Archive

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Lib Dems challenge Teesdale to cut carbon emissions

FAMILIES in an area of County Durham have the toughest challenge ahead to achieve the Liberal Democrats' dream of a "carbon-neutral" society. Teesdale has easily the highest carbon emissions per person of any local authority in the United Kingdom, official

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Borough has most obese 11-year-ols

NEW figures reveal that Hartlepool has the biggest proportion of obese 11-year-olds in the region. They show that by the time children leave the town's primary schools, just under one in four is classed as obese, according to their body mass index (BMI

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NFU President on fact-finding mission to region

PETER Kendall, president of the National Farmers' Union (NFU) is making a fact-finding visit to Hawes Auction Mart tomorrow (Tuesday). He will hear what impact the latest foot and mouth outbreak in Surrey is having on hill farmers in Yorkshire and the

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Climber died from brain haemorrhage, inquest told

A CLIMBER from the region has died after he was hit by falling ice while climbing in Switzerland. Daniel Simon Hulme, 36, of the Mount Vale area of York, was struck on the head by a falling block of ice. The blow fractured his skull and Mr Hulme was

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Government steps into Northern Rock crisis

THE GOVERNMENT has stepped into The Northern Rock crisis to guarantee savers' money. The Chancellor Alistair Darling pledged the Government would guarantee their money and urged people not to panic. He hopes the move will bring an end to the stampede

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Pair released on bail over death of Darlington man

TWO people arrested in a murder-style investigation into the death of a North-East man have been released on police bail. The man and woman, aged 34 and 32 respectively, were questioned by police after Darlington man Maurice 'Wayne' Shotton died following

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Woman used bra to smuggle drugs into prison

A WOMAN who tried to smuggle drugs worth more than £1,000 into a Teesside prison was this afternoon jailed for 30 months. Security officers at Holme House Prison, in Stockton, caught Tracey McCorry trying to smuggle packages of heroin, cocaine, and ecstasy

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Offshore windfarm wins approval

PLANS for a windfarm off the North-East coast were tonight given the go ahead. EDF Energy has received consent from the Department of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (DBERR) for its offshore windfarm project at Redcar, east Cleveland. The

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Banking crisis: other lenders hit

THE panic gripping the financial markets showed signs of spreading today as two more banks suffered big drops in their share prices. Mortgage lenders Alliance & Leicester and Bradford & Bingley followed Northern Rock into share price despair as nervous

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Routine stop nets drugs

POLICE have seized drugs worth more than £30,000 after searching a car following a routine stop. Uniform officers on patrol in the West Denton area of Newcastle saw a Honda CRV car being driven along West Denton Way at 1.30pm on Sunday. Officers stopped

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Rumbling north

What a year The Rumble Strips have had. From being tipped by all and sundry as one of the most exciting new bands of 2007 the group have stepped up and delivered. From their explosive shows at SXSW (culminating in Charlie's arrest and jumping bail)

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Skoda Octavia Scout

GONE are the days when you knew exactly what to expect from Skoda. After almost a century of the humdrum, these days, it's a case of expect the unexpected. And so we have the Octavia Scout, adding to what is already an expansive range of models

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Mercedes CLS 350

IF you thought Mazda's RX-8 was the most practical coupe around, just wait until you set eyes on the mighty Mercedes CLS. It may look every inch the grand tourer, with its sleek nose and curvaceous profile, but this high-performance Merc has four

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Music and comedy join forces for Teenage Cancer Trust's Bandstand

Teenage Cancer Trust's (TCT) Bandstand event, sponsored by mobile network 3, will take place in Newcastle's The Sage, Gateshead on Saturday September 22. The exciting line-up is set to include The Who's Roger Daltrey, comedian Vic Reeves and Geordie

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Burglar fell asleep under victim's bed

DOZY raider Mark Smith proved he was as thick as thieves when he fell sound asleep under his victim's bed. He had crept past Heather Stephenson while she was ironing. He rifled gems from a jewellery box and helped himself to a cheque book, but the vodka

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Vipers' Dean Holland

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Vipers' Dean Holland

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Phoenix end Vipers' run

Saturday, September 15, 2007: Newcastle Mobilx Vipers 2-0 Edinburgh Capitals Sunday, September 16, 2007: Manchester Phoenix 5-2 Newcastle Mobilx Vipers VIPERS spent 24 hours at the top of the Elite League following their third successive win on Saturday

