Archive
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Teenager dies despite dramatic sea rescue bid
A TEENAGE boy has died after being found in the sea. Northumbria Police were contacted by the ambulance service at 5.40pm yesterday amid concerns for someone seen in the water near to the Souter Point lighthouse, Whitburn, Tyne and Wear.
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Lions Beat Newcastle Preview!
This weekend Game Time along with Ravenwood Roofing & Tees Valley Leisure will be hosting a mammoth weekend of basketball topped off with a charity basketball game between Middlesbrough Lions and Newcastle All stars at Eston Sports Academy. The main game
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CCTV spot leads to man's arrest on alleged drugs offences
A DARLINGTON man arrested by police on suspicion of drugs offences, threw items into the River Skerne as he was being detained, police say. The 39-year-old was stopped by officers on St Cuthberts Way, the town's ring road, around 8.15pm tonight. "We
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Artists encouraged to take part in exhibition
Artists in Teesdale are being encouraged to take part in an open studios exhibition in the autumn. Teesdale Open Studios 2009 will take place in October. Last year 25 artists, sculptors, photographers, potters and jewelers took part. Any artist wishing
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Awards for adult learners
HIGH flying adult learners from across the region were honoured at an event in Bishop Auckland Castle. Over 200 people attended the North East Regional Adult Learners’ Awards ceremony, to celebrate the achievements of people whose lives have been transformed
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Schoolgirl seriously ill after being hit by car
A SCHOOLGIRL was seriously ill in hospital last night after being knocked down by a car. The 12-year-old girl was struck close to Deerness Sports Centre, in Ushaw Moor, near Durham City, at about 3.30pm today. The girl, who has not been named but is
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Lib Dem to stand in Teesdale
A LIBERAL Democrat will stand as a councillor in Teesdale for the first time in a forthcoming by-election. Mike Newlands will battle it out against Labour, Conservative and independent candidates for the vacant Barnard Castle East ward of the new unitary
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Housing company on the move
AFTER years of providing homes for other people a housing company is moving into its own premises next week. Dale and Valley Homes, which manages council housing in Wear Valley, formed in 2006 but its 81 staff work from various offices in the area.
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Anonymous artist displays work in Bishop Auckland
AN anonymous artist has opened his eclectic portfolio for public viewing at Bishop Auckland Town Hall. The images span four decades - the 1970s to present day - and have been inspired by nature, science fiction, and primitive culture. The exhibition
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Shildon shooting: man had two gunshot wounds
A POST mortem examination on the man shot by police marksmen revealed he had gunshot wounds in his neck, torso and arm. Father-of-two Keith Richards, 47, was shot after an armed stand-off with officers at his house in Cheapside, Shildon, County
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Walker seriously injured and dog dead after hit and run
A DOG owner was left seriously injured, and one of his pets was killed, after they were knocked over in a hit-and-run on an old railway line. The injured man was found by a cyclist on Wednesday morning on the walkway at Shotton, in County Durham
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A driving force aims to help save our environment...and your money
SAVING the customer money and saving the planet are the driving forces behind the creation of a water device by one of the entrants for this year's Future Business Magnates (FBM). Easington Community Science College has come up with a business idea
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Contest hotting up in business school
AS a contest to find the young entrepreneurs of tomorrow reaches the halfway point, the competition becomes ever closer. Early runaway leaders Framwellgate School, Durham, have had their lead pegged back in the Future Business Magnates competition
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Team aims to be top of the class
A COUNTY Durham school is hoping its quest to keep Durham tidy will win them the title of Future Business Magnates (FBM) 2009. Belmont School Community Arts College has come up with a venture called Tidy To ps, a mesh that covers recycling boxes to
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Gazza to play for Sir Bobby’s dream team
FOOTBALL legend Paul Gascoigne has confirmed he will pull on his boots for the replay of the game which made him a household name. Gazza has agreed to play when the 1990 World Cup semi-final between England and West Germany is re-staged at St
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Mandelson vows to save Redcar steel jobs
THE Government will pursue ''every possible angle'' to save one of the UK's biggest steel plants, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said today. He said he would be discussing the future of Teeside Cast Products tomorrow with Kirby Adams, the
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Joker puts champs ahead
DEFENDING champions Framwellgate School have shot to the top of the league in the race to be crowned the business brains of the future. Young entrepreneurs from 12 schools are battling it out in the Future Business Magnates competition - a series
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Hospitals on Tyneside and Teesside best in region
HOSPITALS on Tyneside and Teesside have been voted as the best in the region after a survey which involved thousands of North-East patients. The results of the sixth national inpatient survey, carried out by acute and specialist NHS trusts in England
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Hambleton's new chairman
A NEW chairman has been appointed for Hambleton District Council. Councillor John Smith has taken over as civic leader of the authority for the coming year. He has been a district councillor since 1998 representing the Romanby ward.
