Archive
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Open day at racecourse
A RACECOURSE is opening its doors to the public for a family fun day next weekend. Sedgefield Racecourse is holding activities throughout the day for people of all ages on Saturday, October 13. The day starts at 10am with a Walk for Rhema, where staff
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Residents given greater say
THE RULING administration at Darlington Borough Council has announced a range of changes designed to allow residents a greater say in how the town is run. After the mayoral referendum last week, in which more than 8,000 people voted for change, Labour
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Can-can girls launch recycling initiative
A RECYCLING campaign has been kicked-off by can-can girls. Dancers from Houghton Dance and Performing Arts Academy performed in full costume in Durham City's Market Place today. They helped County Durham Waste Awareness Partnership, led by Durham County
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Prime Minister: no general election next month
THE PRIME Minister has ruled out a November general election, according to senior Government sources. Gordon Brown will apparently dismiss the idea of an early poll on his premiership on the BBC tomorrow morning (SUN). The PM has been forced to reconsider
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Pools players to be honoured
SOME of the greatest players in a North-East football club's history are to be honoured on a new housing development in the town. Fans of Hartlepool United are being urged to help shape the lasting tribute to some of the club's most popular players by
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Quakers back on the winning trail
Goals from Steve Foster, Gregg Blundell and Tommy Wright handed Darlington their first win in four games at Dagenham and Redbridge. Foster and Blundell were both part of the Doncaster Rovers team which beat the Daggers in the Nationwide Conference
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Breaking news: England beat Australia in World Cup thriller
England are through to the rugby world cup semi-finals after beating Australia. In a thrilling match England beat Australia 12-10. They now play either France or New Zealand in the semi-finals.
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Wilkinson kicks England into the semis
World champions England extended their title defence into another week by recording a stunning victory over Australia in the Stade Velodrome sunshine. Australia had been red-hot favourites to avenge defeat on home soil in the 2003 World Cup final,
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Kamikaze artwork on show
THE artwork of a former kamikaze pilot has gone on display in the region. Durham University's Oriental Museum features new and selected work by Japanese artist Kenji Yoshida. He has won international recognition for his large scale abstract works using
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Pools cut down by late Forest goal
A LATE scrambled effort from Junior Agogo meant Hartlepool United lost at Nottingham Forest. But Pools will wonder how they left the City Ground with nothing after enjoying the better of the game for the majority of the second period. Forest started
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Officers injured in mass brawl
FIVE police officers were injured when a mass brawl erupted in a packed bar. One was headbutted and the others suffered cuts, bruises and scratches during the riot in Martha's Vineyard bar, Hebburn, South Tyneside. Five men were arrested during the
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Stray dog found in "appalling condition"
THE RSPCA has described the condition of a stray dog found outside Darlington as appalling. Inspectors discovered the German Shepherd bitch in a farmers field at Sadberge on Saturday morning. RSPCA Inspector Garry Palmer said the dog was the skinniest
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Motorcycle smash: appeal for witnesses
POLICE are appealing for witnesses to a road smash that left a motorcyclist in hospital this morning. The collision occurred between a motorbike and a taxi on Acklam Road in Middlesbrough at about 2.40am - when a number of people will have been heading
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Cyclist critical after accident
A YOUNG cyclist is critically ill after he was knocked off his bike by a car. The 15-year-old suffered serious head injuries after colliding with BMW on Sunderland Road, South Shields, South Tyneside, at 6.25pm yesterday. Passers-by called for an ambulance
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Madeline McCann
IN some quarters, there is a premise that the parents of Madeline McCann are guilty when the presumption should be that they are innocent until their guilt, if indeed they are guilty, is found following investigation and prosecution. At present
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Pot and kettle
FOR any health trust to refuse treatment to obese patients is surely a joke? On several visits this year to both our local hospitals on Teesside, I have been astounded at the obesity among the nurses themselves. Maybe the health trust management
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Immigration
WOULD Christopher Wardell (HAS, Oct 3) please explain if Britons are migrating because immigrants are taking all the jobs, from where do they get so much money that they can afford the cost of migrating to the other side of the planet? Equally,
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Iraq
THE Prime Minister seems to be trying to gain kudos for bringing back troops from Iraq. Would he not have gained more kudos by not being part of the gang to send them there in the first place? John Barry Wood, Edmondsley, Co Durham. WHY do political
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Conservatives
ROB Merrick's articles headlined "Taxing Times" (Echo, Oct 4) and "Inheritance Tax cut won't help the North-East" (Echo, Oct 2) were quick to embrace Labour's attempts to expose the so-called "gaping" holes in the Tory tax plans. But, even if Alistair
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Education
IN response to JR Armstrong (HAS, Oct 4), every child, regardless of wealth and social background, should be entitled to the same standard of education, which should be free. Everyone should be given an equal chance to go to university whether
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Search is on for rider’s lifesaver
RELATIVES of a motorcyclist who nearly died after an accident are hoping to track down the woman who helped save his life. Chris Williams, from Carlisle, was on a bike trip around Teesdale when he skidded off the B6276 outside Middleton-in-Teesdale
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The rabbit who would not die
AN abandoned pet rabbit has made a remarkable recovery from a potentially deadly disease.A motorist spotted Friday, the mini lop-eared rabbit, sitting next to a dead guinea pig in a field near Harrogate.The man transported the animal to a nearby vet on
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Council opposes sale of delicacy
A CITY has become the first place in the UK to call for a ban on the sale of foie gras on animal cruelty grounds.City of York Council voted overwhelmingly in favour of a motion that declared the authority's opposition to the French culinary delicacy.
