Archive
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Flood warnings issued after heavy rain
THE Environment Agency has issued two flood warnings tonight after a day of heavy rain saw rivers rising across the region. The day's downpours have added to problems caused by melting snow. Flood warnings are in place for the River Esk at Ruswarp and
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Jones back in Sunderland starting line-up at Chelsea
KENWYNE Jones returns to Sunderland's starting line-up as the Black Cats attempt to spring a surprise at Chelsea this afternoon. The Trinidad & Tobago international, who has been linked with a possible move to Liverpool this morning, replaces Fraizer
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Gamble makes Pools debut
JOE Gamble made his Hartlepool United debut, starting in central midfield as Pools took on MK Dons at Victoria Park. With Peter Hartley suspended, Antony Sweeney moved to right back and Gary Liddle returned to central defence in place of
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Strachan hands new-boys debuts at Blades
GORDON STRACHAN has been quick to introduce his new signings to the Middlesbrough team, with Chris Killen, Willo Flood and Barry Robson all in line to make debuts at Sheffield United. The three signings from Celtic have all been installed immediately
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Driver arrested after three-car crash
A MAN has been arrested following a three car crash in Darlington. Four people had to be cut free from their vehicles and were taken to hospital following the incident. Some of their injuries are believed to be serious. The accident occurred shortly
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Man found in street with chest wound dies in hospital
POLICE have launched a murder investigation after the death of a man found in the street with a chest wound. Officers believe he was attacked in his home, then made his way outside. Ambulance crews found him lying on the pavement in Tower Street West
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The Brown Mile
RESIDENTS are outraged by the discovery of mounds of canine excrement which has been revealed along public footpaths and walkways now that the thaw has started. Masses of dog dirt has been left uncovered after the thaw of the snow along Oxbridge
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Darlington v Aldershot postponed
DARLINGTON'S home game with Aldershot has been called off due to a waterlogged pitch. The match referee held a second pitch inspection at the Northern Echo Arena at midday and deemed the surface unplayable. The Quakers have not played
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Homes flooded as heavy rain falls
HEAVY rain combined with melting snow have caused flooding in Darlington. In the most serious incident, water got into a number of properties on Zetland Street, where it is believed a drain had collapsed. Fire crews were called to the scene shortly
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Steer carefully on car hire contracts
SOME car hire companies use potentially unfair terms in their contracts, while others provide little or no information on terms and conditions on their websites, according to research by Which? Holiday. The terms and conditions of Enterprise,
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Time traveller
Ian Lamming gets caught up in a fantasy world during a visit to the medieval town of Carcassonne. LYING in a gargantuan bed surrounded by oak panelling and under the watchful gaze of a frieze of medieval soldiers, hunting dogs and rotund serving
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Smile Or Die: How Positive Thinking Fooled America & the World by Barbara Ehrenreich (Granta, £10.99)
Ehrenreich’s latest expose excoriates the misbegotten mixture of pseudoscience, warped survivals of Calvinism and plain wishful thinking behind the belief that a positive attitude is the sole key to success in life. As the ungainly subtitle
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Atomic Obsession by John Mueller (OUP, £16.99)
THE threat of nuclear devastation has haunted the world since the dropping of the atom bombs on Japan and the fear has only been ratcheted by recent fears about Iran’s capability and the thought of a terrorist group using the ultimate. Now along
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Anna Blundy (Preface Publishing, £12.99)
A SCHOOL trip to Moscow at the age of 15 seals Mo’s fate in a way that no English schoolgirl could ever imagine. A chance encounter with the charming and entrepreneurial illegal vodka seller Pavel and the beautiful Katya leads to the trio
