Archive
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Prosecutor denies sex assault charge man's conspiracy defence
THE BARRISTER prosecuting a man accused of indecently assaulting two teenage girls said today his claim they were in collusion is "bonkers". Leonard Michael Young, 60, denies three counts of sexual assault or touching, suggesting the two girls allegedly
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Holder collects on £50,503 on 'unclaimed' lotto ticket
THE HOLDER of a previously unclaimed lotto winning ticket has come forward to claim their prize. National Lottery operator Camelot confirmed the £50,503 prize from a Lotto draw in mid-April, which previously remained outstanding, has now been claimed
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Fame at last
I've just received a request for permission for two stories from The Northern Echo to be used in a forthcoming book by Phoenix Nights comedian Dave Spikey. The book, entitled He Took My Kidney, Then Broke My Heart, is due to be published in October.
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Boxing clever in the Headline Game
Tomorrow morning's Headline Game on TFM radio will be about an Austrian carpenter who's broken the world record for building coffins. Herbert Weber has made 707,335 coffins during his 30 year career. Our headline will be the brilliantly clever "That's
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Footballers facing relegation put smiles on fans' faces
PREMIERSHIP footballers battling relegation have been entertaining fans off the pitch. The Middlesbrough squad has already topped last seasons record breaking 374 community appearances and is set to top the 400-mark by the end of the season. Boros
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Norman must sit out York’s big day
NORMAN WILKINSON, still York City's all-time leading scorer, will be a notable absentee when the Minstermen make their Wembley debut in Saturday's FA Trophy final. He is unwell. "It's a great pity, he'd have loved it, " says Marshall Lawson, his lifelong
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Beer stolen from football ground
TWO teenagers attempted to steal beer from a football club one day before a potentially vital friendly match. The two boys scaled a security fence at Darlington Football Club's stadium on Saturday and entered an unlocked door before stealing some beer
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Accused man showed no signs of mental disorder, court told
A DOCTOR has told how a man who claims he was suffering from an abnormality of mind when he killed his former landlord showed no signs of mental disorder when she saw him a month earlier. Iranian pizza shop worker Ahmedreza Fathi was detained by police
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Thieves escape with priceless medals in home raid
THIEVES have made off with two priceless World War Two medals after raiding a family home. The burglars stole the medals belonging to the late father of one of the owners after breaking into a house on Fieldfare Road, Hartlepool, between 2pm and 4.30pm
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Help for County Durham families
FAMILIES in County Durham who need extra support are being offered help from a new service. A Family Pathfinder service being piloted in the Sedgefield, Easington and Derwentside areas will help families where children are suffering because their parents
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Bears face another track specialist
One week after Edinburgh's Michal Rajkowski top scored at the South Tees Motorsport Park the Stoke Potters arrive on Thursday evening at 7.30pm for the first Premier League fixture of the season with another reserve who loves racing on the pacy 271 metre
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Young offenders help abused children
YOUNG offenders dug deep into their pockets to raise cash to help abused children. Inmates at the young offenders institution in Northallerton raised more than £800 for Barnardos’ Bridgeway project in Middlesbrough. They organised a
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Phoenix nights...
I had a very enjoyable evening in the company of the Phoenix Club in Chester-le-Street last night. I have to admit that when I agreed a year ago to give the club a Dad At Large talk, I hadn't realised it was a Bank Holiday Monday. Nevertheless, a date
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Future of playing fields up for discussion
RESIDENTS are being urged to have their say on the use of King George V Playing Fields at Guisborough. People are invited to an information event to put forward any ideas for the area. Councillor Sheelagh Clarke, Redcar and Cleveland Council's cabinet
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Cakes and raffle at spring fair
Woodhouse Close Community Church, in Bishop Auckland, is to hold a spring fair on Saturday May 9 from 2pm. Stalls, cakes and a raffle will be part of the fun. Admission is 50p for adults and 25p for children.
