Archive
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The Book Palace of Darlington
WHILE going through something or other recently, my eye was as usual distracted and fell upon something far more interesting in another column. This is from the Darlington and Stockton Times of mid-October 1885 and as about the opening of the
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Motorcyclist fractures three limbs in accident
POLICE are appealing for witnesses to an accident which left a motorbike rider with serious injuries. The 42-year-old man from Redcar fractured both arms and his right leg and suffered internal injuries in the accident at 5.10pm tonight. It is believed
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Kev’s a Pumpkin Carving Champion…
Kevin Bowers won Bishop Auckland’s annual pumpkin carving competition at the weekend. The event is held every year in The Bay Horse pub and this is the second time Kev has won. Kevin said; “I was delighted to win this year with a carving
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Police crack down on boy racers
POLICE in Darlington have launched a crackdown to try and prevent the activities of hundreds of boy racers in the town centre. The operation could see persistent offenders having their vehicles seized and even scrapped. In recent years there has been
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Tea party raises money for epilepsy charity
SCHOOL children have been proving they are no mugs when it comes to fundraising for a good cause. Barnard Castle Preparatory School staged a day-long tea party in aid of epilepsy research. A cafe was set up in the main hall serving tea, coffee and cake
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Young musicians on song
AUDITIONS to find young musicians have uncovered a wealth of talent, organisers have reported. The Forum Music Centre in Darlington hosted the auditions for My Song, a project which seeks to research health issues through music. Seven young acts - singers
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Double accolade for Teesdale restaurant
A CHEF says he is overwhelmed after his restaurant received recognition in two well-respected food guides. The Bridge Inn at Whorlton, near Barnard Castle, County Durham has been included in Michelins Eating Out in Pubs Guide 2010. The restaurants head
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Guitar hero graduates
A TEENAGE guitar player who was tipped for stardom has been one of the first musicians to graduate from his music school. Alex Fawcett, who recently graduated from the Darlington-based School of Rock and Pop, was inspired to perfect the guitar after
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Boxing Day tradition comes to an end
ONE of the region's oldest festive sporting traditions, which dates back to the Twenties, will take place for the last time this Christmas. Sedgefield Racecourse, near Sedgefield Village, County Durham, will hold its last ever Boxing Day fixture this
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Writing workshop sees work published
CREATIVE writers have published a book of poetry after attending a course aimed at improving individual health and well being. Positive Words: Spreading the Word on Writing and Health is the result of an eight-week course at the Pioneering Care Centre
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New look for Viking centre
WORK has begun on a £1m revamp of one of the region’s most famous attractions. The 25-year-old Jorvik Viking Centre in York is to undergo a four-month overhaul programme. However it will remain open during the majority of the work, closing for four
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Appeal after motorbike smash
POLICE are appealing for witnesses following a head-of smash that left a female motorcyclist fighting for her life. The accident happened on the B1257 at Great Broughton at about 11.30am on Monday. A Honda motorbike which was travelling
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Dates for the diary
CHINESE EPIC: Martial arts costume drama Red Cliff, a film about the Chinese Han Dynasty, is screened at Darlington Arts Centre, on Monday November 30 at 1.30pm and 8pm. Tickets cost £3 from 01325-486555. TRIBUTE ACT: New Age Jam, a tribute to Paul
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Deadline for nominations
FRIENDS, family and colleagues who want to praise the town's unsung heroes have less than amonth to put in their nominations. The deadline for nominations for the Best of Darlington Awards closes at the end of November. Nominations have already
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Appeal after woman motorcyclist, 51, is critically injured in crash
POLICE investigating a serious road traffic collision on the B1257 at Great Broughton yesterday are appealing for witnesses. The incident occurred at 11.30am when a Honda motorcycle, which was travelling southbound towards Helmsley, collided with a
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Children's Halloween Party