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Two soldiers killed in Afghanistan
TWO members of 3rd Battalion The Rifles died in Afghanistan last night, the Ministry of Defence has announced. The soldiers were killed by an improvised explosive device as they patrolled near Sangin, in Helmand Province. Lieutenant
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The Price of Love by Peter Robinson (Hodder and Stoughton, £17.99)
FANS of Yorkshire’s finest, DCI Alan Banks, are in for a learning curve in this collection of short stories and a brand new novella. Banks’ early life and career are explored, and the stories plunge you into the darker side of life where emotional
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The Left Hand Of God by Paul Hoffman (Michael Joseph, £12.99)
THE first in a new fantasy series for teens, touted as “the next Harry Potter”, Hoffman’s third work of fiction doesn’t disappoint. A screenwriter and a former film censor, the author’s vision is inevitably cinematic and on an epic scale. Beginning
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Auld acquaintance
From the Generation Game to Burns Night, Isla St Clair has returned to her folk roots. She talks to Viv Hardwick. ISLA ST CLAIR, best known to millions for co-hosting BBC’s Generation Game with the hilariously waspish Larry Grayson, is now a recognised
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More questions
HE’S been chairing BBC1’s Question Time for 16 years, but broadcaster and writer David Dimbleby confesses that he gets nervous before every live programme, whether it’s that show or anchoring the election coverage. The 71-year-old lives on his
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Got it now
YOU printed my letter, headed “Still waiting” (HAS, Jan 9), about information I requested from Durham County Council last November 9 regarding the new choice-based lettings scheme for social housing. The information arrived on January 11 after
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Path clearing
I WOULD like to thank Harry Mead for his column (Echo, Jan 13) in which he drew attention to the state of the footpaths in Stokesley High Street during the recent snowy weather – some of them were in an appalling state. He gives credit to the staff
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Police tactics
IT was pleasing to read Patrick Coles’ letter (HAS, Jan 6) highlighting the visibility of vehicles of the Road Policing Units of Cleveland Police and Durham Constabulary around the A19/A689. Such visibility of marked police vehicles will also
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Torch bearers
Dominoes goes by the board as three new Methodist preachers volunteer for light work. There’s a breathless hush in the Close tonight – Ten to make and the match to win – A bumpy pitch and a blinding light, An hour to play and the last man in.
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Priorities
I SEE from a recent story that money seems more important than trying to save human life when a former nurse cancer sufferer from Darlington cannot have a cancer operation in France because of the NHS denying funding for this life-extending treatment
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Arriva comments
I THINK it is about time that the comments section at the end of every article on The Northern Echo website is moderated. Recent stories regarding Arriva have led to some of the most moronic comments to be left by a minority. As an employee of
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Stroke unit
RE your report about the proposal to close the newly-opened stroke unit at Darlington Memorial Hospital and centralise all County Durham’s acute stroke services at the University Hospital of North Durham in Durham City (Echo, Jan 12). This goes
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Politics
THE New Year brought policy statements from the three main political parties – and it is good to see Tory and Liberal Democrat ideas come under proper scrutiny at last. Last week, David Cameron got in a mess over his marriage tax proposals and
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The banks
THE way that the banks operate, and the way that they are unwilling to change their ways when it comes to speculative investments, has caused the economic troubles we are in, and may well prolong them. The measures the Government has taken
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The spooky turn of the doorknob...
