and an appointment. The Teesside firm, which has offices in Stockton and Redcar, east Cleveland, has promoted personal injury specialist Kieron Doran, 36, from associate
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Doubled workload has TBI looking for more elbow room
THE business law office of a Tees Valley firm of solicitors is moving to larger premises. The specialist department of TBI Solicitors is moving to one of the Evolution suites at the 700-acre Wynyard business development, between Stockton and Hartlepool
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Software firm's move creates jobs
NORTH Yorkshire photography software company Phosys has moved and recruited staff. The firm, which was set up in York, has moved to larger premises on the Brackenholme Business Park, near Selby. It has taken on three more employees. Phosys has developed
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Quicksilver installs the latest technology
TYNESIDE removals firm Quicksilver has completed its multi-million pound expansion programme by installing the latest technology. The firm, based in Throckley, near Newcastle, has invested £5m in the business in the past five years, and has now equipped
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Key appointments strengthen Dickinson Dees' industry links
LAW firm Dickinson Dees has boosted its chemical and pharmaceuticals group after seeing business triple. The Newcastle firm, which also has offices in Stockton and York, has made key appointments, taking the number of lawyers in the specialist departments
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Second contract win with paint firm
COMMUNICATIONS firm Executel has won a contract with one of the UK's largest paint companies. The Gateshead company will upgrade the voice and data technology at Tor Coatings' head office, on the Portobello Industrial Estate, in Birtley, near Chester-le-Street
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Nigel Evans: Sometimes mergers can be marriages made in hell
Mergers, spurred on by the avarice of financial advisors and the egos of company directors, have become the growth method of choice in recent years. Yet they remain poorly understood. On the outside, the newly-merged colossi pose as robust giants with
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Prize draw cash matched by employer
A BANK has helped a charity fighting breast cancer by doubling the money raised by a senior employee. David Slane, of Barclays' North-East local business team, ran a prize draw and tombola at a ball in Durham for the Breast Cancer Campaign charity,
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Charity's £1,000 gift for autism centre
A CHARITY has donated £1,000 to an organisation that works with autistic children. The Lord's Taverners, cricket's official charity, is paying for a bubble machine for the Toby Henderson Trust's sensory room. It works by producing coloured bubbles in
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Free training on offer for volunteer walk leaders
EFFORTS will be taken to improve the public's health by training volunteer walk leaders. One-day courses are organised over the next few months to give people the skills to take groups on walks and rambles round the countryside and places of interest.
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Pressure grows for abolition
There is now an open debate about abolishing UK stamp duty on purchases of UK company shares. According to Clara Furse, the London Stock Exchange (LSE) chief executive, the question is not if, but when. She also said there had been a "significant shift
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Firing-up future go-getters
ENTREPRENEURIALISM is the latest buzzword - it's a culture that's growing on a massive scale, helped by cult television shows such as The Apprentice and Dragons' Den. If you're not a mega-rich football player, or set to inherit your family's fortunes,
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Driving mad
Driving Me Crazy (ITV1, 9pm), Andrew Marr's History Of Modern Britain (BBC2, 9pm) CELEBRITIES do occasionally have their uses. If they appear in enough reality shows, the chances are that some day they'll do something that does more than pay their mortgage
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Club calls for marathon trekkers
A FOOTBALL club is hoping its fans will never walk alone by signing up for a marathon trek this summer. For the second successive year, Bishop Auckland Football Club is organising a walk taking in a number of local football grounds to raise money for
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It's horses for courses when it comes to schooling
IN ITS latest modernising spasm, the Tory party has come out against grammar schools. It's mad. What next? Queen denounces corgis? David Willetts, shadow education minister, says that grammar schools do not improve "social mobility". I'd like to begin
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Coffee morning
DELVES Lane Community Association will hold a coffee morning at Delves Lane Village Hall from 10am to noon on Saturday, June 2. There will be cakes, crafts, cards, a raffle, bric-a-brac and a tombola.
