Archive
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Two Johnston goals put Moors second: Dunston move into DCC semi finals
Spennymoor Town moved into clear second in the STL Northern League with a 2-1 home win over fellow title challengers Shildon. In a fast, end to end game, there were plenty of missed chances until Moors took the lead on 64 minutes, when Craig
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Teetotally strange
"WE shared many bottles of wine together when my sister lived in Teetotal Cottages," said Margaret Blenkin of Bishop Auckland, and although she was on the phone, I could see the smile down the line. Her sister, Chris Chapman, lived beside
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Gordon hoping to be Cats' derby hero
CRAIG GORDON knows just how important a role he might have to play in Sunday's Wear-Tyne derby - he has a permanent reminder every day at Sunderland's training ground. Gordon walks past a photograph at the Academy of Light of the moment in
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Mido's back at Boro
FORMER Middlesbrough striker Mido has made a surprise return to the North-East and is training at the club's Rockliffe Park headquarters. The 28-year-old is on the look out for a new club after asking to have his contract with Ajax terminated
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Taylor makes Darlington debut
Greg Taylor comes into the side for his Darlington debut this evening at home to Histon, but there is no Marc Bridge-Wilkinson.The attack-minded midfielder, who has been mulling over an 18-month contract offer, was on loan at The Northern Echo Arena.
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Road closed due to overturned animal transporter
A ROAD in the region was closed tonight after a vehicle transporting animals overturned. The A66 in Bowes, County Durham, caused traffic to queue eastbound before the A67 junction, because of the accident. The road has now re-opened.
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Lions to host high-flying Stockport Falcons
Please pass on and promote as much as possible to encourage a big crowd Please check out our front page advert on today’s Evening Gazette Listen to TADEA Lions on BBC Radio Tees 95.5FM tonight 7pm Free T-shirt Offer at bottom of page
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Police appeal after car damaged in Bishop Auckland
A CAR had its windscreen smashed and two tyres punctured in Bishop Auckland. The vehicle, which was parked on Oswald Street, was targeted sometime between 11pm on Friday and 1am on Saturday. A spokeswoman for Durham Police said: "We would urge vehicle
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School celebrates national recognition
STAFF and students at a south Durham school have had their hard work rewarded. Parkside Sports College, in Willington, has been presented with a Challenge Award for able, gifted and talented pupils, which recognises the high quality of work by teachers
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Theatre Hooligans celebrate anniversary
A COMMUNITY theatre group which started out with only one member is celebrating its 15th anniversary by performing a series of flagship shows. The Bishop Auckland Theatre Hooligans (Bath) now has more than 200 members aged from six to 18, spread across
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Violent crime will rise when police jobs are axed
VIOLENT crime will rise when up to 20,000 police jobs are axed because of savage spending cuts, MPs were warned today. The Police Federation pointed to the example of New York City - more "rapes, murders and robberies" - as evidence of the frightening
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Police call on Wear-Tyne derby fans to act responsibly
POLICE are calling on football supporters to enjoy this weekend's big derby match responsibly and reminded fans that disorder will not be tolerated. A sell-out crowd of more than 48,000 is expected at the Stadium of Light on Sunday, as Sunderland
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Corus jobs fund to make no further grants
A £60m fund set up to help create jobs in the Tees Valley following the announcement that Tata Steel, formerly Corus, was to mothball its Redcar plant will not make any further grants after today, despite being £18m short of its target. The then Business
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Bogus police officers handcuff man to chair
A 38-year-old man was left traumatised after two bogus police officers handcuffed him to a chair in his own home before fleeing the scene. A police spokesman said the fake cops, wearing what the victim described as "very convincing" uniforms, arrived
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Two life sentences for police officer who raped vulnerable women
A rogue cop who raped two women and used his position to abuse five more has been given two life sentences and branded a public danger. Northumbria Police constable Stephen Mitchell must serve seven-and-a-half years behind bars before he can
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The Jubilee People's Millions
The Jubilee People’s Millions is a great opportunity for voluntary organisations in your area to access up to £60,000 from Big Lottery Fund to tackle a problem in their community. Big Lottery Fund is working with ITV to give communities in
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Rotary club's international visitor
A FOREIGN visitor has travelled from the Caribbean to study locally with help from Rotary clubs in the area. Shaniek Parks, 23, of the Rotaract club of Montego Bay, Jamaica, is in the region visiting local Rotary clubs She is a guest of the Roundhay
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David Reed: Peter Marsden
DAVID REED would like to trace an old friend. He is Peter Marsden, who was last known to be living in Ferryhill and worked at Darlington Garage, in North Road. To help contact Mr Reed on 01833-660688.