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Tributes to missing Jenny on birthday
MESSAGES of remembrance have been left for shop worker Jenny Nicholl - believed to have been murdered - ahead of her birthday.Miss Nicholl should be celebrating her 22nd birthday today.Instead, her friends and family continue to wait for news of the whereabouts
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Calls for an end to NHS drug lottery
HEROIC Jane Tomlinson's widower has been hailed by North-East campaigners for joining the battle against restrictions on new cancer drugs.Mike Tomlinson said his charity fundraiser wife had been "fundamentally let down" when her NHS trust said it would
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Church faces a hefty problem
IT will take a few strong men to ensure that all is safely gathered in for a harvest festival this weekend.Four giant vegetables grown by veteran gardener Jimmy Reid, 85, will greet worshippers at St Agatha's Church, Gilling West, near Richmond, North
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Students' adventure trips 'hit by red tape'
A TEACHER who took British children all over the world on adventure holidays now only works with Russian youngsters because of health and safety red tape in the UK.Tony Arthur says bureaucracy in the UK has become so complicated that he travels
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Humble glassware's slice of history
There can be few households in the country without a Pyrex bowl in the kitchen cupboard. Marjorie McIntyre reports on the last resting place of the famous glassware.PYREX, the humble heat- resistant glassware, has been churned out in its millions since
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Nurses raise fears over plans to transfer duties
COMMUNITY nurses say patients could be put in danger by proposals to transfer some of their duties to health visitors. North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust (PCT) says the move will free up community nurses to perform more complicated tasks. But
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HQ expansion brings hopes for more jobs
ABOUT 30 jobs are to be created as an international business expands its headquarters in the North-East. Underwater engineering firm CTC Marine Projects is working with Darlington Borough Council to build offices in the town centre. The marine trenching
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Market report
The London market moved closer to the 6,600 barrier yesterday, despite losses from property stocks after British Land shelved the sale of a stake in Meadowhall shopping mall. British Land declined more than three per cent, or 40p, to 1124p, after tighter
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Grainger confident profits will increase
RESIDENTIAL property group Grainger has predicted its profits for 2007 will exceed last year's after increased volumes and margins on sales. The Newcastle company said total sales volumes were expected to be about £128m for the year to September 30
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The bad Guy
He's married the vicar of Dibley, romanced music hall star Marie Lloyd and bared his bottom in Between The Sheets. None of which matters much to fans of Richard Armitage. They just want to see him back as the man in black, scowling and glowering as Guy
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In great Nick
A rising star of acting is about to make his professional debut in his home city of Newcastle. GEORDIE actor Daniel Weyman is bursting with pride that his professional acting debut on Tyneside is the title role in the mammoth touring production of Nicholas
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Fantastic Mr Foxx
Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx is nothing if not versatile. The all-round entertainer talks to Steve Pratt about his latest film, a challenging mix of politics and action, and why it's sexy to play the cello. JAMIE Foxx doesn't consider himself a movie
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A view to fulfil
'I NEVER yet travelled such a line of country so astonishingly fine," I read just before they wheeled me off to theatre. "It was a morning's ride well worth a journey of a thousand miles." I came round two hours later. My journey had involved a surgeon
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Students learn tricks of trade during exchange
TWO German students have been comparing notes during a visit to a Guisborough college. The teaching students, from Dortmund University, spent two weeks at Prior Pursglove College, finding out more about teaching methods in Britain. Britta Juchem and Matthia
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School art attracts interest
AN exhibition of art work by youngsters from a Stockton secondary school has created interest at a museum gallery. For the past two weeks, pupils at Ian Ramsey School have showcased their talents at Preston Hall Museum, near Eaglescliffe. The various
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A reluctant goodbye
Worshippers at St Andrew's church in Tudhoe Grange turn out in force to wish their retiring vicar farewell. THE Reverend Enos Fenton was not over fussed, history records, when asked in 1882 to become the first vicar of Tudhoe Grange, Spennymoor. In truth
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Teesdale Talk: When school was a shed near new reservoir
After being asked this week to provide details about a small Teesdale school which closed 93 years ago, I was astonished to be able to talk to one of its former pupils, surely the only one still surviving. The place of learning concerned was a sturdy
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School celebrates anti-bullying award
A PRIMARY school has become one of only two schools in the country to win a national award. South Pelaw CE Controlled Primary School, at Hilda Park, Chester-le-Street, has been given an Impetus Award by the London-based Institute of Global Ethics. The
