Archive
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Praise for chemical spill response
QUICK thinking environment officers and firefighters have been praised for stopping a chemical spillage from becoming an ecological disaster. Officials were called to the roundabout between the A68 and A6888 on the outskirts of Bishop Auckland on Wednesday
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Three arrests in rogue trading operation
THREE men have been arrested by trading standards officers investigation allegations of elderly people being conned into paying for gardening work. The men, from the Darlington area, were arrested by North Yorkshire trading standards as part of Operation
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Skin cancer survivor back in business
A BEAUTY therapist who survived skin cancer is hitting the road with her mobile salon business. Lyndsey Robinson, from Darlington, offers a range of beauty services in people's homes, including spray tanning, body massages, facials, manicures and
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Town park included in alcohol ban area
PLANS to help police crackdown on loutish, alcoholfuelled behaviour in a popular Darlington park have been announced. Proposals to give police greater discretionary powers to stop people drinking alcohol and confiscate it in Darlington town centre
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Prison warning for church vandals
THIEVES who caused thousands of pounds of damage to a Saxon church have been warned they could face a lengthy spell of imprisonment. Yesterday, Darlington Magistrates' Court was told how Matthew Alfred Swinbank and Kalvin Francis Lennox targeted
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MP helps students celebrate achievements
ACCOMPLISHED secondary school students were recognised last night at an awards ceremony attended by Darlington's MP. Guest speaker Jenny Chapman MP presented awards to pupils at Hummersknott School in various categories, including for the highest
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Council debates report on suicide prevention
BETTER education and removing stigma attached to getting help with trauma and mental health problems could help prevent suicide in Darlington, a report has said. Groups at high risk of taking their own lives were identified as people with alcohol
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We Need To Talk About Kevin (15)
Stars: Tilda Swinton, Ezra Miller, John C Reilly, Siobhan Fallon, Ashley Gerasimovich, Jasper Newell Director: Lynne Ramsay Running time: 112 mins THE testing plot documents the aftermath of a senseless high school massacre from the perspective
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Contagion (12A)
Stars: Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Jennifer Ehle, Laurence Fishburne, Elliott Gould, John Hawkes, Jude Law, Demetri Martin, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Anna Jacoby-Heron, Griffin Kane Director: Steven Soderbergh Running time: 106 mins
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Monte Carlo (PG)
Stars: Selena Gomez, Leighton Meester, Katie Cassidy, Cory Monteith, Pierre Boulanger, Luke Bracey, Catherine Tate, Andie MacDowell, Brett Cullen Director: Thomas Bezucha Running time:104 mins GRACE Bennett (Selena Gomez) graduates from
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Stranger on the shore
Tina Gharavi talks to Steve Pratt about the complex methods required to make a film about Iranians living in the UK. A DECADE ago South Shields-based filmmaker Tina Gharavi made a C4 documentary, Mother/Country, about returning to Iran after
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Take me I’m yours
Squeeze founder Glenn Tilbrook tells Viv Hardwick about the clever idea of offering fans a copy of each night’s performance straight after the show. GLENN Tilbrook fans at The Sage, Gateshead, Stockton’s ARC and York’s Duchess for next month
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Tyneside goes green
TYNESIDE Irish festival bursts into life this weekend, at a variety of venues in central Newcastle. It’s always a lively and varied series of events, and among those taking part this year are The Wildcats of Kilkenny, Heidi Talbot, Sharon Shannon
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Grieg: Music for String Orchestra (Naxos 8.572403)
These compositions often owe their origin to poetic inspiration or to mountain vistas. The Malmo Symphony, conducted by Bjarte Engeset, give lush renditions of music from the Holberg Suite.
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Busoni Piano Concerto (Naxos 8.572523)
This work was completed in 1904 and remains the longest piano concerto to have been heard in public. Piano, orchestra and male chorus convey extraordinary synthesis of Austro-German and Italian impulses. Roberto Cappello, who triumphed at the
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Jaguar recalls 18,000 X-Types over cruise control problem
LUXURY car company Jaguar is recalling almost 18,000 cars due to a cruise control problem. The problem affects diesel-engined X-type models from 2006 to 2010 and relates to the fact that in some circumstances the cruise control may not respond to the
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Quiet, but will hybrid Lexus make a noise in the marketplace?
