Archive
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Meeting hears concerns over care home closure plan
RESIDENTS gathered for a public meeting tonight to discuss proposals to close the only council-run care home in their community. Shafto House, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, is one of seven care homes being considered for closure by Durham County
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Care Home to Childrens Home?
I’m very much indebted to the two or three people (who wish to remain anonymous) who supplied me with information from this months Parish Council meeting. Over twenty members of the public attended Tuesday’s (2nd March) Parish Council meeting
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Call centre closure confirmed - 900 jobs to go
A NORTH-EAST call centre will close on April 30 with the loss of 900 jobs, it was confirmed today. Shop Direct announced in January that it planned to close centres in Sunderland, Burnley and Newtown in Wales, with a total of 1,500 workers losing their
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Children have heads in books
BUDDING bookworms have donned fancy dress as part of an international day to champion reading. The youngsters at Etherley Lane Nursery, near Bishop Auckland, were also read tales by a librarian and parents as part of World Book Day today. Head teacher
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Youth games due to kick off at the weekend
MORE than 600 youngsters are expected to take part in a youth games this weekend. The Tees Valley Sport Partnership Youth Games will be held on Sunday, with the opening ceremony at Eston Sports Academy, in Middlesbrough. It will be the culmination of
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Former soldier imprisoned for bag snatch
A FORMER soldier whose life has been blighted by drug addiction was last night starting an 18-month prison sentence for snatching a handbag from a pensioner. Christopher Atkinson struck minutes after the 69-year-old woman had withdrawn £500 from a town
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Fashion students take Paris by storm
TEXTILE students have the measure of the world of fashion fabric after returning from a Paris trade fair with orders for their designs. International fashion houses were so impressed they bought the rights to work produced by students from Cleveland
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Seaside pub reopens its doors
A PUB that closed its doors less than a month ago leaving drinkers fearing for its future has bucked the national trend and reopened. The Victoria, on Dundas Street East, Saltburn, has been taken over by Roy Myers and Janet Coser, who also
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From darkest Peru to Eaglescliffe
A TASTE of South America was brought to life when pupils were treated to a Peruvian experience. Children at Durham Lane Primary School sampled salsa dancing, pan pipes and traditional dress when Latin Heart called into the Eaglescliffe school. "It was
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Soldiers in Afghan fire fight
SOLDIERS from the region's own Army regiment helped their Afghan counterparts escape a gun battle with Taliban insurgents, as efforts to improve security in the war zone continue. Members of 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, formerly the Green Howards
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Police hunt bird of prey killer
POLICE are investigating the death of a goshawk found peppered with shotgun pellets on a remote North Yorkshire moor. The one-year-old bird of prey was found by a walker on Saturday, February 27, on the North York Moors at Bransdale, near Ryedale
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Opposition to mobile phone mast
A GRANDMOTHER has started a campaign in a bid to persuade a phone company not to put a mobile mast outside her home. Telecommunications company O2 has planning permission to put a 13 metre high mast on land Humber Hill in Stanley, County Durham. It
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Police name driver killed in double bus crash
POLICE have this afternoon named the driver who died after his bus was in a head-on collision with a coach. Gordon Hutchinson suffered multiple injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene of Wednesday's accident in the village of Newfield, near Chester-le-Street
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Big, brutal - and brilliant. The BMW GT
NO ONE saw this one coming. Until now the mainstays of BMW’s range have been resolutely saloon cars and they have sold like the proverbial hot cakes. Is there room in the range for a 5-Series hatchback? Clearly BMW thought so, because here it is: the
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Sarah Jack: Thomas Kelvin Williams
SARAH JACK would live to find her uncle who is last known to be living in County Durham. He is Thomas Kelvin Williams, born on December 16, 1952. He is Ms Jack's mother's brother, Susan Kelly. Their father was also called Thomas Williams. Ms Jack can
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Golf Estate - the VW that offers "loads more"
THE Volkswagen Golf has always been a great car. And thanks to a policy of continual improvement for nearly 40 years, the latest model is the best yet. For most of us I reckon the hatchback offers just about all the car you could ever need.