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Peak challenge for Bishop Auckland youngsters
Over 20 pupils from Bishop Barrington School Sports with Mathematics College in Bishop Auckland are setting off for the Peak District, in Derbyshire, on Monday May 11. The youngsters will take part in a range of outdoor activities including rafting,
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Countdown to annual Meet begins
THE countdown to an annual in carnival in Teesdale begins this weekend. The Barnard Castle Meet weekend starts on May 23, with the grand parade through town taking place two days later. But a handful of events over the coming weeks will get people in
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Close encounter over Brompton?
VILLAGERS had a close encounter of the baffling kind over the Bank Holiday weekend. A bizarre light was seen crossing the sky near Brompton, Northallerton, sparking a local UFO alert. The unidentified flying object was spotted on Saturday between 8.30pm
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Man appears in court over mother-of-two's death
A MAN accused of murdering his partner has made his first appearance before a judge in a video-link from prison. Nigel John McLean did not enter a plea to the charge during yesterday’s ten-minute hearing at Teesside Crown Court. The 40-year-old
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Work starts on £300,000 play area for North Yorkshire park
WORK has started on a £300,000 children’s play area in North Yorkshire funded by the National Lottery. The scheme will see 26 pieces of play equipment fitted at Pannett Park, in Whitby, in the refit to be on a nautical theme. Councillor Steve Smith,
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Darlington Arena thunders to rugby league debut
A FOOTBALL stadium which hosted its first pop concert last summer will make history this weekend when it hosts the first professional rugby league match in County Durham. Gateshead Thunder will host Oldham Roughyeds on Saturday at The Northern Echo Darlington
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Insurance apprentice pushes ahead with career in record time
A FORMER apprentice is pushing ahead with his chosen career after he gained a vital professional qualification in near record time. Tim Lodge joined Darlington-based insurance broker BiB in 2007 as a trainee before completing his Chartered Insurance
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Residents' group feels councillors warned off incinerator plan
PROTESTERS fighting plans for a waste incinerator claim local councillors have been warned off revealing their views on the issue. The Dalton Incinerator Steering Committee (Disc) is against proposals which may see an incinerator built on Dalton
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Boro Steele up goalkeeper options
TEENAGE goalkeeper Jason Steele has signed a new three-year contract at Middlesbrough. The England Under-19 international has agreed terms on a deal that ties him to the Riverside Stadium until the summer of 2012. * For more Middlesbrough news read
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Claudia: Father's internet plea
THE father of missing Claudia Lawrence has spoken of his inner torture at not knowing what has happened to his 35-year-old daughter. Solicitor Peter Lawrence was talking at the formal launch of a new website dedicated to finding the York University
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Police force's accident costs reduced by nearly £43,000
A POLICE force paid nearly £43,000 less on accidents involving its own cars between October and December 2008 as it did over the same time in 2007. North Yorkshire Police paid £41,250 out in total over the three months in 2008 a drop of £42,988 on the
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Fire crews help for Tilly
FIRE crews will be doing their bit this weekend to raise money for a little girl who lost her hands to meningitis. Retained firefighters from Durham Fire Station will be at Sainsbury’s on the Arnison Retail Park, in Durham City on Saturday, from 9am,
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REVIEW: Bedale flower festival comes up roses
ST Gregory’s Church, in Bedale, celebrated the Bank Holiday weekend with an excellent flower festival, along with a craft and gift fair. Many visitors enjoyed the magnificent floral displays. The theme was "stories from childhood" and included scenes
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Something fishy in the classroom...