RUNNING your father down is not the way to ensure receipt of inheritance. I made a mental note of that after he almost found himself beneath the wheels of the Lexus. The act was not a deliberate one, I hasten to point out. Nor
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Blown away by the Insignia VXR
I AM always getting told that I don’t do enough in the garden. And with summer having given way to autumn there’s plenty of work to be done. Not least clearing away the leaves that seem to fall incessantly from the sky at this time of year to congregate
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Stan Tracey Quartet/A Child’s Christmas Jazz Suite (ReSteamed Records RSJ111)
Stan Tracey’s first new composition for ten years draws inspiration from Dylan Thomas’ famous short story. Simon Allen and Clark Tracey join Stan and Andrew Cleyndert together with Stan’s grandson, Ben Tracey, who provides the narration. It’s
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Steve Melling-Clark Tracey Special Septet/Special One (Melljazz MJCD007)
This fine group was a great success at Darlington Arts Centre in 2009 and it’s a pleasure to hear their new CD. Alongside pianist Steve Melling and drummer Clark Tracey are Mark Armstrong trumpets, Simon Allen alto sax, Dave O’Higgins alternating
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Eric Church: Chief (Humphead Records)
THEY say the musical world is a strange old business. If further proof be needed, it’s hard to believe that a new album by Eric Church has gone to Number One in both the Billboard 200 and the Top Country Albums Charts but, as yet, he’s not had a
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Three arrests in 'rogue traders' probe
THREE men have been arrested by trading standards officers investigation allegations of conning elderly people into paying for gardening work. The men, from the Darlington area, were arrested by officers from North Yorkshire trading standards as part
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Sensitive subject
ACTOR George Costigan didn’t need to think about it when he was offered a role in ITV1’s soap Emmerdale. “The producer explained what the storyline was and he was offering to pay me money to do something I’ve been doing for 42 years – which is
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Public air concerns about electoral boundary changes
MEMBERS of the public have expressed their dismay at the proposed changes to the electoral boundaries in North Yorkshire, amid concerns that community ties could be damaged. The Boundary Commission hosted a meeting in Northallerton as part of a three
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Big Society welcomed, but not at any cost - say councillors
COMMUNITIES should be encouraged to take a Big Society approach to saving local amenities, but North Yorkshire County Council can’t afford to get involved, councillors have said. The authority has commissioned a report that looks at how community groups
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Figures show North Yorkshire is one of the safest places in the UK
NORTH Yorkshire remains one of the safest places in the country to live and work, according to a new report which shows the county has low levels of recorded crimes. Figures from a Home Office report showed that overall levels of crime in North Yorkshire
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County council to take over on-street parking enforcement
BOSSES at a county council have agreed to take on responsibility for parking enforcement for the first time in the authority’s history after rising complaints about illegal and inconsiderate parking. The move will allow officials from North Yorkshire
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Win British Rallycross Grand Prix tickets at Croft
TOP-CLASS rallycross returns to the region next month when Croft Circuit hosts the prestigious British Rallycross Grand Prix on November 5-6. The event will mark the popular sport’s return to North Yorkshire after a two-year absence and feature
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India take firm grip on one-day series
IMPROVED England narrowed the margin of defeat to five wickets in the third oneday international, but lost the series 3-0 as India chased almost 300 at the Punjabi CA Stadium. Ajinkya Rahane (91) outdid the sheet-anchor tempo of Jonathan Trott
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Doubts raised as Clarke hails deal
FOOTBALL League chairman Greg Clarke hailed English football’s new Elite Player Performance Plan as ‘‘a major step forward’’ after the organisation’s member clubs approved the proposals. The plans were passed by a margin of 46 to 22 at yesterday
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Darlington complete double striker swoop
DARLINGTON have completed a double transfer swoop after James Gray and Nialle Rodney both arrived at the Northern Echo Arena. Former Middlesbrough academy player Gray, son of ex-Sunderland star Phil, has signed for Quakers on a non-contract basis after
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Union defends players
THE RUGBY Players Association insist individual players should not be ‘‘hung out to dry’’ in the fall-out from England’s disappointing World Cup campaign and claimed there had been ‘‘misinformation fed into the press’’ which had blown incidents
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270 rockets seized at two houses
MORE than 270 rockets have been seized in a haul of fireworks by police. Officers from Cleveland Police swooped on two addresses in South Bank, near Middlesbrough, yesterday. Inspector Guy Hall said: "We will be continuing to seize unlawfully-held
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College staff training for charity run
MORE than 50 staff from a Hartlepool secondary school are taking part in a charity run. Staff from High Tunstall College of Science, known as Team Tunstall, will compete in the Great Langdale Christmas Pudding Run 10k race in December. Assistant
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Success of mental health service
PEOPLE suffering from mental health problems are discovering that it's good to talk in trying to overcome their stress and anxiety. Since its launch two years ago, Tees Time to Talk has helped more than 11,400 people who have been referred to the
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Facebook option helps find dogs a home
LOST and abandoned dogs have been given their own Facebook pages by dog wardens looking to find them a new home. Hartlepool dog wardens have launched the dedicated dog re-homing service page on Facebook and it is already proving very popular.