Ravensworth Village Hall Halloween Party on Friday 30th October was a great success, with more than 30 children attending. Fun was had by all and everyone had a great time, with lots of prizes and dancing. The evening made £137, which will
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Fashion Show
Catterick Young Farmers first fashion show was a sell out night. The event was at Catterick Bridge Hotel, on Friday 9th October. Young Farmers modelled the clothes from Millbry Hill (used to be Armstrong Richardson) near Brompton on Swale,
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Patience the key for Silverstone, says Hill
DAMON Hill believes patience is the key if Silverstone is to secure the long-term future of the British Grand Prix. British Racing Drivers Club president Hill was part of a three-strong Silverstone delegation in Abu Dhabi over the weekend hopeful of
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Poppy watch
It's good to see that all the national papers - apart from The Guardian - are now displaying poppies on their front pages in the run up to Remembrance Sunday. But I was disappointed to read today that out of 20 football clubs in the Premier League, only
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Causing quite a hoot
I always love to see The Northern Echo's stories being followed up by the national papers. There's been quite a bit of interest today in our picture of an unfortunate owl which left a perfect impression of itself when it flew into a window at New Blackwell
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Rundown estate leaves residents miserable
FAMILIES on a rundown housing estate claim they have been abandoned by a Teesside council. Their homes on an estate east of Raby Road, Hartlepool, where Hartlepool Borough Council has acquired 62 of more than 200 homes ahead of a major redevelopment
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Golf balls used as missiles
GOLF balls have been used as missiles to cause a spate of criminal damage to property and cars. Residents living behind a driving range in Yarm, near Stockton, have had their house windows smashed and cars vandalised in the pasted six weeks. Police
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Steelworkers hail bonus row victory
THE threat of legal and industrial action by steelworkers in a row over bonuses ended today with news that the money will be paid. Community said it was delighted that steel giant Corus will pay thousands of employees a bonus from the first two quarters
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North-East universities urged to merge
THE region's universities must consider merging if they are to offer serious competition to the South-East's "golden triangle" in grabbing lucrative research work, MPs were told yesterday. Officials from the Department for Business, Innovation and
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Spiritualist fellowship holding winter fair
SPIRITUALIST fellowship Friends of Spirit is holding a winter fair on Saturday. The event takes place from 10.30am at the Henknowle Community Centre, in Cumbria Place, Bishop Auckland. People are invited to browse a variety of stalls, and readings
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Female darts players called to the oche
A rallying call to the oche has been made by organisers of a female darts league. New players and teams are needed to bring the Fencehouses and District Ladies Darts League up to strength, after a gradual dwindling of numbers in recent years
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Police: help us to help you
POLICE are appealing to householders to help them in the fight against opportunist crime, after a spate of petty thefts in the Durham area. Streets and areas around Durham University’s "hill colleges", on the city’s South Road, were repeatedly targeted
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Falcons scrum-half named Premiership Player of the Month
NEWCASTLE Falcons scrum-half Micky Young has been named Guinness Premiership Player of the Month for October. The 21-year-old, who was runner-up in last season's Premiership Young Player of the Year voting, signed a two-year deal at Kingston Park in
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New centre for disabled is opened
A CENTRE for people with learning difficulties has been officially opened by a medal-winning wheelchair athlete. The opening ceremony for Grindon Mews, the new £2.6 million community social care facility in Sunderland was performed by bronze medallist
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Busy advice provider to offer apppointments
CHESTER-le-Street District Citizens Advice Bureau is introducing personal appointments. The bureau, in Front Street, is facing an increasing workload due to the recession Currently people are first seen at open sessions, for which an appointment
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Lucky winner comes forward to claim prize
A LUCKY lottery gambler is nearly £600,000 better off after coming forward to claim their jackpot prize. The winning Lotto ticket for the draw on Wednesday, October 14, was bought in the Hartlepool and Peterlee area. Lottery operator Camelot issued
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Spicy Dorman Long wins the day