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Kathryn Williams / Thea Gillmore, Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal
THEA Gilmore stole the show at a double-bill event with Kathryn Williams at the Women's Arts International Festival event on Saturday. Gilmore is now one of Britain's most talented and accomplished singer-songwriters, and her performance gave listeners
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Sixth-formers carving out parkland treat
TEENAGERS have been helping to carve out a future for a wildlife haven. Sixth-formers from The King's Academy, Coulby Newham, have been taking lessons from Brotton artist Derek Mosey on cutting out the outlines of birds. The silhouettes have been chiselled
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College holds open day to reveal courses
ADULT learners in Darlington are being given more opportunities after a college launched new adult courses. To tie-in with Adult Learners' Week, a national initiative to highlight and encourage adults to return to learning, Darlington's Queen Elizabeth
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Thriller Live, The sage, Gateshead
To be honest I was more than sceptical before attending this performance. With his bizarre behaviour and recent court case, when it came to Michael Jackson I was firmly in the Jarvis Cocker camp. However, what Thriller Live served to do was remind me
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Sea Cadets set sail to raise £650,000 for a new berth
A GROUP of young sailors is sending out an SOS - to keep its headquarters afloat. Middlesbrough Sea Cadets need to raise £650,000 to turn a dilapidated park lodge into a suitable base. Their plans for the derelict East Lodge, in Middlesbrough's Albert
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Meet donates £200 for eye scanner at hospital
A £200 DONATION has been made towards an eye scanner. The committee of Richmond Meet, which is held this weekend, presented a cheque to Sheila Russell, who is leading an appeal to provide the equipment for Darlington Memorial Hospital. The scanner would
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School now in the pink
A SCHOOL is in the pink with its coat of daffodil yellow paint. Kader Primary School, in Acklam, Middlesbrough, has been painted by young people training in construction skills at Middlesbrough College. Lynne Chalk, headteacher at Kader primary, said:
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Crisis meeting will seek way to protect bridge
A CRISIS meeting is being held to develop action to protect a listed bridge from further damage. Over the past 15 years, North Yorkshire County Council has spent more than £30,000 repairing Blakey Bridge in Sowerby, near Thirsk, which is regularly damaged
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Escape from the Wembley hype
Never happier to be northbound, the FA Cup Final Escape Committee (and Scotch Pie Fest) headed on its annual excursion to Bathgate, a former oil refining town between Edinburgh and Glasgow, any residual refinement thus irredeemably removed. Bathgate Thistle
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Doubles all round after Ultimate goes shopping
SHARES in Ultimate Leisure lifted slightly yesterday after news of an £8.75m acquisition. The bar and club group said it had bought a number of venues from Gourmet Holdings, only two months after a shares placing to raise £25m for expansion. The Newcastle-based
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Music festival organisers on track to host second event
A THREE-day music festival is to take place in Teesdale this weekend. Organisers behind the Full Throttle festival hope to attract about 400 revellers for a weekend of music and camping for a second year running. The announcement of the festival, organised
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Five-year scheme for quarry is submitted
A WEARDALE quarry which has been redundant since the 1980s could be restored under a five-year scheme submitted to Durham County Council. The Newlandside Quarry in Stanhope is registered as a dormant site, but could be revived after an application was
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'Watch out for goods stolen from homes'
POLICE are asking people to be on the lookout for items which were stolen from homes in Teesdale over the weekend. Two houses in Front Street in Cockfield were targeted by burglars on Friday evening through to Saturday morning. A folding red and white
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Barbecue area dedicated in memory
A VILLAGE is to get a barbecue area in memory of one its most spirited residents. Residents of Sadberge have given up their own time and money to build the patio to honour Colin Craggs, who died 18 months ago. Volunteers and workers have been building
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Head will be hitting his stride - for 15 miles
HEADTEACHER John Stinson is to practise what he teaches by running 15 miles from his home to St Peter's C of E Primary School, at Brotton. The 55-year-old's challenge will entail his setting off from his home, in Newton-under-Roseberry, at 6.30am tomorrow
