Archive
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Darlington 1 Torquay United 3
Darlington 1 Torquay United 3 WHEN will this misery end? After the final game of Darlington’s traumatic season is the answer, though on current form their status will be decided well before then. An impending sense of doom lingers, but once the
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Monkhouse back in for Pools
Andy Monkhouse made an instant return to the Hartlepool United side, after completing his two-game ban. He replaced Colin Larkin in the side to face Southend United at Victoria Park in a game Pools cannot afford to lose. Southend have not won in nine
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Two changes for Boro
MIDDLESBROUGH made two changes from the side which beat Queens Park Rangers thanks to two Barry Robson penalties last weekend. Andrew Taylor came in for Emanuel Pogatetz who was nursing a knee injury, and Julio Arca replaced Chris Killen who
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Chisholm handed first start for Darlington
New signing Andrew Milne is on the bench and Ross Chisholm makes his first start for Darlington in today's match with Torquay United. Chisholm is part of the starting XI for the first time as one of three changes as manager Steve Staunton also
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Smith out as Pancrate makes rare start for Magpies
ALAN Smith will be absent as Newcastle attempt to strengthen their position at the top of the Championship against Barnsley this afternoon. The Magpies skipper injured his ankle in training this week, and has failed to recover in time. In his absence
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Community will pay tribute to one of its former stalwarts
A COMMUNITY will pay tribute to one of its champions who died last year after a battle of cancer. Family and members of the Firthmoor Community Centre will dedicate a room to Bill Cook to commemorate the work he did for the group. Mr Cook, who died
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The very best of British
BRITISH Travel Week begins on March 15. Here are some of the ways to enjoy it. Best website britainsfinest.co.uk is an easy-to-use online guide to the finest places to stay, eat and enjoy in Britain. Choose from 350 luxury hotels, 500 inns and
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Northern lights
Next weekend will see the spectacular illumination of the 84 miles of Hadrian’s Wall. A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME event will take place next Saturday when the 84-mile long Hadrian’s Wall Path National Trail will be illuminated. There will be about 500
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Duty bound
THE new parish priest is greeted cheerfully. “Up here,” they tell Chris Elliott, “we’ve six months winter and six months rotten weather.” It may not in one sense be a warm welcome, but it’s as warm as it’s been these past 12 wintry weeks.
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The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman (OUP £8.99)
EVERYBODY seems to think they have a book inside them, but how can they be certain they won’t finish up among the also-rans? New York Literary agent Lukeman can’t guarantee anybody instant success but he does know the publishing business inside
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Darwin – God’s Ambassador by George Di Palma (Troubador Publishing £9.95)
Darwin – God’s Ambassador by George Di Palma (Troubador Publishing £9.95) IN view of the consternation caused by Darwin’s Origin of the Species, it is remarkable to find that the great man was so unsure of his theory that he considered it a “rag
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Lost a job, gained a lot
AFTER losing his job in a boardroom reorganisation, former company boss David Sartof has firsthand experience of how the recession has hit hard. As the weeks of fruitless job hunting turned to months, many people would have become consumed by
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Consultation event for park plans
RESIDENTS will be asked to provide their ideas about how to upgrade a park at a consultation event this week. Tommy Crooks Park, in the Eastbourne area of Darlington, is among 22 in the town to receive a total of £1.1m funding through the national Playbuilders
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Pinny girl
It’s not a glamorous part – as an ageing housewife sinking into dementia – but Alison Steadman finds it’s a role to Enjoy, she tells Viv Hardwick. ALAN Bennett’s play Enjoy was so badly received in 1980 that he joked about calling it Endure instead
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Frightened Rabbit , The Duchess, York
ON the night that Lady Gaga was giving the North-East a lesson in flamboyance in Newcastle, Frightened Rabbit opened their altogether more modest tour down the road in York. I counted six lights on the stage. One of those was out. But there