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Water sports centre saved from closure
A WATER sports training centre, run by a charity to help young people on Teesside, has been saved from the threat of closure. The Water Activity Centre, based at Hartlepool Marina and run by not-for-profit organisation the West View Project (WVP),
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Man found dead after taxi hits tree in Hartlepool
A MAN was found dead in a taxi this morning after the vehicle collided with a tree. Police are appealing for witnesses after the accident off Stockton Road westbound near to Newton Bewley in Hartlepool. "A man in the vehicle was pronounced dead at the
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All clear after powder scare in Darlington
POLICE have launched an inquiry after Darlington's Student Loans Company office had to be evacuated when a member of staff opened an envelope and white powder came out. Emergency services were called to the firm's offices at Lingfield Point
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CAROLS OF LIGHT CONCERT
County Durham Community Foundation is supporting Durham Cathedral and SAFC Foundation with a very special concert being staged on 8th December at the Cathedral - entitled Carols of Light. The event will be produced by legendary lyracist Sir Tim Rice
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Coming Up Rosettes
A Teesdale restaurant has been awarded two AA Rosettes. The Oak Tree Inn at Hutton Magna near Barnard Castle was given the award following a visit by AA hotel and restaurant inspectors in recognition of their high standards of catering and service.
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Date set for detective's murder trial
A PROVISIONAL date was set today for the trial of a former police detective charged with murdering his partner. Peter Foster, 35, is accused of killing Detective Constable Heather Cooper, 33, formerly of York, at their home in West Street,
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Cross country contest attracts 1,000 pupils
MORE than 1,000 youngsters took part in an annual cross country run competition. The fifth annual Whole School Cross Country event was held at St Leonard’s Catholic School, in Durham City, on Thursday, October 13. The event was organised
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BHA announce jockey whip rule changes
THE British Horseracing Authority has announced major changes to the controversial new whip regulations - including the removal of the five-hit rule inside the final furlong/after the last obstacle. Jockeys have struggled to come to terms with the guidelines
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Loanee praised by boss Cooper
MARK Cooper believes Chris Atkinson is beginning to show Darlington fans what he is capable of after the midfielder endured a difficult start to his loan spell at the Northern Echo Arena. Atkinson joined Quakers on a six-month loan deal from League
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RA appeal for more support on big Vase day
Darlington RA have appealed to local fans to come along and support them as they enjoy their best season for several years. The RA have been one of the surprise packages of this second division season, playing some bright football along the way. They
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Changes planned to Tykes' coaching staff
Change at Yorkshire will come in the form of a brand new coaching structure. All of Yorkshire's current coaching staff, bar director of professional cricket Martyn Moxon, have been told to reapply for their jobs in a move that will see five become
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Dunston can go joint second
Dunston UTS could go joint second if they win at Billingham Synthonia on Saturday. Dunston lost their unbeaten record last week, and manager Billy Irwin adds defender Micky Robson and striker Steve Goddard to their squad. Synners, who are in eighth
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Easington over the worst
Easington appear to be over their crisis, and expect to fulfil their second division fixture at home to Whickham on Saturday. Easington couldn’t raise a team to play Gillford Park last Saturday and as a consequence are facing a heavy fine and points
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Whinfield Primary School classrooms.