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Northern Rock's share price continues to tumble

NORTHERN Rock is enduring another disasterous day on the London Stock Exchange as its share price continues to tumble. Over the past few hours shares have dropped by more than 30 per cent to below 300p. The bank has seen more than £1.32bn wiped off

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Container terminal objection lifted

THE campaign to build a 300m deep sea terminal and bring 5,500 jobs to the region has reached a significant milestone. Proposals to build the container terminal at Teesport, in Middlesbrough had until now faced objection from port operator Hutchinson

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Sunderland 2 Reading 1

ON the day that Wearside paid its respects to Ian Porterfield, Sunderland's players produced the most fitting tribute of all. The club's best display of the season was easily too much for a Reading side that look certain to be involved in the relegation

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Row and learn in clubhouse classroom

ROWING will be used to help children learn in a classroom that is the first of its kind. The IT suite in Durham Amateur Rowing Club's new clubhouse is the first to use the sport to boost literacy and numeracy through the Government's Playing for

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West Ham Utd 3 Middlesbrough 0

FOR 45 minutes Middlesbrough were well on their way to completing the job in East London. West Ham United had been struggling to break the visitors defence down and the occasional chance was being created at the opposite end of the field. But two goals

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Embracing gadgets

PETER Mullen looks back at playing out in the streets as a golden age in his column headed "Too many gadgets rot the brain" (Echo, Sept 11). He did that because there wasn't anything else to do as today's gadgets hadn't been invented. I never

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English option

CORRESPONDENT BE Cooper states that England is "the only country without a national party" (HAS, Sept 13) and suggests the creation of an ENP (English National Party). In fact there are two. The English Democrats Party is committed to a devolved

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Obesity

I HAVE lived in Newton Aycliffe since 1952 when children acted as children and went out to - using an old word - "play". I sometimes drive past the places where we played and there is grass on the land. When I was younger it would be bare through

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Iraq

IT would appear, from reading some of the national newspapers, that Gordon Brown is just as servile to the Americans as Tony Blair was. New Labour made a big play of moving out of Basra in southern Iraq and handing control to the Iraqis even in

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Medical training

ONE sympathises with the student with six top grade A-level passes who could not win a place at medical school (Echo, Sept 4). Matriculation is intensely competitive, but generally only the grades of three A-levels are taken into account to try

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Elected PMs

WHEN have we ever had an election for a Prime Minister? We elect our MP on the basis of his/her aims being closer to ours than other candidates. Likeminded MPs band together and give themselves a name, such as the Tory party. From those members

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Bus pass rows

YOUR recent stories about the baptism row pupil from near Durham being refused a bus pass and a similar situation facing 13 Heighington and Aycliffe non- Catholic pupils attending Carmel RC College, Darlington, highlights the mismatch between 21st

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Dismissalaids Marske progress

The New Marske bandwaggon rolls on but it just might have been a different result at Silksworth Community on Saturday had Mel Sutherland not being sent off for a professional foul. New Marske broke the deadlock from the resultant free-kick which Christain

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Boss hails Moors fighting spirit in FA Cup triumph

Spennymoor manager Jason Ainsley praised his players' fighting spirit and determination after they outplayed UniBond outfit Brigg Town by 2-1 at the Brewery Field on Saturday. Brigg, managed by former Darlington midfielder Dave McLean, became the second

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Vasey not getting carried away by Lawyers' good start to the campaign

Tow Law are up to seventh in the First Division after beating managerless bottom club Ashington 5-3, but manager Micky Vasey isn't getting carried away. Lawyers have had a good start to the season under new boss Vasey, who said: "I know we scored five

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Barnes will be sold

Derby manager Billy Davies has admitted there will come a time when the club will sell star midfielder Giles Barnes, but is currently concentrating on getting the youngster fit enough to prove himself in the top flight. Barnes, 19, produced some eye-catching

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Silvestre ruled out for rest of season

Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury in Saturday's 1-0 win at Everton. The 30-year-old went down in agony after trying to turn during the first half at

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Benitez in blast at League

Rafael Benitez has repeated his criticism of the Premier League after Liverpool were handed an early Saturday kick-off and long journey south immediately after a number of their players had been on international duty. The Reds boss announced last week

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Eriksson hails Johnson as City move up to second

Manchester City 1, Aston Villa 0. Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson hailed the ''maturity'' of match-winner Michael Johnson as the Blues maintained their 100 per cent record at Eastlands under the Swede. Johnson scored the only goal in the 48th