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Lady Gaga, Newcastle MetroRadio Arena
LADY GAGA wowed fans with her amazing Monster Ball Tour, an extravagant show featuring everything from from sea monsters to burning pianos. The star performed all the favourites, as well as new tracks from her extended album, The Fame Monster
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Strictly Geordie
HARD to believe, listening to Don Warrington’s soft, mellifluous tones that he grew up in the North-East. But he assures me: “I can be Geordie when I want to.” The Trinidad-born politician’s son arrived with his family in this country when he
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My politics
FAR from entering into a ping pong-style badinage with Maurice Baker (HAS, March 2), I feel I should point out that I do not consider my letters to be outbursts or frenzied as he so describes them. Nor are my comments malicious in any way, shape
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Future of the BBC
BROADCASTING is too important to be left to people whose main motivation is making money. Alan Bennett described the BBC, like the NHS, as a “national treasure”. They are both examples of socialism which works. Everyone pays in and everyone
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Televised debates
WE are becoming more Americanised in the way we fight a General Election. We are about to enter the same American format where the leaders of the three main parties have television debates to see who speaks the best and has the most charisma,
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Coal storage plan
I WOULD like to back James Middleton’s letter about the proposed coal storage facility at Wolsingham (HAS, March 1). I knew about Durham County Council having a share in the Weardale Railway, which I didn’t mind for tourism, but not for freight
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Road gritting
THE road salt situation in Durham was covered extensively in your paper, and quite right, too. We have certainly been struggling to keep Durham City and our villages going, and I – like many – have found it very difficult to get around during
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Olympics ticket
YET more European Union stupidity has come to light – this time to do with the 2012 London Olympics. This is supposed to be a British event with benefits for the whole of the UK, although I can see very little that will benefit places such as
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General election
IT seems a shame that Labour supporters, totally blind to the failings of the previous Labour government under Jim Callaghan and oblivious to the failed policies, broken promises and betrayals of the current one, have to rely on demonising Margaret
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Who put the donkey into a jacket?
THIS week, the late Michael Foot has been described as “a gifted polymath”, “a tribune of the people”, “a romantic democrat” and “a marvellous man – brave, honest, determined, loyal and immensely erudite”. A columnist on the Daily Mail said he was
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The Bad boy
Being Bad is good for Jeff Bridges, who’s tipped to take home the best actor Oscar tomorrow. Steve Pratt talks to the Hollywood actor about getting his hands on “that little gold guy” and speculates about the other winners. HOLLYWOOD actor Jeff Bridges
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House fire in Stockton
FIREFIGHTERS were called to reports of a kitchen fire in a house in Stockton this morning. One team from Thornaby and one from Stockton attended the incident at 3.30am in St Peter's Road, Stockton. They used hose reels, breathing apparatus and positive
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Review and revamp called into Mayor's Ball
COUNCILLORS have called for the annual Mayors Charity Ball to be revamped after last year's event raised an "extremely disappointing" sum for good causes. The annual bash at the Dolphin Centre's central hall raised only £1,662 for the Mayors charities
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Still petrol in the tank for daredevil Schellenberg
AN EYE on the Winter Olympics, familiarly making bricks without straw – a skill denied even the Children of Israel – the column two weeks ago recalled the life and extraordinary times of toboggan king Keith Schellenberg. The problem was that
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3 Rifles soldier killed after Afghan blast
A BRITISH soldier has died from wounds sustained in an explosion in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said today. The serviceman from 3 Rifles was killed yesterday morning while on foot patrol near Sangin in Helmand Province.