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Budding chef secures dream job
AN AMBITIOUS young catering student has landed a dream job at one of the country's top restaurants. Nunthorpe teenager Matthew Beadnall will start work as a commis-chef at The Berkeley in London, owned by celebrity chef Marcus Wareing. The job offer
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Woman sexually assaulted after night out
A WOMAN has been raped in the early hours of the Saturday following a night out in Hartlepool. A local 27-year-old woman was assaulted by two men walking along Lancaster Road near to the junction of Middleton Road between 4am and 5am. Two local men
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Pals run to help save horses
FRIENDS Jo Barker and Liz Eaton pulled on their running shoes to help suffering animals. They took part in the Edinburgh 10km run to raise £500 for the Brooke, the UK’s leading charity for working horses and donkeys overseas. Jo, a vet
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Flamboyant catwalk show
FROM panto dames to pirates and princesses, flamboyant attire is set to bring the catwalk alive as budding costumiers prepare to exhibit their work. More than 100 outfit will be appearing on the catwalk courtesy of the costume construction and entertainment
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Nomination for national award
A DRIVE to crack down on the anti-social use of off-road motorcycles and quad bikes is in the running for national recognition. Durham Police’s Easington neighbourhood policing team has been nominated for a Tilley Award, the Home Office accolades aimed
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Open day
EAST Durham College will be holding an open day at the weekend. The annual event will be held at the college’s Houghall Campus, on the outskirts of Durham City, from 10am to 4pm on Sunday. There will be a variety of events held within the Equine
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Man rescued after climbing fall
A SEARCH and rescue team were called into action after a walker fell while climbing with friends. The Cleveland Search and Rescue Team went to assist a 42-year-old Durham man who had fallen on Raven’s Scar crags near Great Broughton. The 12 members
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Clampdown on illegal motorists
A TWO day operation targeting illegal motorists in east Cleveland has proved to be a success. Officers from Loftus Neighbourhood Policing Team ran Operation Wheels on Sunday and Monday, with help from VOSA, (the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency)
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Guides take over shop
A FARM shop has helped a group of Girl Guides beat the credit crunch and raise money for a trip to Mexico. Members of 1st Kirkby Hill Girl Guides approached The Newby Hall Farm Shop, in Boroughbridge, to ask for a donation towards their trip
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Eco homes get the green light
AN eco-friendly housing estate costing £1.4m has opened its doors to new tenants. The 12 three-bedroomed houses have been designed with the highest standard of energy-saving measures available. All the semi-detached homes have solar
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Football coaching course
POTENTIAL football coaches across Hambleton and Richmondshire still have time to enrol on a coaching course. Attendance at the six sessions is vital to qualify for the FA Level One coaching certificate. The course is suitable for players, ex-players
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Gas cylinder warning
FIREFIGHTERS have urged allotment holders not to keep gas canisters in their sheds after a fireball erupted in a shed blaze - shortly before emergency services arrived on the scene. Steve Wharton, a station manager with the Durham and Darlington
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Yorkshire v Durham (Friends Provident Trophy)
AFTER fielding first and conceding more than 300 in their last two games, dispirited Durham batted without purpose after winning the toss on a grim day at Headingley. On a grudging pitch only Gordon Muchall timed the ball, scoring 31 off 35 balls,
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Room for improvement at Northallerton prison
PRISON bosses have been told that further improvements are necessary in the wake of a snap inspection of Northallerton’s young offenders institution. The inspection team found the prison had not made any significant progress since its last inspection
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Rail Minister rules out East Coast Main Line franchise re-think
RAIL Minister Lord Adonis said today that there was ''no question'' of cash-strapped companies being allowed to re-negotiate their contracts. It is believed that transport giant National Express wants to alter its contract terms for running the East
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Rugby stars from Northallerton win national final
YOUNG rugby players have won a national competition at Twickenham to bring the trophy back to North Yorkshire. The squad from Allertonshire School, Northallerton, won the Rugby Football Union HSBC Rugby Festivals Finals. The team of 14 youngsters played
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Women On The Verge Of HRT, Darlington Civic Theatre
HOW strange it feels to be one of so few men in the theatre, surrounded by women laughing at the word penis. Even when sitting in the seat nearest the stalls exit, so handy for a hasty escape, it was discomfiting. Yet, ironically, men could learn
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A good'ol knees-up
The British Soap Awards (ITV1, 8pm) British Soap Awards: After Party (ITV2, 10pm) DON’T expect any surprises at The British Soap Awards tonight – everyone knows who won as the ceremony took place at the weekend. That means we can concentrate
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A rebel who was never without a cause
ALFRED HILDRETH had an opinion on everything under the sun. At his funeral in 1940, a friend said: “He was a critic, opposing with the utmost vigour the shams, follies, hypocrisies, conventions, corruptions and unrealities in much of our modern
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Snooker and beer . . . what more could a man ask for?