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Heskey to miss England games

England striker Emile Heskey is facing up to six weeks on the sidelines after scans showed he has a fractured metatarsal. The 29-year-old Wigan frontman limped off just nine minutes into Saturday's 1-1 Barclays Premier League draw with Fulham at the JJB

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Modest Stockdale refuses to accept plaudits

WHILE Premier League scouts continue to check on the form of David Stockdale, the Darlington goalkeeper has admitted he could have been playing Conference football this season.The 21-year-old has been one of the success stories of what has so far been

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Shearer says Owen is committed to Newcastle

Alan Shearer has insisted Michael Owen never wanted to leave Newcastle amid speculation over his future this summer.The former Magpies skipper was instrumental in persuading the 27-year-old England striker to make his £17m move to Tyneside two years ago

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Wilson praises squad

DANNY Wilson's half-time changes paid off on Saturday - but the Hartlepool United boss admits he could easily have made more. Two substitutions and two tactical alterations improved the performance and one of the players introduced, Joel Porter, grabbed

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Quakers fans stay away

Saturday saw the 100th Darlington game at their relatively new stadium which was also its first under the name of the Balfour Webnet Darlington Arena.As Quakers beat Lincoln City 2-0 and maintained their position as unbeaten league leaders, the sponsors

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Arca backs Tuncay to turn form in to goals

WITH Jeremie Aliadiere facing up to the possibility of spending more than a month on the sidelines, Tuncay Sanli is being backed to finally come good in front of goal for Middlesbrough.Tuncay, a first half substitute for his French team-mate who disappeared

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Goal ace Jones gives Keane something to remember

IN his family home in Point Fortin, Trinidad & Tobago, Kenwyne Jones has a box containing some of his most treasured footballing memories.In it are caps from his time with the Soca Warriors national side and shirts from his days with St Anthony's College

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Pete Graves - Century FM : Finally the Magpies can make us smile

It's unbelievable how much difference Newcastle United's success on the field, can make to my life off it.For the last two months I've been generally a happy lad. Spring in my step again, a warm and genuine 'good morning' to everyone I pass on the field

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Secret is out for Mark

Mark Brisbourne does a sterling job with his team in Shropshire and can hit the target again with Secret Asset at Musselburgh. While not renowned for victorious two-year-olds, Brisbourne has unearthed a progressive juvenile in this Clodovil gelding. Secret

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Hepples takes Tees Pride in winning Middlesbrough 10k

GREAT BRITAIN international Stephen Hepples beat off an African challenge to retain his title in yesterday's big Tees Pride 10K in Middlesbrough. The 27-year-old council auditor got his sums spot in a sprint finish to beat Gateshead Harrier Alan Buckley

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No headpine

Swalwell recorded their 15th and most vital win of the season to secure their first NTSL premier title. And having won one game more, and lost three less, than any other team in the division the plaudits were more than deserved. Facing a tricky last day

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Williams calls for fluency

Wales 20, Australia 32 Martyn Williams insists Wales must be allowed to cast off the shackles and play in their natural expansive style otherwise they will never beat the best of the southern hemisphere. Williams criticised the Welsh approach for being

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Knee injury is end of World Cup for Noon

England centre Jamie Noon has relived the moment he felt his knee ''pop'', bringing a shattering realisation he would play no further part in the World Cup. Noon will return home to Newcastle today after suffering a medial ligament strain that could

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Blaydon win

BLAYDON were delighted that their fast, open rugby produced seven tries as they won their first home game in National Two 43-28 against Halifax. They were also encouraged by achieving such high standards without influential skipper Dave Guthrie, who played

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Ireland on ropes

Eddie O'Sullivan admits Ireland are doomed to an early World Cup exit unless they address the appalling slump that reached rock bottom with a 14-10 win over Georgia. A week ago O'Sullivan remarked on his side's deflating 32-17 victory over Namibia that

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England defence coach bemoans lack of class

Mike Ford has delivered a brutally honest assessment of England's painful World Cup struggle as they flirt perilously with pool stage elimination. No reigning rugby world champion has failed to reach the tournament's knockout rounds, yet England could

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Archer pips Dougherty in race for a Seve Trophy place

England's Phillip Archer was delighted to secure a last-gasp spot in the Seve Trophy with his second place in the Mercedes-Benz Championship. Archer began the week 92,000 points behind Nick Dougherty in the last automatic qualifying place, but overtook