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Pupils enjoy magical World Book Day
YOUNGSTERS stepped through a magic looking glass to a Mad Hatter’s tea party to mark World Book Day and one of their former teachers who is now a TV star. Pupils at Cundall Manor School, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, chose Alice in Wonderland
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Mother's plea to find missing York teenager
THE distraught mother of a missing teenager has made an emotional plea for help in finding him. Joanne Wigmore, from Huntington, York, urged people to help police piece together the last known movements of Jonathan Havron before he disappeared
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F1 team boss is North-East entrepreneur
When the 2010 Formula One season opens in Bahrain next week a new team will line up on the grid. Its name is just as iconic as the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz, but unlike its competitors in the world’s most famous and lucrative motorsport
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Hughes returns to Le Mans
WARREN Hughes will return to Le Mans this year with Portuguese team ASM, after securing a deal to contest the 24-hour event together with the opening round of the Le Mans Series. This will be Sunderland drivers Hughes seventh visit to the La Sarthe circuit
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Sunderland confirm new Villa date
SUNDERLAND have confirmed that their Premier League fixture away to Aston Villa has been rescheduled for 7:45pm on Wednesday March 24. The fixture had been due to take place this Saturday but was cancelled last week when the Villains overcame Crystal
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Serial conwoman jailed for three years
A SERIAL conwoman who posed as a the editor of Vogue in her latest £160,000 scam has been jailed for three years. Fantasist Emma Charlton fleeced her mother, grandmother and fiance as well as luxury hotels and credit companies out of cash while claiming
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City centre des res - for otters
FOR the right occupant it’s the perfect property, right in the centre of one of the country’s most desirable cities but with plenty of space to relax. But more importantly for its target customers the exclusive residence also has direct access into the
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Church schools to get improvement grants
FAITH schools across the county are to benefit from almost £2.5m in shared funding for refurbishment and improvement projects over the next two years. Members of North Yorkshire County Council’s executive committee gave the go-ahead for the
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Young drivers road safety scheme launched
A SCHEME to improve the driving skills and road safety of newly qualified motorists to reduce the number of deaths has been launched. The Enhanced Pass Plus scheme is based on a programme run by the Driving Standards Agency and it builds on skills learnt
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Wonder of two
Helena Bonham Carter and Anne Hathaway discuss the inspirations for Wonderland’s Red and White Queens with Steve Pratt – ranging from Elizabeth 1 to a two-year-old and Nigella Lawson. THEY’RE sisters but as different as chalk and cheese. The Red
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Mantle of genius
Comedy magic legend Tommy Cooper has been brought back to life by actor Clive Mantle, who tells Viv Hardwick why he’s been waiting ten years for his chance at the role. NINE years ago actor Clive Mantle travelled to Scarborough full of confidence
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Crazy Heart (15)
Stars: Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell Running time: 115 mins Rating: ★★★★ A THREE-star movie earns the extra star for the performance of Jeff Bridges as a fading, drunken country music singer named Bad Blake for
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Chloe (15)
Stars: Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried, Max Thierot Running time: 96 mins Rating: ★★★ CANADIAN director Atom Egoyan remakes a 2003 French drama Nathalie with enjoyable if melodramatic results. Having a class act like Julianne
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Bare necessities of wife
Amanda Seyfried has followed the innocence of Mamma Mia! with two sexy roles. Steve Pratt reports. KISSING girls is getting to be a habit for Mamma Mia star Amanda Seyfried. After singing and dancing as the bride-to-be in the Abba musical, she
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Stressholme 2010 Competition Fixture List Now Available
The fixture list for all 2010 competitions at Stressholme Golf Centre, Darlington, is now available. The first competition is the Captain's Handover on Saturday 27 March, and the fixture lists runs until mid-October. Ladies and Junior
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Alice In Wonderland (PG)
Stars: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Cripin Glover, Matt Lucas, and the voices of Michael Sheen, Alan Rickman, Barbara Windsor, Christopher Lee, Stephen Fry. Running time: 108 mins Rating: ★★★★ THE word
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Blair's memoirs revealed
TONY Blair's long awaited memoir is to be published in September and will be called The Journey, it was announced today. The former Prime Minister and MP for Sedgefield said "it will describe the human as much as the political dimensions" of his years
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Totally Trollope
Two evenings to remember are heading for the region. Actor Edward Fox is at Richmond and performer turned composer Denis King is a fundraiser at Glaisdale. Viv Hardwick reports. HE might be 72 and a former Coldstream Guard, but actor Edward Fox