THERE’S something fishy going on in a classroom on the North York Moors - quite literally. Youngsters at the community primary school in Castleton are learning all about river ecology and the lifecycle of salmon. As part of it a small
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Joey Barton Factfile
1982 Born Huyton, September 2. 2003 April - Makes Manchester City debut in a 2-0 defeat to Bolton at the Reebok Stadium. Scores first Blues goal in 2-0 win over Tottenham at White Hart Lane. September - Called into England Under-21
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Why The Whales Came Newcastle Theatre Royal
BIRMINGHAM Stage Company’s production of Why The Whales Came, by Michael Morpurgo, is adapted for the stage and directed by Greg Banks. Set on the idillic Isles of Scilly just before the First World War, school friends Gracie and Daniel play
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Young musicians' concert
YOUNG musicians are to show off their talents at a concert this weekend. The concert, featuring pupils of local piano teacher Yzen Eng, takes place on Saturday, May 9 on Belmont Parish Hall, in Broomside Lane, Durham City. The youngsters will perform
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The White Crow: The Studio, York Theatre Royal until May 23
As far as Sonia Petrovna, pictured, is concerned, it’s “more than a play”. She says: “This is a moment to just stop and think. It asks many questions about who we are. That’s why I’m saying it’s more than a play.” The White Crow takes place in
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Coffee contest for youngsters
A COMPETITION for primary school children in north Durham has been launched. Card Factory, in Consett, want youngsters to create a design for a coffee mug following the theme of ‘My Family’. It is part of the company’s ‘Match Our Million’ campaign with
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Taking steps to lose weight
The Wire (BBC2, 11.20pm); Claire Richards: My Big Fat Wedding (BBC3,9pm); Shameless (C4, 10pm). VIEWERS who fell in love with gritty crimedrama The Wire based on a less-than-elite task force in Baltimore, are once more getting caught up in that compelling
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Museum piece
It’s not just the galleries that are a reminder of past pleasures at the Bowes. DO they still have those socio-economic classifications where A, B and C1 are above the salt – there is no need, presumably, to explain that ancient pecking order’s
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Missing York woman's father tells of "strange and dreadful feeling"
THE father of university chef Claudia Lawrence spoke today of a "strange and dreadful feeling" as his daughters disappearance approached 50 days. Peter Lawrence was speaking in Hovingham, North Yorkshire, as he officially launched a new website dedicated
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Public inquiry into housing plan saga
A PUBLIC inquiry will be held this summer to end a longrunning saga over housing plans in Spennymoor. Planning officers have been in talks with builder Barratt over residential schemes for Whitworth Park since 2004. The application will be handed
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May 5th, 2009
OLD FOLK’S HOME? Well, it’s over a year, now, Since I bid goodbye To my life in a factory. Doesn’t time fly? With no possible prospect of work, I can see A Last of the Summer Wine future for me. I’m bound to this aimless existence, I know Till
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Dusty! Queen of the Postmods by Annie J Randall (OUP £12.99)
AS a child of the Sixties, I always considered Dusty Springfield as an exceptional soul/blues singer but never really appreciated her contribution to the whole music scene. The babe with the trademark blonde beehive wigs and the heaviest, blackest
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Magpies suspend Barton
NEWCASTLE UNITED have suspended midfielder Joey Barton until further notice, the club announced this morning. The club are believed to have suspended the controversial midfielder for an indefinite period after he reportedly clashed with manager
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World War II: The Definitive Visual Guide, From Blitzkrieg to Hiroshima (Dorling Kindersely, £25)
ABSORBING the detail and complexities of a conflict such as the Second World War can be daunting. The answer to gaining a global overview can be found in this new book. And while I’m always weary of the definition “definitive”, this is probably
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The Kings And Queens Of Britain by John Cannon and Anne Hargreaves (OUP £11.99)
WHATEVER you want to know about whichever of our monarchs, from 55BC to the present day, you’ll find here in this comprehensive guide. This revised edition also looks at the changing role of the monarchy in a country which needs at least one
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Say Goodbye To The Cuckoo by Michael McCarthy (John Murray, £16.99)
FORGET saving the whale and rescuing the rhino. Unless we pull out our fingers now, we can wave goodbye on the British country scene to the cuckoo and other birds such as swifts and yellow wagtail. Whether climate change or environmental degradation
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The Welcome Visitor: Living Well, Dying Well by John Humphrys with Dr Sarah Jarvis (Hodder and Stoughton, £16.99)
Presenter John Humphrys’ exploration of modern attitudes to death is somewhat soulless, says Peter Mullen. CHEER up! Here comes a book about death and dying written by the BBC Today presenter John Humphrys, with contributions from the medical
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Town set to celebrate local history month
A SERIES of events are due to take place to celebrate local history month. Libraries in Stockton Borough will be hosting the events throughout May and will aim to explore the history of the borough through topics ranging from family history and genealogy
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Students ready for World Kickboxing Championships
TWO sporty students have won major championships and will now go on to represent England in the World Kickboxing Championships. Liam Coe, 14 and Catherine Trainor, 16 won three gold medals at the recent South Tyneside Open Championships. Liam, who trains
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Trident
SUNDERLAND South MP Chris Mullin wants us to scrap the multi-billion Trident nuclear missile replacement system in order to save money (Echo, April 30) because we need to make economies as a result of the recession and the Government debt level
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School reforms
PRIOR to the use of computers and calculators in the classroom, everything had to be written. This meant pupils had to think, reason and use their imagination before putting pen to paper. The more these abilities are used, the more neural connections
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Are you the UK’s next top model?