DOWN a side street just off the town centre beat. Through a blank door with a picture of a key in the glass above it. Into a hallway with the key emblazoned on the floor in a black-and-white mosaic that has been gently shaped by generations
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Community service gives park a facelift
A PARK in north Durham has been given a makeover by criminals as part of their punishment. The group, organised by the Probation Service, recently spent a week eradicating graffiti and painting play equipment and pavilion at Addison Park in Meadowfield
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Vandalism to Stokesley town name plinth
MINDLESS vandals have been criticised for smashing a £1,000 name plinth welcoming visitors to a rural country town. The plinth located on the outskirts of Stokesley was damaged last week and locals feel it was not an accident. The structure is made
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New face to bring boost
AN experienced tourism boss is to bring her expertise to a role created to energise North Yorkshire’s visitor economy. Aviva Pearson has been appointed as the chief executive for both the Yorkshire Dales and Harrogate Tourism Partnership and the
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Stobart is riding out the recession
LOGISTICS group Stobart yesterday said its place in the food and drink sector meant it was riding out the recession better than its rivals. About two-thirds of its work involves the transportation of food and drink, where business volumes have
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Shredding plans for Premier
A WASTE management firm in the region has acquired a company which specialises in secure data destruction and recycling. Durham-based Premier Waste Management said its acquisition of Shredderman meant it could now offer businesses across the
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Creative industries to benefit from network
DESIGN firms in the North- East are to benefit from a link with London’s Design Council. Regional development agency One North East and the council have signed a memorandum of understanding and developed a working action plan, which will give
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Actor lends his support to exhibition
A MUCH-LOVED Geordie actor, famed for his down to earth attitude, will represent the plumbing trade at an event in the region. Auf Weidersehen, Pet star Tim Healy will attend next week’s Plumbing and Heating Exhibition, in St James’ Park, Newcastle
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Marine company wins first wind farm contract
A COMPANY specialising in marine projects has won its first major wind farm contract. Darlington-based CTC Marine Projects will lay, install and bury 17 subsea power cable arrays linking wind turbine foundations at the Robin Rigg Offshore Wind
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Optimism at Nissan despite heavy losses
NISSAN’S chief executive sounded an optimistic note for its Sunderland workforce yesterday, despite reporting annual losses of £1.58bn. Despite the huge losses last year, in stark contrast to 2007’s £3.26bn profits, the news was better than expected
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Chucking out the throwaway days
Make do and mend – thrift is the new fashion. But can you compete with my grandmother’s sheets? BRIGHT young things are busy reinventing the wheel and writing bright young books about how to grow your own veg or cook economically. Fair enough.