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Thin Lizzy. Newcastle City Hall
IT was 28 years ago that I stood in Newcastle City Hall to witness Thin Lizzy’s farewell Thunder and Lightning tour. I didn’t move, I just stared at my teenage heroes and charismatic frontman Phil Lynott, trying to memorise every second, knowing
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Mudder most horrid
Taggart (ITV1, 9pm); Hugh’s Big Fish Fight (C4, 9pm); CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Five, 9pm). WHILE it’s business as usual for the Taggart team with another “mudder” to investigate, followers of the long-running Scottish detective show know
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Mary, queen of shoppers
Retail queen Mary Portas is on a mission to sort out dire customer service in the UK. Susan Griffin finds out how. AS millions of shoppers hit the sales, retailers will be rubbing their hands with glee to the sound of ringing tills, but they
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Police name woman killed in four car crash
A PENSIONER killed in a four vehicle car crash in a historical city has been named by the police as a local woman. Helen Margaret Holdsworth, 87, of Dishforth, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, died in the accident in Ripon. Police appealed for witnesses
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Alan Johnson
HAS any political party ever made a bigger blunder than Labour has by appointing Alan Johnson as Shadow Chancellor? I’ve just watched a television interview conducted by Dermot Murnaghan where this hapless but very nice man was unable to verify
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Climate change
CHARLOTTE BULL’S letter regarding climate change (HAS, Jan 8), has a strangely contradictory tone. At one point, she says “it would be unfair to suggest that all the 2,500 IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) scientists working on
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Tory sell off
I AM disgusted with the forthcoming decision by our outof- touch Government to sell off the postal service. I think that they do not care what happens as long as they get rid of what they see as a weight around the country’s neck. I wonder which
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Jack Straw
I AM a white woman who grew up in Asia. I lived there for 16 years through my childhood and teenage years, leaving when I was 21. My experience reflects the comments of Jack Straw, former Labour Home Secretary (Echo, Jan 10). It was
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Resolution
IF any readers have made a New Year’s resolution to take up a new interest then one of the courses organised by the Workers’ Educational Association Darlington branch may be just what they are looking for. Enrollment is taking place now for
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Jobs summit
PERHAPS if the participants in the job creation summit started by promising to source the majority of their goods in the UK they might go some way to creating real jobs for the people of Britain. The jobs they are proposing to create in the service
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Global warming?
I RECENTLY saw a photo of a polar bear carrying a cub on her back. This is a new phenomena which is has only occurred due to the polar ice caps melting. There have been numerous adverts urging people to donate money to help save polar bears, whose
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BORO BECKS TEAM SPREAD THE WORD
THOUSANDS of residents are set to learn all about Middlesbrough’s becks through their letterbox - thanks to the on-going work of a new team. The Boro Becks Team, made up of Christine Corbett, Barry Jobson and Sammy Brown, was formed last year as part
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Socialism
DAVID WARD (HAS, Jan 10) belongs to a tribe who thought the earth was flat. It is impossible to argue with someone who is so convinced of the righteousness of their crusade that they do not allow actual history and facts to get in the way of
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Hospital
DO you remember the Adela Shaw Hospital in Kirkbymoorside? This children’s hospital opened in 1925 and closed in 1970. The number of queries we received about the people passing through the wards as either patient or nurse prompted the Kirkbymoorside
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In praise of the humble peeler
THERE are plenty of questions queuing up to be answered at the start of the new year. Will the Government’s VAT rise and public expenditure cuts solve the deficit crisis? Will the referendum in Sudan result in a new civil war? Is Pakistan on the
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Speaking up for stammerers
As Oscar-tipped film The King’s Speech raises awareness about stammering, Steve Pratt finds out how the condition affects sufferers and how a County Durham group is lending support. WHEN his father died, Iain Mutch was asked by the minister conducting
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Filling in the gaps
ADAM RICKWOOD was 14 years old when he was found hanging at Hassockfield Secure Training Centre, near Medomsley, County Durham, seven years ago. The records show him to be the youngest person to die in a British penal institution in modern times
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Forum backs young dancers
TWELVE young dancers are quick-stepping their way towards Duke of Edinburgh Awards, with the help of a council forum. The children, from Langley Park, near Durham, formed a dance group after attending a recent Sportstart event sponsored by Durham County
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Time to take stock of your finances
MANY people think about shedding pounds in the new year, but with a little organisation and forward thinking with your personal finances you might be able to help your bank balance put on a few pounds. So get yourself an action plan. It makes
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Debenhams hopes to win rivals’ share after sales rise in autumn
DEPARTMENT store Debenhams claimed it was winning market share from rivals after seeing a small rise in sales in the autumn. However, the chain lost an estimated £30m of sales to the big freeze, which also hit high street retailers Next, Mothercare
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Pound notes
● THE January 31 tax deadline for online self-assessment looms, and self-employed taxpayers could face fines of more than £442m for late or wrongly completed self-assessment forms. These figures, from professional advice website unbiased.co.uk