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Spear : Talk
HOW can artists digitally distribute and market their own music? How can artists and labels use new technology to their advantage? Is physical product important in 2010? What does the future hold for record shops and music retail? All these questions
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Evolution festival, NewcastleGateshead
PAOLO Nutini, Enter Shikari, Calvin Harris, The Horrors, Delphic, The Unthanks and folk legend Donovan are the headline acts destined for Tyneside’s May Bank Holiday Evolution Festival. The massive Quayside event promises to be its best so far
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March 4, 2010
THERE’S a lively week of folk activity in store for us in the region, as ever, with highlights that include current hot favourite Seth Lakeman at Gateshead’s Sage on Saturday evening. The same night, popprotesters Chumbawumba christen the newly-opened
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March 4, 2010
Easton Corbin: Mercury Records THE charts are now facing a steady flow from a conveyor belt of virtual unknowns. One such performer debuted with his first album release in Britain at the beginning of the week and already holds the number nine spot
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Tyne for secrets
Trevor Nelson talks to Viv Hardwick about his Newcastle show and how he’s started to listen to music all over again. "I DON’T know why it’s such a secret,” says BBC Radio 1 DJ Trevor Nelson about his hush-hush show this Saturday in Newcastle
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March 4, 2010
WHAT’S ON: Tomorrow Dave O’Higgins and Eric Alexander at Darlington Arts Centre, 01325-486555; Sue Ferris Quintet at Saltburn Community Centre, 01287- 624622. CD REVIEWS: Don Rendell/Ian Carr Quintet Live at the Union 1966 (Reel Recordings RR016
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March 4, 2010
WHAT’S ON: Northern Sinfonia, directed by Bradley Creswick, Bach, Corelli and Handel at The Sage Gateshead at 7.30pm tonight. Box Office: 0191-443 4661 REVIEWS: Beethoven Cello Sonatas Vol 2 (CDA 67755) Angela Hewitt and Daniel Muller-Schott present
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Free chips for dogs
ANIMAL lovers are being offered free microchips for their pets, in an effort to stop dog fouling and other problems caused by strays. Durham County Council neighbourhood wardens hosted a pilot event and hope to hold others across the county in future
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Call for talks on To Let signs
A STUDENT landlord has called for face-to-face talks over a city’s controversial To Let signs. With at least 12,000 students in Durham, the signs are unpopular with many of long-term residents. Last month, Durham MP Roberta Blackman-Woods urged Durham
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Top Mark
Mark Beaumont is famous for setting the world solo cyling record and talks to Viv Hardwick about his stage tour and a forthcoming TV series. THE best-selling cycling book at the moment isn’t by Sir Chris “on yer bike” Hoy or Bradley Wiggins, it
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DVDs new to rent
An Education (Cert 12, 96 mins, E1 Entertainment, DVD £19.99/Blu-ray £24.99) Stars: Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina, Cara Seymour, Dominic Cooper, Rosamund Pike, Olivia Williams, Emma Thompson. In Twickenham in
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Gun-ho Peggy
SOAPLAND’S film buffs will be reminded of that classic Mae West line, “Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me?” on viewing EastEnders (BBC1). Deposed Queen Vic landlady Peggy Mitchell is calling the shots and that “gun
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Fright at the museum
EVERY few years, my husband or I take just two of the boys away for a short break. It’s a chance to do a bit of parent-son bonding, and to go to the sort of places – like big cities – that are impossible with all five of them. This time it was
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Police renew appeal for bus crash witnesses
POLICE have this morning issued a renewed appeal for witnesses to last night's horrific crash in which a bus and a coach collided head in a village street, leaving one man dead and four injured. The accident happened shortly after 4pm in the
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Meeting to debate arts centre plan
PLANS to convert a disused church into a community arts centre are to be discussed at a public meeting. Architect Tony Hyland revealed ideas to transform the former United Reformed Church, in Claypath, Durham City, into studios, workshops, a gallery
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National interest
As Grand National month approaches, the column trots off in search of the great racehorse Crisp’s final finishing post. A NOTE from Tyneside playwright Ed Waugh seeks the column’s help in what may only be described as a matter of National interest
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Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle
IF Stereophonics’ last five albums had been as good as their first two, they would be the biggest band in the world right now. Not that the boys from the Welsh valleys, who aptly opened their latest UK tour on St David’s Day, have failed to
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La Boheme, Opera North Newcastle Theatre Royal
THIS is a most enjoyable opera, for three reasons. First, the story of doomed love is engrossing, second, Puccini’s music is evocative and passionate and third, it’s relatively short. Coming in at around two hours 20 minutes in three acts, there
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Home truths
