Archive
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Police concerned for missing Middlesbrough woman
POLICE are concerned for the welfare of a 33-year-old woman who has been missing for several hours. Michelle Branagan was last seen at her home address in Greencroft Walk, in the Park End area of Middlesbrough, at 2.30pm. She is described
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Darlington fans chance to quiz Staunton
DARLINGTON boss Steve Staunton will appear at the club’s Fans Footy Night on Wednesday evening. Quakers fans will be able to quiz players and management during the fun evening, due to be held at the Northern Echo Arena on Wednesday January 13. Staunton
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Biker injured in road accident - police seek witnesses
POLICE are appealing for information after a road traffic accident left a motorcycle rider injured. The accident happened at the junction of Marina Way and The Lanyard in Hartlepool at about 1.20pm today. A blue vehicle, which could have been a Vauxhall
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120 jobs saved at Corus coke works
THE devastating prospect of job losses facing staff at Corus steel works in Redcar has been softened with news that 120 jobs have been saved. A last minute deal has been struck to protect the jobs in the South Bank coke works for three years. This afternoon
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Houses plan gets permission
A PLAN to build social housing in a former pit village have won planning permission despite the objections of residents. The Durham Villags Regeneration Company, the company partly founded by the now defunct Durham City Council, will build the five
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Panto blew away cobwebs
A VILLAGE drama group blew away the Christmas cobwebs with its annual pantomime. Sedgefield Players and its youth section presented Little Miss Muffet at Sedgefield Parish Hall between Christmas and the New Year. Janine Yaxley was delightful
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School saved
CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating after plans to close their school were scrapped. The were responding to the school adjudicator Dr Bryan Slater’s decision to reject proposals to shut Gillas Lane Primary School in Houghton-le-Spring on Wearside. Parents
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Finnish role for solicitor
A SOLICITOR has been appointed an Honorary Consul for Finland in the region. Geoffrey Berriman will represent the interests of the estimated 50 to 60 Finns living in County Durham, Tyne and Wear and Northumberland, as Honorary Consul for Finland in Newcastle-upon-Tyne
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Police appeal to find this man
A TOWN council is reaching out to a flood devastated community on the opposite side of the country. The Mayor of Ferryhill, Eileen Martin, has donated £200 to the Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team. Coun Martin made the donation from her allowance as
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Warning over cold-calling officials
POLICE have warned of the activities of bogus council officers making unannounced home ‘visits’ attempting to dupe hopuseholders. The con men struck in villages on the outskirts of Gateshead yesterday, but they may strike further afield using the excise
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Mayor donates funds to flood rescuers
A TOWN council is reaching out to a flood devastated community on the opposite side of the country. The Mayor of Ferryhill, Eileen Martin, has donated £200 to the Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team. Coun Martin made the donation from her
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Successful safety campaign targets children
AN event that teaches children to become more aware of their personal safety is to be held again. Crucial Crew is a project that gets its message across via a series of workshops. This year, it will be held from January 19-28 in the British Energy Training
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Mountain rescue team endure busiest year on record
THE Cleveland Search and Rescue team has endured its busiest year on record. Last year, the volunteers dealt with a total of 44 incidents ranging from searching for Alzheimers suffers and rescuing injured walkers and mountain bikers, to rescuing a snow-trapped
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Pond life transformed with charity's cash
WILDLIFE campaigners are looking for pond sites to transform into havens for rare species. Tees Valley Wildlife Trust (TVWT) has enough funding for five ponds across Stockton, Hartlepool, Redcar and Cleveland and Middlesbrough. The group is hoping to
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Residents get the chance to set council's budget
RESIDENTS can determine how to spend £122 million of Redcar and Cleveland Council's budget. The authority has set up a budget simulator as part of a consultation process to give people an insight into controlling the authority's purse strings. The Council's
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Town centre bar to host band night
