Archive
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Fraud case family told to appear in court
MEMBERS of a family accused of involvement in an alleged European funding fraud amounting to almost £1m, have been told to attend their next court date. All five appeared before North Durham magistrates at Consett earlier this month on charges
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Eight bailed in connection with stabbing of "King of Gipsies"
EIGHT men who were arrested in connection with the stabbing of a man known as the King of the Gipsies have been bailed. The men were arrested following an altercation on Monday at harness racing trials in Appleby, Cumbria. Louis Welch
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Shop's birthday bash
THE Mayor and Mayoress of Durham helped cut the cake to celebrate a supermarket chain’s 140th birthday. Councillor Dennis Southwell and his wife Elspeth did the honours at Sainsbury’s, on the Arnison Centre, Durham. They were joined by Gertrude Minnikin
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Watch the birdie
There's all sorts going on at Rockliffe Hall, Steve Gibson's fantastic new hotel and golf development at Hurworth-on-Tees just outside of Darlington. The course, destined to be one of the best golf venues in the north, is attracting a great
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Didn’t Miss Much!…
The local pubs were heaving last weekend, a combination of the bank holiday weekend, fine weather and a little matter of who would be relegated from the premiership! I’d organised to have my first tattoo done, and with an eleven o’clock start
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Work starts on £7.2m housing project
WORK has begun on a new £7.2m housing development in Hartlepool. Innovus Homes, a partnership between Hartlepool Housing and Keepmoat Ltd, is building 74 properties on Warren Road and Smyth Place. The scheme is being funded by the Homes and Communities
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Bite-sized emergency information handed out
RESIDENTS across Teesside are to be given information on what to do in an emergency. A credit card-sized leaflet, called a Public Information Card gives important advice and contact details to enable people to cope with a wide range of emergencies, including
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New skills project launched
A NEW volunteering project has been launched to help people develop new skills. VolunTeesValley is a new pilot scheme set up by the Area Tourism Partnership, visitTeesvalley, and is part of the region-wide North-East Volunteers project. It will provide
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Memories wanted on Hartlepool's history
PEOPLE are being encouraged to help create a personal record of Hartlepool’s iron and steel making history. Photographer Ian Macdonald is working with Hartlepool Council’s museums and heritage service to produce a series of new photographs of the sites
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Special event for parents and carers
PARENTS and carers in Hartlepool are being urged to air their issues and concerns at a special event next week. It has been organised by Hartlepool Council, the Sure Start Children’s Centres and Hartlepool Community Network to help them shape and improve
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WOMBLE IN WILLINGTON
County Councillor, Becky Brunskill and local teacher, Janet Slootweg, have been out ‘Wombling’ in Willington. They want to encourage others in the community to join them and make Willington a green and pleasant place to live. Willington Town Council
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Jury sent home for night in murder trial
THE jury in the Simon Everitt murder trial was sent home without reaching a verdict after 11 hours of deliberation tonight. Their deliberations resumed today after the court was closed for the Bank Holiday weekend. They are expected to recommence tomorrow
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Funding boost for sports teams
SPORTS teams in Ryedale can apply for extra funds under a new Sport England initiative that aims to extend the availability of sport and encourage more youngsters to get active. Sport Unlimited has made money available to Active Ryedale, the local community
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Craftsmen head to arts fair
Art and design is at the heart of the food and craft fair to be held at Newby Hall, near Ripon this weekend. Starting on Friday, May 29, The Shop@Newby Hall, the stately home’s new British art and design centre, will have demonstration and
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England v West Indies
One of the most chaotic winters in the history of English cricket had threatened to seriously de-stabilise and badly damage the England side ahead of this summer’s Ashes series against Australia. A row between captain Kevin Pietersen and coach Peter Moores
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Arts charity celebrates gallery
The Art Fund, the only independent arts charity in the UK, is holding an event to celebrate 25 years of the Bridgeman Art Library. A talk about the library, based in London, and it’s exhibits will be given by it’s founder, Vicountess Bridgeman
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Fresh appeal over Aycliffe carjacking
POLICE have renewed their appeal for information after a shop worker was carjacked and robbed of £10,000 in takings. Investigations are continuing into the robbery in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, at 10am yesterday morning. Tonight Detective Inspector
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Walking bus a success at school
PUPILS at a North Yorkshire school have been getting to their classrooms in a healthier, cheaper and more environmentally-friendly way- by walking. The Eco-Council at Kirkby and Great Broughton School, in Kirkby, run walking buses once a week from the