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Eco-friendly children have world in hands
ECO-friendly schoolchildren had a ball yesterday as they celebrated National Walk to School Week. Children at Witton-le-Wear Primary School kicked 70 penalties against school mascot, Sam, to help them understand the amount of pollution caused when parents
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Homes plan for arson-hit venue
A BISHOP Auckland restaurant which closed after two arson attacks in 2005 could be turned into homes. Owners of the Fortune Court, in the Market Place, have applied for planning permission to convert the ground floor of the building into two flats and
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Former councillor flies flag for region
A LONG-serving former councillor flew the flag for Wear Valley in the district's twin town in Germany. Chris Foote-Wood and his wife, Frances, paid a visit to Bad Oeynhausen to mark his 40 years as a district councillor and 30 years since he helped inaugurate
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Pharmaceutical company secures investment
A pharmaceutical company has secured a £140,000 investment package to help it expand. Biotoolomics, in Consett, County Durham, develops technology for the bio-pharmaceutical industry. Its work in the bioseparation field is being hailed as vital in the
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Taken to hospital with knife in stomach
A STAB victim was taken to hospital with a kitchen knife buried five inches into his stomach, a court was told. Andrew Bell, 24, thought he had been punched in the stomach in the incident, which happened in a Darlington street. But his father, sitting
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Giving green advice
A COMPANY from the region will headline the UK's biggest facilities management exhibition. Weeeco, of Gateshead, will be at the event, at Birmingham NEC from today until Thursday. The firm, which specialises in waste, electrical and electronic equipment
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Police seeking witnesses after alleged abduction investigated
DETECTIVES are appealing for witnesses to an incident in which a man was allegedly dragged from his car in front of his girlfriend. A police spokesman said the man was bundled into a van and driven to a police station, where an allegation was made against
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Death trial told worker denied compassionate leave
A GRIEVING care home worker was forced to return to work early after her husband died because bosses did not give her compassionate leave, a court heard. Marion Dixon was distraught after husband Peter died last year, but had to return to the home after
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New tenants move to park
A business park in the region has attracted two tenants. Office space at Yorkersgate, in Malton, North Yorkshire, has been let to home care business Simply the Best, and gaming software company XTALE. Yorkersgate has undergone a £600,000 refurbishment
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Takeover rivals update markets
THE battle for Dutch bank ABN Amro will take another twist this week as the rival suitors update markets on their pursuit of the business. Barclays, which has made a £45bn offer for ABN backed by the bank's board, must give an update by tomorrow under
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Company beats job creation targets
AN organisation responsible for attracting new business to part of the region has beaten its targets and helped to create thousands of jobs during the past year. County Durham Development Company (CDDC), the business development operation of Durham County
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Jail for a day as trio breach injunction
A MAN and two women were ordered to spend a day in jail after breaching anti-social behaviour injunctions. Mark Whincup, Andrea Atkinson and Jean Tully appeared before Teesside Crown Court last Thursday, where they admitted breaches of injunctions, which
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'A number of arrests'
FORMER probation offices were raided by police yesterday as part of an ongoing operation in Middlesbrough. Officers wearing gas masks and chemical suit-type coveralls searched the service's former base, in Longlands, which has been derelict for two years
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RNJ cements reputation with £6m contract win
CONSTRUCTION consultancy RNJ has won a £6m contract to work on five housing schemes across the region. The deal will see Newcastle-based RNJ work in conjunction with Endeavour Housing Association, and will involve projects in Teesside and Tyne and Wear
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Strettle driven by fear
David Strettle cuts a confident figure with his rock star haircut and devastating finishing, but the England winger revealed he is driven by a constant fear of failure. Strettle, 23, is sure to be one of the first names on Brian Ashton's team-sheet for
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Lender takes office block