GIRLS who dream of strutting their stuff on the catwalk, will get the chance to do so when car company Vauxhall will search for the the Face of Tigra 2009 at a style event at the MetroCentre on Saturday, May 9. The company sponsors Britain
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Planning for a 'New Life Centre'
PLANNING applications have been submitted for a ‘New Life Centre’ which will serve as a community and performing arts venue. If the plans are given the go ahead the centre will be built on Hartlepool’s Headland at St Hilda’s school. The application
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‘I could never have married a stranger’
Writer Sophie King’s path to success has not always been conventional. She talks to Sarah Foster about her latest book, and about how she plans – eventually – to join her husband and live in the North-East. THE story is depressingly familiar: a working
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Two men injured in shooting
TWO men suffered serious injuries in a shooting incident in County Durham last night. Both victims, who are in their 20s, are expected to undergo further surgery in hospital today as police inquiries are stepped up in the South Moor area of Stanley,
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Gurkhas
THE Government’s defeat in the House of Commons vote over the right of Gurkhas who have fought for Britain to settle here is wonderful news. Conservative, Liberal Democrat and some rebel Labour MPs joined together to defeat the Government on this
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Iraq: was it worth it?
IT’S good to see our soldiers are returning from Iraq, but share a thought for our fallen ones who won’t be coming back. This is a war that we should never have been involved in. We hear our Prime Minister and other MPs talking about how we have
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Speeding
I QUOTED evidence that suggests that drivers convicted of speeding are safer than those who are not (HAS, April 27). Barry Wood claims I am, therefore, suggesting that it would be safer for everyone to drive at 100mph (HAS, May 1). I am not that
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Swine flu
THE impact of the outbreak of swine flu on global travel raises understandable concerns as to how to control the spread of disease. It is now obvious that, while the world might span many continents, to contract infection you don’t have to move
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Economic crisis
WE live in confusing and troubled times. The current credit crunch, recession, depression – call it what you will – has hit us all like a brick wall. Private sector workers have been hit the hardest with lay-offs and redundancies while the public
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Equality Bill missing real point
HARRIET Harman, former pupil of premier academy St Paul’s School and niece of the Countess of Longford, is introducing a new Equality Bill – and nobody laughs. Under her proposals, public bodies will have to show they are promoting equality. It
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A trainspotter's paradise
The Search Engine library and research centre is making the history of the railways more accessible. Steve Pratt explores an Aladdin’s cave of treasures at the National Railway Museum in York. BOXES. Hundreds and hundreds of acid-free boxes standing
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A time for calm heads
NINE more cases of swine flu were confirmed in the UK yesterday, taking the total number to 27, but, thankfully, the prospect of a deadly pandemic appears to be receding – at least, for now. Pandemics come in waves, with the second and third usually
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Jobs created at bus depot
JOBS are being created in the region by a North-East bus operator. Go North-East is creating 20 jobs in Peterlee, County Durham, with potentially more on the way, as it expands its operations by moving to a local base at the end of the month.