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Future developments up for debate
RESIDENTS in Ryedale are being given the chance to have their say on how their area is developed for housing and local facilities over the next 15 years. Under government targets Ryedale District Council must find space for 200 houses to be
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Historic family the topic of conversation
One of Yorkshire’s most historic families, the Lascelles, are the topic for the next meeting of the Northallerton & District Local History Society. The Lascelles made their money in the seventeenth century, in the sugar plantations of the West Indies
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Thieves steal jewellery near Thirsk
DETECTIVES are appealing for information after the theft of several thousand pounds worth of jewellery. The theft took place at a house in Pilmoor, near Thirsk, on Thursday, May 20, between 9am and 6.30pm. Initial police enquiries suggest the offenders
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Redcar sea search teenager safe and well
A YOUNG woman who sparked a major rescue operation following fears that she had been seen walking into the sea has made contact with police. The investigation was launched after Cleveland Police received a 999 call from a woman who said she
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Milton keen
Armando Iannucci: Milton’s Heaven and Hell (BBC2, 9pm) 10 Things You Need to Know About Losing Weight (BBC One, 8pm) Embarrassing Bodies (Channel 4, 8pm) HE has made a living from taking the mickey out of politicians, and earned himself a reputation
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Nicola Craine: Late payment legislation is useful tool
FEW businesses are immune to the effects of the recession. With credit stretched to its limits, businesses are seeing a marked increase in the time taken to receive payment for their work. Late payment legislation is a useful tool for businesses
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James Ramsbotham: Worth the risk to build links with China
IN the past week I have quite literally laid my life on the line to build better conditions for North-East businesses. I could have been killed when our bus driver took a detour on the wrong carriage of a motorway; I’ve eaten my body weight in stunning
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Ryedale MP accused of claiming £500 for flowers
A LOCAL MP who is reported to have spent £500 on flowers is the latest politician to be named in the on-going expenses debate. John Greenway, the back-bench Conservative MP for Ryedale, in North Yorkshire, is accused of claiming on his expenses for the
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Wayne Berry: Make sure you get the right rights issue
MANY have found times difficult financially in the current economic climate, and raising funds to prevent escalating cash flow problems can be tricky. This applies to companies and individuals alike. So, what course of action do you take if
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More help for North Yorkshire's carers
EXTRA help is on the way for the thousands of people across North Yorkshire who act as carers. It is estimated there are some 57,000 around the county who look after a relative, neighbour or friend. And over the next two years they could benefit from
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High-profile agency confirms it is attracting buy-out interest
THE agency representing stars such as Geordie duo Ant and Dec and music mogul Simon Cowell yesterday said parts of the business had attracted private equity interest. Formation, which also represents television presenter Fearne Cotton as well
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Access to pension fund cash frozen from April
ARE you aged between 50 and 54 with a personal pension plan? Is early retirement on your agenda? If the answer to both questions is yes, you need to know there is a window of opportunity that will close on April 6, next year. Overnight, you will
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Mears moves on to Aycliffe Park
KING Sturge has let a 23,500 sq ft industrial unit at Aycliffe Business Park in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, to Mears Ltd. The unit is one of several properties that have been upgraded on the estate following a substantial investment programme
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Major deals done
SANDERSON Weatherall and King Sturge acting on behalf of Easter Developments have secured the two biggest warehouse lettings in Darlington this year. Outsourcing firm Capita Business Services and Cold Store Logistics LTD have both taken units
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Haulage cost for wool altered
A PEDIGREE breeding partnership from North Yorkshire took the top price at the Salers Cattle Society’s spring show and sale. Rigel Pedigree, of Middleton on Leven, Yarm, sold its bull, Rigel Peregrine, to fellow breeder Guto Jones, of Capel Iwan
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Chance to probe new nitrate regulations
A SERIES of meetings to help farmers comply with new Nitrate Vulnerable Zone regulations are being held. The Environment Agency is beginning cross-compliance inspections and has organised the meetings with the North Yorkshire Farming and Wildlife
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Farming couple in frame for top award
A NORTH Yorkshire farm is through to the national finals of a competition run by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Now Stephen and Jocelyn Gibson hope the public will make them number one in the Nature of Farming Awards 2009
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Belties make their moo-ve
AN eye-catching group of Belted Galloway cattle is settling in to Teesdale. The herd has left the hills above Bowes, near Barnard Castle, for the comfortable grade II-listed parkland at Lartington Hall, which was laid out in about 1770. The