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Alonso riles Hamilton as Ferraris dominate at Spa

Lewis Hamilton has accused Fernando Alonso of not caring as much for McLaren as he does following a turbulent time for the team. Hamilton could only manage fourth in yesterday's Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, appearing distracted as he made a couple of uncharacteristic

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No fairy tale

Extraordinary People: The Real Sleeping Beauty (Five, 9pm), Hindenburg )C4, 9pm) AM I the only person who has never read a fairy tale? When I saw the title of tonight's programme, The Real Sleeping Beauty, I first had to ask what happened in the fake

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New work for engineering company

NORTH-EAST civil engineering company Southbay Civils has brought in work worth £9.5m. The North Tyneside firm is working on three multi-million pound contracts awarded by the Port of Tyne Authority. It is creating an entrance jetty for Tyne Dock and

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Hear All Sides

FAREWELL BRIAN ANYBODY listening to BBC Radio Cleveland over the last few years will remember the voice of "Brian from Great Ayton". Brian, who passed away recently, was passionate about where he lived and especially pensioner issues. He attended all

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Small business owners worried about red tape

ALMOST three quarters of entrepreneurs in the North-East expect the growth of their businesses to be affected by red tape over the next three years, research has revealed. Seventy-four per cent of owners of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in

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Expansion of recycling could cost taxpayers

EXPANDING a commercial waste recycling scheme could put extra burden on the taxpayer, councillors have been warned. Officers at Richmondshire District Council are recommending that the collection of cardboard, paper and glass from businesses should not

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Service opens up a world of opportunity

A NORTH-EAST council has become the first in the country to launch an online tendering service allowing local businesses to secure contracts from across the world. Sunderland City Council has launched the Tender Opportunities service to allow companies

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Pavilion open at transformed site

A transformation of Hartlepool's largest recreation ground, costing more than £1m, has reached another important milestone. The town's mayor, Stuart Drummond, unveiled a plaque to officially open a two-storey pavilion at Grayfields, off Jesmond Road.

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Drinks ban may put park curfew on hold

PLANS for an on-street drinking ban may put a proposed curfew to tackle anti-social youths on hold. Sowerby Parish Council spent £78,000 recently on installing new equipment in its play area in the town. But yobs tried to set fire to a table in a £6,000

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Club players get new strip sponsor

RICHMONDSHIRE Rugby Club players are pictured in their new strip, which was sponsored by Richard D Smith Painting Contractors and Motif8 Embroidery and Print, before their opening league game of the season, which they won 20 points to five against Seaham

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New short stay car parking

CHANGES to car parking arrangements in parts of Stockton town centre come into force today. A short stay system is being introduced in some streets, including the Bridge Road area, Silver Street and Norton Road, from the Buffs Club towards the High Street

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Football training helps build bridges

A GRASSROOTS football project is helping authorities in Hartlepool to build bridges with local youngsters. The multi-agency Hartbeat/ Barnardo's Fast (Families Accessing Support Team) initiative has proved a huge success since being set up in March last

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Proposals to charge holiday lets for waste

A council has announced plans to charge for the removal of waste from holiday cottages. Richmondshire District Council said that, at present, many owners of holiday lets are getting their rubbish removed for free. It proposes that holiday cottages are

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Chris takes part in Asian training exercise

A NORTH Yorkshire nurse has travelled to Asia for a two-week military training exercise. Chris Churchill, 48, from Richmond, is the commanding officer of 251 Medical Squadron, 225 General Support Medical Regiment. The Territorial Army unit flew to Georgia

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News in Brief: Big band performs for cancer charity

Guisborough Big Band will give a concert in aid of Cancer Research UK at Guisborough Football Club on Friday, from 8pm to 11pm. The evening includes supper and a raffle. Tickets, costing £7, are available from Greensleeves Music, Chaloner Street, Guisborough

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Association hosting family fun day

A RESIDENTS' association is holding a good neighbour fun day for its community. The event is being organised by the Rift House East Residents' Association and is due to take place at noon on Saturday at the Rift House recreation ground, Hartlepool. Chairman

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Fundraisers are nominated for accolade

A LOCAL branch of the Children's Society has been nominated for a national accolade in recognition of its service to the charity. The Great Ayton branch has made the shortlist for the Children's Society Star Awards after it raised thousands of pounds

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Project is all Greek to youngsters