A TOWN centre bar hopes to host regularly bands to "fill a gap in the market". Casual Sax, an eight-piece Darlington band, will play at Hogarths, in the Market Square, Darlington, on Friday. Owners of the bar hope they will be the first band to play
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Councillor expelled for rape joke lapse
A CITY councillor has been expelled from the Conservative Party after making offensive remarks about rape at a meeting. Eddie Wake, 56, a Tory councillor at Sunderland City Council, is alleged to have made the remarks at a meeting of the authority and
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Snow king in icy palace
THE saying goes, an Englishman’s home is his castle. But one Newton Aycliffe family went a step further by creating their own fortress in their garden made entirely out of snow. Craig and Rachel Laheney-Clark and their sons, Miles, three
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Oink creator was honing his computer skills, court told
A SOFTWARE engineer whose illegal pirate music website allowed 21 million songs to be downloaded told a court today he set it up in his bedroom to brush up on his computing skills. Alan Ellis, 26, was studying at Teesside University and living in shared
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Jean Hill: Mona Young (nee Tough) and James Young
JEAN HILL is researching her family tree and would like to find information about her aunt and her family, who lived in Stockton. Mrs Hill's grandparents were John Tough and Elizabeth Davis. Their children were Mona, Reuben, Irene, John, Honor
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Two-for-one offer at Teesdale museum
THE Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle is offering residents of Teesdale a unique offer. Anyone with a DL12 post code will be eligible for two for one admission from now until February 28. Matt Leng, Operations Manager from The Bowes Museum
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Residents asked for their views on policing priorities
POLICE in a north Durham village are carrying out a consultation exercise to find out what aspects of Crime people want to see tackled most. Officials in the Annfield Plain area have been asking hundreds of residents for their views on the issues of
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Angler who died in cliff collapse is named
THE angler killed when a cliff collapsed because of the icy weather has today been named by police. Jeff Nixon, 49, was casting from the coast near Newbiggin-by-the-Sea in Northumberland when a section of land gave way on January 6. Mr Nixon, from
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Police issue e-fit of stab suspect
POLICE have issued an e-fit in the search for a youth who stabbed a woman four times as he tried to steal her handbag. Laura Currie, of Middlesbrough, was walking along the town's Linthorpe Road at around 6.55pm, on January 3 when she was attacked
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Snow leaves bomber reaching for the sky
THE big thaw has left a museum's prize exhibit staring at the skies. Heavy snow tipped the North-East Aircraft Museum's gigantic 1961 Avro Vulcan jet on to its tail, making it look as if it is about to take off. Staff at the museum in
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BMW 330d M Sport Saloon (Price, as tested, £38,305)
READ any review of BMW's 3-Series and you'll find journalists gushing in their praise of the all-conquering executive saloon. Barely a superlative has gone unwritten and consequently it is a popular sight in the outside lanes of our motorway
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Kia C'eed 1.6 CRDI Ecodynamics (Price £14,195)
THE problem with testing a stop-start car in the winter, and this winter in particular, is that when the temperature drops below a certain level it stops working. This is for perfectly sensible reasons, after all you don't want the engine to
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A66 closed between County Durham and Cumbria
A section of the A66 trans-Pennine express between Bowes in County Durham and Brough in Cumbria will remain closed all day due to the weather conditions. Meanwhile, First TransPennine Express axed its Manchester to Newcastle train service,
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Magistrates recruitment drive
A RECRUITMENT drive has been launched to encourage people in North Yorkshire to become magistrates. The vacancies are open across the county and they are for anyone aged between 18-65 with full training given. Once recruited magistrates should serve
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Family unharmed in fire
FIREFIGHTERS were called to a house fire that gutted an upstairs bedroom and a property’s roof void, this morning. Crews were called to the semi-detached home in Whitehouse Drive, Sedgefield Village, County Durham, at about 8am. The young family that
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Collingwood confident 'genius' Pietersen will turn on the style
ENGLAND'S 'genius' Kevin Pietersen is capable of turning on the magic at any point - and Paul Collingwood will not be surprised if it happens at The Wanderers this week. If England were able to pick the moment the mercurial Pietersen returns to his best
