Archive
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Large fire in rural workshop
FOUR fire crews are tackling a large blaze near Easingwold, North Yorkshire. A workshop and barn containing a caravan, work tools and several gas cylinders is well alight on Thornton Lane. Two fire crews from Acomb and one each from Easingwold and Thirsk
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Staff suspended after undercover care home investigation
THE chief executive of a North-East health care company has issued an unreserved apology after staff at a home in Bristol were secretly filmed mistreating vulnerable patients. An undercover reporter from the BBC's Panorama programme spent five
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Quakers snap up Guiseley striker
DARLINGTON have completed the signing of Guiseley striker James Walshaw. He arrives at the Northern Echo Arena as Mark Cooper’s first signing of the summer as the Quakers boss looks to build a squad that will challenge for promotion.
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Breeding success for endangered giraffes
KEEPERS at a North Yorkshire zoo are proudly showing off their latest arrival - a baby Rothschild's giraffe. The six-foot tall male calf, who is yet to be named, was born at 1am last Friday at Flamingo Land near Malton. Rothschild's giraffes are part
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A day of ecstasy and agony for big-hitting Stokes
A DAY of ecstasy ended in agony for Ben Stokes yesterday when he rushed from the Emirates Durham arena obviously in great pain. He had failed to hang on to a fierce cut by Paul Horton, but the damaged finger proved to be dislocated rather than
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The art of science
PUPILS have illustrated the beauty of science with their own colourful creations. Darlington Education Village held a Science Illustrator of the Year Competition by challenging pupils to demonstrate difficult scientific concepts through artwork. The
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Doorstep deliveries get 21st century update
A DAIRY is combining 21st Century technology with traditional doorstep deliveries by offering customer the chance to pay by direct debit. Customers of Acorn Dairy, which operates farms in Darlington and Wensleydale, will be able to switch from writing
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Walking club celebrates 75 years
A WALKING club which has survived a world war, two large-scale foot-and-mouth strikes and two major recessions is celebrating a landmark anniversary. Darlington CHA & HF Rambling Club will recreate its very first walk, which took place 75 years ago
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Museum needs help to rebuild historic church
AN appeal has been made for the return of masonry taken from a historic Teesside church being rebuilt at a North-East tourist attraction. Work has started at Beamish Museum on rebuilding St Helen's Church, originally located in Eston, after it was dismantled
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Man hid in attic from police
A VIOLENT boyfriend who was banned from going near his partner was found hiding in her loft naked when police searched the house, a court heard. The woman was panicking and visibly shaking when officers knocked at the door of her Middlesbrough home and
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Students strut their stuff on fashion week stage
FASHIONISTAS who love labels flocked to a designer store to indulge their passion for fashion. Psyche, the UK's largest independent shop, staged a catwalk event to showcase this season's latest trends during Middlesbrough's second fashion week. As well
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Vintage style sets tone for charity shop
A VINTAGE tea party heralded the launch of a charity shop in Guisborough. The British Red Cross store will focus on vintage and retro clothing, shoes and accessories. Dawn West, retail field manager at the charity, said: "After huge success with vintage
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Paramedics help accident victims
VICTIMS of a three-car collision in a North-East town were treated by air ambulance paramedics. The incident took place shortly after 10.30am in West Auckland Road in Darlington. It is believed a male driver of one of the cars involved took ill at the
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Police appeal after bus assault
A TEENAGE girl was groped by an older man as she sat on the top deck of a double decker bus. Police in Darlington are appealing for witnesses to the sexual assault which took place last Tuesday (May24). The incident occurred on the Arriva 1B service
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Bad weather dents Barnard Castle Meet visitor numbers
A HIGH speed zip line attracted daredevils to the Barnard Castle Meet but the threat of stormy weather meant visitor levels were down. The three day Meet held over the Bank Holiday weekend saw several thousand people descend on the Dales town. The annual
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School plans £18m move to Wynyard