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Onions could start
INJURED England seamers Stuart Broad and Graham Onions still have a chance of playing in the first Test against Bangladesh after MRI scans on the pair revealed no serious problems. Both players have been suffering from back spasms and will
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Wharfedale and Tynedale ready to do battle
THE battle of the Dalesmen comes to Corbridge, when fourth meets fifth in National One in today’s top match in the North-East (3pm). Tynedale face a Wharfedale side who are one point behind them and have lost only to the top two, Esher and London
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No IPL for MCC
THE MCC have decided against bidding for either of the two new Indian Premier League franchises. The owners of future franchises are expected to be unveiled tomorrow, less than a week before the start of the third IPL season. It had been reported
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Kieswetter makes mark with century
CRAIG Kieswetter vowed to savour his first international century before conceding he had no idea when he would next represent England. The 22-year-old opener was a late addition to the limitedovers squad in Bangladesh, having forced a promotion
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Markse without their top runner
NEW MARSKE Harriers are aiming to regain the North-East Road Relay Championship at Sunderland today, despite being without star runner Ricky Stevenson. The 21-year-old Teesside University student, who has enjoyed a sparkling winter season with
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Relegation not on agenda, claims Falcons’ Vickerman
ROB Vickerman has denied Newcastle Falcons are embroiled in a relegation battle ahead of tomorrow’s Guinness Premiership home game with Bath. Newcastle will take the field at Kingston Park on the back of a run of three league games without
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Trabolgan has chance to land first win since 2005
TRABOLGAN slipped up at Doncaster but can bounce back to his best and land a first win since 2005 in Newbury’s Blue Square Supporting Greatwood Veterans’ Handicap Chase. Nicky Henderson’s 12-yearold looked to have champion potential when landing
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Lawrence Dallaglio: England must make up for their lack of resilience
The former England skipper writes for The Northern Echo during the RBS 6 Nations. SO the prospect of an English Grand Slam will have to wait for another year and, after the defeat against Ireland last Saturday, Martin Johnson can have no complaints
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Ward wins on Davis debut
DEBUTANT James Ward and team-mate Dan Evans enjoyed contrasting fortunes as Great Britain and Lithuania shared the points on the opening day of their Davis Cup clash. Ward, the 23-year-old son of a London cabbie, cruised to a 6- 4 6-2 6-4 victory
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Tiger Woods has turned down a $75m sponsorship offer
Bookmakers Paddy Power have revealed that golfer Tiger Woods has turned down a $75m sponsorship offer from the Irish firm. Paddy Power had made an initial offer to pay the sum over a five-year period but, after talks with Woods’ management company
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Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat edges ahead in Maybank Malaysian Open
Little-known Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat produced a timely eagle to edge ahead of second-round clubhouse leader Alejandro Canizares at the Maybank Malaysian Open. In near darkness at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club, former world junior champion
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Saturday Spotlight: Ambitious McDonald sets twin targets
Scott McDonald shares the sporting beliefs of his fellow countrymen, which is why he’s backing Australia to win this summer’s World Cup in South Africa. It is that single mindedness that has served him well throughout his career, as Sports Writer
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Purcell top target as scouts keep tabs on Quakers
DARLINGTON may remain rooted to the bottom of the table but there is another barometer by which their standards since the turn of the year can be measured. The number of scouts talent spotting at The Northern Echo Arena has dramatically increased
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Forget the style, Pools need wins, says Flinders
BY the end of March, Hartlepool United will know just how the end of the season will pan out. Five games, 15 points available. Nine points, starting today against Southend, would go a long way to ensuring April and May is a bit more relaxed
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Fans’ favourite Fab adamant he’ll stay
LYRICALLY, it is not for the faint-hearted. To the tune of Andy Williams’ “I Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You”, Newcastle United supporters have taken to serenading centre-half Fabricio Coloccini with a ditty that extols the merits of curly blonde
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Ramsey snub for Shawcross
ARSENAL’S Aaron Ramsey last night spoke for the first time about suffering a broken leg in a challenge with Ryan Shawcross last weekend – but made no mention of the Stoke defender. Wales midfielder Ramsey is out for the rest of the season
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Wilkins denies Cole rift with boss
CHELSEA assistant coach Ray Wilkins insists Joe Cole will remain at the club, despite reports of a rift between the England midfielder and owner Roman Abramovich. It has been suggested that Cole and his representatives have infuriated the Russian
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Bullard set to return as Hull boss gets tough
PHIL Brown has told his Hull players to lay down a marker for the rest of the season in tomorrow’s match against Everton at Goodison Park. The Tigers will be playing only their third match in four weeks and are looking to take their first points
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Defoe the latest name on Tottenham’s sick list
TOTTENHAM boss Harry Redknapp admits he cannot fill his bench with senior players for the FA Cup quarterfinal against Fulham after Jermain Defoe returned from England duty with a hamstring complaint. Defoe is rated as 50-50 for the game at
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Everton want US loan ace to stay
EVERTON are hoping to extend Landon Donovan’s loan spell at Goodison Park. The United States captain has made a huge impact since joining the Merseysiders on a short-term deal in January. Donovan is due to return to parent club Los Angeles
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Rooney ‘played too long’
SIR Alex Ferguson feels Wayne Rooney asked far too much of himself by playing almost all of England’s friendly with Egypt after Sunday’s draining Carling Cup final. Ferguson has major reservations over the Wembley pitch and cited it as one of
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Owen earns Fergie’s praise
SIR Alex Ferguson has admitted he should have used Michael Owen more often than he did this season. Owen has been ruled out for the season, and almost certainly out of the World Cup, with the hamstring injury he picked up during Sunday’s Carling
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Jones denies bust-up
CARDIFF boss Dave Jones has played down rumours of a bust-up with chairman Peter Ridsdale. According to widespread reports, the pair were embroiled in a row in the visitors’ dressing room at Preston after the Bluebirds’ disappointing display
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Is football in danger of becoming a non-contact sport?