Build a New Life in the Country (Five, 8pm); Eddie Izzard: Marathon Man (BBC3, 10.30pm) NEVER mind maintaining your three up, two down semi. What if you’ve got a Grade I-listed Jacobean mansion suffering from a serious case of neglect? The answer
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BNP
THE BNP’s Adam Walker seems to be suffering from delusions of grandeur. He thinks that he and his little band of extremists are so important that the Government was compelled to organise a cabinet meeting in Durham just to challenge them (HAS,
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Politics
LAST weekend’s opinion polls make depressing reading for Tory supporters. With their lead over Labour shrinking to the point that a hung Parliament looks increasingly likely I have a suggestion that could cheer them up. Vote Labour in May. The
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X Factor culture
PETE Winstanley’s understandable concern that the General Election is being degraded to the level of a TV talent contest (HAS, March 1) prompts me to recall the main thrust of Neil Postman’s book, Amusing Ourselves To Death (1985). The American
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Steel strike threat
I SUPPORT Monday’s announcement by the steel unions to hold a national ballot over industrial action if Corus cannot find a buyer for its mothballed Teesside Cast Products plant at Redcar within a fortnight. No doubt the national media will
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New Tories show some saving grace
I MAY have been too nasty to the next crop of Conservative MPs heading to Westminster and would like to set the record straight. A few weeks ago, I expressed horror at a survey that found a puny nine per cent believed MPs had an obligation to send
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Misuse of mobiles
THE middle-aged, male driver of the large, silver vehicle which drove along Craig Street, Darlington, at 1.50pm last Monday, heading towards Hollyhurst Road (registration number supplied to The Northern Echo) might be able to concentrate better
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Tough on crime
THE Government once said it would be “tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime”. However, the reality of life under Labour is very different. Police officers now spend 50 per cent more time on paperwork than they do out on patrol. We can’t
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Cheer among the gloom
RE Hugh Pender’s letter about media priorities (HAS, March 1). War in Afghanistan must be deeply distressing for their people as well as for our Armed Forces and their relatives. In fact, there is not a lot of good news at all with natural disasters
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Foot notes
Veteran political commentator Chris Moncrieff pays tribute to Michael Foot, the Labour leader whose donkey jacket lost an election, who died yesterday, aged 96. MICHAEL FOOT was the brilliant left-wing crusader, unequalled in his day as a parliamentarian
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View from real world
THE Ashcroft row is degenerating into one of those who-knew-what-when intrigues which fascinate the Westminster village but leave the real world nonplussed. The real world simply sees a fabulously wealthy man who has cynically avoided paying taxes
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Housing trust applies to fell trees
A HOUSING trust has applied to fell eight trees in its grounds. Sir E D Walker Trust has applied to fell the trees, which are protected under a group tree preservation order, on land at Sir E D Walker Homes, Coniscliffe Road, Darlington.
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King’s Noble reigns supreme
NOBLE BILY supplied Neil King with his second valuable handicap chase pot this winter when coming home unchallenged under Marc Goldstein in the £20,000 ladbrokes. com Kent National at Folkestone. The 11-1 chance was competing from 7lb out of
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Pistolet has the guns to fire at Taunton
PISTOLET NOIR can bolster his Triumph Hurdle claims with victory at Taunton. Although unlikely to be available at any sort of price, Paul Nicholls’ four-year-old looks ahead of the game in the St James’s Place Wealth Management Novices’ Hurdle
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Windies hail Gayle’s return
NEW coach Ottis Gibson is hoping the return of captain Chris Gayle will inspire West Indies to victory in the oneday international series against Zimbabwe. Gayle has rejoined the squad after taking compassionate leave to visit his ill mother
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Wicket competition welcomed by Prior
ENGLAND wicketkeeper Matt Prior is not concerned by Craig Kieswetter’s presence in the squad and has backed the opener to help turn the team into a one-day force. Prior is team director Andy Flower’s first-choice gloveman in all three formats
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Ton clinches England deal for Morgan
EOIN MORGAN has been awarded an incremental England contract for 2009-10. On Tuesday, the Dublinborn left-hander became the only cricketer to make 100 for two countries, adding a match-winning and seriesclinching 110 not-out for England against
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Gill warns off Knights
MANCHESTER UNITED chief executive David Gill yesterday told the Red Knights group of wealthy fans they are wasting their time trying to buy the club. Gill insisted the Glazer family do not want to sell the club, said they are running it “in
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England 3 Egypt 1
England 3 Egypt 1 THERE were jeers ahead of kick-off as England supporters gave John Terry a mixed reception on his first Wembley outing since news of his marital infidelity emerged, but they had turned to cheers by the time the whistle