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Science technician honoured
A SCIENCE technician who died last year has been honoured with the naming of a new lab in his memory. The new science lab at East Durham College’s Peterlee Campus was officially named yesterday as The Jeff Bestford Lab. Mr Bestford had been employed
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Youngsters recreate amateur football's golden era
YOUNG footballers will recreate the glory days of amateur football in South Durham during a two-day festival this summer. The Youth Festival of Football features four junior teams from across the district re-enacting FA Amateur Cup finals from the 1950s
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Nurses baare all
A local nurse and her two daughters have raised more than £1,000 for breast cancer - with help from a North Yorkshire brewery. The trio took part in the Playtex Moonwalk, power walking 26 miles through London in their bras to raise money for Walk the
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Entries sought for Flavours of Hambleton awards
NOMINATIONS are now being sought for the annual awards scheme which recognises the very best of Hambleton’s food and drink producers. Locals and visitors can enter their favourite eating and drinking haunts for one of eleven prizes in the 2009
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Mass sea search for teenage girl
THE whereabouts of a teenage girl who reportedly walked into the sea at Redcar this morning are still unknown. A major search was launched after Cleveland Police received a 999 call from a woman on her way to work who said the girl, believed
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Wildlife theme for market
A MONTHLY farmers market in Teesdale will this weekend celebrate the National Wildlife Trusts Wildlife Week. Held on Sunday, the Middleton-in-Teesdale market will have a birds of prey exhibit as well as animal balloon modeling for children. Durham Wildlife
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Doors and windows replaced
ALL COUNCIL homes in east Durham will have had their doors and windows replaced by the end of next year, it has been announced. EAST Durham Homes (EDH) is to spend almost £9million over the next 18 months installing the new fixtures in more than 2,400
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Challenge entrants meet top achievers in business
ENTREPRENEURS competing in the final of a business challenge rubbed shoulders with some of their famous counterparts. The two finalists in The Northern Echo’s If We Can You Can Challenge, were guests at last week’s Entrepreneurs’ Forum conference
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History goes on show
A DISPLAY exploring the lives of people during the First World War has gone on show. The exhibition documents a group of Belgian refugees who worked in the munitions factory at Birtley, near Chester-le-Street, at the time. It has been created by members
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Latest software to aid impulse buyers
TECHNOLOGY which could help revolutionise the way online video is used has been developed in the North-East. Start-up company Quick.tv has created software which allows interactive clickable features to be added to online video content. Nick Bell
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Joining forces on academy projects
A NORTH-EAST law firm has been appointed to work on a £4bn project setting a framework for future academy school buildings. Dickinson Dees LLP, which has offices in the Tees Valley and Newcastle, has been appointed by Partnership for Schools
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‘Spare-room’ business bucks world trends
AN engineering business which started out in the spare bedroom of its founder’s Teesside home is set to become a £2m company by the end of the year. International Procurement Limited (IPL) has grown consistently since its inception in 2005.
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Funding fears threaten disabled charity's future
A CHARITY that helps disabled youngsters take up mainstream leisure activities with support from able-bodied helpers could fold because of funding problems. Integrating Children, which is based in Chester-le-Street Youth Centre and has been operating
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Breakfast club is top banana
A CHESTER-le-Street school’s breakfast club has been honoured in awards run by a breakfast cereal firm and an educational charity. Bullion Lane Primary School’s Big Family Breakfast was a winner in the National Breakfast Club Plus Awards, which celebrate
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Walking bus launched at dale school
WET weather failed to dampen the spirits of children who were encouraged to walk to school last week. Pupils from Butterknowle Primary School, near Bishop Auckland, we encouraged to walk to school if they lived near enough. After the
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Alternative approach is bakery’s bread and butter
A BAKERY business is aiming for further expansion after doing a roaring trade at the first of its two new North-East shops. North-East Bakery launched its Nichols store in Saddler Street, Durham City, at the beginning of this month. It is the
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Record-breaking profits mean £98m staff payout
THOUSANDS of Tesco staff in the region yesterday learnt that they are to benefit from a £98m bonus payout after the company’s record-breaking profits haul for the last year. The company employs about 20,000 workers in the North-East and all staff
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A hall and a chopped-up dragon
AUDIO Chris Lloyd tells of the wonderful story of the Sockburn Worm - the fearsome dragon with terrible hallitosis. Chris Lloyd tells the story of Rykeneid Street,
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Has equality gone too far?
