Archive

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Fire at builders' merchants

TWO diesel tanks were completely destroyed by a fire at a builders' merchants tonight. Firefighters were called to Travis Perkins on Cargo Fleet Lane, North Ormesby, at about 7.20pm. The blaze also damaged the building and a large amount of stock.

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Chandler takes the Darlington honour

Jamie Chandler has been named as Darlington’s young player of the year, and says he already wants next season to start. Quakers’ campaign ended a fortnight ago when they won the FA Trophy at Wembley against Mansfield Town, a game that saw Chandler

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Ben Arfa heads back to France

NEWCASTLE UNITED boss Alan Pardew has revealed Hatem Ben Arfa will return to France during the summer to continue his rehabilitation from a double leg-break in the hope of being ready for the start of next season. He has been sidelined since

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Pools' new boy Solano looks up to Giggs

WHEN it comes to the prime example of how to prolong your career as a footballer, there’s presently one stand-out figure everyone aspires to. As Manchester United look to the Champions League final on the back of another Premier League title

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Project worthy of a Big Fellah

Playwright Richard Bean talks to Viv Hardwick about turning terrorism into a subject which would attract audiences. RICHARD Bean admits that if he’d set his play, The Big Fellah, about the IRA in Ireland rather than New York then audience

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Stay open

RETAILERS and food and drink businesses in a North-East city are being urged to stay open to make the most of a premier cycling event. Durham County Council made the call as Durham City prepares to welcome huge crowds for next week’s Halfords Cycle

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Find out more about bull dogs

A BULLDOG parade is taking place to raise awareness of the breed. Owners and enthusiasts are encouraged to bring their pets to Durham Market Place between 9.30am and 12.30pm on Saturday May 29. There will be an education stand where people can get more

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Eco-friendly school wins national green award

ECO-FRIENDLY youngsters who grow food for their school meals and tackle energy waste have won a national award. Pupils and staff at Cleves Cross Primary School, Ferryhill, have been presented with a green flag from Eco Schools. The Eco Schools awards

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Youngsters compete in national fun run

YOUNGSTERS have entered the UK’s biggest fun run as they take part in a national scheme to promote healthy eating. More than 500 pupils from schools in the Bishop Auckland area are taking part in the Tesco Great School Run. Pupils from Bishop Barrington

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How to go wild

Sprouting up in the Eighties, the concept of wildlife gardening has grown over the past three decades. But Darlington ecologist Ian Bond can’t help thinking that it is still a little misunderstood. MENTION “wildlife gardening” and it probably

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Harmison strikes

STEVE Harmison struck twice in his first four overs to reduce Worcestershire to 31 for two at tea in reply to Durham’s 587 for seven declared. Making his comeback after his unfortunate injury in the season’s first match at the Rose Bowl, Harmison relied

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Matchamise the magic

Viv Hardwick discovers that Newcastle Theatre Royal is determined to turn back the clock to create a venue fit for a king. STANDING 45 feet up, right under the ceiling of Newcastle Theatre Royal on some loose scaffolding planks, I felt uncomfortably

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Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (12A)

Stars: Stars: Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush, Ian McShane, Sam Claflin, Astrid Berges-Frisbey, Kevin R McNally Running time: 136 mins Rating: *** THE reason for the fourth entry in the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise is commercial

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Win Win (15)

Stars: Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, Bobby Cannavale, Jeffrey Tambor, Burt Young, Melanie Lynskey, Alex Shaffer Running time: 106 mins Rating: **** THE production notes make Win Win sound like Lose Lose with its comments about writer-director

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Another blockbuster summer

Steve Pratt looks ahead at the films which will be making the headlines in the next four months. THEY’RE off. The opening of Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides this week means the summer blockbuster season is under way. Franchises,

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‘Don’t re-run The Tube’

Jools Holland tells Viv Hardwick why Peaches Geldof should ignore the offer to re-make Newcastle’s TV show The Tube. "DON’T do it,” is the advice to Peaches Geldof from music legend Jools Holland about trying to re-create The Tube on TV, 30