A PRIVATE school has announced an £18m scheme to relocate to an exclusive housing estate. The governors of Red House School have signed a deal with Sir John Hall to create a purpose-built 22-acre site on the Wynyard Estate, near Stockton. The school
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Teens to row 100,000 metres for cancer charity
A STUDENT whose rowing coach suffers from cancer is part of a team which will row 100,000 metres to raise funds to tackle the illness. Durham School student Ryan Bowes, 16, of Newton Aycliffe, with five of his fellow pupils is to row the length of the
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Students hold event
CARING students have inspired family and friends by staging their first ever community event. Year 7 students at Darlington Education Village organised the Fair Trade Event to raise awareness of the issue. The students sold Fair Trade products, cakes
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Teen girl attacked on way home
A YOUNG woman has been sexually assaulted while walking home from a North-East nightclub. The 19-year-old was attacked minutes after leaving the Studio nightclub, on North Road, in Durham City, in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The incident happened
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Week Two: Time to increase the intensity
With less than a month to go before the redspottedhanky.com Sunderland City 10k, and after last week’s efforts, it’s time to increase the intensity slightly. Hopefully last week’s blog was useful and your training for the redspottedhanky.com Sunderland
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Row over 'oversized' home
CITY residents are fuming at what they say is an oversized housing development which has sprung up on their doorsteps. Up to seven homes could eventually be built on the former site of Whitfield Cottage and Rookstone nursing homes, in North End, Durham
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Yorkshire in trouble at tea
Yorkshire lost two late wickets during the afternoon session on day three of their LV=County Championship match with Sussex. By tea they had stumbled to 206 for eight – still 193 runs away from the follow-on target of 399. The Tykes appeared to be battling
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More members needed for group
A GROUP for disabled adults and those with learning difficulties is looking for more members. The Quest Club, at St Stephen’s Centre, in South Stanley, offers social sessions with entertainers, karaoke and games. But it is looking for
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Gary Parkinson match raises £35,000
ORGANISERS of Middlesbrough FC's Gary Parkinson Benefit Match have presented a cheque for more than £35,000 to the former Boro star’s wife Deborah and son Luke. The game, which attracted a crowd of 7,391 to the Riverside Stadium, was organised by Middlesbrough
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Vegas to North Yorkshire for comedian Johnny
COMIC Johnny Vegas is to head the cast of a new Radio 4 comedy series - about the joys of living in a shed and recorded in North Yorkshire. The funnyman made the four-part series Shedtown - about a community living in sheds on a beach - with his own
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Yorkshire struggling to avoid follow-on
Yorkshire are in serious trouble in their LV=County Championship match against Sussex at Hove. This is after they lost five-wickets during the morning session on day three. By lunch they had reached 115 for five on the South Coast – in reply to Sussex
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Pupils get a message from past
PRIMARY school children have been enthralled by the discovery of a hidden time capsule – uncovered for the second time in their school’s history. Workers removing an old foundation stone, which had formed a focal point for children at Thornley
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Beached whale 'probably got lost', expert says
A 44FT sperm whale which became beached probably died because it got lost, a marine expert involved in the rescue bid said today. The 20-tonne adult male was stranded on Redcar beach in Cleveland and reported to police at 6.10am, sparking a
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Appeal after teenager sexually assaulted on Darlington bus
POLICE in Darlington are appealing for witnesses after a girl was sexually assaulted on a bus. The incident is said to have happened on May 24 on an Arriva double-deck vehicle, service number 1B travelling from Woodlands Road in Darlington, to Bishop
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Investigation launched into Whitby bouncy castle disaster
AN ENVIRONMENTAL health department have launched an investigation into a horrific bouncy castle incident at the weekend. An official in the Scarborough Borough Council department said he had "never seen a case as serious before". The accident happened
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Walker released from hospital after hit and run motorcycle collision