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Oiled, waxed and soooo relaxed
A stressed-out Lauren Pyrah enjoys chilling out with a massage and some warm oil. ASECRET worrier by nature, massage has always been my favourite beauty treatment. So when the features editor asked me try out a new massage and exfoliation treatment
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A voice for victims
A campaign urging rape victims to come forward has prompted the Government to act. LAST year, Cosmopolitan magazine launched a Please Tell Someone campaign to encourage women to break the silence surrounding rape. Since then, it has
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Punch lines
Around 2,400 pubs closed last year. Around one reopened. The Column goes first footing. IT was New Year’s Day, the most sobering news in that morning’s Telegraph that 2,400 pubs had closed in the previous 12 months. We resolved to head for the
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Too ill to swat
GEORGE Appleby ponders why Noah didn’t swat the two mosquitoes that must have been on his Ark (HAS, Jan 9). He was probably too ill to do so. Many infectious diseases cannot survive outside a human host. So – if the flood myth were true – for
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Winter weather
LAST year, Durham County Council took over the functions of district councils, but on current evidence it’s not performing them very well. I’m talking about the council’s lamentable response – in terms of treating roads and pavements – to the
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Islam4UK demo
COLIN Mortimer (HAS Jan 7) says that the proposed demonstration march in Wootton Bassett by Islam4UK shows that “Islam holds no concern for the feelings of others”. It shows nothing of the sort – Islam4UK does not represent Islam. It is a pity
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Serial killer
Survivors (BBC1, 9pm); Simon Schama on Obama’s America (BBC2, 9pm); Simpsons – Mischief And Mayhem (Sky1, 7pm) SURVIVORS star Julie Graham has her doubts that she’d cope as well as her character, Abby, in a postapocalyptic Britain, where a virus
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Iraq / Afghanistan
WHY were young British men and women being killed in Iraq and are today still being killed in Afghanistan? One thing is certain – they are not laying down their lives for the defence of this country. The war in Iraq was to change the regime and
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NHS
MORE than three years ago David Cameron spelled out his priorities in three letters – NHS. Since then, the Conservatives have consistently fought to protect the values the NHS stands for and have campaigned to defend the NHS from Labour’s cuts
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Brown and the plotters
GORDON Brown is dreadful, but no trade unionist or socialist should support any bid by discredited politicians Patricia Hewitt and Geoff Hoon to get rid of him. How anybody can take either of these two seriously is beyond me. Supercilious Patricia
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Conspiracy over PC will cost lives
OUR leaders are not taking rational action in the face of the terrorist threat. There is a conspiracy among all the parties to avoid the issue. As a result, they are making it likely that British people will die of political correctness (PC
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Kielder buffer zone extended across Cumbria to protect red squirrels
A BUFFER zone vital to the survival of the red squirrel has been extended to slow down the migration of greys towards the Scottish border. The zone has been extended west from Kielder Forest - the largest red squirrel reserve in the country - to cut
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Rose-tinted
As Harrogate Theatre marks its 110th anniversary, actress Valerie Woodings tells Steve Pratt about “posh” audience nights, the formidable ladies who ran the White Rose Players and the stage crisis caused by a king’s abdication. THE last time Valerie
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Moving the goalposts
IT is fewer than four months since controversial plans to reorganise hospital services in County Durham and Darlington went ahead. Despite a passionate campaign by local people, the reorganisation – under the banner “Seizing The Future” – included
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Year of recession – but good for stocks
OUT with the old, and in with the new. Last year may have been the year of recession, but it provided one of the best ever for stock market investors. Over the course of the year, the FTSE 100 provided capital growth of 22 per cent, and that
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Cash tills ring out as traders report strong seasonal sales
THERE was little winter gloom on the High Street yesterday after traders reported strong seasonal sales. After a difficult few months the big freeze brought a boost to outdoor retailer Blacks Leisure. The group, which saw its share price plummet
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Merry Christmas for Carver Commercial