THE atmosphere got hot and spicy as local experts sampled some specially created bangers as part of National Sausage Week. Five teams of catering students from Middlesbrough College created their own sausage to tickle the taste buds with a wide variety
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New classes in Willington
PARKSIDE Community Association is offering three new classes at Parkside School, in Willington. Street Dance, for ten to 16-year-olds, runs on Mondays from 5pm to 6pm. Sessions cost £2. A free computer skills class starts on Tuesday, November 10
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Pool reopens after revamp
A SWIMMING pool has opened its doors following a major £200,000 facelift. The pool at Eston Sports Academy, which is run by Tees Valley Leisure, has reopened after suffering flood damage in July. Ian Donley, deputy chief executive of Tees Valley Leisure
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Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2
Publisher: Activision Formats: X Box, PS3 WHEN a fight between heroes and villains causes a tragic explosion in a Connecticut school killing 612 civilians, including scores of children, America introduces new laws to force superheroes to reveal their
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WET
Format: Xbox 360, PS3 Publisher: Bethesda Price: £39.99 WHEN stylish mercenary Rubi Malone agrees to find a wealthy businessman's son, she isn't expecting any trouble. Unfortunately for Rubi, things aren't what they seem and the sexy gunfor-hire
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MP supports crackdown on misusing fireworks
A NORTH-EAST MP is supporting a crackdown on the misuse of fireworks in the run-up to Bonfire Night. North West Durham MP Hilary Armstrong urged people in the region to follow the Fireworks Code, and enjoy fireworks safely on Thursday night. Ms Armstrong
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Absence falls at Darlington schools
DARLINGTON school children continue to perform well in terms of absence, a report has revealed. Primary and secondary school absence rates are below national and regional averages. Primary schools had a 5.2 per cent rate of absence for the school year
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Calendar boost for cathedral appeal
A CATHEDRAL appeal has received a welcome boost from a Yorkshire-based photographer. Jon Scurrah has produced a spectacular 2010 calendar of iconic Yorkshire scenes purely for the fund-raising initiative. Ripon Cathedral launched its organ appeal in
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Ashleigh accused remanded in custody
THE man accused of killing teenager Ashleigh Hall made his first appearance before a judge today on charges of manslaughter, kidnap and failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements. Peter Chapman, 32, appeared at Teesside Crown Court
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Safer communities
SOUTH Durham councillors have used their highways budgets to pay for electronic speed warning signs. Tudhoe, Ferryhill and Kirk Merrington now all have the latest electronic warning systems called speed visors, which flash a warning to motorists as they
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Tackling local crime and other issues
POLICE are joining forces with people in a bid to tackle local crimes and other issues. As part of the county-wide Not in My Neighbourhood Week, officers were out in force in Thirsk market place as well as other towns across North Yorkshire. They are
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Vote for your top shop
SHOPPERS are being invited to nominate their favourite retailers for an award. Nominations for the Durham City Retail Awards 2009 are open now. The winners will be announced at a ceremony to be held at Ramside Hall Hotel, near Durham, on Wednesday,
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Redcar rapist on the run
A RAPIST from the North-East serving a life sentence in prison has gone on the run, police said today. 42-year-old Frank Dalton went missing from HMP North Sea Camp near Boston shortly after 6.30pm on Sunday, Lincolnshire Police said. He disappeared
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Village mobile post office plan
A VILLAGE that has been without a post office since last summer could have the service resurrected next month. Post Office bosses are consulting residents of Byers Green, near Spennymoor, over plans to serve the community with a mobile outreach service
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Ashley could do with his helicopter at St James'
IT'S safe to assume that Mike Ashley will not find it quite so easy to jump into a taxi at St James' Park this weekend as he did on Monday night. Having witnessed a narrow 1-0 win that lifted the Magpies back to the top of the Championship
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Body of man found in burnt out caravan
POLICE are investigating the death of an elderly man who body was found in a burnt-out caravan in a remote spot, it was announced this morning. The man, who has not been identified, was discovered on Sunday, in the fire-damaged caravan in Appleton Wiske