WE asked The Legends: Following Arsene Wenger’s comments that some teams apply over-zealous methods is there a danger of the game becoming a non-contact sport? MALCOLM MACDONALD: No-one was more horrified than me by the sight of Aaron Ramsey
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Flood warning for Boro: watch Chopra
MIDDLESBROUGH midfielder Willo Flood feels Scott McDonald has the edge on Cardiff City striker Michael Chopra but warned his team mates must be on guard for the Tyneside-born marksman. Flood is ideally placed to assess the merits of each club’s
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Kenwyne denies fear of the drop
KENWYNE JONES is a veteran of two successful battles against relegation from the Premier League but the Sunderland striker insists this season there isn’t the same fear factor that pervaded the dressing room in recent years. In Roy Keane’s debut
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Tory plan for agency reforms under fire
THE Tories have clarified their position on regional development agencies (RDAs), saying they would reform rather than abolish the present system. In response, a senior North-East Labour MP last night branded the Conservative policy as “economic
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Magpies on the verge of history
WHILE relegation from the Premier League made last season one of the worst in Newcastle United’s history, the current campaign could yet end as the best in more than a century. If the Magpies avoid defeat in their remaining six home games, they
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Sir Bobby’s legacy reaches heart of Africa
THE first football shirts left in tribute to the late football legend Sir Bobby Robson have been distributed to children in some of the world’s poorest countries. Following Sir Bobby’s death in July last year, fans were moved to leave about 6,000
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Tributes paid to war dead
A MEMORIAL to honour seven Second World War dead whose bomber crashed in the region has been unveiled near the crash site. Halifax bomber LV836, of 427 Lion Squadron, based at RAF Leeming, in North Yorkshire, crashed shortly after take-off
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More redundancies at kitchen manufacturer
KITCHEN manufacturer Magnet is making redundancies at its North-East plant for the second time in seven months. The company, whose manufacturing and distribution site in Darlington was involved in one of the longest strikes in history, said
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Youngsters told ‘Use Your Loaf’
AN event to inspire and support young entrepreneurs across the region is being held next week. Aimed at ambitious young people from the region’s schools and colleges, Use Your Loaf, on Wednesday, is the idea of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, and
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ALM aims to plug into energy sector
AN engineering company is looking to significantly boost its workforce to take advantage of the opportunities that arise from the North-East’s drive to become a renewable energy hub. ALM Products, of Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, has invested
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Football clubs in £10k row
A NON-LEAGUE football club is facing possible closure if a neighbouring professional club carries out its threat to apply for a winding-up order. The future of Billingham Town Football Club is in the balance after Hartlepool United issued a writ
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Cleaner finds £4,000 of ‘litter’ and hands it in
A WORKER picking up litter found nearly £4,000 in used notes – and has been praised by police for handing it in. Philip Stobbart, 64, found a carrier bag full of cash, along with two passports and a letter, while doing his rounds as a site
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Quest recalls tragedy at salute to Queen Victoria
THE gravestone of a volunteer soldier killed during Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee celebrations is to be restored to its former glory. Gunner John Thomas Smith died in 1887 on the promenade at Redcar, east Cleveland, as cannons were being prepared
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Rebuilding confidence
IN the aftermath of the MPs’ expenses scandal, and at a time when millions of people are having to forego a pay rise, any politician accepting an increase of nearly £1,000 in their basic salary would be playing with fire. With the outcome of the
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Mallard storms back... on the wind of Tornado
BRITAIN’S first main line steam locomotive built in half a century is to pull one of its most famous forerunners on a rare trip away from its home. Tornado has been chosen to pull the record-breaking Mallard when the latter leaves its 35-year-home