CARVER Commercial completed two significant lettings in Darlington in the run up to Christmas. Sainsbury’s Supermarkets has taken over premises at 63-65 Duke Street for conversion into a local convenience store. Building work is currently underway
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Local pub for local man
THE Newcastle office of business agent, Christie + Co, has announced the sale of The Plainsman public house in Annfield Plain, near Consett. A freehold price of £140,000 was sought and the buyer is local to the Consett area. Mark Worley of Christie
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Environment expert will be forum guest
AN environmental expert will speak at this month’s meeting of the North-East Recycling Forum (NERF). Dr Brian Chambers will speak about phosphates, which is his area of expertise, and the White Paper which the Premier Waste Management Scientific
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Counting cost of inefficient equipment
SMALL and medium-sized business (SMEs) could lose as much as £3bn this year as a result of inefficient equipment and energy wastage, research has found. The Carbon Trust has revealed out-of-date equipment is wasting small businesses’ money, but
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On course to help tackle climate change
BUSINESSES and individuals in the North-East can learn about how they can help tackle climate change by generating green energy. A course is being run by Community Renewable Energy (CoRE), that works with people to set up communityowned renewable
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Where to cut back on your household finances
MANY families who cut their spending back last year on the assumption of recovery this year may already be having a rethink, looking for fresh ways to prune the budget after warnings that another 250,000 jobs could go in the new year. Unemployment
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Aiming to be at the centre of North-East business
NORTH-EAST companies looking to cut costs by consolidating their regional operations into one single site are showing interest in Admiral Point, the only new industrial development currently in construction. According to Nick Atkinson of DTZ
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Board’s quest to redirect waste from landfill sites
INDUSTRIAL leaders and policymakers in the North-East have come together to establish a board that will influence the region’s strategy for processing waste material and reducing the amount of rubbish sent to landfill. Tough central Government
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Harrison flies the flag
It has produced flags and flagpoles for the Royal Household and the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games. As part of this month’s Success feature, in conjunction with the North East Chamber of Commerce, Lindsay Parker looks at the rise of Darlington-firm
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Distributing Euro funding allocation
MILLIONS of pounds of European funding allocated to help North-East businesses has been successfully distributed. Regional development agency One North East, which manages the North-East’s allocation from the European Regional Development Fund
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Estate agency’s rebrand venture
AN estate agency which has branches across the Tees Valley and North Yorkshire is rebranding, and is looking to expand further in the months ahead as the outlook for the property market brightens. Five former Halifax branches in Darlington, Stockton
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Motor salvage company security boost
TECHNOLOGY company Waterstons has helped a motor salvage company become one of a limited number to hold an internationallyrecognised information security certification. Durham-based Waterstons helped National Salvage Amalgamation (NSA), the
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Firearms haul recovered in house raids
A HAUL of deadly firearms were seized by police in raids on suspected drug dealers. The weapons, which include two highly dangerous air rifles modified to fire lethal bullets, were discovered when police simultaneously searched nine homes and three
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Personal trainer launches online fitness forum
A MAN who was once the youngest fitness trainer in the Army has created an online tool to help people manage and stick to their diet and exercise routines. Personal trainer Phil Crosby has devised web-based health and exercise organiser – iexerci.se
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Nearly all emails are spam, says report
NEARLY all emails received by businesses every day are spam, research by a Tees Valley technology company has found. MC Ware has been carrying out research since the start of last year into the issue of junk mail, and has found that about 96
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Chris Beaumont: Icy blast – but economic climate is more healthy
FREEZING temperatures and – some say – the worst winter in 30 years has meant a tricky start to the year for businesses across the UK. A better economic climate has been a frustratingly long time in coming (and official statistics will still be