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Shopping with a conscience
From alpaca handbags to recycled jewellery, the Big Green Market is guaranteed to have a great selection of ethical gifts. THE Big Green Market will give people the chance to sample and buy ethically traded, organic and locally- produced goods when
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Wolf at the door
Sheepish, for once, the column grazes uneasily with the Shepherd and Shepherdess. MAYBE because there were only 60-odd shopping days to Christmas, maybe because somewhere in the distance that bloke was singing about stopping the cavalry, three
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Man remanded over Ashleigh Hall death
A HOMELESS man accused of kidnapping and killing Darlington teenager Ashleigh Hall appeared before a Crown Court judge today. Peter Chapman, 32, did not enter pleas at Teesside Crown Court where he made a ten minute appearance via videolink
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Northern Sinfonia, The Sage Gateshead
IN the 250th anniversary of the death of Handel, what better way to mark his legacy than putting on his personal favourite – the oratorio Theodora. It may not have been popular with 18th Century audiences, but has enjoyed a renaissance of late
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Eddie Izzard: Stripped, Newcastle Metro Radio Arena
AS a one time devotee of the surreal ramblings of the self-confessed “action transvestite”, it pains me to say that Eddie Izzard’s latest live show in a long time did not leave me rolling in the aisles. I discovered him through a friend on a
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Trees protest
JANE Markham claims a democratic right to protest after holding up the felling of two diseased ash trees overlooking a children’s play area at Northallerton for more than an hour (Echo, Oct 31). An elected local council is a democratic body and
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Nutt sacking
IT seems that the reason for sacking Professor David Nutt, the Government’s chief drugs advisor (Echo, Oct 31), is because the scientific evidence behind the views he expresses is contrary to Government policy to reclassify cannabis. Does this
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Thanks, Durham
WE are two young Palestinians who would like to thank the people of Durham for helping to make our year in their city and county so worthwhile and enjoyable. In 2008, we were fortunate to gain Durham Palestine Educational Trust scholarships to
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Grandparents
IT is always tough when a marriage or a relationship ends, especially when children are involved. Often, grandparents suffer as they have no access rights to grandchildren after a couple break up. Almost half reportedly face being cut off from
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Now it’s the F Factor
Gordon Ramsay’s F Word (C4, 9pm); Nature Shock (Five, 8pm); Black Widow Granny? (BBC1, 10.35pm) THE programme that’s not afraid to use the F-word – food – returns with a new challenge. This time Gordon Ramsay launches a nationwide search to find
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Youth Parliament
REGENERATION replaced degeneration in the House of Commons, only for a day last Friday, as 300 members of the UK Youth Parliament, including York’s 17-year-old Joe Feeney, debated “votes for 16- year-olds” as the keynote issue among others (
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Still waiting
CONGRATULATIONS to the residents of Bishop Auckland on news that work on the Tindale Crescent mixed regeneration project, to include a new cinema, bowling alley, etc, is due to start next month (Business Echo, Oct 27), but keep your fingers crossed
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MPs' expenses
NEPOTISM and cronyism have been rife in both national and local politics for many years now, and MPs claiming expenses to employ their relatives is a prime example of this. I sincerely hope that Sir Christopher Kelly’s review of pay and perks
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BNP
SUPPORTERS of the BNP have complained that party leader Nick Griffin was “set up” and placed before a “hand-picked” and hostile Question Time audience. The BNP is a small organisation dedicated to disrupting good race relations and provoking
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Miliband 'slur'
I MUST condemn the nice David Miliband, Foreign Secretary and MP for South Shields, for his scurrilous attack on Michael Kaminski, the Polish MEP allied to the Conservative Group in Europe. He is trying to fan the notion that Mr Kaminski is
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Hypocrisy of the ‘war’ on drugs
YEARS ago, when I was a teacher at a secondary school in Bolton, Lancashire, I marvelled at the way pupils were entranced by two annual visitors from the local education authority. These were known as “the drugs man” and “the VD man”. Each year,
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I want to sell you a Tory...