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Town launches ‘buy local’ drive
A NORTH-EAST town has launched its own drive to encourage businesses to source goods and services from within the area. The Hartlepool Buy Local campaign encourages firms to work together to stave off the effects of the recession. The campaign
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Chris’ wealth of experience
A MAN whose track record includes managing a resort hotel in the US and a backpackers’ business in Australia has joined a hotel in Teesdale. Chris Dodgson has joined the Morritt Hotel, in Greta Bridge, near Barnard Castle, as operations manager
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Pendragon unveils £530m finance package
STRUGGLING Reg Vardy owner Pendragon unveiled a significant loss alongside a three-year financing package yesterday, after talks were sealed in time to beat a deadline for annual results. The car group, which also owns the Stratstone and Evans
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City diary
THE recent recovery in banking shares will be put to the test this week, when Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Barclays issue trading updates. RBS is now 70 per cent owned by the taxpayer and posted a UK record £24.1bn loss last year, after
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Pirates and princesses have fun time
PIRATE games had children enthralled at a medieval manor house over the weekend. Treasure hunts, pirate ship designing and a chance to visit a beautiful princess in an enchanted tower room were on offer at Crook Hall, in Durham. Maggie Bell,
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Young boxer Ambrose sets his sights on 2012
A TEENAGE boxer who has claimed second place in an international tournament aims to represent his country in European championships this year. Ambrose Burnside, 13, is likely to be selected for the England team for the second time this year for
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Councils urged to check contracts
CAMPAIGNERS behind efforts to get North-East authorities to spend money with local firms have urged councils to review contracts with foriegn companies to check they still get value for money. The value of the pound has fallen over the past year
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Bus pass treasure hunt to help Africans
HUNDREDS of bus pass holders will help others while on a day out tomorrow. The Durham Lesotho Link group will hold a sponsored Great North Bus Challenge from 9.30am to 6pm tomorrow. Those taking part can choose where they go, with 20 checkpoints
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Barn conversion in memory of friend
A CHARITY has vowed to convert a derelict barn into a bunk-house in memory of a friend who died from cancer. St Mary’s Centre, at Wycliffe, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, offers accommodation to children and adults in need of rest and recuperation
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Early release of £180m for school buildings
Schools are set to benefit earlier then expected from a £180m investment. The Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme is a government initiative which attempts to improve standards in education. Stockton Borough Council was expecting to receive
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Headline Game
You could say the odds were weighted against me in this morning's Headline Game on TFM radio. The story was about 22-stone grannie Rosemary Batey, from Tantobie, County Durham, getting stuck in the bath and having to be rescued by firemen.
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Family slams cruel cemetery vandals
A GRIEVING woman has been left devastated by thieves who desecrated her mother’s grave, only days after she had been buried. Audrey Walker, 60, was horrified to discover that three wreaths the family put on the grave of her mother, who was buried
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Bethell’s Ship is on course for Catterick success
LIBERTY SHIP should be a maiden no longer after the Don’t Miss totesport Saturday 23rd May Handicap at Catterick. James Bethell’s four-year-old is certainly not without pace – he has made the frame in seven of his 12 starts – and did enough at
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Rudolph future is in doubt
JACQUES Rudolph’s future as a Yorkshire player should become clearer by the end of the month after he revealed a planned meeting with the ECB to discuss changes surrounding the Kolpak ruling. The prolific batsman, who hit just 14 in the county
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Durham fall short in miserable game
Durham v Sussex (Friends Provident Trophy) IT WAS almost as though Durham had had their fingers burned by pulling Sunday’s match out of the fire as they totally failed to get to grips with yesterday’s Friends Provident Trophy tie against Sussex
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Gutierrez focuses on derby
WITH Joey Barton’s season reaching a premature end, team-mate Jonas Gutierrez wants the dressing room to pull together and prove that Newcastle United can win their Premier League survival fight without the temperamental midfielder. Barton’s