LENDER HBoS has become the latest tenant of a £350m Teesside business development. The firm has taken a 4,300sq ft office block on the Teesdale Business Park, in Stockton, which will become one of its administrative bases. HBoS, which follows companies
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Pools step up search for Dimi replacement
WITH Dimi Konstantopoulos finally confirming he won't be staying at Victoria Park, Hartlepool United's summer search for a goalkeeper is on. The big Greek is out of contract next month but, as expected, he has rejected the offer of a new deal to stay
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Harmison better for experience, Moores
England coach Peter Moores believes Steve Harmison's efforts during the drawn opening npower Test will serve him well when he runs in again against West Indies at Headingley later this week. Hopes were high that the Durham fast bowler would shrug off
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Fire chief's warning after latest chip pan blaze
A fire chief has warned of the dangers of chip pans after a late night fire at the weekend. Four people had to be evacuated from a house on Sherwood Close in Barnard Castle after a chip pan fire broke out at 1am on Sunday. The house was fitted with smoke
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John Barnes
The Tesco Cup ambassador and former England and Liverpool star writes exclusiviely for The Northern Echo RAFAEL Benitez will have learned his lessons from Istanbul and I'm expecting a tight and cagey final on Wednesday night. Benitez will desperately
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Heigh ho, come to our school spring fair
PUPILS are busy preparing for their spring fair. Masham Primary School will hold the event from 10am to 3pm on Saturday. There will be stalls selling cakes, plants, crafts and toys, as well as traditional games such as hoopla, a penalty shoot-out, a
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No rushing of decisions
WHETHER it is something as momentous as the building of a nuclear power station, or as small as adding a conservatory to a house, planning is an important and thorny issue. It depends on a balance being found between the need for progress to flourish
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Campaign festival grows into biggest gig of bands
PREPARATIONS are under way for what is thought will be the biggest gathering of bands ever seen in the county. Organisers have announced that the Thornborough Festival will be larger than ever in its third year, with 70 groups to appear on four stages
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McCarthy to steer Wolves back to the Premier League
Mick McCarthy will be given another chance to steer Wolves back to the Premier League after Steve Morgan, the man who has agreed to buy the club for £10, gave the Yorkshireman his full backing. Morgan, a former Liverpool shareholder who tried to complete
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Technology ensures older people stay independent
TECHNOLOGY that could help vulnerable people live more independent lives is being piloted in the North-East. More commonly used to prevent drivers from getting lost, global positioning system (GPS) technology is being trialled by a housing association
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Sherer content with life
Former Newcastle and England skipper Alan Shearer admits he has not had time to miss football during the first year of his retirement. The 36-year-old finally hung up is boots in May last year. He has spent the last 12 months carrying out media work,
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Owen's return
The return to fitness of Michael Owen has provided a much-needed boost to England, according to coach Steve McClaren. Owen has not featured in an international since rupturing knee ligaments in England's World Cup group match against Sweden last June
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HGV drivers fined for illegal use of narrow lane
FOUR lorry drivers have been prosecuted for illegally using a narrow lane in a village. The road through Ainderby Quernhow, near Thirsk, provides a short-cut between the A1 and the A61. In 1992, North Yorkshire County Council made a regulation to prohibit
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McCann eyes a move back to Sunderland
FORMER Sunderland midfielder Gavin McCann could return to the Stadium of Light this summer after becoming frustrated with life in the Midlands. The Aston Villa man still has a year left on his existing deal at Villa Park, but it is understood the former
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Parents hold protest at school closure proposal
PARENTS held a protest demonstration yesterday at a primary school facing closure. The future of Hamsteels Primary School, in Esh Winning, is in the balance after education bosses decided to consult on the proposed closure. The small, close-knit community
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Villagers get together to clear woods
VILLAGERS have rolled up their sleeves and done their bit to improve their environment. The call for volunteers to take part in a litter-pick brought a good response among the community in East Hedleyhope, in the upper Deerness Valley, west of Durham.