Conservative chairman Eric Pickles has visited the region to give party activists a pep-talk as they make plans for next year’s General Election. The politician took time out to answer questions put by The Northern Echo’s Joe Willis. Joe
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Facing up to home truths
AFTER Nick Griffin’s infamous but unimpressive appearance on the BBC’s Question Time programme last month, we called on the main parties to examine themselves and accept that their own weaknesses on immigration had played into the hands of the
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Ryanair announces its profits, while predicting losses to come
BUDGET airline Ryanair said yesterday that falling fuel costs had boosted profits, but added that cut-price fares would result in losses for the rest of the year. The firm, which flies from Newcastle International and Durham Tees Valley airports
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Pound Notes: November 3, 2009
■ With most fixed-rate mortgages “too expensive”, Ray Boulger at leading brokers John Charcol says variable rate deals account for almost two-thirds of the home-loan market. Purchases account for nearly 58 per cent of the market, with the rest
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Go international to play the FTSE 100
BRITISH Land. British Telecom. British Airways. British Sky Broadcasting. Pretty solid British sounding names aren’t they? They must earn their corn from the good old pound sterling, I’m sure. But what if I told you that the average revenue derived
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Garden care home sold
DESPITE the recession, one area of business which is still holding up very well is the care market, according to Ian Moralee, MD of business sales specialist Moralee & Co. “The care industry is still buoyant despite the current economic climate
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Treat yourself to the good life
GEORGE F White has the perfect answer for anyone wanting to get their foot on the first rung of the farming ladder. West End Farm, left, in Ingleton, near Darlington, has just become available for rent. “For those who has always dreamed
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Creating wading bird habitats
LANDOWNERS are to be shown how they can create habitats for breeding wading birds. The Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in North Yorkshire and the RSPB have teamed up to organise a one-off event demonstrating ways of encouraging
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Edd:e to monitor your energy
A NORTH Yorkshire company has been chosen to produce components for a device helping businesses improve energy efficiency. Icon Electronics, based in Knaresborough, will produce components for EMU System’s new energy monitoring device, called
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Historic building gets green heating makeover
A GREEN heating system developed by a County Durham company was an integral part of the makeover of a historic village facility. The Wilson Centre in Long Newton, Stockton, which reopened last month underwent a transformation following a £266,000
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Roofer turns to eco-friendly bin-cleaning work
A FORMER roofer, left out of work by the economic downturn, is operating his own environmentally friendly bin-cleaning business. Craig Richardson, from Consett, County Durham, attracted more than 400 customers in three months after starting the
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New deals offer respite for beleagured savers
SINCE interest rates began to plunge a year ago, savers have been resigned to the fact that nest eggs built up over many years might generate little useful income this side of 2011. Barely 15 months ago, in June last year, savers on three-year
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Brownfield site bought
LAMBERT Smith Hampton (LSH), has completed the sale of part of a major brownfield site in Gateshead on behalf of BRB (Residuary) Ltd. The former Central Gateshead Freight Depot, on Park Road, which totals 22- acres, has been derelict for over 20
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Company shares its deepest secrets
Darlington-based CTC Marine operates some of the largest and most technically advanced subsea trenching equipment in the world and has offices across the globe. As part of this month’s Success feature, in conjunction with the North East Chamber
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Third accolade for recycling company
PLASTICS recycling company Greenstar WES has won its third accolade in a few weeks. The Redcar business, part of the Greenstar UK group, won the recycled packaging of the year category of the National Recycling Awards. Recently, the business, which
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Bikes can get a new look
A NORTH-EAST mechanic trained by legendary motorbike maker Harley-Davidson has gone into business customising bikes. Sledgehammer Customs, owned by Jamaican-born Jerry Barzey, specialises in building, servicing and repairing Harley-Davidson
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Martyn Pellew: Training does not need to suffer during recession
THE usual assumption is that in an economic downturn, spending on staff training is one of the first budget lines to be cut. It would be disingenuous to suggest that mentality had completely disappeared from the business community, but it has