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Homes could reduce their carbon footprint
TENS of thousands of people could benefit from a new project to tackle fuel poverty and energy inefficiency. GoWarm, launched by Domestic Energy Solutions, will help people claim heating-related benefits and offer discounted loft and cavity insulation
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Event looks into ways to stay safe
COMMUNITY safety was top of the agenda during an awareness event this week. The day was organised by the Shildon Community Safety Group, at Shildon Civic Hall, and was attended by people of all ages from the town. Representatives from the police, the
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Author to give talk on first novel
A FORMER professional singer is to give a talk about her debut novel next week. Author Annabel Dore has written the book The Great North Road, a story set in the North-East, and will read excerpts from the novel and discuss her work during an event at
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Community welcome for Poles
POLISH residents who have made County Durham their home attended a welcome event this week. Wear Valley District Council staff were on hand to give advice about local services to the guests at a welcome evening held at Bishop Auckland Town Hall on Wednesday
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Warm up with help of scheme
TENS of thousands of people could benefit from a new project to tackle fuel poverty and energy inefficiency. GoWarm, launched by Domestic Energy Solutions, will help people claim heating-related benefits and offer discounted loft and cavity insulation
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Speed cushions likely to be approved despite objections
MEASURES to tackle speeding traffic in a residential street look likely to be approved next week even though some residents are against them. People living in The Avenue, in Coxhoe, have complained about the excessive speed of some cars and have been
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Appeal for memories as club looks to milestone
A FOOTBALL club is hoping to stir up some happy memories when it celebrates its centenary next year. And if all goes according to plan, supporters of Horden Colliery Welfare Football Club will be able to watch their team's major milestones on film. To
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City pupils compete for green award
THE race is on to be named a city's greenest school class. Sunderland City Council has launched its annual Walk to School Week, with classes from 34 schools battling it out for the title. For every child who walks, cycles or gets the bus to school, their
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RAF fundraisers drink to charity success at air base
SOMETHING was brewing down at RAF Dishforth yesterday and it was all in the name of charity. Army helicopter crews and support staff from the base enjoyed cake and a cuppa to raise money for the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen's and Families Association (SSAFA
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Rural children to benefit from arts project funding
A COUNCIL has won an £80,000 grant to bring the arts to young people in rural areas. The Arts Council funding will allow North Yorkshire County Council to run a two-year project called Aspire. It will involve young people in rural schools working with
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Spooky readings
GHOST writer Hilary Mantel will be in the North-East to read from her latest book tonight. Ms Mantel will read from Beyond Black. The book explores the paranormal world through the eyes of Alison Hart, a psychic medium. Ms Mantel will perform at the Gala
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Quick fix for sticky issue
TOWN hall bosses are hoping to get a sticky problem all wrapped up. Fed up with the expense of repeatedly removing gum from the streets, organisers of a clean-up campaign, in Middlesbrough, are making a direct appeal to those who love to chew. In a bid
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Fundraiser conquers the North Run
A FORMER cancer sufferer raised £1,000 to help Cancer Research by running the Great North Run. Maureen Worley, 55, of Thirsk, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2000 and battled the illness with help from staff at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Gateshead
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Man sought over theft from store
POLICE have released a CCTV image of a man wanted for questioning about a theft from the meat counter at a Bishop Auckland supermarket. The man arrived at the Asda store, in South Church Road, at 1.15pm on Saturday, August 18. He chose two joints of meat
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Couple's business dream turns into reality
A £2M business development at a former 18th Century farm will open officially in two week. Crabtree Hall Business Centre, near Catterick, was developed from part of their family farm by Mark and Stephanie Pybus and includes 23 office suites, meeting
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Tree escape for wallet theft youth
A TEENAGER shimmied down a tree after stealing a wallet from a home while the owners were in the house, a court heard yesterday. A 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted stealing a wallet and its contents to magistrates in Darlington
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All I want for Christams
Forget the dry turkey dinner and soggy wet weather on December 25. Make Christmas 2007 an experience you'll never forget by escaping for the festive season. Whether you're looking for a romantic break, revelry with friends or a family get-together, there's
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Store donation makes for playtime fun