A ELDERLY woman who was injured by a hit and run motorcyclist while out walking has been released from hospital. The 75-year-old, who has not been named, was crossing the B1257 Helmsley to Stokesley road, near the Clay Bank car park, in North Yorkshire
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Benks breaks record again
FOR the second successive match Dale Benkenstein broke a Durham record he already held as he and Ben Stokes took the total to 403 for three at lunch against Lancashire, a lead of 90. Having held the record for the fourth-wicket stand with
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Expansion plans facing rejection
PLANNERS are advising councillors to reject proposals that would create almost 500 jobs in the North-East because it could affect neighbouring town centres. An application to expand Dalton Park complex, in Murton, near Peterlee, County Durham,
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Job offer is dream come true for Fay
A BEAUTY therapy student has secured a coveted position at one of the region’s most exclusive spas. Faye Robinson, 24, from Marske, North Yorkshire, has become junior therapist at Rockliffe Hall, in Hurworth, near Darlington. She was among
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Tractor spectacular at country hall estate
THE mechanical monsters of the agricultural world will be converging on North Yorkshire later this month - to mark the nation’s first-ever National Tractor Day. Newby Hall near Ripon will be hosting the spectacular event on June 12, in association with
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‘Music is my language’
With her beautiful voice, singer Patricia Hammond could make millions in record sales. Instead she devotes a lot of time to bringing joy to care home residents. Sharon Griffiths talks to her. SINGERS are used to performing in concert halls,
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Stockton
SINCE word of the £20m redevelopment of Stockton High Street appeared in February, we have strongly supported the stall-holders, business premises and citizens in their objection to the move to shrink, and virtually destroy, Stockton’s 700-year
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Grace and favour
ONCE again people seem to be hell bent on bashing trades unions as in Jim Tague’s letter (HAS, May 30). Perhaps the “free” office space he refers to is actually office space given to trades union representatives under a facilities agreement to
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Drinking in pubs
I AM an alcoholic in my 25th year of recovery. Having pubs open 24 hours would not have solved my problem. I spent two months in hospital in 1987 and, although it cost the country a lot of money, I believe that 25 years later – with only a handful
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Cost cutting
THERE is far too much emphasis on cost-cutting in the public sector. As a result, vital services like benefits and tax, that used to be administered locally have been moved away and centralised. It’s now anybody’s guess where they are. Vital hospital
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Where are Hardwick's ducks?
MY wife and I were invited to Sunday lunch at Hardwick Hall, near Sedgefield, and after a super meal we had a walk through Hardwick country park, which is just next to the hall. We have not been to the park since it has been revamped with new
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Libya
I AGREE from an international point of view it would be good to see the end of the Gaddafi regime in Libya. The resolution of the United Nations that there should be a no-fly zone for the regime’s warplanes was one that should have been supported
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Alien encounter
FOR brightening up many a dull morning, I think that Christopher Wardell deserves his own column. Something on the lines of Ripley’s “Believe It Or Not”, perhaps it should be called “Try To Believe It, or Don’t”. His outburst, last week (HAS,
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Social care
AGE UK’s report has finally provided the damning evidence needed to force the Government to act on social care spending. The Independent Care Group (York and North Yorkshire) has argued for years that social care has never been properly funded,
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New mayor's backing for Sir Bobby
A NEW mayor showed his support for Sir Bobby Robson’s cancer charity at his first official civic engagement. Councillor Les Thomson, the new Mayor of Durham, and Mayoress Lucille Thomson were guests of honour alongside Lady Elsie Robson at an Inner Wheel
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Shocking case of Baby P
AS an avid reader of newspapers all my life and as a writer for newspapers for the best part of 50 years, I would have thought by now that nothing reported came as much of a surprise to me. All my friends in this business – and pleasure – of journalism
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Education is the key