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Office staff get a chance to unwind
STAFF at a North-East law firm who have been working through an office refurbishment have won the chance to be pampered. Swinburne and Jackson recently underwent a significant refurbishment at its Gateshead head office, meaning upheaval and inconvenience
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Students' leadership challenge
FOUR students have reached the final of a future leaders’ contest. The Durham University students impressed judges in the npower Future Leaders Challenge with their plans for a "switch off weekend". They plan to encourage residents,
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Staff boost after firm creates piping system
A COUNTY Durham firm is to take on more staff after a technological breakthrough which could aid the growth of pharmaceutical companies. The Honeyman Group, which employs 32 people in Barnard Castle, has developed a pure water distribution system
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Recruitment company turns to digital experts
A NICHE recruitment company has turned to digital experts who work with industry leaders including Coca-Cola and Procter and Gamble to give jobseekers instant online access to the cream of the region’s creative jobs. Advertising, marketing and
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Fibre optics firm moves to Incubator
A FIRM making highly specialised components for fibre optic cables, is to be the latest tenant of a North- East science park. u2t Photonics UK is moving from its site in Newton Aycliffe to take over laboratory, office and storage space in the NETPark
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First delivery at green grain refinery
A GREEN power plant which is set to become Europe’s biggest wheat refinery has taken its first delivery of grain. Ten trucks unloaded about 300 tonnes of wheat at the Ensus plant, at Wilton, Teesside, last week. The exercise was designed to
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Region’s tourist sector beating the recession
TOURIST attractions and accommodation in the North-East are reaping the rewards of the “staycation” trend which has emerged through the recession, figures revealed yesterday. Despite the challenging economic climate, the North-East’s tourism economy
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Guarding against peril of Christmas parties
EMPLOYERS could find themselves powerless to act if workers phone in sick the day after an office Christmas party – and could even be liable for bad behaviour – unless stringent guidelines are in place first, a North-East law firm warned last night
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Television mogul shows softer side
TELEVISION mogul Simon Cowell has showed his softer side by donating money for a North-East baby to have cancer treatment in America. The tough-talking X Factor judge agreed to pay the remaining money for one-year-old Sophie Atay, from Birtley, in Gateshead
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David Coppock: Making most of overseas markets
DESPITE the economic downturn, overseas markets still offer plenty of promise for North-East firms. And with the economy now showing early signs of recovery, UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) continues to work hard to deliver its promise that
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Event to give advice on public sector contracts
BUSINESSES in the Darlington borough are being given free assistance to help them win more work in the public sector. Darlington Borough Council is holding an event for businesses wanting to bid for contracts with public sector organisations,
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Law firm offers the public a working lunch
PEOPLE working in a North-East city centre are to be offered legal advice on their lunch break by one of the region’s law firms. BHP Law has announced plans for a legal clinic to be held every Tuesday at its Eldon Chambers offices, on the Quayside
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James Wharton: Plan for the future at the very beginning
WHEN people come together to pursue a new business venture, there is often real enthusiasm at the prospect of what might be achieved. Many start-ups, along with established informal and formal partnerships, decide to incorporate as a limited company
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Solicitor wins place on London council panel
LAW firm Dickinson Dees has won a place on the first panel of advisors selected by the London Boroughs Legal Alliance (LBLA). Newcastle-based Dickinson Dees is the only law firm from the North- East to be represented on the 16- strong panel. The
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RBS announces loss of 3,700 UK frontline jobs
FRONTLINE bank workers across the region faced an uncertain future last night after The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) announced it was to cut 3,700 jobs. The bank, which is 70 per cent taxpayer-owned, said it was too early to say whether the cuts
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Gosden goes to Catterick
JOHN GOSDEN’S Troopingthecolour makes the trip to Catterick for the Hambleton Maiden Stakes. Second on all three outings to date, a win will be wanted before he is packed off for the winter and strictly on the formbook it almost looks a formality