THE way she acted out the turning of the doorknob convinced me. She held one hand out flat to represent the door and curled up the fingers of the other so that they grasped its rounded doorknob. Then came the struggle. She showed how, with her
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The Golden girl
The film awards season is under way with tomorrow’s Golden Globes ceremony, followed by the Baftas and the Oscars. Steve Pratt explains why bankable Sandra Bullock is a winner whatever happens. EVEN if she does not take home a Golden Globe tomorrow
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Easing the suffering
AS Britain begins to get back to normal after the big freeze, the disaster which has struck the people of Haiti is a reminder of how savage nature can really be. The British weather can be a pain at times – our most frequent source of complaint
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Distinguished lecturer, “but he’s a Mackem”
NEWCASTLE United played Plymouth on Wednesday. Two hours earlier and 300 yards away, Professor Gavin Kitching, Fencehouses lad and lifelong Sunderland fan, lectures on the birth of football – soccer – in the North-East. Thanks to the unscheduled
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Albi 14 Newcastle Falcons 16
Albi 14 Newcastle Falcons 16 NEWCASTLE FALCONS have one foot in the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals after a 16-14 come-from-behind win at Albi. Fly-half Jimmy Gopperth completed the Falcons’ impressive second-half comeback by converting Josh
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Experience will be crucial for Tazbar
KEITH REVELEY hopes today’s meeting at Huntingdon goes ahead to give Tazbar more valuable jumping experience. The former smart staying hurdler has taken well to the bigger obstacles, winning at Musselburgh then finishing second to the exciting
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Triggerman can confirm promise on soft ground
KEMPTON get the jumps season rolling again as they stage the williamhill.com Lanzarote Hurdle Handicap – the first major event after the big freeze. National Hunt fans have endured a blank period of nearly two weeks. Some trainers have been
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Taylor lavishes praise on Mowden’s Squire
DARLINGTON Mowden Park expect their National Three North game at Beverley to go ahead today and will experiment with Dan Squire at No 8. Although the New Zealander has played mostly at lock, coach Pete Taylor has been greatly impressed by his
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ECB invites NYSD League to make Premier request
THE North Yorkshire & South Durham Premier Cricket League have been given the green light to apply for ECB Premier League accreditation if they wish to do so. Recognised as one of the most progressive league organisations in the UK, they have
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Yousuf brands Butt selfish
PAKISTAN captain Mohammad Yousuf has branded team-mate Salman Butt “selfish” after being run out by the opener to leave the tourists in a seemingly-hopeless position at the end of day two of the third Test against Australia. Pakistan’s running
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Holmes takes reins as Beaumont quits
PETER Beaumont, trainer of 1993 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Jodami, has decided to bring the curtain down on his 24-year career. The North Yorkshire trainer will not renew his licence at the end of the month, and will hand over the reins to his
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Wilks delighted with Skoda deal
IF Guy Wilks was feeling the pressure during his debut for Skoda in last year’s Rally of Scotland, he didn’t let it show. Wilks agreed a one-race deal with the team for the final event in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, and though he
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Saturday Spotlight: Zenden aims to remind Chelsea of skills
Sunderland’s trip to Chelsea today marks a return to Stamford Bridge for Bolo Zenden. The midfielder can also count Middlesbrough among his former clubs and, as the Dutchman told Chief Football Writer Paul Fraser, the club has changed since his days
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The Legends' memories of 'Supermac' Malocolm Macdonald's career
MALCOLM Macdonald celebrated his 60th birthday last week and we asked The Legends for a memory from Supermac’s illustrious career. BERNIE SLAVEN: First of all I want to make it clear that I wasn’t born when Malcolm was at his best! I
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Staunton delighted to bring back White
break Darlington finally return to action today with a familiar face in their drastically changed side as former defender Alan White has returned to the club. The 33-year-old has joined on loan for the rest of the season from Luton Town and will
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Quakers in triple swoop
DARLINGTON’S triple transfer swoop yesterday took the number of players brought to the club by Steve Staunton in January to six. Defender Alan White, midfielder Gareth Waite and striker Patrick Dean all arrived at The Northern Echo Arena to help
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Laws’ baptism of fire
BRIAN LAWS took a leaf out of Sir Alex Ferguson’s book on mind-games by claiming the pressure will all be on Manchester United today – and that the reigning champions are going through ‘‘a sticky patch’’. Laws’ first match as a Premier League
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One deal will do for Turner
WITH his one and probably only piece of January transfer business completed, Chris Turner won’t welcome any interest in his own Hartlepool United players. Midfielder Joe Gamble, rated at 150,000 euros but allowed to leave financiallytroubled
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Benitez determined to stay and fight
A DEFIANT Rafael Benitez vowed to fight on as Liverpool manager despite the club’s season hitting a new low this week. His team crashed out of the FA Cup in a third-round replay at home to Championship side Reading on Wednesday to increase