A GROUP of youngsters will have new toys to enjoy thanks to a donation from a supermarket chain. Richmondshire Childminding Group was given a £400 cheque by North-East Co-op, to buy toys and equipment for their weekly group at St Joseph and St Francis
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Youngsters' films at festival
BUDDING movie-makers from Durham City and Weardale are to showcase their talents at a national film festival. Students from New College Durham and pupils from Wearhead Primary School will have work shown as part of the Co-operative Young Film-Makers Festival
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Di Venuto advice for Mustard
Australian batsman Michael Di Venuto is warning his Durham team-mate Phil Mustard not to get carried away with his international call-up. Mustard is opening the batting for England's one-day side in Sri Lanka and his first two appearances have brought
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Pub opening hours to
A TOWN centre pub will be allowed to stay open until 3.30am, providing it complies with conditions governing noise and disturbance. Neighbours of The Fleece, in Victoria Road, Richmond, objected to the extended hours, but Richmondshire District Council's
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Mum walks free after admitting £20k fraud
A MOTHER who fiddled more than £20,000 in benefits during a two-year scam against taxpayers has walked free from court. Michelle Fagan tricked the Government and her local council into paying her single-person allowances, even though her partner lived
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Man jailed for pub glass attack
A MAN who travelled from London to celebrate his birthday back home was glassed in a pub, a court was told yesterday, when his attacker was jailed. Lloyd Jackson, 25, was standing at the bar of the Green Dragon pub, in Darlington, when another drinker
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'Manipulator' jailed for faking burglary at his own home
A HOUSEHOLDER who plotted to steal almost £9,500 after making a false burglary report at his home has been locked up for six months. Brian Allison reported that his home, in Stockton, had been broken into while he was away on holiday last summer. He
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Toddlers do their bit to help support lottery bid
TODDLERS produced a collage to support a project to turn a disused bridge into a bridleway and footpath. Youngsters at the Busy Bees pre-School group, in Brompton on Swale, near Richmond, filled a picture with colours to make up the emblem of the Bridge
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Weightlifting contestants
TWO Durham men have represented Great Britain in the World Masters Bench Press Championships. Gavin Walker and Alex Lee were part of a 20-strong team who travelled to Schwedt, near the German-Polish border, for the 24-nation tournament. Mr Lee, 62, of
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Mayor helps launch fair's 40th anniversary
AN annual town fair which dates back to the Middle Ages was opened by the Mayor of Sunderland yesterday. Councillor Les Scott launched the celebrations for the festival of Houghton Feast. The ancient festival originated in the 1100s as a two-day fair
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Film-makers' festival chance
BUDDING movie-makers from Durham City and Weardale are to showcase their talents at a national film festival. Students from New College Durham and pupils from Wearhead Primary School will have work shown as part of the Co-Operative Young Film-Makers Festival
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Art contest success for youngster
A SCHOOLGIRL has won first place in an art competition with her design for a street-warden themed mug. A picture by 11-year-old Chelsea Jeffrey has been selected to feature on mugs promoting the work of wardens in the Easington District. Chelsea's artwork
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Man locked up after false samurai sword attack claim
A MAN who rang police claiming to have been attacked by two samurai swordsmen was found to be the assailant, a court heard. Police soon discovered that 20-year-old Dane Johnson was the aggressor, but had been disarmed by one of his victims, who has martial
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Road safety sign theft
THIEVES have stolen a £6,000 road safety sign used to help children cross a busy Teesside road. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has condemned the thieves. The solar-powered road safety sign, which was installed six weeks ago as part of a borough-wide
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Protests over cemetery plan
A LOCAL history society has said that it is appalled by plans to demolish a 150-year-old cemetery building and sell the land to developers. Northallerton and District Local History Society has offered to take over The Lodge in Northallerton Cemetery,
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Podcasts help walkers to explore dale
THE latest in a series of audio walks which can be downloaded as podcasts to MP3 players has been launched. Swaledale is the fourth trail in a collection from the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. Accompanying maps can be printed from the authority's
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England talks pay off
England's historic victory in the second one-day international over Sri Lanka was prompted by a meeting of forthright views between the players pointing out areas they could improve. Monday's emphatic 119-run defeat in the opening encounter of the five-match
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Community raises £10k for safer route to school
SCHOOLCHILDREN can look forward to a safer journey to and from school thanks to the fundraising efforts of the local community. Parents had feared that a steep path leading down to the playground, at Bishop Middleham Primary School, would close amid safety