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Owl City: Alligator Sky

ADAM Young has spent the best part of the last six months in peaceful hibernation, busy writing the second Owl City album, All Things Bright and Beautiful. The first single, Alligator Sky, features US rapper Shawn Chrystopher.. It’s a song about

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Strawberry surprise for village

THREE friends have done their bit for the environment by transforming an ornamental coal tub into a mouth-watering strawberry patch for their village to share. Schoolgirls Jade McMeiken, Alana Hetherington and Jade Haworth gave up time in their holidays

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Mona: Mona

THE four-piece band’s southern US church upbringing is apparent in the music, but it’s a thin line between rock’n’roll and religion in the intense, sharp, dueling-guitar euphoria of these charismatic punk preachers. Mona keep the faith by imbuing

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Superstore plans

THE COMPANY behind plans for a new town centre foodstore has pledged to build a new health centre if its supermarket proposals are favoured by council planning chiefs. The owners of Castle Dene Shopping Centre have submitted a planning application for

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Big splash

SWIMMERS across in east Durham will be making a Big Splash after two leisure centres became part of the nation’s swimming campaign. Peterlee Leisure Centre and Seaham Leisure Centre have joined forces with British Swimming and the BBC to deliver Big

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Centre of English folk music

SOUTH Yorkshire has ruffled a lot of feathers around the UK by anointing itself “the centre of English Folk Music”. It’s a claim enhanced by the number of famous folk performers who have recently taken up residence in the area. I’m happy to say

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Debussy: Orchestral works Vol 6 (Naxos 8.572583)

Five highly diverse works in gorgeous orchestrations by Debussy’s colleagues or later admirers. Of particular interest is Debussy’s sole attempt at composing a symphony, a youthful first movement imbued with the spirit of French Romanticism.

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Appeal for help in tracing missing man Graham Stephenson

POLICE are trying to trace a man who has not been seen since May 11. Graham Stephenson, 36, left his home in Loftus at around midday and has not been seen since. He left without clothes, money and his mobile phone. His fiancée, who is pregnant, is

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Marcin Wasilewski Trio/Faithful (ECM 275 9105)

Following their initial recordings with Tomasz Stanko this is the trio’s third ECM album and it could be their best yet. With Slawomir Kurkiewicz on bass and Michal Miskiewicz drums, this long established group truly works as a unit. A sensible

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Red Dirt Boys Band

EMMYLOU Harris returns to the UK in a couple of weeks to tour with the Red Dirt Boys Band and release her latest album, Hard Bargain. She’s come a long way since meeting ex- Byrds member Gram Parsons and being influenced by his insight into the

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Wise words

Top names of the recording industry are heading for Newcastle next week for free seminars. Viv Hardwick reports. THE Know How, Tyneside-based Generator’s annual North-East seminar series returns with top music industry gurus, for four evenings of

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Fighting for love

CAMERON is in trouble and no, it’s not that Nick Clegg being awkward again. It’s his coalition with Debbie Dingle. She’s pregnant, although breaking the news to all and sundry in the Woolpack is a wee bit dramatic. But then she’s had a bad week

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Closing the gap

THE GENERATION gap is being closed in East Durham thanks to a range of activities aimed at improving mutual respect and understanding between younger and older people. The project has seen elderly people benefit from demonstrations and treatments from

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Durham crack on

GORDON Muchall and Ian Blackwell added only five runs to their record fifth-wicket stand for Durham at Worcester this morning. The partnership was worth 247 when Blackwell was bowled by Australian Damien Wright for 134 in the second over. Wright and

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Huge scrapyard blaze in Newcastle

FIREFIGHTERS are battling a massive blaze at a scrap yard. Eight fire engines have been sent to Shepherds Scrap Metal yard on Albion Row in Byker, Newcastle. Police have warned nearby residents to keep windows and doors closed as thick

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Road shut for three years is reopened