LADYLIKE. Now there’s an old-fashioned idea. Think Ladies now and you think only of loos. Or lay-dee and David Walliams. Not what my old headmistress thought at all. And right now she’s probably revolving in her grave. In a desperate last stand
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Care home to close after concerns voiced
A CARE home for elderly people suffering from dementia is being shut down after independent assessors voiced serious concerns over patient care. A probe was launched into privately owned Pangbourne Residential Care Home in Hartlepool by Hartlepool Council
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Kirkby Stephen and the Primrose path
THE last train over Stainmore, Barnard Castle to Tebay, ran on January 20, 1962. There was weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth; they blamed Ernie Marples. While the band played Auld Lang Syne, at Kirkby Stephen East station someone had come
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The job that makes for idle hands...
WITHIN the past week, the MPs’ expenses row threw up a non-expenses detail which I was sure would have the public spluttering into its cornflakes as indignantly as over the preposterous claims for moat-cleaning and installing a posh duck house.
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Dissolution of Parliament
WHILE I applaud Geoffrey Bulmer for taking the time to offer advice to his Prime Minister in regards to the dissolution of Parliament (HAS, May 22), I suspect he has wasted his time. Gordon Brown does not do democracy as, in his mind, he earned
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Definitions
PETE Winstanley (HAS, May 25) objects to Adam Walker (HAS, May 20) using the word racism as per Concise Oxford Dictionary definition. I didn’t know it was a crime to use words as per dictionary definition. Seems to me this is sign of clear or logical
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Rogue cyclists
ON Monday morning I had yet another encounter with a cyclist who considered that I have no right to walk along a public footpath. The route in question is not a designated cycle way, but under normal circumstances I have no objection to its use
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Potholes
I WAS appalled to hear in the news quite recently that the massive number of potholes in Britain’s roads are costing drivers an amazing £2.8bn in repairs each year. How can the Government be so shameless as to not deal with the problem? It should
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MPs' expenses
THE public must scratch their heads wondering how MPs of all parties could genuinely believe they were doing no wrong in their bacchanalian orgy of expenses claims, particularly when most wage earners are feeling the grasp of the recession. It
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MEP statute
FURTHER to Charlotte Bull’s comments about MEPs’ expenses (HAS, May 25) the MEP Statute ought to be a massive story. This is where the MEPs can choose to be paid in euros or sterling from this July. If they accept to be paid in euros, then they
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The risk of fewer MPs
GIVING power to the people is a familiar refrain from politicians, so yesterday’s declaration by David Cameron that a Tory government would shift influence from the political elite to the man and woman in the street comes with more than a hint of
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No such thing as a free lunch
As the MPs’ expenses row rumbles on, Stockton South MP Dari Taylor invites Neil Macfarlane to examine her accounts, and says she regrets that her constituents will think she’s been greedy THE Labour MP for Stockton South is busy. She has three
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Pupils in Sowerby get £4,500 boost for wildlife projects
GREEN fingered pupils who are creating a nature friendly school have been boosted with a £4,500 grant to hold community wildlife events. Sowerby Primary School, near Thirsk, was given the grant by the Big Lottery’s Breathing Place events fund. The school
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Steve Bruce - Factfile
Born: December 31 1960 - Corbridge, Northumberland Playing career Gillingham (1979 - 84) Norwich City (1984 - 88) Manchester United (1987 - 96) Birmingham City (1996 - 98) Sheffield United (1998 - 99)
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Windies swept aside by England
ENGLAND completed a clean sweep of victories over West Indies to successfully wrap up the first part of their hectic summer before turning their attention to bigger challenges. With the ICC World Twenty20 tournament and a home Ashes series to
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Tykes toil as Lancashire take Roses honours
Lancashire v Yorkshire (Twenty20 Cup) YORKSHIRE’S brittle batting continues to haunt them, and this time it cost them the cross-Pennine bragging rights after a hefty six-wicket Twenty20 Cup loss to Lancashire at Old Trafford last night.