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Adrian takes on sales manager role
A COUNTY Durham man has been appointed UK and Ireland sales manager for Bauer, the crop irrigation and slurry-handling equipment specialist. Adrian Tindall lives with his wife and two daughters in Newton Aycliffe. His farming background stems
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Courses available for holiday providers
A RANGE of training courses is being offered to rural accommodation providers throughout the North-East. Created specifically for working farms that have diversified into tourism, they aim to help improve their online marketing, customer service
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Rotation advice for oilseed growers
OILSEED rape growers should start thinking now about moving to a twin variety strategy for their autumn rotation. Beckii Gibbs, seed manager for United Oilseeds, said it could minimise the risk of yield losses due to unpredictable weather and
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Make tackling personal debt a new year priority
WILL the £5bn which we splashed on new year sales – supposedly to beat the hike in VAT to 20 per cent on January 4 – come to be seen as the highwater mark of our financial recklessness, before the bills arrived in 2011? The signs are ominous
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Apprentice deadline extended
THE deadline for the new Yorkshire Dales Hill Farm Apprentice Scheme has been put back to January 31. A combination of the Christmas holidays and severe winter weather is believed to have resulted in fewer inquiries than anticipated. Launched
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‘Uplands’ future depends on ability to earn living’
THE future of the uplands depends on their farmers and land managers being able to earn a reasonable standard of living. William Worsley, president of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), said many upland businesses are under threat
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Hair extensions are proving a growing success for two young entrepreneurs
Harland Hair and Beauty is a growing North-East business that has won a number of regional and national awards in recent months. Louise Robinson speaks to young entrepreneur Darren Williams, company director, as he celebrates five years in business
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Doreen keeps Durham safe
A NORTH-East lollipop lady has been shortlisted for a national safety award. Doreen Rodwell was nominated for the Goodyear prize by teachers, children and parents at Finchale Primary School, in Newton Hall, Durham City. Michael McCarthy, the school’
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Recruitment company reports increase in sales
RECRUITMENT consultants Zenith People have reported a 100 per cent increase in sales turnover at the end of last year. The firm, whose core business specialises in the manufacturing, logistics and engineering sectors, was hit hard during the
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Increase in franchising
FORMER public sector workers using their redundancy pay-offs to invest in franchises are among those helping to boost demand at a Darlington based business. The Franchise Company, a firm of specialist advisors and consultants, has experienced
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Birthday honours for members
BOARD members of Durham-based NOF Energy, the business development organisation for the oil, gas, nuclear and offshore wind sectors, have been recognised in the Queen’s New Year Honours. NOF Energy’s director of business development and deputy
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Expansion for water firm after contract win
A WATER supply infrastructure company is expanding its management team after it secured another important contract win. Wearside’s Fastflow Pipeline Services has landed a deal with Northumbrian Water worth an estimated £1.3m. Following the latest
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Surveyor’s first year ‘exceeded expectations’
A DARLINGTON chartered surveyor is gearing up for further success after celebrating its first anniversary of trading. Hunter Cowie provides property and surveying services specialising in commercial, residential and historic property. The firm
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Film firm rewarded by scheme
AN award-winning film company has been reaping rewards after teaming up with a North-East university. Superkrush Films selected graduate Cassandra Milburn to work alongside its staff as part of the university’s internship scheme. Miss Milburn
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Plugging a gap in kitchens market
BUSINESS is booming for a fast-growing North-East firm whose service allows cashstrapped customers to give their kitchen a facelift rather than buy a new one. As the fallout from swingeing cuts in public spending piles more pressure on consumers
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Holistic approach to all-round health
A BUSINESSWOMAN who turned to holistic medicine to help her deal with the grief of losing her mother has launched a clinic to help people in the region improve their wellbeing. Angela Chapman has set up The Indigo Tree Wellbeing Centre, in
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Federation calls for new minister
THE Government has been urged to appoint a Small Business Trade Minister to help increase the number of small businesses that export. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in the North- East says having a voice at the top table would also
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Climber sings region’s praises for campaign
A MOUNTAINEER is launching a campaign to boost the tourism industry in Yorkshire. Alan Hinkes, from Northallerton, North Yorkshire, is fronting Yorkshire’s Great Outdoors, a campaign for tourism agency Welcome to Yorkshire in partnership with
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Training group’s new director
TEESSIDE-BASED TTE Technical Training Group has appointed Steve Grant as its new managing director, to succeed Keith Hunter who retires in May. Mr Grant, who has been finance and services director at the organisation for seven years, said that
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Legal expert warns over staff use of Twitter
COMPANY bosses in the region are being warned to keep a careful eye on their Tweeters to stop loose words costing business. As social networking increases across the region’s business community, the technology is throwing up all manner of issues
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James Ramsbotham: Will 2011 be a year of growth for business?