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Painting echoes of past times
A SELF-taught artist has recreated a once-thriving area which is about to become a vanished community. Middlesbrough artist Bob Williams, 59, is celebrating the completion of a huge painting of 1900s St Hilda's. The area is currently being demolished
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Chance to enjoy mushroom walk
A FUNGUS expert will lead a woodland masterclass tomorrow. Tom Kirby will point out mushrooms and toadstools flourishing in damp woodland, near Wynyard, County Durham. Sunday's guided walk has been organised by Hartlepool Borough Council's countryside
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All aboard for reinstated bus route
RESIDENTS in outlying east Cleveland villages are being given a ticket to ride, courtesy of the town hall. Commuters have been left out in the cold since the Arriva bus company withdrew loss-making services more than a year ago. From next month, a 25-
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Sponsor pulls out of charity ride
A SPONSOR has pulled out of a town's annual charity bike ride. Springs health and leisure club, whose Hartlepool marina complex has been the start-and-finish point and registration station for the Cycle4Life event during the past four years, is stepping
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Gymnast wins regional contest
A TEN-year-old from Darlington is the proud winner of a top gymnastics competition. Kelsey Garbutt won the regional Northern England gymnastics competition in Newcastle, last month. Kelsey beat the best of the region's talent to qualify for the Great
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Day calls on help from Bollywood
UP to 100 people are expected to attend an event this month featuring Bollywood dancers and ethnic food to celebrate World Mental Health Day. The theme for this year's day is "mental health in a changing world - the impact of culture and diversity". To
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New owners giving derelict pub £250k refurbishment
A DERELICT pub that has blighted a community and was once labelled a crime den is undergoing a £250,000 refurbishment. The Jubilee pub, on the Jubilee Fields estate, in Shildon, is expected to open as the Welcome Inn in about four-weeks, for "the good
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Dark Angel sees the light
With star sprinter Red Clubs nearing his time in the breeding sheds, Barry Hills unearthed a possible replacement as Dark Angel put in a game effort to land the Shadwell Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket. Red Clubs has bounced from one top sprint to another
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Mathew Tait's World Cup Diary
What's the old phrase - keep your head in the fridge and your body on fire? I'm not one for getting terribly hyped up. Of course it's the biggest match I have ever played in - a World Cup quarter-final against Australia - but it's still a game. Everyone
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Man was attacked by gang in own home
A GANG who attacked a man in his own home, stamping on him and leaving him bleeding and badly bruised, narrowly avoided prison yesterday. Darren Brawn and his friends Paul and Wayne Simpson subjected their victim to a five-minute attack of punches and
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Cash raised to remember dad
FAMILY, friends and colleagues of a popular groundsman at a North-East park are to donate almost £3,000 to Macmillan Cancer Support in his memory. Derek Smithson tended the grounds atA Ryhope Park in Sunderland and seemed to have beaten throat cancer
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Ice-cream sellers hot under collar about cost of licences
ICE-cream sellers have criticised Darlington Borough Council's decision to double its charges for a licence. The cost for a street trader's licence has risen by 100 per cent from £100 to £200 for an ice-cream van. However, the council has said the new
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Catt relishing his chance to shine
Mike Catt will renew World Cup hostilities with Australia today admitting England are ''huge underdogs'' to maintain their grip on the Webb Ellis Trophy. The 36-year-old centre makes a 12th Test match appearance against the Wallabies in as many years
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Moyes remains fiercely ambitious
Jubilant David Moyes revealed his driving ambition to be a ''great Everton leader'' in the wake of the club's elevation to the UEFA Cup elite. Boss Moyes was talking just hours after bringing his squad back from Kharkiv in the Ukraine, where Everton had
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School team wins Army competition
A TEAM of ten teenagers from a Darlington school have defeated their counterparts from across the North in an Army challenge. The group, from Branksome School, picked up the winner's shield after the challenge, in York. They undertook a series of physical
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Football Commentary: Idiotic fan only guilty of ill-conceived prank
When football commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme spoke the immortal words more than 40 years ago "some people are on the pitch, they think it's all over", he summed up the over-spilling emotions of an entire nation. As England fans started to drift onto
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Band plays through to awards regional finals
A SCHOOL band has qualified for the regional finals of a music award. The band 2 Many Units, from Carmel RC School's sixth form, has reached the regional heats of the Liquidisco Academy Awards, which will be held in Newcastle, on October 14. The band
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Beyond the call of duty?