WHINFIELD PRIMARY School is now using the three new classrooms built to replace the portakabins, originally put up in 2001. Their official opening will be in November, the exact date is yet to be decided. Head teacher Mrs. Sheila Williams said:
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FA Vase: "We must be at our best" says Dixon
West Auckland manager Peter Dixon says that his side will have to be at their best to advance in the FA Vase when they tackle Shildon in the first round on Saturday. Previous games between the two clubs have been eventful affairs, and Dixon
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Cameron rules out air tax cut
DAVID Cameron yesterday killed stone dead any hopes of a tax cut for passengers flying from the region's airports - despite a reduction in Northern Ireland. The prime minister ruled out a rethink over looming hikes to air passenger duty (APD
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"Put kids before cash", heads tell Government
A HEADTEACHERS’ leader last night urged the Government to put “kids before cash” at a rally in the region. Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), was addressing union members in Chester-le-Street
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Neighbours tell inquest of fatal end to stand-off
WITNESSES have given their accounts of the events leading up to the death of a father-of-two who was killed by a police marksman. Neighbours of Keith Richards yesterday told an inquest jury of a stand-off between police and the 47- year-old at
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Anger as jail privatisation a step closer
THE privatisation of three North-East prisons will move a step closer today with the Government launching a search to find new operators. Conservative Justice Secretary Ken Clarke announced plans to hand management of nine prisons, including
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£100,000 fraud case "unfair"
BARRISTERS for four men accused of being part of a plot to defraud a council have described the case against them as “contradictory”, “unconvincing” and “full of holes”. The scathing remarks were made during closing speeches by defence lawyers
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Groups are getting ready to "occupy"
THE region could be set for a wave of New Yorkstyle protests against the way the Government is handling the nation’s debt crisis. Groups have formed in Darlington, Middlesbrough and Northallerton, in North Yorkshire, to protest against Government
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Offender should repair my damaged house - landlord
A LANDLORD has called for a teenager who smashed up his property to be put to work repairing the damage. Yesterday, Lee Andrew Davis admitted smashing up his rented house in Darlington leaving his landlord with a £18,500 repair bill. Footage
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Pub's spot of bother
A LANDLORD has found himself in the doghouse with some village residents after he gave his pub an unusual makeover. Simon Adamson, owner of the Spotted Dog, in High Coniscliffe, near Darlington, used the name of the pub as inspiration for a new
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Pardew feeling Magpies fans' warmth
NEWCASTLE UNITED boss Alan Pardew thinks he is winning the battle with the fans to be respected on Tyneside, ten months after supporters were left unconvinced by his appointment. If the Magpies can extend their unbeaten start to 11 matches
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Injuries mount up for Mowbray
TONY Mowbray will be without several first-team players for tomorrow's game with Derby County, but the Middlesbrough manager is confident those who come in can get his side back to winning ways. After suffering their first defeat of the season at Nottingham
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Murray admits he is looking for his best form
Paul Murray openly admits he has yet to find his top form for Hartlepool United yet this season. The central midfielder has made 11 starts this campaign and played his part in Pools' nine-game unbeaten run from the start of the season. He has also started
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My links with the Klan are in past, says tattooist
A NORTH-EAST tattooist exposed as a leader of the British wing of the Ku Klux Klan has claimed he cut his ties with the notorious white supremacist group because his grandchildren are of mixed race. Police have questioned Chris Hopgood, who admitted
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Retailer to upgrade 45 stores next year
RETAILER Debenhams has announced a ten per cent increase in profits as plans to create a flagship store in Darlington press ahead. The company has revealed it will refurbish its Middlesbrough store as part of an acceleration of its modernisation
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No decision on air traffic control plans
AIRPORT bosses have yet to make a decision on where its air traffic control will be based after agreeing on an improved safety system allowing a wind farm to be built. The Banks Group reached agreement with Durham Tees Valley Airport for a
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A Mad Dog world
FOR four decades the wilful, mercurial figure of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi ruled Libya with an iron grip while remaining a persistent thorn in the side of the West. Branded “mad dog” by Ronald Reagan, the outlandish antics, flamboyant dress and
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The day a dictator died in his home town dust
MUAMMAR GADDAFI, who ruled Libya with an iron fist for 42 years, was killed yesterday as rebel troops overran the last pockets of loyalist resistance in his home town of Sirte. Images of a blood-stained man thought to be Gaddafi being dragged
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KLM shows support for the region's airports
AIRLINE KLM last night pledged its support for Durham Tees Valley but revealed it has no plans to bring more flights to the embattled airport. Backing from Durham Tees Valley's most important client was a positive sign for recently-appointed airport
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Turner getting back in to the groove
HAVING been one of the many changes Steve Bruce has been forced to introduce already this season, fit-again Michael Turner thinks the sooner Sunderland have a settled team the better for the club's Premier League chances. The Black Cats
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Wind sector cluster group aims to drive North-East to front of industry
NORTH-East firms involved in the fast growing offshore wind sector have formed their own cluster group to put the region at the forefront of the industry. Last night the 19 companies announced they had formed Energi Coast, through which they will work
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Tragic soldier's six gifts of life
A HERO soldier has saved six lives after donating his organs following his untimely death. Sergeant Steve Smith was tasked with protecting lives during his 16 years’ service in the Armed Forces and survived warzones unscathed, only to be killed