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Bikers back city’s ice rink campaign
MOTORCYCLE instructors tested their skills on ice yesterday to help promote a North-East city’s temporary rink – and the potential for a permanent rink. Members of Ace Motorcycle Training distributed thousands of leaflets highlighting the opening
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Wilks on the pace in Brazil
GUY Wilks set an incredible pace over the opening day of the Rally International de Curitiba, beating his time on all the repeat stages as he became more familiar to the previously unseen Brazilian stages. Having only seen the stages at
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£8m pledged to rebuild stricken community
AN organisation set up to support enterprise and regeneration in blighted steel areas has pledged more than £8m of support to Teesside following the mothballing of Corus Teesside Cast Products. UK Steel Enterprise Ltd (UKSE), a subsidiary of
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Footballers pitch in to help their local heroes
DARLINGTON Football Club will join a league campaign when they host a special Help for Heroes game today. The Quakers will commemorate the Armed Forces to coincide with the Football League’s Help for Heroes week during their game against Torquay
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Party leaders to turn down 1.5% pay rise
CONSERVATIVE leader David Cameron and his Liberal Democrat counterpart Nick Clegg said they are matching Gordon Brown and turning down the £1,000 pay rise on offer to MPs. All Government ministers, including Redcar MP Vera Baird, two other
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‘Corus was doomed by catalogue of blunders’
Corus will be accused on Monday of blunders dating back nine years that led to the devastating loss of 1,700 jobs at its mothballed steelworks. A committee of MPs will attack the 2001 decision to close a coil plate mill – able to roll steel
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£13m building scheme unveiled at graduation
WORK on a £13m university building will start in a North-East town in a two weeks, it was revealed as scores of students graduated yesterday. Teesside University’s vice-chancellor, Professor Graham Henderson, presented 86 graduates with their
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Memorial is a clear winner
A COUNCIL has unveiled a memorial to the “historic struggle” of the miners on the 25th anniversary of the end of the bitter 1984-5 strike against mass pit closures. Labour-run Sunderland City Council commissioned an artist to make a glass panel
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Father guilty of poisoning his son
A JURY yesterday found a father guilty of poisoning his newborn son with adult painkillers, and of child cruelty. The Darlington man will have to wait until Monday to find out whether he will be convicted or cleared of attempted murder. After
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Porn baron is cut out of father’s will
AN aristocrat has denied his eldest son a share of his £46m estate, seemingly because he disapproved of his career making pornographic films. Lord Feversham, who died in March last year, disinherited, his eldest son, Jasper. Instead his fortune
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Bedside vigil for a hero and husband
SIX months ago, Davie McClellan and Vicky Callard were a picture of happiness on their wedding day – just months before they were due to be deployed as British soldiers in Afghanistan. But last night, Corporal Callard was holding a bedside
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Pet owners banned after case of cruelty
A COUPLE whose dogs were found covered in faeces and living in poor conditions have admitted causing unnecessary suffering to the animals. Christopher and Teresa Christlow appeared at Bishop Auckland Magistrates’ Court yesterday, jointly charged
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Villagers' fears grow in wake of coach tragedy
VILLAGERS fear a major housing development will increase dangers on the road where a bus and coach collided head-on, killing one driver and leaving the other fighting for his life. Residents of Newfield, near Chester-le-Street, have called
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Man jailed for robbing "vulnerable" victim
A MAN went armed with a knife to the home of an alcoholic in a bid to acquire money from his "vulnerable" victim, a court heard. Christopher Hutton left with a total of £120 after making persistent demands of the 52-year-old victim, cutting his phone
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Jack Straw to meet Jamie Bulger's mother
JUSTICE Secretary Jack Straw will meet James Bulger's mother Denise Fergus, following the recall to custody of one of the toddler's killers, the Ministry of Justice said tonight. Jon Venables has reportedly made several trips to the city where he murdered