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Firm wins fusion energy contract
A TEES Valley-based digital business has been chosen to play an integral role in a European science project to generate a green energy. Pearsons, based in Stockton, has fought off competition from Europe’s leading digital businesses to develop
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Siemens secures UK and Iraq deals
A NORTH-EAST engineering company has secured two orders worth a total of £110m. Siemens Energy Service Fossil facility, in Newcastle, has secured the work in this country and Iraq. The first, for the Ministry of Electricity in Iraq, involves
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Law firm ruled onside
LAW firm has strengthened its ties with a North-East football club by announcing a new sponsorship package. TBI Solicitors has become the sponsor of Hartlepool United’s first team home shorts and will see its logo appear on the first team’
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Katie Woods: Rules and regulations on house extensions changed
PROPERTY owners like to protect their house and its surroundings, particularly if they have paid a considerable amount of money for it, but they also want the freedom to alter it as they see fit. The rules and regulations in relation to extensions
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Groundbreaking software hits the spot for scientists
GROUNDBREAKING software is being created in the North-East which could revolutionise the way scientific research is analysed, published and shared. Inkspot Science, a company from Newcastle University, has created an online platform from which
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Blair hoped for peaceful resolution to Iraq crisis, Campbell tells inquiry
TONY Blair hoped right until the eve of the invasion of Iraq that the crisis over Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction could be resolved peacefully, Alastair Campbell said today. Giving evidence to the Iraq inquiry, the former No 10
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Gina joins the team
JACKSONS LAW has appointed Gina Dowson as a trainee solicitor at its Stockton office. It is the latest move in the company’s growth, after Jacksons opened a office in Newcastle late last year, after its Tyne-Tees partnership with Mincoffs ended
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Bookshop growth is The Works
MORE than 30 jobs have been created in the North-East and scores more nationwide through the expansion of a discount book company, supported by a regional law firm. Mincoffs has been working with discount book store, The Works, since 2008, and
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Van driver killed in A1 pile-up
A VAN driver died after a crash involving five vehicles yesterday afternoon. Two coaches, two heavy goods vehicles and a box van collided on the southbound carriageway of the A1 at Allerton Park, near Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, at about
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Thriving wine company reveals green ambitions
A WINE distribution company in County Durham is seeing growth across the business almost doubling turnover in some parts as it looks to become the UK’s greenest wine firm. Lanchester Wine Cellars, which is marking its 30th year in business, has
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Big freeze may lead to increase in bogus officials, police warn
POLICE have warned of the activities of bogus council officers making unannounced home 'visits' attempting to dupe hopuseholders. The con men struck in villages on the outskirts of Gateshead on Monday (JAN 11), but they may strike further afield using
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Fazza can dazzle down at Lingfield
DAVID ARBUTHNOT is not one of the busier trainers at this time of year but he holds strong claims at Lingfield in the Marsh Green Handicap with Fazza. A winner on New Year’s Eve, this three-year-old has a fairly progressive profile for this grade
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Tait junior may pledge allegiance to Scotland
A CALCUTTA Cup battle with a difference could be on the cards after Newcastle Falcons full-back Alex Tait was touted as a future Scotland international at the weekend. Alex’s elder brother, Mathew, boasts 31 England caps, and is hoping to be included
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How Bunny Onions reduced South Africa to Test tears
AFTER last week’s extraordinary last over drama in South Africa – siege and Onions, if ever – two things need to be made clear. The first is that Bunny, the Durham seamer’s universal nickname, owes nothing to his being a batting rabbit. Rather
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The Durham that might have been
A NEW course exploring how a city might have looked will begin next month. History teacher Dorothy Hamilton’s course, titled The Durham that might have been, will be held over two Friday morning sessions in February. It will focus on planning issues
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Wilks in deal with Skoda