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Hundreds run cross country
MORE than 1,200 children took part in a mass cross country run event. Youngsters from 24 primary schools competed, in an event organised by the Durham City School Sport Partnership and held at Houghall College, near Durham. Older children were competing
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Ferrari to open theme park
FERRARI World Abu Dhabi, set to open in 2010, is the world’s first Ferrari theme park and largest attraction of its kind. It will be an intense multi-sensory experience and a must-visit for enthusiasts, fans and families. The Park pays tribute to
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Wilkinson boost for Johnson
MARTIN JOHNSON finds himself in the rare position of being an England coach finalising his Test selection without having to fret over the fitness of Jonny Wilkinson. Neither Andy Robinson nor Brian Ashton before him enjoyed that same pleasure
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Skipper ‘excited’ by arrival of Pietersen
ANDREW STRAUSS is excited by Kevin Pietersen’s return to the England fold next week ahead of the start of their international battle with South Africa. The England captain touched down with his teammates in Bloemfontein on Sunday, but the middle-order
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Mulligan aims to follow Kightly
NEW Darlington signing Nathan Mulligan is using another former non-league player as his inspiration. The winger made his debut as a substitute at the weekend just days after leaving Norton & Stockton Ancients of the Northern League. The transfer
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Davies returns with golden haul
TALL in the saddle, 57-year-old Steve Davies is back from Australia with four World Masters cycling gold medals. Though he was also named champion of champions, this weekend he could be on a club run with Ferryhill Wheelers and be passed, on
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Bruce impressed by ‘real deal’ Gordon
CRAIG GORDON might not be assured of his place as Sunderland’s first choice goalkeeper, but manager Steve Bruce believes recent performances prove he is the “real deal”. Gordon has endured a stopstart two years on Wearside following his £9m move
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Protective mask key to Pogatetz return
EMANUEL POGATETZ will visit a specialist next week in the hope of receiving medical clearance to wear a protective mask and return to action with Middlesbrough ahead of schedule. A season of misfortune for Pogatetz deteriorated further on Saturday
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Hughton happy after quickstep to the top
CHRIS HUGHTON danced with delight after witnessing Newcastle United climb back to the top of the Championship with a narrow victory at Sheffield United last night before joking: “I have my moments.” The normally composed Hughton could not
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Rio as good as ever, says Fergie
SIR ALEX FERGUSON has launched a robust defence of Rio Ferdinand against accusations that ‘‘his legs have gone’’. The startling claim was made by former England boss Graham Taylor at the weekend. Taylor believes Ferdinand’s best years are behind
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Beckham returns to Milan
DAVID BECKHAM has the stage he needs to prove he belongs in England’s World Cup squad following AC Milan’s announcement that he will rejoin them in January for another six-month loan spell. Now 34 and still under contract with the Los Angeles
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Ministers deny divide in transport cash is unfair
MINISTERS were under fire last night after denying that transport spending is unfairly lavished on London – instead claiming the huge extra sums are only a blip caused by the Olympics. An MPs’ investigation, which warned the spending gap between
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Police replace Wright sign with right sign
POLICE have launched a crackdown on anti-social behaviour in a village by replacing a street sign. Uniformed officers removed the sign at “Wrights Way” in the small village of Burnhope, in north Durham, because it had been put up without permission
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Author gives children a chance at fame
A POPULAR children’s author signed copies of his books for young readers as part of an acclaimed book festival. Chris Goy signed books from his Terry, the Torus and the Tumblestones series in Waterstone’s, Durham City, during Durham Book Festival
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Police renew efforts to catch criminals
POLICE have stepped up their fight against burglars, launching education and covert surveillance operations. Undercover officers have been working to catch burglars in an extension of an operation to stop criminals targeting university students
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‘Accused was naked and covered in blood’
A MAN accused of beating a friend to death appeared at a neighbour’s front door naked and covered in blood, a trial heard yesterday. Anthony Trevor Muldoon denies murdering Norman Illingworth, 57, at the victim’s home in Essex Street, Middlesbrough
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Construction date for ‘polymer’ bridge