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Released Johnson to cheer on former club
Simon Johnson admits he was not surprised to be released by Darlington, but hopes and expects his former team-mates will thrive without him next year. The former Leeds striker was among 11 players shown the door by manager Dave Penney in the final weeks
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Christenings turn sour after punch-up
WORDS were exchanged on the dance floor between two men from different Christening celebrations, a court heard yesterday. Both were asked to leave as tempers frayed, but one of the pair then attacked the other outside the premises. Durham Crown Court
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Woman was raped as child, court hears
A WOMAN who says she was raped as a little girl told a court she broke her silence after two decades because she could not keep it to herself anymore. The woman says she was sexually abused and raped by Mark Stanford when she was aged about seven and
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Music festival organisers on track to host second event
A THREE-day music festival is to take place in Teesdale this weekend. Organisers behind the Full Throttle festival hope to attract about 400 revellers for a weekend of music and camping for a second year running. The announcement of the festival, organised
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I was raped aged seven and nine, woman tells court
A WOMAN who says she was raped as a little girl told a court she broke her silence after two decades because she could not keep it to herself anymore. The woman says she was sexually abused and raped by Mark Stanford when she was aged about seven and
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Praise for group helping mental health teams
DURHAM City's MP has praised an organisation set up to co-ordinate the work of voluntary mental health groups. Mental Health North-East held its first annual meeting at Bowburn, in the constituency of Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods. The organisation was started
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'I was happy anyway - the £3m is a bonus'
When Sarah Cockings, at 21, became a lottery millionairess, she found celebrity soon followed - not least because she stumped up the cash to buy her sisters each a boob job.Now, two years on from her big win, what kind of difference has it made and has
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Theatre defends its decision to stage abduction play
AS police continue the search for missing Madeleine McCann, a North-East theatre has defended plans to stage a play about the abduction of a five-year-old girl.Next week, Newcastle venue Northern Stage will host a production of Ruby Moon, an Australian
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Audrey helps team set jump record
A NORTH-EAST woman was part of a group of 52 women who jumped into the history books by making the first Red Cross while skydiving.The women, all wearing red jumpsuits, formed the free-falling cross, which broke the UK formation skydiving record, to mark
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Planning revolution to end the log-jams
Decisions on major infrastructure projects such as airports, motorways and power stations are in future to be taken by an independent commission, under a major planning shake up announced by the Government yesterday,Communities and Local Government Secretary
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Police appeal is issued
POLICE are becoming increasingly concerned for a man who has been missing from home since Wednesday.Ian David Roberts, 44, left his home in Ripon on May 6 to visit relatives in Swindon, where he stayed for two days before he left and said he was going
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Reward for missing Shackleton
HIGH winds over the weekend have led to the disappearance of a rare falcon, and his owner is offering a reward to get him back.Seven-year-old male gyrfalcon Shackleton went missing from his owner's home at about 2pm on Saturday at Great Broughton, North
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Lifesavers take delivery of new boat
A LIFEBOAT capable of rescuing 25 people is now in service on the North-East coast.Volunteers at Sunderland's RNLI Station have welcomed the arrival of an Atlantic 85 class inshore lifeboat.The £125,000 vessel is larger, faster and better equipped than
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Absolutely fabulous
WHOEVER it was that wrote Sunday Bloody Sunday had probably been trailing round Darlington. The car parks are largely full, the expressions largely vacant. If it is no longer to be the day of rest, a trend greatly to be regretted, it is clearly not the
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Standards failing say ambulance service managers
AN ambulance service is performing badly and failing to meet national standards, bosses said.Yorkshire Ambulance Service has rated itself as "weak" against quality of service and use of resources indicators.The grade is the lowest on a four-point scale.The
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Rowers show off their passions
A TEAM of rowers is helping to promote their home with its new kit.Durham Amateur Rowing Club has taken delivery of T-shirts bearing the slogan "Passionate about rowing", to boost the Passionate People Passionate Places campaign.Members of the club wore
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Anglers warn of action against carp thieves
ANGRY fishermen have hit out at thieves who stole thousands of pounds worth of fish for their meat.The specimen carp in Middleton St George Water Park, near Darlington, have been bred for catch and release sport angling.At the weekend, anglers were horrified
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Pilot's remains found 63 years after crash
A SECOND World War fighter ace's remains have been discovered in Italy, along with the wreckage of his aircraft, 63 years after he failed to return from his final mission.Surviving relatives and guests will gather for a sombre ceremony in a military cemetery
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Donation helps youth theatre take to the stage