GUY WILKS’ year has got off to a dream start after Skoda announced he will drive for the team in this season’s 2010 Interncontinental Rally Challenge (IRC). Wilks, from Darlington, is one of Britain’s most exciting rally talents, having won
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Boro’s striker hunt suffers Boyd blow
GORDON STRACHAN’S attempts to follow up the signings of four Celtic players with the acquisition of Rangers striker Kris Boyd has been dealt a severe blow. Boyd is facing up to six weeks out with the Scottish Premier League’s record scorer due
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Illegal tablets seized at Newcastle airport
THOUSANDS of illegally imported tablets have been seized by UK Border Agency officers at Newcastle Airport. Around 80,000 Sildenafil tablets - which can be sold as Viagra - were seized at the end of last week by officers carrying out checks
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Hendry crashes out
SHAUN MURPHY saw off sixtime champion Stephen Hendry in a high-class second- round clash in the Masters at Wembley. Murphy surrendered a presentable chance of wrapping up a 6-3 victory in the ninth frame and could have found himself facing
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Victory is the only target for England
ENGLAND are determined to finish what they started in South Africa and will be happy with nothing less than a series victory after the Wanderers Test. Matt Prior warned there will be no hint of a ‘‘comfort zone’’ for Andrew Strauss’ tourists,
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Fresh start for Gamble
JOE GAMBLE is relishing the chance of a fresh start in English football with Hartlepool United. The midfielder last week completed his move from Cork City and, while training schedules have been disrupted since his arrival, the 27- year-old
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Hughton ready to end Beckford chase
CHRIS Hughton remains confident he will sign three players this month, but the Newcastle boss has warned Leeds United he will draw a line under his pursuit of Jermaine Beckford if the current impasse between the two clubs is not broken quickly
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Togo are banned from ANC
TOGO’S involvement in the African Nations Cup is over following their failure to appear for their opening match against Ghana last night. There had been uncertainty over their intentions since the team returned home from Angola after a gun attack
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Kuranyi dropping off Bruce’s transfer list
STEVE BRUCE is close to admitting defeat in his pursuit of Germany international Kevin Kuranyi, but remains on the look out for a new striker after revealing an interest in Paraguayan Salvador Cabanas. Kuranyi, out of contract in the summer, is
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Whelan set for a start
VETERAN striker Noel Whelan is in line to finally make his home bow for Darlington – three months after signing. A hamstring strain, suffered on his debut at Dagenham in October, has kept him on the sidelines since manager Steve Staunton made
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Headteacher misses No 10 trip as invite fails to arrive
GORDON BROWN last night toasted a North-East school as among the most improved in the country – only two years after he threatened to axe it. However, the headteacher of Shotton Hall, in Peterlee, County Durham – one of eight from the North-East
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Boasts of child sex led police to pervert
A PERVERT was caught with hundreds of child pornography pictures on his computer when police raided his home to investigate claims he had raped or abused youngsters. Mark Hatton had boasted on an internet chat-room about having intercourse with
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Family’s despair as thieves trash home
A FAMILY’S dream festive holiday turned into a nightmare when they got home to discover they had been burgled. Graham Watson and his fiancee, Sonia Dockray, were devastated when they stepped into their house after a fortnight in the US and saw
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New plans for stroke care
There's been a strong reaction to this morning's exclusive story about plans to close the new stroke unit at Darlington Memorial Hospital. It's fewer than four months since controversial plans to reorganise hospital services in Darlington and County
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Trial told of sex as partner lay in agony
A WOMAN slept with her lover as her partner looked on in excruciating pain the day before he was murdered, a court heard. Clare Nicholls, 28, her brother, Simon Nicholls, 24, and her lover, Steven Martin, 44, deny murdering Andrew Gardner, 35
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Family’s help plea after pets ‘stolen to order’
A FAMILY are appealing for help after two of their pet dogs were taken. Lee Fletcher said seven-month-old cocker spaniel Bramble and six-year-old Patterdale terrier Tiny had been stolen to order. Thieves smashed the lock to their kennels near
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Family appeal will aid Lucy after rare disorder strikes