A LEARNING centre was all Greek at the weekend, as students revealed the fruits of a summer project. A total of 31 year nine students from five Hartlepool secondary schools - Brierton, English Martyrs, High Tunstall, Manor College of Technology and St

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Golf event raises cash for parties

A GOLF tournament has raised more than £1,000 for charity. The City of Durham Lions Club competition, held at Houghton-le-Spring golf club, attracted more than 100 entries. Half of the money raised will be split between Waterhouses Age Concern and Ushaw

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Anti-crime website aims to reassure residents

PEOPLE in Sedgefield can keep up to date on crime in their area by logging on to a new community safety website. Sedgefield Community Safety Partnership has launched the site, which has information on crime and crime prevention. It features an interactive

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Charity beer festival saved after new venue announced

THE organisers of a charity beer festival are celebrating after finding a new venue for next year's event. Bishop Auckland and Spennymoor Round Table are moving the three-day festival to Whitworth Hall, near Spennymoor, after finding themselves forced

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Better value for money from council

WEAR Valley District Council is giving better value for money, arrangements, resulting in savings for the council. It has introduced a number of initiatives designed to maximise the use of tax-payers money. These include the purchase of IT equipment,

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Caterers celebrate winning hygiene award

CATERERS at a Darlington school are celebrating after receiving a four-star hygiene rating. Polam Hall School was given the rating in the Tees Valley Food Hygiene Awards, which are run across five authorities. The school was inspected in May. Its rating

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Council to mark trust's anniversary

RESTORATION schemes in Darlington, which have benefited from a tax credit scheme, will help celebrate a trust's tenth anniversary. Darlington Borough Council is helping the County Durham Environmental Trust (CDENT) celebrate its anniversary. The trust

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Taxi drivers hoping for green light to keep using bus lanes

TAXI drivers in Darlington are expected to be given the go-ahead to have continued use of town centre bus lanes. Darlington Borough Council's cabinet members will be asked to make an experimental order permanent, after objections were withdrawn. Cabbies

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Housing plans turned down

COUNCILLORS have refused plans to redevelop a former social club site, because the proposed houses would be out of character with the area. Hall Construction applied for permission to build 19 houses off Meadowfield Way, in Newton Aycliffe, which used

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Damage costing thousands in vandal attack on centre

A COMMUNITY centre has been devastated by vandals, just months after a costly refurbishment. The gang smashed their way into Belmont Community Centre, in Durham City, late on Friday nigh, before starting fires causing thousands of pounds worth of damage

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Don't drop your guard, farmers warned

Britain's farmers were urged to remain watchful last night as the latest foot-and-mouth outbreak appeared to be contained. A number of pigs within the existing protection zone, imposed around the scene of the latest outbreak, near Egham in Surrey, were

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Hear All Times

ELECTED MAYOR DARLINGTON Liberal Democrats are concerned that the "yes for an elected mayor" group is attempting to change the political leadership of the borough council, rather than seeking a more democratic form of local government. We are strongly

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Activities to mark charity events week

A WEEK-LONG series of activities will be held by a Darlington group to celebrate a national event. Age Concern, in Darlington, will host several events under the banner Living Life to the Full during Age Concern Week, from Saturday. Events will include

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Health advice for older residents

RESIDENTS in Darlington aged over 50 are being invited to discover how to lead a healthy lifestyle. Growing Older Living in Darlington (Gold) has organised the positive health day. The event takes place on Wednesday, September 26, at the Darlington Arena

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Dance club members mark birthday

DANCE enthusiasts filled Eldon Lane's club hall to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the Eldon Old Tyme Dance Club. In late 1952, during the post-war era, when ballroom dancing was beginning to thrive, a group of young friends decided that a club should

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Fun day aids parks scheme

MORE than £800 was raised at a fun day to help a friends group with its work on a series of parks. The Friends of the Denes group is helping revamp the parks, which run from Hopetown Lane, near North Road, to Cockerton. On Saturday, a fun day was held

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Funding could pay for school improvements

A SCHOOL is expected to be given £400,000 towards improvement works before pupils move into a new academy. Council cabinet members will be asked on Wednesday to approve two sets of funding to be given to Eastbourne School, in Darlington. The money will

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Safety awareness day

SHILDON Community Safety Group is hosting a safety awareness day next month. Anyone wanting to attend the event, in Shildon Civic Hall on Wednesday, October 3, is asked to let organisers know by tomorrow. The event will run from 9.10am to 1.15pm and aims