A YOUTH theatre's latest production is all sewn up after a donation from a clothing store.Durham Stage School, which will perform The Wiz at the end of the month, has received a donation of costumes from Matalan, in Durham.Almost 50 children aged six
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Time running out for strays looking for home
TIME is running out for two stray dogs who have not been re-homed.The two Staffordshire bull terriers face being put down unless homes can be found for them.Last week, Darlington Borough Council officials appealed for homes for Jack and Mary, but no new
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Girls praised for raising alarm following blaze
TWO schoolgirls have been given awards for their bravery after their quick-thinking prevented a building from catching fire.A former Darlington mayor praised eight-year-old Hollie Bryant and seven-year-old Tiegan Hebdon for their speedy response to alert
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Funeral of former Army cadet chief
THE funeral has taken place of a retired Army officer who helped thousands of cadets during his career. The service for Lieutenant Colonel Chris Jarvis, of Eryholme, near Darlington, took place yesterday at St Mary's Church, in Eryholme.Until his retirement
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MEP refused on Euro flight
A EURO MP is taking legal advice after he was not allowed to board a flight even though he was carrying a diplomatic passport.Officials at Durham-Tees Valley Airport refused North-East MEP Stephen Hughes entry on to the flight to Brussels because they
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TJFA U14 League Cup Final Norton & Stockton Ancients U14's 2 v Marton FC U14's 1
in a row deservedly beating the new 1st Div Champions in a tight match played on a bouncy plastic pitch at Hurworth. Both teams had key players missing and the difficult surface was affecting the quality of any football being played. N&SA took the lead
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TJFA U14 League Cup Final Norton & Stockton Ancients U14's 2 v Marton FC U14's 1
in a row deservedly beating the new 1st Div Champions in a tight match played on a bouncy plastic pitch at Hurworth. Both teams had key players missing and the difficult surface was affecting the quality of any football being played. N&SA took the lead
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Zenden confident of making Euro final
Dutch star Bolo Zenden arrived in Athens yesterday with an increasing chance of being fit for the Champions League final. Midfielder Zenden damaged an ankle last week at Liverpool's La Manga training camp and left Spain for Saturday's flight home on crutches
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Continental shift in firm's ambitions
ENGINEERING company The Tanfield Group revealed last night that it plans to invest tens of millions of pounds on two factories in the US as part of its fight for a share of the continent's multi-billion-dollar zero-emission vehicle market. The company
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Travelodge finds room for growth in North
BUDGET hotel chain Travelodge yesterday announced plans to invest more than £95m in the region and create up to 700 jobs by 2020. The UK's fastest-growing hotel company, Travelodge plans to open 35 hotels across the North-East and North Yorkshire, with
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Carer given probation for theft from clients
A CARER took advantage of her role looking after vulnerable adults, using their funds to buy expensive goods for herself and handing them cheap or second-hand replacements. Valerie Cummings passed off poor second-hand items as new, and altered shop receipts
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Suspended sentence for manager who stole
An office manager who fleeced her firm out of more than £8,000, after becoming frustrated at the amount of work she was expected to do, has been spared jail. Linda Albert felt bitter about the hours she was putting in at The Durham Company, a hospital
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Motorists go slow for bull on motorway
TRAFFIC was held up when a bull went for a stroll along a motorway yesterday. Police received several calls yesterday morning about the bull grazing on the hard shoulder of the A1(M) between Bowburn and Bradbury, in County Durham. The tan-colour bull
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Big Sam to get his man
SAM ALLARDYCE'S rebuilding programme has been given the green light to go for first base, after Bolton reluctantly granted Newcastle United permission to speak to one of his key lieutenants.Mark Taylor, head of sports science and medicine at the Reebok
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Pushing back the boundaries
A TALENTED teenage cricketer has stumped her opponents with some first-class bowling.Rochelle Petty took four wickets for 40 runs in five overs for the Thirsk Seconds team, North Yorkshire.The 18-year-old, of St Mary's Walk, in Thirsk, is the only woman
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Cutty's hardy souls
Following a devastating fire yesterday, Lindsay Jennings looks at the history behind the great Cutty Sark - including her one-time mutinous crew and suicidal captain SHE was launched on Monday November 22, 1869, at Dumbarton, on the River Leven in Scotland
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Police resume their search of farm in hunt for Jenny's body
POLICE are expected to resume the search for the body of missing teenager Jenny Nicholl today.Detectives cordoned off a septic tank at a farm on the outskirts of Richmond, North Yorkshire, on Friday, and spent about five hours at the site.Officers revisited
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Oil worker relives kidnap nightmare
A NORTH-EAST oil worker last night relived his terror at being kidnapped by heavily-armed militants who stormed his ship.Hartlepool-born David Flounders was one of six men held hostage by machine gun wielding terrorists, who demanded a ransom for their
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Southgate faces a fight to keep hold of Yakubu
AT A time when Middlesbrough are looking to strengthen rather than weaken their squad, manager Gareth Southgate is having to face up to the prospect of being embroiled in a striker crisis this summer.With Mark Viduka being courted by at least six Premiership