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Bethell's Max powers to success
JAMES BETHELL is set to scour the programme book for another imminent opportunity for Templetuohy Max after he recorded a decisive success in the Weatherbys Bloodstock Insurance Handicap at Redcar. The visored runner was soon at the head of affairs
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Fergie's men stand on the brink of greatness
ROME is known as the Eternal City, so if Manchester United retain the Champions League trophy in the Italian capital this evening, the site of their triumph could hardly be more fitting. Finally, after more than a decade of trying, Sir Alex Ferguson
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Former player Park stars with bat and ball
Durham v Derbyshire (Twenty20 Cup) GARRY Park returned to haunt Durham last night as he helped to resurrect the Derbyshire one-day bogey. The jinx seemed to have been exorcised, but returned with a vengeance as what looks a far inferior
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New deal for Liddle
GARY Liddle yesterday followed Michael Mackay and Andy Monkhouse in signing a new deal to stay with Hartlepool United. And that means only Michael Nelson has yet to commit his future to the club. Nelson is attracting interest from Norwich and
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Todd keen to put a smile on fans faces
NEW Darlington manager Colin Todd’s brief is not only to build a squad from scratch, but also to try and “put a smile back on supporters’ faces”. In recent months fans have seen Quakers’ promotion hopes disappear and their club almost cease to
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'Sorry' Ashley made to wait by Shearer
NEWCASTLE owner Mike Ashley is hoping to officially unveil Alan Shearer as the club’s new permanent manager before the end of the week. But having spent most of yesterday locked in talks with Ashley and managing director Derek Llambias, Shearer
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Short assumes control of Sunderland and goes for Bruce
WIGAN have given Steve Bruce permission to talk to Sunderland as confirmation arrived that American Ellis Short is to assume 100 per cent control of the club. But sources close to Sunderland have claimed that they have pulled out of any possible
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Gibson defends Southgate
MIDDLEBROUGH chairman Steve Gibson last night used his first public statement since Sunday’s relegation to insist Gareth Southgate should not be made the “scapegoat” for the club’s disastrous season. Gibson, who has reportedly reduced Middlesbrough
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Go-ahead for £1bn park
UP TO 5,000 jobs could be coming to the region, after a £1bn business park was given the go-ahead. The 76-acre Durham Green Business Park, near Bowburn, County Durham, is the project of millionaire property developer David Abrahams, best known
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Bruce ready to take up the Black Cats challenge
STEVE BRUCE last night emerged as the leading candidate to succeed Ricky Sbragia as Sunderland manager with Wigan bracing themselves to fend off the Black Cats advances for their Corbridgeborn boss. But the deal is far from complete as Latics
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The next train arriving is more likely to be on time
TRAIN services operating in the North-East and North Yorkshire have improved significantly in the past five years, figures reveal. The four main companies serving the region – National Express East Coast, Crosscountry, Northern Rail and First
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Council spending £53,000 on staff water
A COUNTY council has come under fire for spending tens of thousands of pounds of public money on water coolers. Disclosures showed North Yorkshire County Council spent almost £53,000 on the luxury in the past financial year. The expenditure has
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Tornado’s starring role in Top Gear challenge
A STEAM locomotive that has made headlines around the world will feature in the country’s most popular motoring programme. Tornado, the first steam engine to be built in England in nearly 50 years, will feature in a forthcoming episode of BBC
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Cave wonder revealed
CAVERS have been taking a rare opportunity to descend into the gaping mouth of Britain’s second-biggest cave chamber. People were winched down Gaping Gill in Ingleborough, North Yorkshire, at the weekend to see the natural wonder. The cave is
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Village shocked by football fan's death
VILLAGERS have been left in shock following the death of a Sunderland fan who died in a hit-and-run incident as he celebrated his club staying in the Premier League. Michael Taylor, 23, from Staindrop, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, was
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Young people warned to safeguard their futures
YOBBISH young people who intimidate residents of north Durham communities are jeopardising their futures, police have warned. Gangs of teenagers who drink on the streets of Stanley and Annfield Plain are making life a misery for people who live there
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Pair stranded at foot of sea cliffs
A LIFEBOAT crew has issued a warning to check tide times after two people were almost stranded at the foot of England’s highest cliffs. Just after 4pm on Monday, the RNLI lifeboats from Redcar, east Cleveland, were called out after reports of
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Waterchip down
FIRST came the deep-fried Mars bar – followed by deepfried pizza, Creme Eggs and a vast array of other unlikely gastronomic experiments. Now one farming couple is hoping to start off a whole new chip shop trend – bunnies in batter. For
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Arrests as rival gang stabs 'King of Gipsies'
A BARE-KNUCKLE fighter known as the King of the Gipsies has suffered multiple stab wounds after being attacked by several men wielding knives. Louis Welch, from Darlington, is expected to make a full recovery after the incident at a harness racing
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Headline Game update
Total disaster on this morning's Headline Game on TFM. I was sitting pretty at 1-0 up and feeling confident going into Wednesday. This morning's game was about a North Yorkshire farmer who is negotiating a deal to supply wild rabbit to his local fish