A ROAD which was closed for three years after a landslip has finally reopened. In 2008, heavy rain caused a landslip at the side of Liverton Mill Bank, which led to the closure of the road to Moorsholm from the A171 in east Cleveland. Residents wanting

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Free culture coming to town's big screen

A SUMMER of high culture is set to return to Middlesbrough with live ballet and opera beamed onto a large screen. The town will again play host to coverage from the world famous Royal Opera House in London. People will be able to watch free performances

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Big clean-up organisers seek support

PEOPLE are being urged to take part in a clean-up campaign. The borough council has relaunched its successful Spring Clean Hartlepool scheme and hopes local people will support it by staging Big Tidy Up events. Environmental projects officer Kate Ainger

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Boy's pride as bridge goes on display

A BOY who created an imaginative footbridge to span the Tees has seen it take pride of place in a museum exhibition. Andrew Hartshorne, 13, from Oakfields Community College, Middlesbrough, made the winning bridge as part of a project called Design for

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Beware two-in-one burglars, say police

POLICE are warning householders in Middlesbrough to make sure their property is secure after a spate of "two-inone" burglaries. The incidents, where thieves get into homes and take property and vehicles, have taken place in the past week. Detectives

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Boyfriend admits to fraud after bitter split

A BITTER boyfriend used forged documents to take out a £30,000 loan in his ex-partner's name because she had "p****d him off", a court heard yesterday. Robert Metcalfe branded his former lover "a stupid and greedy cow" and told police that he did not

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Families urged to walk to school

FAMILIES across Hartlepool are being urged to ditch their cars and walk to school this week. The appeal from council road safety chiefs came ahead of National Walk to School Week, which runs until Friday. According to them, the initiative can help to

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Grant for bowls club

A BOWLS club is celebrating after receiving a grant for £2,760. Pallister Park Community Bowls, in Middlesbrough, was awarded the money by Tees Valley Community Foundation. The grant came via the Active At 60 initiative run by the Department for Work

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When's a Zafira not a Zafira? When it's the new Zafira...

LOOK closely. What you see is the new Vauxhall Zafira Tourer but not the new Vauxhall Zafira. Why? Because the current Zafira will remain on sale when this smart newcomer arrives in UK showrooms next year. Vauxhall will reshuffle its

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Campaign focuses on victims of crime

VICTIMS of property crimes and well-known criminals alike can expect fresh visits from police officers as a result of a new campaign. Stockton police said they wanted to reduce incidents of bicycle, metal and shop thefts. Operation Logic was launched

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Tis A Pity She’s A Whore, Quarry Theatre, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds

A MAN, seemingly close to fainting, had to be helped from the auditorium during the gory climax to this story of forbidden love. Seeing a man cut out his lover’s heart and hold it triumphantly in the air, isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But then

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Kinda magic

Impossible? (Five, 10pm) DON’T admit to Philip Escoffey you’ve visited a psychic or a faith healer – or even that you’ve read your horoscope. Even though he conjures a living from being an illusionist, making audiences believe he can “read minds

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Rock sale deemed best option

NO decision has yet been made on whether Northern Rock will be sold, despite official advisors backing a sale as the best option. A series of meetings have taken place this week between Deutsche Bank, which was appointed by “good bank” Northern

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Amec agrees £280m deal with US firm

ENGINEERING services company Amec has agreed a $280m deal for a US firm. Amec, which employs 400 workers at its industrial headquarters in Darlington, and 100 staff at Wynyard Park, said it had agreed to buy US engineering and environmental services

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Market report

LONDON’S blue chip sector broke its five-day losing streak yesterday as property firms surged ahead after Land Securities said the firm’s markets were in recovery mode. Shares in the real estate investment trust jumped six per cent and drove

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Vying to be this year’s business guru

TWO North-East entrepreneurs are going head-to-head in the 2011 Face of Entrepreneurship. The Northern Echo is inviting readers to vote for who they think should be crowned overall winner of the If We Can, You Can Challenge, which celebrates

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Whore blimey

HEADLINED “Whore’s who” – the North-East pronunciation of the word may add emphasis – last week’s column talked of great tarts in art. Among those who appreciated it were Linda Smith, who’d given a lively lecture on the subject, and Harry Watson

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Rock of ages

WHEN I was a teenager, my dad hated the music I liked. That was the natural order of things. When David Bowie or T.Rex came on Top of the Pops, a look of disgust would spread across his face and he’d say: “That’s not music – it’s just a noise.