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Time to show the party line

THE Liberal Democrats start their annual conference today in danger of becoming the forgotten party led by the forgettable man. It is always hard for the third party to hog the mid-term headlines, but the Lib Dems have been sidelined by Gordon Brown taking

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England allow victory chance to slip through their fingers

ENGLAND face Twenty20 World Cup elimination after a woeful fielding performance against South Africa that saw Paul Collingwood's men drop five catches in a 19-run defeat. Boss Peter Moores must now inspire his side to win against India and New Zealand

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'Paul was so kind and so loving'

He was a leading light in snooker who seemed on course for huge success, then at just 27 years old, Paul Hunter died from a rare cancer. His widow Lindsy, now left alone with daughter Evie, has written a book about his fight. She talks to Women's Editor

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Dog days of untimely mistakes

DARLINGTON Dog Show brought back some unhappy memories at the weekend. I have nothing against dogs but, as a young reporter, I considered Darlington Dog Show to be hell on earth. It was the worst job of the year, with thousands of results to type up in

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Indian takeaway

As a young immigrant doctor in the North-East of England, Yash Pal Suri recorded his new life in reels of home movies and audio tapes. Now his unique record has been made into a full-length film by his daughter. He talks to Steve Pratt. To some, Yash

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An American in Paris

French actress Julie Delpy has been making films since she was 14. Now she has turned her attention to writing, directing and producing. Steve Pratt talks to her. Julie Delpy admits that it took a lot of time and trouble to raise the finance for her first

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Vaughan boosts Tykes

Michael Vaughan's highest one-day score for Yorkshire Phoenix in over two years helped his side end their NatWest Pro40 season on an upbeat note by beating Derbyshire Phantoms by 107 runs.The England Test captain is keen to re-establish himself as an

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Brothers try, try and try again

THE Teesside trio of Richardson brothers all scored tries on Saturday, but with mixed results for their clubs.Middlesbrough captain Dave broke through for the first as his side opened their North One account with an encouraging 54-7 win at home to Liverpool

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Singer's charity walk

A SINGER diagnosed with breast cancer was on the march to help others by completing a sponsored trek at the weekend.Pat Greensmith, 45, from Willington, County Durham, performs across the North-East under the name of Chyrelle Addams.She discovered a lump

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Family left in fear after yobs' attack

A FATHER has spoken out after vandals set fire to his car, yards from where his young son was sleeping. Michael Peart says yobs have subjected his family to two years of abuse and torment.The trouble came to a head when his car's back window was smashed

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Gift means lifeboat station can stay afloat

A LEGACY left by a modest benefactor has ensured a lifeboat station can meet its running costs for the next three years.Mary Harper, from Loftus, east Cleveland, left a quarter of her £660,000 estate to Staithes and Runswick RNLI lifeboat station when

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Royal recognition for commitment to community

A FAMILY business has received Royal recognition of its passion and commitment to community and environmental work.Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate was presented with a Queen's Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development by the Lord Lieutenant of

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MP checks out use of lottery funding

AN MP has toured projects which have been given money from the Big Lottery Fund.Durham City MP Roberta Blackman-Woods visited the St Andrew's Youth Partnership and Brandon Youth Project, Durham Bike and Skate Partnership, Newton Hall Bowling Club and

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Region leads opposition to nuclear power stations

OPPOSITION to new nuclear power stations is stronger in the North-East than elsewhere in England, a survey has found.More than 100 people were quizzed after taking part in a day-long Government-sponsored meeting in Newcastle to explore the issue.The

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Public meeting planned by lap dance opponents

A PUBLIC meeting has been called to debate plans to open a lap dancing club near a world heritage site.Vimac Leisure has won permission to start offering the entertainment in The Loft, in North Road, Durham City.But residents are challenging the decision

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NHS among best in the county, says report

HEALTH services in the region are among the best in the country, according to regional NHS bosses.The annual report of NHS North East, the new name for the North-East Strategic Health Authority, shows that between April last year and March, all targets

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Villagers to have a say in set up of council

OLD mining villages in Wear Valley are being invited to join a proposed parish or town council in Crook.Crook will be one of the last areas in Wear Valley to form its own council and hopes it can follow in the footsteps of neighbouring towns and villages

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Campbell's tax plan 'will hammer' the wealthy