THERE is always a danger when taking the law into your own hands of letting things go too far. However, the vast majority of people will surely feel sympathy for the way Mark Fenwick reacted when his home was damaged after a slab of concrete was thrown
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Charity warns diabetes is the new time bomb
A CHARITY is warning of a diabetes time bomb after figures showed that 230,000 people are registered with North-East GPs as being obese.It is the first time such figures have been available.The region also has the highest proportion of obese people in
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High point as Kira's sunflower is prizewinner
Kira Bradley's green- fingered gift for growing has made her the toast of her school.The five-year-old, who is a pupil at Ludworth Primary School in Durham, has grown a 391cm (12.8ft) sunflower in a competition run by County Durham Waste Awareness Partnership.Her
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Lottery cheer for dedicated grandparents
WINNING a lottery has made life that little bit easier for two devoted grandparents.Former nurse Linda Clarke, 59, and her husband, Dennis, 62, have for the past four years been bringing up grandsons Tom, 13, and Harry, 11, following the death of their
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Dynamic Duo are honoured in the US
TWO North-East policewomen have been dubbed the Dynamic Duo - by colleagues in the US - for their part in cracking an international drugs ring.Detective Sergeant Becky Driscoll and Detective Constable Gill Matthews are so highly thought of in the States
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Plea for clues after family beaten by gang of yobs
POLICE have appealed for information after a family were beaten by a gang of up to 30 yobs.Jeff and Maria Readman, from Thornaby, near Stockton, were on their way back from a children's party when they were set upon in the street.Mrs Readman, 41, suffered
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Hole-in-wall gang admits nine raids in two years
MEMBERS of a hole-in-the-wall gang who stole tens of thousands of pounds from cash machines were last night facing lengthy jail sentences.A nationwide police operation snared the County Durham criminals after they struck at cashpoints nine times in the
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Vigilante trial 'an absolute disgrace'
POLICE and prosecutors faced a storm of criticism last night after a father who performed a citizen's arrest on two teenagers was cleared of assault.Father-of-three Mark Fenwick was charged over confronting a group of youths after a slab of concrete was
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League in search of venue
NORTH-EAST Harrier League officials are trying to find a suitable cross country venue to ensure a continuation of the traditional six-meeting competition this winter.Having lost fixtures at Consett and Chester-le-Street, the League has only been able
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Fit-again Owen returns for club and country
MICHAEL Owen will make a surprise appearance in the Newcastle squad for tomorrow afternoon's home game with Everton - just seven days after undergoing a hernia operation that was supposed to keep him sidelined for up to a month.And with Steve McClaren
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Old rivals lock horns for a fifth World Cup clash
THIS afternoon's World Cup quarter-final is the fifth game between England and Australia in the history of the competition. Chief Sports Writer Scott Wilson looks at the previous four encounters.1987 (Sydney): World Cup Group PhaseAustralia 19-6 EnglandAustralia
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Southgate an admirer of Sven's subtle approach to player management
GARETH Southgate has admitted Sven-Goran Eriksson's low-key management style is a big hit with most of his players despite famously labelling the Swede as more "Iain Duncan Smith than Winston Churchill".Southgate's Middlesbrough face Manchester City at
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Sunderland boss at a loss to comprehend why in-form Leadbitter can't secure a place in England's squad
ROY Keane last night criticised Stuart Pearce's decision not to call up Grant Leadbitter for England Under-21s' forthcoming European Championships qualifiers against Montenegro and Republic of Ireland.While Wolves winger Michael Kightly and Southampton
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Penney head-to-head with his former foes
May 2003 saw a momentous occasion in the history of Darlington Football Club - 120 years of football at Feethams came to an end with their final game at what some believe remains their spiritual home.But seven days later came a game that, for current
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A dark cloud hung over my life for a year
A proud homeowner who helped perform citizens' arrests on three suspected trouble-makers was later prosecuted for assaulting them. But Mark Fenwick left court yesterday with his unblemished record intact after a Crown Court jury cleared him. Neil Hunter