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Police

DELLA CANNINGS, the former head of North Yorkshire Police, says it will be difficult for her successor, Chief Constable Grahame Maxwell, to continue in his post (Echo, May 14). Mr Maxwell admitted gross misconduct, but is attempting to put the

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Hugh Pender

I ALWAYS get headlines on letters that insult me but never above letters that appeal to readers. D Lacey (HAS, May 12) demeans himself in choosing to criticise my contributions instead of showing decent Christian compassion for the murder of

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Armed forces

ALTHOUGH I am over the moon that the Government has finally recognised the true value of our armed services, I still think of the sailors, and airmen, who served all over the world in hot spots like Malaya, Korea, Northern Ireland, Cyprus and,

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Bodyguards

IT IS costing £2m a year for bodyguards to protect Tony Blair, while he makes millions on his travels. You would have thought he would have subscribed some support from his earnings to help the country from the debt he helped to create. N Tate

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Twenty's plenty?

SOMEONE’S totally lost the plot again. If there ever was one. The latest brainstorm is a plan to reduce the speed limit in towns and cities by 30 per cent (Echo, May 29). Even a ground squirrel could work out that this is stupidity. Reducing the

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Olympic dividend

THE rail and underground workers are demanding a £500 one-off Olympic pay rise in 2012. How dare they? The Olympics will only go ahead with the services of thousands of unpaid volunteers who will not only be officiating at events but will be meeting

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Keld comfort

Up dale and down, a weekend of mutual intellectual improvement (no whist drives). KELD’S at the far end of Swaledale, the Dales and District bus from Richmond squeezing down the narrow road behind us and then going no further. It was a place,

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Superb superbike coverage

I HAVE in the past been extremely critical of the scale and tone of The Northern Echo’s coverage of the Croft Superbike event. Therefore, I think it only fair to congratulate the paper, and Matt Westcott in particular, for this year’s coverage

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The Queen

THOSE who decry the Royal family must be most disappointed by the courage and fortitude shown by our 85-year-old monarch. Courting potential disaster, the Queen is undertaking what must be the most dangerous royal visit of her reign. From

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Wildlife

I WAS very interested to read Ian Bond’s article about wildlife gardening (Echo, May 14). I recently photographed a big dragonfly in my garden where it stayed for three days, recharging its batteries, before flying off again. I have decided to

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University casting call for aspiring actors

A UNIVERSITY is looking for people to come for screen tests as part of a plan to expand its actors database. York St John University has had a database of actors for 18 months which is used by students and film makers to cast roles. An open call for

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Grass cutting

ONE solution to the health and safety problems encountered by local authorities when grass cutting on steep slopes (Echo, May 9), would be to recruit the services of a goat. VJ Connor, Bishop Auckland.

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First principal appointed for new academy

THE first principal of a new academy school has been appointed. Kevin Reynolds is to take up his post at principal designate of the new Consett Academy school on July 1. Mr Reynolds, currently deputy head of Parkside Sports College in

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Help needed to restore gardens

A MEETING is to take place next week to recruit volunteers to help reopen an historic gardens to the public. The Friends of Old Durham Gardens hopes to restore the 17th Century ornamental gardens in Shincliffe to their former glory and is appealing

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Town will welcome new mayor

DARLINGTON'S new mayor will be sworn in at the first council meeting of the new municipal year. Councillor Lee Vasey will become the latest mayor in Darlington after she was reelected at this month's council elections. She will be formally sworn

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Music project celebrates birthday