A FOOTBRIDGE linking a landmark development to a town centre is to be in place next year – three years later than planned. Issues surrounding the innovative material used to build the bridge have led to the delays. The proposed footbridge will
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Patient criticises wait at hospital
A HEART patient who waited three hours to see a doctor has claimed that a hospital A&E unit is being “overwhelmed” after the closure of a neighbouring casualty department. Hospital officials say they have not encountered any major problems since
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Returning to the region as new bishop
A FORMER Durham University student has returned to the region after a 30-year absence, to become the new Bishop of Whitby. The Reverend Canon Martin Clive Warner has been appointed to the position in succession to the Right Reverend Robert Ladds
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Still time to win county Monopoly game
TO mark the launch of the County Durham edition of Monopoly, The Northern Echo is offering 24 sets of the game to be won. More than 20 landmarks and institutions are included and the property prices are identical – except there is a new Monopoly
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Trial after student suffers broken finger in lesson
A TEACHING assistant appeared in court yesterday charged with assault after a teenage pupil suffered a broken finger. David Johnson is alleged to have kicked a classroom door shut during a lesson, trapping his hand. The 59-year-old denied assault
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Injured hooter
AN off-target owl left a big impression when it flew into a window. Members of New Blackwell Lawn Tennis Club, in Darlington, found the startling imprint when they arrived on Saturday morning. It shows the perfect outline of what they
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Motorist facing jail after road-death guilty plea
A MOTORIST was yesterday warned to expect “a substantial period of imprisonment” after admitting responsibility for a road death. Former Royal Marine David William Tootill, 29, died in hospital after being airlifted from the scene of the accident
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Retrial for footballer Woodgate ruled out
FORMER Middlesbrough and Newcastle defender Jonathan Woodgate will not face a retrial for alleged speeding after his case was dropped. Woodgate, had denied exceeding a temporary 50mph limit on the A66 at Long Newton, between Darlington and
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Authors pen life story of artist Norman Cornish
THE life story of one of the region’s most famous living artists has been recorded for posterity in a book published to coincide with his 90th birthday. Norman Cornish’s biography – The Quintessential Cornish – was launched at the Spennymoor
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War zone soldier in battle over job
A SOLDIER who fought the Taliban is now taking on one of the North-East’s bestknown companies after he was made redundant just days after returning from Afghanistan. Simon Sunderland, an infantryman in the Territorial Army, was told byDarlington
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November 2, 2009
SOFA(R) SO GOOD I switch on the TV and observe these sofa adverts Showing little sofa people trying to sell us seating sure certs. They look as if they undergone a cosmetic height reduction Trying to convince us viewer’s seatings best thing since
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Thirty years gone by in a Viz
ICAN distinctly remember the first time I read Viz. It was the early Eighties, I was sitting in a pub in Northampton waiting for my wife to finish the supermarket shopping. As an exiled North-Easterner living in the Midlands at that time I had
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Storm force
Into The Storm (BBC2, 8.30pm. BRENDAN GLEESON took home the American Emmy award for outstanding lead actor in a TV mini-series or movie for his portrayal of Winston Churchill, but he had initial doubts about taking the role in the drama Into The
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A tragedy too close to home
NO editor wants to write headlines like those that were written last week about the death of 17-year-old Ashleigh Hall after she met a convicted sex offender via the internet. As the details of the tragedy unfolded, the more upsetting and closer
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Rhyme and reasoning
As he shares the stage with new poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy for the first time, Durham Festival Laureate Andrew Motion reflects on the power of poetry and writing about an imaginary trip to Holy Island. He chats to Steve Pratt. THEY could
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Man accused of Ashleigh Hall murder in court
A HOMELESS man accused of kidnapping and killing a teenage girl he met on Facebook will appear before a judge for the first time. Peter Chapman, 32, is accused of killing 17-year-old trainee nanny Ashleigh Hall, whose body was found dumped
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Motorcyclist killed in accident named
A MOTORCYCLIST killed on the A174, just north of Hinderwell, near Whitby last Wednesday has been named as Christopher Benn, aged 51, of Middle Street North, Driffield. The inquest into his death opened and adjourned on Monday morning. Three male scooter