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Football is only concern for Harry
TOTTENHAM boss Harry Redknapp is refusing to allow accusations of tax evasion overshadow what could be a make-or-break fortnight in his side’s campaign. The 62-year-old has been charged with two counts of cheating the public revenue, with the
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Magpies pay price of inflated wage bill
NEWCASTLE are struggling to make January signings because of the size of their wage bill, but manager Chris Hughton insists he is more than happy with the current squad at his disposal. Having already failed to prise Matt Kilgallon from Sheffield
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Bruce recalls how Terry slipped his net
WHEN Steve Bruce delivers his team talk ahead of this afternoon’s match at Chelsea, he will not need to introduce John Terry’s merits to the Sunderland strikers. These days every fan, every player and every manager has an opinion on the England
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Ancelotti out to cash in
CARLO Ancelotti is hoping to capitalise on his luck today when Chelsea entertain Sunderland at Stamford Bridge. The Italian coach admits he is a ‘‘lucky man’’ after last weekend saw Manchester United and Arsenal both drop points in the race
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Celtic rift is denied
TONY Mowbray has insisted there was no rift between himself and the Celtic board after Gary Caldwell claimed he was sold against the manager’s wishes. Scotland defender Caldwell, 27, was yesterday officially unveiled as a Wigan player in a
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Boro move not step down, says Robson
THE lure of showcasing his talents in English football was sufficient to persuade Barry Robson that joining Middlesbrough was preferable to challenging for Scottish Premier League honours this season. The Scotland international midfielder insists
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Maguire through in scrappy encounter
STEVEN MAGUIRE saw off Ryan Day 6-1 to reach the Pokerstars.com Masters semi-finals despite being nowhere near top form. The match was scrappy throughout, with Day frequently wasting chances to wrap up frames and Maguire taking advantage.
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Proteas thrive on England’s injustice
ENGLAND were last night nursing an apparent sense of injustice after South Africa captain Graeme Smith’s century put his team in charge of the final Test at The Wanderers. The tourists were convinced they had Smith caught behind on 15 but were
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Yeates set to sign for Blades
MARK YEATES has been withdrawn from the Middlesbrough squad to face Sheffield United this afternoon after Gordon Strachan revealed the Irish midfielder is on the verge of completing a move to the Blades. The Boro manager immediately earmarked
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England’s anger
DARYL Harper was last night in the eye of the Wanderers storm as England vowed to make an official complaint over his controversial decision to reprieve Graeme Smith on the way to a crucial hundred. The South Africa captain had made 15 when third
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Sir Bobby’s £30k legacy for teenagers
MONEY donated to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation by Newcastle United will be used to benefit teenage cancer patients from across the region. About £30,000 raised by auctioning player’s shirts from the recent Ipswich Newcastle match will go towards
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X Factor stars Jedward rock at the Empire
Reality phenomenon Jedward failed to silence their critics at a late night gig in the region. Lucy Richardson reports. THEIR trademark blond quiffs may prove as overenthusiastic as their performances, but X Factor duo John and Edward Grimes still
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900 jobs to go at Bosch
A STRUGGLING car parts factory is to close with the loss of 900 jobs, it was announced yesterday. The Bosch plant in Miskin, near Cardiff, which makes alternators for the motor industry, is expected to shut at the end of an extended consultation
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Farm feed suppliers triumph over the snow
DESPITE some of the worst weather conditions for years, bringing much of the country to a standstill, a farm feed manufacturing business from the region has fulfilled its deliveries. FeedCo delivers to some of the most rural parts of the North-East
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Scaling the heights
AN apprentice scaffolder from the North-East is working on one of the world’s most famous bridges after joining one of the region’s industrial services firms. Ryan Wade, who has been recruited by Gateshead-based Pyeroy to its apprenticeship
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‘Man was prisoner in his final days’
AN alleged torture victim was held a prisoner in his last few days so neighbours could not see the multitude of wounds that had been inflicted upon him, a court was told. Andrew Gardner, 35, is said to have suffered “countless” beatings in the
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Bite size workshop
A WORKSHOP is being held in Darlington to help businesses learn about how to give an effective presentation. The Bite Size Business Basics: Winning Presentations event is being hosted by Darlington Borough Council’s business engagement team
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PC praised for saving man’s life
A POLICE dog-handler who grabbed a man about to jump from a motorway bridge has been praised. PC Dave Robinson, 38, saw the man was about to leap 25ft to the road, but managed to put his arms around the heavily built 21-yearold. He then
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Fixed penalty notice ‘was issued in error’
POLICE have admitted they were wrong to issue a fixed penalty notice to a councillor who confronted a colleague at a civic dinner. North Yorkshire Police launched an internal investigation after Richmondshire councillor John Blackie won an
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OiNK: Music piracy or just a public service?