AS we embark on a new year that will bring with it a new set of challenges and, indeed, opportunities for business in the North-East, I believe that we need to start by confining the word recovery to 2010, and making 2011 a year in which we begin
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Cafe hops into life supported by law firms
LAW firm Ward Hadaway has helped a young entrepreneur fulfill a childhood dream to set up a live music venue. Property and licensing experts at the firm’s Newcastle office advised Stuart Clark on the establishment of the Blue Bunny Cafe, in
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Tom Lisgo: It’s time to clean up credit file
IN tough economic times, access to easily available credit can be very useful. Being refused credit can be both embarrassing and problematic. If you need access to credit now or in the future, take some time to clean up your credit file. Banks
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Budget airline pulls its final route from airport
A BUDGET airline has pulled its final route from one of the region’s airports only months after threatening to withdraw because of a controversial new charge. Ryanair will no longer offer its summer route from Durham Tees Valley (DTV) Airport
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Morning inspection
NEWCASTLE are “still optimistic” that today’s meeting will go ahead despite calling a second inspection for 8am. Areas of the track are still frozen but clerk of the course James Armstrong is hoping the use of a tractor pulling a spiker around
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Schools defended over snow-enforced closures
SCHOOLS and headteachers have been defended for their handling school closures during recent heavy snowfalls. Senior Darlington councillor Cyndi Hughes supported headteachers who closed their schools because of the wintry weather in November and December
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Ian West
NYSD regular Ian West has spent the last five winters in Melbourne, where he has played club cricket. He writes for The Northern Echo from Australia. WHAT an experience this last six weeks has been and I can’t wait to get to my club’s league game
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Ashington show Dunkirk spirit on road to Wembley
Ashington show Dunkirk spirit on road to Wembley SAVE for those good scouts who know their Notts, few may have supposed that the Railroad to Wembley would ever lead to Dunkirk. It’s a suburb of Nottingham, it’s a football team formed in 1946
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Quakers wait on MBW
DARLINGTON are preparing for this evening’s game at home to Histon with Marc Bridge-Wilkinson mulling over an offer that would make him one of their highest paid players. The 18-month deal on offer illustrates how determined Darlington are
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Bell aims to secure his one-day place
IAN Bell is aiming to establish himself in England’s limited overs teams after his unbeaten century guided the tourists to a seven-wicket win over a Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra. Bell has arguably been in the form of his career during England
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Magpies risk Tiote receiving extra ban
NEWCASTLE will learn the verdict of their appeal against Cheik Tiote’s red card today, but have been warned by sources close to the Football Association that their chances of success are slim. Club officials announced yesterday that they had
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The Northern League restores some N-E pride
The North-East’s wait for a trip to the new Wembley in the FA Cup continues after a woeful weekend in the competition for the region. Chief Football Writer Paul Fraser, however, reports how the region can be proud of the Northern League teams’ efforts
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Black Cats do not expect Sessegnon to sign soon
SUNDERLAND are hopeful of landing Stephane Sessegnon this month, but he is unlikely to arrive in time to face Newcastle United on Sunday. Sessegnon was on Wearside over the weekend to discuss the details of a loan until the end of the season
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The chase for Boro defender intensifies
DAVID WHEATER trained with Middlesbrough at Rockliffe Park yesterday as Bolton attempted to thrash out the finer details of a deal before rival clubs trump their offer. The defender is believed to have engaged in discussions with the Trotters
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No bids for jobs cash
A FLAGSHIP £500m Government fund to bring jobs to the North has not received a single bid – ten days before a deadline expires. The admission – made by Lord Heseltine, David Cameron’s regeneration chief – threatens to heap embarrassment on the
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Messi wins top honour
LIONEL MESSI last night became the inaugural winner of the FIFA Ballon d’Or at an award ceremony in Zurich. Argentina star Messi was selected ahead of Barcelona team-mates Xavi and Andres Iniesta, who both won the World Cup with Spain last
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FA hold friendly talks
THE Football Association are in talks over a move to revive the home international tournament. Car giant Vauxhall, due to be unveiled as new England sponsors with a record-breaking deal today, are understood to have been the key movers behind
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Four facing prison for driving test scam
FOUR men have been warned they face jail for their parts in a driving test scam in which they paid others to sit their theory exam. They were arrested last year after an investigation involving the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) and Cleveland