A MUSIC project aimed at teenagers celebrates its fourth anniversary today with a special event. A number of local artists will play at Newblood Live, a regular gig for 14 to 17-yearolds, tonight, to mark the anniversary. ManiWrightson, Oli Patterson

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Countdown to the Olympics

THE spot where Usain Bolt is expected to blast to another gold medal is still bare concrete, with no hint of a running track, lanes or tape. Outside the towering metal coliseum of the stadium itself, much of park is still a building site – dotted

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Anger after litter louts ruin clean-up

PRIMARY school children were angry and upset when their efforts to clean up rubbish from their neighbourhood counted for nothing. Pupils fromMount Pleasant Primary School, in the Cockerton area of Darlington, turned up for school the day after they

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Playing fields score with young users

HUNDREDS of primary school children kicked off countless hours of sport on a new artificial grass pitch. Longfield School's new £530,000 third generation pitch was opened yesterday at Darlington's 12th annual football festival. Darlington FC midfielder

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Police name car bomb man

THE man who was found blown up in his own car yesterday morning has been named by police as David Bagley. The 58-year-old Hartlepool man was found early on Wednesday in the vehicle in the Old Cemetery Road area. Police are not looking

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Destructive Farmstead fire near Ferryhill

I WILL get round to putting up the story of Ferryhill and the rampaging wild boar, but yesterday when I had a minute to delve into the archives looking for a snippet for next week, my eye alighted upon this item from March 13, 1879. I'm

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Fahey ace full of Character

SHE’S A CHARACTER hit the mark at Doncaster last time and can follow up at Haydock, despite a 7lb hike in the weights. Richard Fahey’s charge paid the price for showing up well in Pattern company as a juvenile with her initial mark of 97 proving

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‘I feel I’ve been robbed’

A 10,000-name petition was delivered to Downing Street yesterday condemning changes in pensions which will hit women worst. Barbara Bates, from County Durham, tells Sharon Griffiths why she went to No 10. BARBARA BATES feels she’s been robbed

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Community transport service brings buses back to remote dale

A NEW community transport initiative that will bring services to large parts of the Upper Dales has been officially launched. The remote area was in danger of losing part of its bus service network after North Yorkshire County Council withdrew its subsidy

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Shakespeare's plays brought to North Yorkshire

THE touring side of Shakespeare’s Globe in London is bringing two productions to North Yorkshire this summer. Hamlet will be staged at Richmond’s Georgian Theatre Royal fro May 31 to June 4 and at Newby Hall, near Ripon, on August 2 and 3. That will

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Southern Cross financial position is critical

The financial position of Southern Cross is critical and it cannot afford to meet its present rent obligations, the care home group said this morning. The Darlington firm's interim results, released this morning, laid bare the full scale of the challenges

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Countryside campaigners pledge to improve farming safety

FARMING leaders have pledged to improve the safety of people working in the agriculture and forestry industries. The launch of their Farm Safety Charter follows a ground-breaking industry summit held last year to find tangible ways of bolstering farm

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Restoration project of landmark prompts rethink about historic role

RESTORATION work on a village landmark has led to a rethink about its original purpose. The brick towers in the North York Moors National Park’s car-park in Grosmont were thought to have been part of a 19th century steam hoist used to move ironstone.

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Police appeal after theft of off road motorbike

POLICE are appealing for information after an off-road motorcycle was stolen from a secure garage. The burglary in Hutton Rudby occurred between 2am and 5am on Thursday at an address in the Enterpen area of the village. The burglars broke into a securely

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Heavy traffic to be banned from historic swing bridge

HEAVY traffic is to be permanently barred from the historic swing bridge that links the two halves of Whitby. A 7.5 tonne weight limit was temporarily imposed after the bridge failed in the open position last year, effectively cutting the town in two

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Join In... and share the legacy of 2012

THE leader of Durham County Council has urged people in the region to make the most of the Olympic games next year. Councillor Simon Henig yesterday met young members of South Durham Gymnastics Club in Spennymoor, County Durham, to celebrate

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Street Snooker comes to Darlington