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Refugees mission
AT the end of last year I lived for two months in Shatila Refugee Camp in Beirut, Lebanon, where I worked with children of the camp school to create, and for them to perform on site, a 30-minute play, which incorporated music, dance and physical
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MPs' expenses
THE continuing MPs’ expenses saga reads like a comedy of errors, but is anything but funny. There are some MPs whose desire and commitment to do a decent job is undermined by those supported by a system that is not complicated, but rotten. Where
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Immigration
PETE Winstanley does nothing to further the debate on immigration by dismissing recent correspondents’ views as “hostile”, “prejudice” and “discrimination” (HAS, May 6). I have said before that the intolerant are those who preach tolerance the
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Margaret Thatcher
I AGREE with recent criticisms about domestic policies pursued by Margaret Thatcher when she became Prime Minister in 1979, which were were very unpopular with the electorate as a whole. The turning point for her was the Falklands war and her
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Light touch
HOW I disagree with Mary Lewis over her verbal abuse of Christopher Wardell (HAS, May 8). Does she not realise he regularly corresponds in a very light-hearted way? Also, I am sure he has no illusions of being an expert on many of the subjects
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Love-shacks for birds
ENERGY staff have been turning electricity poles into love-shacks for birds of prey at a County Durham nature reserve. Staff from CE Electric UK - the company responsible for the electricity distribution network in the North East - are using the poles
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A bridge too far
That I require a clearance, and with him – No rubs or botches in his work Macbeth, Act III, scene i THE Scottish play was written in 1605. Milton used “botch” similarly in Tetrarch in 1645 – “Let it stick as a notorious botch or deformity
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Bevin Boys
YOUR letter from Warwick Taylor, vice-president and chairman of the Bevin Boys Association (HAS, May 7), sums up why some ex-miners feel a little niggle about the badges awarded to them last year. To suggest that miners had a “choice” and were
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Bevin Boys
YOUR letter from Warwick Taylor, vice-president and chairman of the Bevin Boys Association (HAS, May 7), sums up why some ex-miners feel a little niggle about the badges awarded to them last year. To suggest that miners had a “choice” and were
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Speeding
I HAVE read Ralph Musgrave’s reply (HAS, May 5) to my letter about speeding (HAS, May 1). He does not refer to my point on only fining speeding motorists and not giving points on a driving licence, thus allowing the well-heeled to speed at will
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OK, that's it: we've had enough
IN the issue in which it exposed the mindblowing scandal of our MPs’ expenses, The Daily Telegraph also carried a report, with pictures, of the punishment of a public official convicted of corruption. The woman was bundled from the back of a lorry
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It's payback time, folks
IT would not be surprising if the already stretched National Health Service was under further strain at the moment, as the scandal of MPs’ expenses continues to make our blood boil. It is the talk of the country, and a long time has passed since
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‘It’s a tragedy for everyone’
David Blackie was a firearms officer who helped bring an end to a siege in Darlington 17 years ago. He talks about the emotional turmoil of being the man who has to pull the trigger. A TRAGEDY took place in Shildon two nights ago. Somebody died.
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Waste bins wrecked
AN ANIMAL lover is kicking up a stink, after vandals destroyed three dog waste bins. Retired David Glencorse walks his black Labrador Kia in areas around his home in Newton Hall, Durham, three to four times every day. A responsible dog owner, he picks
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Flying off stateside
THREE lucky North-East students will be jetting off to America on an exciting work experience opportunity this summer. Katie Neesam, 18 and Danielle Whitley, 17, both from Hartlepool and Bekki Mullett, 17, from Darlington are flying off stateside
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Car showroom to be demolished
A FORMER car showroom which has been closed for many months is being knocked down and the land sold. Demolition firm Rapleys is razing the former Evans Halshaw garage on St Cuthbert's Way, Darlington. The former garage was closed by Pendragon and advertised
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Deadly weapon that can be bought without a licence
DEADLY crossbows are legal to buy, inexpensive and readily available to anyone aged over 17. Crossbows can be bought without a licence for only £99. A country sports shop visited yesterday by The Northern Echo had several bows available. The
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Post mortem results due
THE results of a post mortem examination on a man shot by police marksmen yesterday are due this morning. Father-of-two Keith Richards, 47, was shot after an armed stand-off with officers at his house in Cheapside, Shildon, County Durham.