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Scotland 1 Czech Republic 0
Scotland 1 Czech Republic 0 CRAIG LEVEIN was delighted to get his Scotland reign off to a winning start but warned: ‘‘Rome wasn’t built in a day.’’ Levein’s first match in charge of his country ended with a 1-0 victory over the Czech Republic
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England Under-21s 1 Greece Under-21s 2
England Under-21s 1 Greece Under-21s 2 STUART PEARCE admitted England face an uphill battle to qualify for the Under-21 European Championship next summer after last night’s 2-1 defeat by Greece. England, who were runners- up to Germany at the
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Crouch stakes his claim
PETER CROUCH hopes he has given coach Fabio Capello food for thought after stepping up his claims for a World Cup starting spot with two goals last night. The Tottenham striker took his goal tally for his country to 20 in 37 games after replacing
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Friends appeal for film funding
TWO friends are appealing for financial help to showcase some of the region’s bestknown locations in their first feature film. Oliver Smith and Luke Downing, from Barnard Castle, County Durham, hope to begin shooting the low-budget movie, entitled
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Another step closer to Wharton goal
A CAMPAIGN to erect a statue of a pioneering sportsman in a North-East market town is a step closer to reaching its goal. The Arthur Wharton Foundation is only £20,000 short of its target, after two as yet unnamed benefactors donated £5,000
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£60m increase in fuel bill blamed for drop in profits
ARRIVA’S chief executive was upbeat yesterday despite a 19 per cent drop in profits last year. Releasing its 2009 results, the Sunderland-based bus and train group blamed a £60m increase in its fuel bill for the drop in profit before tax to
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Call for 2km ban on wind turbines
AN expert on sleep disorders will tell a North-East conference this weekend that wind turbines should not be built within two kilometres of homes to avoid health problems. Dr Chris Hanning, a retired NHS sleep disorder specialist, is one of
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Asda joins union on pay equality
SUPERMARKET firm Asda has joined forces with Unite the union to ensure agency workers at its 29 meat and poultry suppliers – employing 6,000 people – receive the same pay as permanent staff. The union has accused some supermarkets of abusing
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Company looks at plans to expand
AN electronics company is eyeing further expansion of its North-East plant after a strong performance last year which continued into this year with the plant’s best sales for several years. Stadium Group, which yesterday revealed an 18 per cent
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Staff know how to deliver the goods
SIXTY drivers at a North-East exhaust and vehicle servicing company have achieved top marks in a new qualification. As part of its commitment to staff development, North Eastern Tyre and Exhausts (NETE), which has 23 retail outlets and six wholesale
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Dragons’ reject says ‘do not be floored by any setbacks’
THE entrepreneur who built his children’s luggage company into one of the most successful UK businesses of its type, despite being rejected for Dragons’ Den investment, has urged North-East entrepreneurs not to be dissuaded by setbacks. Rob
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850 years of font memories
CELEBRATIONS are being planned for the 850th anniversary of one of a city’s oldest churches. Archaeologists believe the parish church of St Margaret of Antioch, in Crossgate, Durham City, dates back to 1160AD. A range of events is planned
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‘Fans need reality check’
NEWCASTLE UNITED managing director Derek Llambias has labelled a section of the club’s passionate supporters as unreasonable and in need of a reality check. While confirming that the Championship leaders are no longer up for sale, Llambias
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Terry crucial to Capello’s plans for World Cup glory
FABIO CAPELLO highlighted the importance of John Terry to his World Cup plans after England’s deposed skipper shrugged off some early jeers to help his side record a 3-1 friendly win over Egypt. Terry’s name was greeted by a mixture of boos
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Driving force Cattermole fighting for fitness
LEE CATTERMOLE has undertaken a punishing training regime to regain the fitness that made him a vital part of Sunderland’s impressive start to the campaign. After arriving from Wigan Athletic last August in a deal worth £6m, the Stockton-born
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Staunton resolute in Quakers’ battle
DARLINGTON manager Steve Staunton has no intention of quitting, and remains determined to turn around the club’s fortunes. The chances of avoiding relegation are receding by the week, with Quakers now 16 points from safety with 16 games to
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Aliadiere’s Boro future unsure
JEREMIE ALIADIERE admits he is playing for his Middlesbrough future after revealing that the club chose not to take up an option to extend his current deal. The former Arsenal forward will leave the Riverside when his contract expires this summer
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Pensions deficit of £3.5bn revealed