A NEW outdoor Street Snooker game at Middleton St. George Water Park is the first of its kind in the north-east. The former tennis court at the site has been re-vamped into an exciting activity centre in the heart of the village. It is due to be officially

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Marina evacuees in good spirits

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Husband charged with murder of 'loving mum'

THE husband of a woman who was found dead in her North-East home has been charged with her murder. Mother-of-four Susan Ann Forster was pronounced dead at her home in Gurlish West, Coundon, near Bishop Auckland, shortly after 2am on Tuesday

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'Flash demo' condemned by Muslims

SENIOR Muslims have condemned a racist demonstration which disrupted a quiet community. Approximately 30 members of the farright group, the English Defence League (EDL), converged outside the Jamia mosque, in North Lodge Terrace, Darlington

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Man jailed for his part in wedding burglary

A WEDDING reception was spoilt when guests had their rooms broken into and belongings stolen, a court heard yesterday. Thieves struck at the Blackwell Grange Hotel, in Darlington, while the newlyweds and friends enjoyed the reception. Two ground-floor

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Town in bid for college

THE Government has received a second bid to open a university technical college (UTC) in the Tees Valley. Darlington 14 to 19 Partnership, with engine company Cummins, has applied to host a UTC in the town. It is understood existing education

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MP's solution to town hall wrangle

A DILAPIDATED town hall at the centre of a row between two neighbouring councils should be given away, an MP has said. Stockton South Conservative MP James Wharton has called on Stockton Borough Council to gift Thornaby Town Hall to the town

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Final chapter for Heartbeat book series

FOLLOWERS of the cancelled but much-loved television series Heartbeat face another blow – the books that inspired it are also coming to an end. Nicholas Rhea has penned the last of the popular Constable series – although he has promised his protagonist

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Driver admits causing death of motorcyclist

THE trial of a motorist accused of causing the death by dangerous driving of a motorcyclist took an unexpected twist yesterday when prosecutors accepted a lesser charge. Jemma Hansom’s case came to a halt when she pleaded guilty to causing

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He's a shooting star

A PROLIFIC young striker is celebrating scoring 87 goals in 26 games – the equivalent of a hat-trick every time he took to the field. Twelve-year-old James Moore’s achievement is a league record and has attracted the attention of several top

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Deadly car bomb causes mayhem

LARGE parts of a North-East town remained sealed off last night after a man blew himself up in his car. The 58-year-old was discovered at about 3am yesterday inside the wreckage of a blue Nissan Micra, in Old Cemetery Road, Hartlepool.

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Rathband speaks out over police pay threats

THE police officer blinded by killer Raoul Moat yesterday added his voice to the discontent over pay and conditions in the force. David Rathband asked Home Secretary Theresa May if she thought his wage packet was too high. Mrs May was accused

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Village honours border surveyor

THE home village of a surveyor who helped resolve a border dispute in 18th Century America is to mark the 250th anniversary of his most famous achievement. This year marks the landmark anniversary of the 233- mile Mason-Dixon line, which dissects

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Olympic torch to light up the region

TORCH bearers will carry the Olympic flame through towns and cities across the North- East and North Yorkshire in the lead up to next year’s London games. Alnwick, Durham, Middlesbrough, Newcastle and York will be among the stop-offs for the

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Private construction work not filling public sector gap

The North-East's construction sector is suffering from a lack of new private sector projects to meet the shortfall created by public sector cuts. The latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) construction survey, released today (Thurs 19

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Calls for Coalition jobs fund to be extended

FEARS that the Government's flagship job creation fund could fail to solve deep-rooted problems in the region has prompted members of its advisory board to call for it to be extended. Sir Ian Wrigglesworth, deputy chair of the panel overseeing the £1.4bn

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Prolific striker Byrne to return to Shildon

Shildon are on the point of signing prolific striker Warren Byrne for the second time. Shildon boss Gary Forrest swooped for Byrne at the end of the season from Second Division Newton Aycliffe, for whom he scored 44 goals on their way to the title, the