THE Liberal Democrats were caught up in a damaging row over plans to hit middle-income households with tax rises as the party's annual conference got under way yesterday.Insisting the wealthy had done "too well" under Labour, party leader Sir Menzies

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Crowds ignore livestock ban to make show a success

DESPITE having to cancel cattle and sheep classes because of the foot-and-mouth crisis, one of the last North-East agricultural shows of the year turned on the style at the weekend.Thousands of people visited the 132nd Eggleston show, in Teesdale, County

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Twenty20 mars Durham joy

WITH two trophies in the bag in pursuit of their amazing treble, Durham coach Geoff Cook reluctantly conceded that his one-day kings will have to concentrate harder on Twenty20 cricket next season.At a time when they are producing more players for England

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Dance Fever winner Darrien shows he has all the right moves

DANCING king Darrien Wright gave children a masterclass in his best moves at the weekend.The Strictly Dance Fever winner showed scores of children how to put their best feet forward, during the workshop in Darlington market square.The event helped to

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Young fans join team's growing ranks

A GROUP of young football fans were made guests of honour after they changed their allegiances to cheer on their local team.Darlington FC pulled out all the stops to greet the eight friends, including two brothers, many of whom were attending their first

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Falcons win as Flood outshines Hodgson

Newcastle Falcons 33 Sale Sharks 12 With speculation linking either Toby Flood or Charlie Hodgson with a call to replace the injured Jamie Noon in Nantes, the Newcastle man was the clear winner in yesterday's Premiership clash at Kingston Park.Man of

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Tributes to pioneering doctor

FORMER colleagues have led tributes to a pioneering children's doctor who was their inspirational boss and teacher.Dr Douglas Andrew, of Bishop Auckland, County Durham, was one of a group of paediatricians who revolutionised medical care for North-East

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Wheelchair-bound conman targeting households in town

POLICE are on the trail of a wheelchair-bound conman who says he is raising money for a special needs school.The man visited homes in Hartlepool and persuaded residents to hand over money for a sponsored walk to buy a minibus for Springwell School, in

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Matrons to police hospital bugs fight

Matrons and nurses are to provide hospital bosses with frontline accounts of the fight against superbugs such as MRSA.The NHS initiative is one of a series to be unveiled by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Health Secretary Alan Johnson this week.Mr Johnson

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Fishing crew saved after breakdown

A FISHING boat's crew were rescued on Saturday after their vessel got into difficulties.The Afon Wen was seen disabled in breaking seas by off-duty Redcar RNLI volunteer Cameron Bond.He saw the 16ft fishing boat in difficulties at East Scar, opposite

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Walking together for 'day of hope and remembrance'

CANCER survivors took part in an emotional lap of honour before a 24-hour relay to raise funds for research into the disease.The 25 men and women, all wearing lilac T-shirts bearing the word Survivor, started the Cancer Research UK Relay For Life event

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Pupils forge links with regeneration scheme

A GROUP of teenagers have made a contribution to the regeneration of their neighbourhood.Youngsters from Acklam Grange School, in Middlesbrough, have been working alongside artist William Pym to make their mark on the West Lane East area of the town.The

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MP and businesses pull off a great save for team

A FOOTBALL team has been saved from possible extinction following the intervention of an MP and local businesses.Thornaby St Patrick's FC was finding it difficult to keep its head above water when the club contacted Dari Taylor, MP for Stockton South,

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Cyclist Alex reaches peak of fitness in challenge

A CYCLIST has raised more than £1,500 for charity by biking up the three biggest mountains in Spain.Alex Coates, a sales manager from Durham, braved temperatures above 30 degrees centigrade to complete the three peaks.The biggest mountain he conquered

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Hundreds turn out for highlight of bike calendar

ABOUT 2,000 people turned out yesterday for one of the highlights of the region's biking calendar.The 26th Teesside Classic Bike Show, organised by Middlesbrough and District Motor Club and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, attracted 104 entries at

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Weather can't stop bloom show flowering

BISHOP Auckland gardeners defied the summer's poor weather to grow some first-class blooms for their early show.The town's Chrysanthemum and Dahlia Society produced nearly 200 exhibits for the weekend's display at King James I School.Secretary Barry Firby

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Campaign to get people to give blood

As part of The Northern Echo lifeblood campaign, which encourages people to give blood, details of donor sessions are as follows:* Today: Barracuda, Front Street, Chester-le-Street, 2.30pm until 7pm. Parish Hall, Newgate Street, Barnard Castle, 2.15pm