SCHOOLGIRL Lucy Morgan used to love to dance and swim, but 18 months ago her life was devastated by an extremely rare condition. The seven-year-old, from Chester-le-Street, suffered a huge fit that could have killed her. She survived, but was
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No escape for lottery winners
LOTTERY winners who scooped more than £10m in a syndicate win celebrated with a holiday in North Yorkshire – and got snowed in. Pat Dale, 45, and Julie McGregor, 40, won more than £1.7m each as part of the New Year’s Eve £10,257,210 Lotto Double
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Sitting in front of TV ‘will kill you’
EVERY hour spent watching TV each day increases the risk of dying from heart disease by nearly a fifth, say scientists. Couch potatoes were warned that their lifestyle also increased the risk of death from other causes including cancer. People
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Man jailed for assaults on child
A CHILD abuse victim kept his ordeal secret for two decades – until he was arrested for drink-driving and told police. His tormentor, Gary Woodhouse, 45, of Spencerfield Crescent, Middlesbrough, was jailed for three years and four months at Teesside
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Warmer, but it’s not the last of the snow
TEMPERATURES are expected to improve, but the North-East has not seen the last of the wintry weather, forecasters have warned. Although temperatures are set to hit between 3C (37F) and 4C (39F) today, the region can expect patchy drizzle, sleet
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Supplies sledged-in to snowbound sanctuary
RESCUERS had to use sledges to finish a life-saving mission delivering food to starving animals. The Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue Team answered a call to help Sally and David Rowley at the Weardale Animal Sanctuary, three miles
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Animals bearing brunt of relentless cold spell
WILDLIFE, farm animals and racehorses are bearing the brunt of the cold weather, according to those who work closest with them. As the freezing conditions continue, experts urge residents to do their bit to give the region’s wildlife the best
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Thermals are hot property...
AN underwear company has reported a big increase in sales of its thermal garments as a result of the recent freezing weather. Bella di Notte, in Helmsley, in the North York Moors National Park, has seen a rush of orders from people keen to stay warm
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Family of ice river victim back police safety calls
TRIBUTES have been paid to a man who died after falling into the icy River Tees while trying to rescue his dogs. John Thomas Butterfield was dragged beneath the ice after going onto the frozen river near the Infinity Bridge, Stockton, at about
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Opera singer Sarah’s delight at New Year honour
AN opera singer has spoken of her delight after she was named in the Queen’s New Year Honours list. Sarah Connolly, who was brought up in Middleton St George, near Darlington, was named a CBE for services to classical music. It completes
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Police officers admit illegally selling guns
TWO police officers accused of illegally selling firearms handed in by the public for safe disposal have admitted misconduct in a public office. PC Maurice Allen, 47, and PC Damien Cobain, 42, who work for Durham Police, pleaded guilty to one
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Hotel takes Boycie’s furniture for royals
AS Boycie in TV’s Only Fools and Horses, actor John Challis was used to things going against him. But even the fictional second hand car dealer could not have predicted the chain of events to affect his alter-ego since he came to the North-East
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Hospital plan to axe stroke unit
HOSPITAL bosses have drawn up plans to axe a newly-opened stroke unit serving one the region’s biggest towns, The Northern Echo can reveal. If the move goes ahead, it could mean that all County Durham patients who need urgent treatment after
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Darlington care home meeting "was not scaremongering"
RESIDENTS opposed to plans to convert a former home for the elderly into a mental health treatment facility have leapt to the defence of councillors who organised a meeting for them to discuss their concerns. Ashleigh House, off North Road, Darlington
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Plans for County Durham homes closure revealed
COUNCILLORS are being asked to consult on closing seven care homes. Durham County Council’s executive cabinet will be asked to approve consultation with residents, carers and staff at a meeting on Wednesday, January 20. The homes that could close
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Charity criticises NHS for cash freeze
A CHARITY has criticised health bosses for an investment freeze that has denied diabetics in some parts of the region access to a vital patient education programme. The programme is popular with patients and is credited with reducing hospital re-admissions