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Union: Rail group is mugging passengers
NATIONAL Express has been accused of “mugging” rail passengers using the East Coast Main Line by charging for some seat reservations. The move was branded outrageous by the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA), which warned it could result
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Youths jailed after 93-year-old’s death
THREE youths were behind bars last night after they were convicted of the manslaughter of a 93-year-old woman. Yuen Har Ho died in hospital after a fire at her flat in Newby Crescent, Jennyfields, Harrogate, last year. At Leeds Crown Court yesterday
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‘Deepcut report suggests my son was murdered’
THE father of a young North- East Army recruit found dead at the controversial Deepcut barracks said a report due out tomorrow contains “very serious allegations”. Private Geoff Gray, from Seaham, County Durham, died at the Surrey base in September
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500 jobs if ‘green’ factory is approved
A WOOD-FIRED biomass power station will create up to 500 jobs if approved. The £200m plant, proposed for the site of a former power station, on the Billingham Reach Industrial Estate, near Stockton, by renewable energy firm Gaia Power, would
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Vickerman signs for Falcons
ENGLAND Sevens centre Rob Vickerman has signed a two-year deal with Newcastle. Vickerman, 23, scored 10 tries in 11 starts in Leeds Carnegie’s promotion season but has opted to leave West Yorkshire for Tyneside. Falcons director of rugby Steve Bates
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Durham missing important pair
DURHAM will be without Steve Harmison because of a shin injury and Michael Di Venuto with a groin strain in today’s Friends Provident Trophy tie at Headingley. Luke Evans, the 6ft 7in seamer from Sunderland, will make his competitive debut and
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Arganil facing fast test at York
KEVIN Ryan is unsure how Arganil will handle the likely fast conditions as he bids for his fifth successive victory in the Duke Of York Blue Square Stakes at York today. The four-year-old won four times in just six starts in a lucrative campaign
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Enticing prospect
ENTICEMENT has long been touted an animal of Classic potential – and can illustrate the point with victory in the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes. The Knavesmire venue swings back into action for the first time following the abandonment of last year
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Batting must improve - Moxon
Yorkshire director of professional cricket Martyn Moxon believes his side must improve their batting if they are to have any chance of qualifying. The White Rose have lost their last three games, with their most recent against Gloucestershire
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Controversial Umpires' decision review system set to be introduced
THE controversial umpires’ decision review system will be introduced to Test cricket later this year –but not in time for this summer’s Ashes. Following a two-day meeting of the International Cricket Council’s cricket committee at Lord’s, it was
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Onions gets a warning
PAUL COLLINGWOOD has warned England’s secret weapon Graham Onions he can expect a rough ride against the West Indies at Riverside tomorrow. And as England selectors ponder the potential reinstatement of experienced hands like Ryan Sidebottom
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Boro still have a chance says determined Downing
WITH his future almost certain to lie away from the Riverside Stadium, Saturday, May 16 was always going to be an emotional day in the life of Stewart Downing. Not even in his worst nightmares, however, could he have imagined that things might
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Viduka aiming to stay on Tyneside
MARK VIDUKA has announced he wants to play for Newcastle next season, but only if Alan Shearer remains as the Magpies manager. Viduka revealed that, under Joe Kinnear’s stewardship, he’d set his sights on jetting back to Australia when his current
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Cisse heading for Spurs
DJIBRIL CISSE could have made his last start for Sunderland after the striker’s agent confirmed he won’t be staying on Wearside once his loan deal expires this summer. Despite Kenwyne Jones limping out of last Saturday’s battling draw at Bolton
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Rugby player in legal battle
A YOUNG rugby player who was left paralysed in all four limbs after breaking his neck in a scrum is taking legal action which could change the laws of the game. Student Steven Cox, 24, was playing for St Chad’s College against St Cuthbert’s College
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Paedophile jailed for grooming at least 26 victims
A MAN with an obsession for young girls was locked up for five years yesterday after a judge heard he amassed a collection of indecent home-made photos and videos. Christopher Grinter was said to have acted like a film director when he persuaded
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Families campaign for permanent memorial
FAMILIES of fallen North-East servicemen have launched a £50,000 campaign to create a permanent memorial to their loved ones. Brothers in Arms aims to erect a memorial to the men and women killed in action or on active service since 2003. Families
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Open verdict on death of bookie
A CORONER yesterday recorded an open verdict into the death of a betting shop manager who died after a row with a punter. Jeffrey Hilland, who suffered from heart problems, collapsed after an argument with Trevor Hall. Hall wanted to back a greyhound
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Police who ‘shoot to stop’
The killing of a man armed with a crossbow in Shildon yesterday marked the first fatal shooting by firearms officers from Durham Police. Joe Willis reports. ALTHOUGH firearms officers have been deployed on numerous occasions, only once before have
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It's a cracker, Dave
Every now and again, someone comes up with a headline that's pure class. That's what happened this morning when Dave Newton, of Darlington, emailed an entry for the Headline Game story about a blackbird which laid three eggs in the engine of a Durham
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Shildon shooting - 'Crash led to manic episodes'
CLOSE to the house where Keith Richards died, people stood around in dressing gowns and tracksuits waiting for news. A police cordon around number 14 meant many others had to cross the road on their way to work. Children going
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Shot dead trying to ambush officers
A MAN shot dead by police may have been trying to lure unsuspecting officers into a deadly crossbow trap, The Northern Echo can reveal. Keith Richards is believed to have made several 999 calls to police before he was shot by a marksman at his
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Well done, Dave
Every now and again, someone comes up with a headline that's pure class. That happened this morning when Dave Newton, of Darlington, emailed with a Headline Game entry for the story about the blackbird that laid three eggs in the engine of a Durham County