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New campaign on anniversary of car seat laws

PUPILS returning to school after the summer break have been marking the first anniversary of new car seat laws.Child seat experts and a council road safety officer joined forces with children from Gurney Pease Primary School, in Darlington.A survey of

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Cyclists make big push for charity

ALMOST 700 cyclists showed off their pedal power in the North-East's biggest bike ride.About 550 completed the Durham Big Ride's 25-mile course, with a further 150 following a three-mile route.They are expected to have raised thousands of pounds for charity.Ed

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Pipers on song at Scottish-themed wedding

NEWLYWEDS are spending their honeymoon at an ape rescue centre, after bringing a taste of Scotland to their highland-themed wedding.Kirsty Houlihan, 25, married her partner Christopher Chester, 26, on Saturday, at St Aidan's Church, in Chilton. The couple

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Appeal for support to draw up list of protected buildings

A CAMPAIGNER has urged Darlington residents to help him draw up a list of the town's protected buildings.Julian French successfully led a drive to save a 19th Century period house from demolition earlier this year.But during his work to save the house

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Porter's cameo gives Pools boss timely reminder

WHENEVER Danny Wilson has witnessed a fit and firing Joel Porter, Hartlepool United's manager has been on the receiving end. As Pools met Bristol City in the 2004 play-offs, Porter had already bagged 15 goals that season and popped up with another in

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Black Cats boss pays tribute to Porterfield

WHEN Sunderland's class of '73 take centre stage at the Stadium of Light this afternoon, manager Roy Keane will join the club's past in taking the time to pay tribute to the man whose goal clinched FA Cup glory 34 years ago. When Ian Porterfield lost

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A fitting tribute to Cats' Cup hero

Sunderland 2, Reading 1 IT might have lost one of its most cherished sons last week but, on Saturday, Sunderland Football Club proved that it had rediscovered its heart.United in a pre-match remembrance of Ian Porterfield, the club's match-winner in

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Keane backing strikers to fire Cats up table

OPTIMISTIC Roy Keane last night insisted he has the strikers capable of firing Sunderland away from of relegation trouble this season - unlike the last time he embarked on such a losing streak. The Black Cats need to avoid defeat at Reading this afternoon

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Milner hails Owen's merits as marksman

HAVING played alongside the likes of Alan Shearer, Robbie Fowler and Mark Viduka. James Milner is well qualified to discuss the merits of Premier League strikers.And while he has only started alongside him once this season, the Newcastle midfielder is

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Pub row ends with death of reveller

A MURDER-STYLE investigation has been launched after a man died when a row at the bar of a busy town centre pub spilled out into the street.A man and a woman were arrested on suspicion of murder on Saturday night after 45-year-old Maurice Shotton, known

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Top dogs and tales of pedigree fun at show

THE region's biggest dog show ended yesterday after three days of fierce competition.More than 8,000 canines competed at Darlington Dog Show Society's Championship Show at Newby Hall, near Ripon, North Yorkshire.Owners travelled from across the UK to

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Hard-up teenagers to get cash for 'positive activities'

HARD-UP teenagers will be given millions of pounds of taxpayers' money to spend on playing football or going to the cinema.The Government will give disadvantaged children aged 13 to 17 debit cards, topped up with up to £40 a month. It wants them to spend

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Crowds welcome Queen of the sea

THE North-East rolled out the red carpet for the QE2, as she began her first visit to the region last night.A virtual carpet of flares and confetti swept across the River Tyne to welcome the liner, as she prepared to dock in Tyne Commission Quay.Earlier

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Top of the table Penney keeps it all in perspective

Darlington 2, Lincoln City 0 "We are top of the league" chanted the Darlington fans after seeing their team put on their best performance of what has been a impressive start to the season.For the first time in 18 years Quakers are unbeaten in their first

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Northern Rock braced for another run on the bank

ANXIOUS customers are expected to resume the run on deposits at Northern Rock today, as speculation mounts over the bank's future.Branch managers have agreed to open early and close late in anticipation of further queues of savers wanting to empty their

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Boro hit by the proverbial sucker punch at Upton Park

West Ham United 3, Middlesbrough 0 ON the last occasion Mark Schwarzer faced Dean Ashton, the Australian goalkeeper was left with a fractured cheekbone inflicted by West Ham United's aerial bombardment tactics in a FA Cup semi-final at Villa Park.Eighteen