Hundreds of thousands of music lovers used OiNK, but what prompted them to log on and swap music? Nigel Burton talks to one user OiNK was a music lovers dream. The site, also known as OiNK’s Pink Palace, operated for three years before it was shut
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Brigade addition will speed up rescue process
FIREFIGHTERS will be responding to river emergencies using a new rescue boat thanks to a much-loved colleague. Dougie Wright was a friend and colleague at Thornaby Fire Station, who died from cancer a few years ago. His family have made
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Founder of music-sharing website cleared of fraud
A NORTH-EAST man accused of running one of the world’s largest music-sharing websites has been acquitted of conspiracy to defraud. Alan Ellis, 26, was accused of making hundreds of thousands of pounds from the OiNK website, which he ran from
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Time running out for quarry ice formation
AN ice cathedral formed from 10ft icicles is being hit by the big thaw. The ice formation, at a former quarry near Middletonin- Teesdale, County Durham, formed before Christmas, but is now rapidly melting. A frozen waterfall at Gibson’s Cave
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Sarah collects cash for effort
THE first winner in a competition to find the region’s employee of the year has been rewarded for her outstanding commitment. Sarah Hodgson was given £100 after she walked four hours through the snow to reach work. The Northern Echo
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GP illegally supplied drugs to relative
A DOCTOR married to the boss of a health trust is facing a three-month suspension from the medical register after illegally supplying drugs to a female relative. Dr Sahil Chaudhry’s fitness to practice was impaired by his “wholly unacceptable
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Legal intervention over venue’s name
A LIVE music venue might have to change its name because it clashes with a well-known chain of venues. The AMG Group, which runs 02 Academy concert venues, asked the firm behind the Durham Academy, in Durham City, to change its name. The 800
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Judge brands thief a plague on community
A RELENTLESS thief described by a judge as a plague on rural communities was last night beginning a jail term for his role in a £40,000 crime spree. At the height of the crimewave, Andrew Wayne Jones, from Darlington, would travel to North Yorkshire
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DNA traps rapist two decades on
A RAPIST who went unpunished for more than two decades was starting a sixyear prison sentence last night after justice finally caught up with him. Neil Haigh attacked and raped a woman who was walking to a Sunday morning service at Durham Cathedral
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Workers cheer steel plant's stay of execution
WORKERS at the Corus Teesside Cast Products (TCP) plant, which was due to be mothballed at the end of this month with the loss of 1,600 jobs, have been given a stay of execution. It was confirmed last night that the steel company has agreed to
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Man's anger over rubbish mountain
MANY of us have missed a bin day in the past few weeks, with the worst winter in years making collections impossible. But spare a thought for Ian Colledge, who says his bins have not been emptied for more than six weeks. The rubbish is now overflowing