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Mowden forced to re-draw future plans as Smithson goes to Blaydon
JASON Smithson has left Darlington Mowden Park to join Blaydon and will make his National Two debut in today's match at Henley.The Newcastle Academy product was recalled from Mowden because of injuries two years ago and appeared in the Premiership before
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Dream is turning into reality for Mackay
MICHAEL Mackay is living the football dream at Hartlepool United - and this week the striker has seen the dream turn into reality.Danny Wilson signed the striker from Consett in February after he bagged 43 goals in half a Northern League season.Since
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Milner ready to step up to full England duty
HE is probably the most experienced 21-year-old in the history of English football, but now James Milner wants to convert that experience into a maiden international cap.The Newcastle midfielder will make his 32nd England Under-21 appearance in this month's
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Brown's election options still open
GORDON BROWN kept open the option of an autumn election yesterday as it was announced that two major Commons statements would be made early next week.The Prime Minister will update MPs on Iraq on Monday, with Chancellor Alistair Darling delivering the
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Newcastle striker will not be left on bench
Michael Owen has been promised a starting spot for England next Saturday - but Steve McClaren maintains no risks will be taken with the striker.Yet, even if the 27-year-old, who is now one of only four players to hit the 40-goal mark for England, does
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Keane's fears for game intent on selling its soul
ROY Keane has already directed his wrath at 'wags', divers and players who put money before medals this season. Yesterday, the Sunderland manager decided to widen his range.Delivering what effectively amounted to a state of the union address ahead of
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Falcons just edge out battling Leeds
Newcastle Falcons 21, Leeds Carnegie 19.Newcastle were given a real fright by Guinness Premiership basement club Leeds at Kingston Park last night.The Falcons frantically scrambled to a 21-19 win, needing a 40-metre drop goal from Tom May to deny Leeds
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Breaking news: Hamilton on pole
Lewis Hamiliton will start tomorrow's Chinese GP in pole position. His McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso starts fourth behind Hamilton and the two Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and Massa. A win for Hamilton tomorrow will confirm his world championship.
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'Back to work' for cup hero after cancer op
NEWCASTLE United legend Bob Moncur hopes to be back at work tomorrow - days after undergoing an operation for cancer. The former captain of Newcastle United and Scotland has had surgery to remove a tumour this week after being diagnosed with cancer
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TV star goes to North-East walk-in centre for HIV test
MILLIONS of television viewers will see actor and broadcaster Stephen Fry take an HIV test this week - at a North-East walk-in centre.Last night staff at Teesside Positive Action, in Middlesbrough, revealed that the celebrity and comedian had an HIV test
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Top-performing hospital stroke unit to be relocated
A PRIMARY Care Trust (PCT) is to close a stroke unit - only five months after it was named the best performing in the UK.North Yorkshire and York PCT will move services from the Rutson Hospital, Northallerton, to the town's Friarage Hospital.In May, the
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Hamilton can lift title in China after crisis averted
Lewis Hamilton's bid to become the first rookie driver to win the Formula One world championship is firmly back on track after he was cleared of any wrongdoing in the accident involving Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel in Japan. But the 22-year-old has
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Renewed witness appeal after former soldier suffers beating
POLICE have renewed an appeal for witnesses who may have seen a gang attack on a father-of-three early on Sunday.Eddie Harrop, 26, was waiting for a taxi in Bondgate, Darlington, at 2.30am, when he was approached by two men.The pair then punched and kicked
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O'Malley praise for landlady
Australian Peter O'Malley equalled the Carnoustie course record as he stormed into a share of the lead in the £2.5m Alfred Dunhill Links championship, and then revealed how his guesthouse landlady helped keep his title bid on track. On a day when perfect