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Warnings given amid rise in fuel thefts across region
SPIRALLING oil prices may be to blame for a rise in fuel thefts from rural properties, police say. North Yorkshire Police is urging people using oil-fired heaters and other similar equipment to ensure their fuel is secure. It is feared that
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Man who bit former wife spared jail
AN estranged husband who throttled and bit his former wife during a drunken assault walked free from court yesterday. A judge at Teesside Crown Court told Mathew Skeet, 28, he would get more help in the community than he would behind bars. He
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Family sues over illness on holiday
A FAMILY break to come to terms with the death of a loved one turned into a holiday from hell after members of the party contracted food poisoning on the first day. Retired fitter George Slater, from Ouston, near Chester-le-Street, was devastated
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Pioneering project could help more youths into work
A SCHEME that has made dozens of youngsters ready for the workplace could be introduced across the region. Nordic Pioneer said its Urban Blitz training scheme has proved so successful in Darlington it hopes to run similar enterprises across the
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£130m boost for victims of tainted blood
THE Government has announced a £130m boost in support for people who contracted hepatitis C after being treated with contaminated blood. Payments to patients who develop serious liver conditions as a result of transfusions of tainted blood during
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Rapist jailed for ‘appalling abuse’
A RAPE victim’s family and friends applauded and cheered as her attacker was yesterday jailed for nine years for what a judge described as appalling abuse. Mark Breckon, 43, stood in the dock with his head bowed as details of the assaults were
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Festival ‘will be bigger than ever’
THE 36th Durham Drama Festival will be held in the city from February 23 to 26, featuring acting, dance, workshops, question-andanswer sessions, stand-up comedy, acoustic music and social events. Festival director Callum Cheatle said: “This year
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Trainer is facing ban from racing
ONE of the region’s most successful horse racing trainers could be banned from the sport for up to ten years after being charged with four breaches of animal welfare. Howard Johnson, who lives near Crook, County Durham, has admitted that one horse
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Family mourns crash victim, 15
THE grieving family of a 15-year-old girl killed in a car crash at the weekend have paid tribute to a “beautiful, happy, confident” girl. Natalia Wiley, from Pickering, North Yorkshire, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, on the
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Salon customer’s close shave with runaway car
A HAIRDRESSER ensured customers escaped injury after a runaway car ploughed into his salon. The accident happened at about 9.50am yesterday when a green Ford Ranger 4x4 rolled down Newgate, in Barnard Castle, County Durham. A number
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Rural bus services bear brunt of measures to save £1.3m
THE North-East’s biggest council is planning to slash subsidies for rural bus services on evenings and Sundays, The Northern Echo has learnt. Documents seen by the paper reveal that Durham County Council chiefs want to cut all funding for Sunday
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Campaign aims to beat mental health stigma
A CAMPAIGN to beat the winter blues came to the North-East yesterday. People donned blue, full-length body stockings in Durham city centre to help banish the stigma associated with mental illnesses such as depression. It was part of Time to
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Pervert posed as girl of 14 to lure children
A MIDDLE-AGED man posed as a teenage boy to entice a 14-year-old girl to send scores of indecent photographs over the internet. Ian Smithson Hebner also set up a website – Young Bi Girls – and posed as a 14-year-old female to attract further indecent
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Shameful way they treated my Adam
14-YEAR-OLD boy who was the youngest person to die in a British prison in modern times was treated unlawfully by his guards hours before he hanged himself, an inquest heard. Adam Rickwood’s mother, Carol Pounder, told jurors she would be locked
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Rural bus services bear brunt of measures to save £1.3m
THE North-East’s biggest council is planning to slash subsidies for rural bus services on evenings and Sundays, The Northern Echo has learnt. Documents seen by the paper reveal that Durham County Council chiefs want to cut all funding for Sunday
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Justice scheme may be scrapped in cash cuts
A SCHEME that allows hundreds of young offenders to make amends to those they have harmed may be scrapped because of a lack of funds. The Children’s Society’s Restorative Justice Programme, in Billingham, near Stockton, has been making criminals
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Schools defended over snow-enforced closures
SCHOOLS and headteachers have been defended for their handling school closures during recent heavy snowfalls. Senior Darlington councillor Cyndi Hughes supported headteachers who closed their schools because of the wintry weather in November and