THE region’s councils are facing a £3.5bn pensions blackhole, a report claims today. The TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) said that nationally local government pension deficits exceeded £53bn in 2008-9, with 15 councils facing shortfalls of more than
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Rail link threat from Tories
PLANS for high-speed rail lines from London to the North have been thrown into jeopardy by a Tory decision to draw up alternative proposals, the Transport Secretary warned yesterday. Lord Adonis turned his fire on the Conservatives for refusing
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Court saves common from housebuilding
CAMPAIGNERS have won a landmark victory in their attempt to protect an area of open space threatened with development. At the Supreme Court yesterday, the Friends of Coatham Common, in Redcar, east Cleveland, successfully challenged a decision
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Gearing up to improve two-wheel interest
STUDENTS have been introduced to cycling as part of a scheme to get more young people on bikes. Coaches from British Cycling’s development programme Go-Ride visited Hurworth School Maths and Computing College, in Hurworth, near Darlington,
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I’m just popping out with the dog
A PENSIONER is celebrating after completing her coast-to-coast walk in memory of her brother. Kate Hardcastle and collie Goldie, both clad in purple, walked the 97 miles from Morecambe to Saltburn to raise funds for pancreatic cancer research
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Police investigate theft of ‘priceless’ funeral cart
A PRICELESS hand-drawn funeral cart, which was used to carry hundreds of coffins to church, has been stolen from a village in the region. The cart, which is also known as a bier, was taken from a detached garage in Low Worsall, near Yarm, Stockton
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Festival sweetener
A COLOURFUL sculpture going on show surrounded by former Bishops of Durham next month should appeal to art lovers with a sweet tooth. North-East artist Sarah- Jane Szikora took her trademark gingerbread man to Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland
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Investigation after shots fired from bedroom
POLICE have launched an investigation after claims that a man fired shots at passing cars and pedestrians from a bedroom window. Officers were scrambled to the scene after a distressed member of the public reported shots being fired from a house
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Council warns of job losses
UP to 500 jobs could go at a North council struggling to pay for road repairs, an aging population and the fallout from the Baby P tragedy. Finance chiefs at North Yorkshire County Council are warning of tough decisions ahead as the authority
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Former police chief denies one-sided investigation
AN ex-police chief has denied he carried out a “deeply flawed and one-sided” investigation into a council officer who claims she was victimised and forced out of a job. David Grey, a former detective chief superintendent and head of CID at Durham
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Hague dragged to centre of Ashcroft storm
WILLIAM HAGUE was dragged to the centre of the Lord Ashcroft scandal yesterday when he admitted he knew of the billionaire donor’s non-dom status some months ago. The Richmond MP and Shadow Foreign Secretary became the first Conservative to
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Politics mourns loss of ‘great Parliamentarian'
TRIBUTES flooded in from all sides of politics yesterday for former Labour leader Michael Foot, who has died at the age of 96. Prime Minister Gordon Brown hailed Mr Foot as “a man of deep principle and passionate idealism” who fought all his
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Damaged bridge closed for up to three months
A BRIDGE will be closed for up to three months after serious structural damage was discovered. Repairs, costing up to £500,000, are needed to Leven Bridge, in Yarm, near Stockton, after divers found gaps between the foundations and the river
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Children reflecting on new toy
A PLAYGROUP has been given new equipment, to the delight of its children. Whessoe Parish Council donated a 'mirror house' to St Mark's pre-school playgroup. The toy allows the children to walk inside a mirrored structure, and is designed
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BNP man loses case for unfair dismissal
A BRITISH National Party activist and former North-East teacher who was sacked for absenteeism has lost his case for unfair dismissal. A judgement against former Sunnydale Community College teacher Mark Walker was issued by an employment tribunal
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Kray’s criminal record unearthed
DOCUMENTS unearthed in a North-East police headquarters have shed light on the brutal criminal record of gangland boss Ronnie Kray. The file was uncovered during an office move at Durham Police HQ, more than 40 years after the murderous twin was
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Bus driver dies in collision horror
ONE driver died and another was fighting for his life last night after a bus and a coach collided head-on in a North- East village. Accident investigators were last night investigating the cause of the crash at Newfield, two miles from Chesterle-Street
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Three taken to hospital after minibus crash near Stanley
ONE man had to be cut free by firefighters tonight after an accident involving a minibus and a car. The collision took place at about 10.30pm on a minor road between Harperley and Tanfield Lea, near Stanley, County Durham. Two fire crews responded