TOBACCO companies are masters of marketing. In the Thirties and Forties, they used Hollywood stars such as Clark Gable and Bette Davies to advertise cigarettes. In the Fifties, they sponsored popular television and in the Seventies and Eighties
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Double the luck
As an exhibition sheds new light on the North-East’s links to ancient royalty, Alex Mace looks at how the region has embraced the remarkable story of its own Anglo-Saxon princess. IN archaeological terms, it was the equivalent of seeing lightning strike
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Cafe with iconic name is back in business
ONE of the oldest and most iconic names has returned to the streets of a North-East town after a three-year absence. After passing from the descendants of Italian pioneers in recent years to a lawyer and then Hungarian emigrants, Darlington’s
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Philharmonia Orchestra, The Sage Gateshead
A capacity audience at The Sage Gateshead had the rare privilege of seeing the esteemed maestro Lorin Maazel taking the Philharmonia Orchestra on the next stage of a marathon journey through the Mahler symphony cycle. French pianist Lise de la Salle,
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Campsite search for horse fair travellers
POLICE are searching for fields to let travellers camp in as thousands are expected to pass through the region on their way to an annual horse fair. Many families travelling in horsedrawn carts have already set off for Appleby Fair, being held in
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Writer helps to celebrate independent bookshops
A WELL-known novelist is playing her part in Independent Booksellers Week, which runs from June 18 to 25. The week is a celebration of independent bookshops and writer Sheila Quigley, from the Sunderland area, will be starting things off at Hambleton
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Nanton shines at Redcar
NANTON rolled back the years to take the spoils in the totepool Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar. The Jim Goldie-trained veteran defied top weight in the valuable 10-furlong handicap with an ultragame display in the hands of Danny Tudhope. Goldie’s 25-
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Speedway’s self sacrifical author pens another mucky book
JEFF SCOTT, the man who tries to do for speedway what Ian Holloway did for Blackpool FC – promotion against all the odds – has published yet another mucky book. Mike Amos features frequently. Mike Amos, it says, is prolifically prodigious. Mike
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Practical science brings pupils of all ages together
CHILDREN have been learning about the appliance of science at a special event bringing together college and primary school students. Pupils from Osmotherley, Swainby and Potto CE Primary School spent the time at Northallerton College enjoying a fun-filled
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Sauce to pour it on
PETER CHAPPLE-HYAM’S Whey Sauce should find life a little easier than of late when she tackles the Lord Nelson Maiden Stakes at Yarmouth. Having finished fourth in a hot Newmarket maiden on her debut last year, she was then pitched in against
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New home for cadet squadron
A CADET squadron has moved into a new headquarters. The 234 City of Durham Air Cadets squadron has moved into a newly refurbished annex behind the Reserve Forces and Cadets Association (RFCA) building, on Old Elvet, in Durham City. To mark the move,
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Wonderful Webb puts Northern League date before Wembley
FIRSTLY, an apology – or as the constabulary might suppose it, a confession. When Saturday’s column talked of “World Cup referee Howard Wilkinson”, it’s possible – as approximately half the readership noticed – that we meant Howard Webb. It
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Playground memorial to hero soldier
THE former school of a North-East serviceman killed in Afghanistan is installing a permanent memorial to the fatherof- three in its playground. The Friends of St Andrew’s Primary School group, in Bishop Auckland, have arranged the installation
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Pupils get a message from the past
PRIMARY school children have been enthralled by the discovery of a hidden time capsule – uncovered for the second time in their school’s history. Workers removing an old foundation stone, which had formed a focal point for children at Thornley
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Stranded whale dies on Redcar beach
A 35-FOOT whale died this morning after becoming beached. Despite efforts by RSPCA and RNLI staff, the creature died just after 9am this morning at Redcar Beach, East Cleveland. The RNLI was alerted by Cleveland Police of the
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Counting the cost of axing free travel
CATHOLIC anger is mounting after the North-East’s biggest council axed free transport to faith schools. Durham County Council, which faces cuts of £125m by 2015, axed the £2.2m-a-year subsidy last week, despite huge protest from parents, teachers