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Miller wants a quick Quakers resolution
WORRIED Darlington defender Ian Miller has called for a quick resolution to the club’s ownership problems which he admits is more likely to drive the squad away the longer the crisis continues. The deadline for potential buyers for the club
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Higgins cleans up title
JOHN Higgins last night won the third World Championship title of his career as he completed a crushing Crucible victory over Shaun Murphy. The brilliant Scot drubbed Murphy 18-9 to land the trophy and prize money of £250,000, sealing his victory
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Boro face battle to keep Bates
MIDDLESBROUGH will do all they can to keep Matthew Bates on Teesside this summer – but boss Gareth Southgate accepts they will face stiff competition for the highlyrated youngster. Bates’ current contract is due to expire at the end of the
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Sunderland miss out to the Gunners
Arsenal 2 Sunderland 1 SUNDERLAND restored some pride in North-East football before going down to the top team in the women’s game. Playing their first FA Cup final, Sunderland did not disgrace themselves against the experienced Arsenal side
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Sunderland still hold an advantage of sorts
MARTON Fulop has attempted to lift some of the gloom that has descended on Wearside in recent weeks with the following message: “It could be worse – we could be Middlesbrough or Newcastle”. Sunday’s 2-0 defeat to Everton left Sunderland just
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Clarinettist lands music teacher role in China
A TEENAGE musician will make a giant step towards his dream career this summer after landing a Chinese work placement. Chris Ward, 19, has secured a job as a musical teaching assistant at the British School of Beijing, in China. The year-long post
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Alarming figures over patrol car accidents
POLICE cars have been involved in nearly 200 accidents in the region since 2004, figures released yesterday showed. The research carried out by The Daily Mirror comes days after the family of a 16-year-old who died when a speeding police car hit
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School’s search for football memories
A SEARCH for historic sporting memorabilia has kicked off with an appeal for a missing school badge. Northallerton College, in North Yorkshire, is celebrating its 100th anniversary on its Grammar School Lane site, and is appealing for former
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Organiser chuffed with show’s success
MODEL railways were brought to life in a two-day exhibition at the weekend. More than 300 people visited The Grand Model Railway Club’s annual show in The Grand Hotel, Bishop Auckland, on Sunday and yesterday. For the first time since the exhibition
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Vet makes marathon effort for charity
VET Matt Yarnall has come up trumps for his animal charges after taking part in the London Marathon. The 26-year-old, from Northallerton, North Yorkshire, completed the gruelling course in a time of three hours and 26 minutes. In doing so, he
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End of line for man’s railway collection
IT is the end of the line for one of the North-East’s largest collections of railway memorabilia after thieves left the owner’s widow living in fear. Known for nearly 30 years as the Railway House, because of five signal finials on the garage
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Chance to enter your short film
NORTH-EAST film makers are being invited to show off their skills in a competition to seek out undiscovered talent in the UK. Last year’s competition saw Ian Fenton, from Darlington, shortlisted as one of 12 film makers to make it to the final
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Viking tourist attraction marks 25th anniversary
IT was a ground-breaking attraction when it first opened and 25 years later it is still going strong. The Jorvik Viking Centre, in Coppergate, York, opened in 1984 and since then millions have ridden its “time-cars” through the city’s Dark
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Special delivery as baby is born in hospital car park
A PUB landlord took a break from pulling pints to help deliver his son in a hospital car park. Simon Monaghan went back to his day job after stepping in as an emergency midwife when his wife went into labour. Claire Monaghan started
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Stepping out after friend is diagnosed
A GROUP of women will come to the aid of a friend suffering from cancer when they take part in the Race for Life next month. Joan Simpson, 47, her sister, Denise Stainsby, 63, and friend Betty Berryman, 68, will walk 5km to raise money for Cancer
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Second deadline looms for Quakers
THE man seen by many as the most likely bidder for Darlington Football Club warned last night that time is fast running out to save the club. As the second deadline for potential bidders for the cashstrapped League Two club approaches tonight,