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Brian goes the extra 100 miles for Jo and Mya
A MAN has walked more than 100 miles in three days to raise money in memory of a mother and daughter who died in a car crash. Brian Baines raised more than £1,000 walking from Maryport, in Cumbria, to HMS Trincomalee, in Hartlepool, in three days
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Heavy smoker praises hospital for help
A HEAVY smoker is determined to kick his habit in a bid to ensure he spends more time with his young daughter. Peter MacGregor is down to smoking fewer than ten cigarettes a day after spending 40 years smoking and reaching between 50 and 80
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Council apology after benefit cash shake-up
COUNCIL chiefs have apologised after they left hundreds of the North-East’s poorest people out of pocket without warning. Durham County Council changed the day it pays housing benefits to people in Weardale and Teesdale whose surnames start
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Blaze hotel gets back to former glory
EXTERNAL building work on a hotel that was partially destroyed by fire in 2008 is due to be completed by the end of the summer. Outside restoration of the King’s Hotel, in Darlington town centre, is expected to be finished by September, when
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Meet the gang
It may have rained on their parades, but the weather failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the crowds at two traditional North-East events. Andy Walker and Ian Noble report. Pictures: Doug Jackson. THOUSANDS of people – young, old and everyone in between
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Pardew targets midfield improvements as Cabaye deal is done
WITH France international Yohan Cabaye having agreed to join Newcastle, and fellow Lille midfielder Gervinho also pondering the offer of a move to St James' Park, Alan Pardew admits he is targeting players with the creativity and guile that was
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Inquiry after man dies in fire
POLICE have confirmed that a fire that left a 20- year-old man dead was not suspicious. The man, named as Craig Westhorp, became trapped as the fire gutted the house in Formby Close, Hartlepool, in the early hours of yesterday. A 40-
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Review conclusion over bomb tragedy
A POLICE review of the force’s response to a major car bomb incident has concluded it was “absolutely appropriate”. The explosion in Hartlepool, which killed 58-year-old David Bagley, was one of the biggest incidents Cleveland Police have dealt
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Father's horror as bouncy castle lifted
A FATHER last night told how he watched in horror as a bouncy castle came loose from its pegs, throwing his son into the air. Koby Dakin, seven, suffered serious injuries in the incident during a christening celebration at the White House Hotel
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Woman injured by hit and run biker
AN elderly woman is in hospital with serious injuries after being involved in a hit-and-run incident. The 75-year-old, who has not been named, was crossing the B1257 Helmsley to Stokesley road, in North Yorkshire, at about 5.20pm, on Sunday
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Germ warfare as firm develops bacteria to combat toilet bugs
GERM warfare will be used to ensure a pub chain's toilets smell fresh after a technological breakthrough by a Tees Valley firm. Good bacteria are used to battle and destroy dirty germs that gather in toilets in the technology developed by bio-cleaning
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Teenager Jack wins young player of the year award
Teenager Jack Honour won the Northern League’s young player of the season award thanks to an outstanding first campaign in the league. Even though he was only 16 when the season started, he went on to make 40 appearances and scored six goals in the second
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"Growing pains" were leukaemia
A SCHOOLGIRL suffering from cancer was initially told it was merely growing pains. When Sophie Huntingdon, 14, saw a doctor in October last year after suffering from aches in her knees, she was told the discomfort was down to her development
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Campaigners fume at new designer cigarette
CAMPAIGNERS, MPs and a leading doctor in the region have criticised a cigarette manufacturer for what they claim is a “scheming, calculating and cynical” approach to targeting young women. The launch of the super slim cigarettes has been branded
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Ground Force at Elizabeth House Scorton
THE Families and Friends of Abbey Care, a charity support group, made up of the families and friends of the residents of Abbey Care, have been raising funds for the of the residents of the Dementia care home in Scorton, North Yorkshire. The Families
