Archive
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Legal aid cuts put women at risk, says Bishop Auckland MP
THOUSANDS of women will ''suffer in silence'' as a result of the Government's plans to cut legal aid to the victims of domestic violence, a North-East MP claimed tonight. Bishop Auckland MP Helen Goodman said some 20,000 victims of domestic
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Halloween party at Tenlands
VISITORS AT Tenlands Care Centre Ferryhill, near Darlington, were in for a Halloween fright today. Ghoulish themes decorated the entrance to the care home, run by Manager Karen Davison. There were even pumpkin lanterns hanging on the tree outside
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Shields knocked out of Durham Challenge Cup
South Shields were tonight knocked out of the Durham Challenge Cup by holders Gateshead. The Heed opened the scoring through Nathan Fisher with a shot into the bottom corner after 33 minutes. David Short made it 2-0 from the edge of the box on the second
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Quadruplet surprise for young mum
A young mum who fell pregnant unexpectedly is shocked after discovering she is having not one surprise baby - but four. Excited mum Adele Jelley, 24, who already has one daughter aged four, has just found out she is expecting quadruplets at odds of more
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Driver denies killing Good Samaritan
A driver has denied killing a Good Samaritan who was run over while going to help an injured motorcyclist. Steven Black, 27, of The Ridings, Kenton, Newcastle, pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and a charge of dangerous driving during a brief hearing
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Sister of boxer Tony Jeffries knocked out at underage nightclub
An Olympic boxer's teenage sister is recovering after she was knocked out at an underage club night. Lucy Jeffries, 15, the sister of Tony Jeffries who won bronze for Great Britain in 2008, was punched unconscious and left with two black eyes after going
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Taylor in, Tiote out for Magpies
STEVEN TAYLOR has been passed fit to face Stoke City for Newcastle United tonight - but there is no place for Cheik Tiote.Taylor has been given the go-ahead to face the Potters at the Britannia Stadium, despite fracturing his nose nine days ago, and he
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Headlights
SEE and be seen was a safety slogan for some years, with particular emphasis on cyclists. I think it was quite a successful campaign with a variety of clothing and luminous paint on bicycles becoming very prominent and easy to see. However, I
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Could Britain be left out?
THANK goodness the various European leaders saw sense and came up with a possible 11th hour solution to the Eurozone crisis in Brussels. I say “possible” because no one is quite sure just how certain we can be that all the bail outs, bank funds
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Prize freeze
ENERGY company EDF says it is freezing prices for the second consecutive winter. So how come it is sending out millions of letters informing customers that from November 10 it is increasing its prices? EDF must have got mixed up with the meaning
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Colonel Gaddafi
IN answer to John Gilmore (HAS, Oct 24), Colonel Gaddafi’s death was an act of retribution for all of the men, women and children he had tortured and then murdered without trial. It was also for all the soldiers and citizens who were shot or blown
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Litter
DARLINGTON people love to grumble about pigeon droppings, but they’re only in a few places and easily cleaned up. People’s litter mostly doesn’t decompose and it is a full-time job to clear up. They also prefer to forget that pigeons played a
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Boundary changes
IT seems that county councillor M Dixon (Echo, Oct 24) is like a few more councillors – along with Sedgefield’s MP Phil Wilson – running scared of the boundaries change. They will have to work for their seats. Has he forgotten what happens when
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Susan Willis
REGARDING the letter about homosexuality written by Susan Willis (HAS, Oct 25). To everyone who wrote in condemning the letter I’d like to say: Hear All Sides means exactly that. Gary McTeer, Darlington.
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Veggie option
I AM just one of the hundreds of thousands of people throughout the UK who has chosen to follow a vegan diet and will be celebrating my compassionate choice this November, which is designated National Vegan Month – an annual initiative that promotes
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Hearing all sides of the debate
OUR letters page has been called “Hear All Sides” for as long as I can remember – and it has that title for a reason. We try to allow as broad a range of views to be aired as possible. But when should letters be censored for fear of
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Easing the care burden
WE sympathise with Peter Wiffen who is facing an increase of 400 per cent in day care costs for his wife who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. A little over a year ago, the cost of treatment for 76-year-old Evelyn was £10 for a daily session at the
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October 31, 2011
MY ‘FRIEND’ I think he’s rather horrid, I was told he was my friend. But the only time he’s happy is when I spend and spend He knows my strengths and weaknesses, he knows that when I’m blue That the only thing to cheer me up is
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Ghostly goings on
BACK in the late Sixties my father was the station officer at HM Coastguard, Hartlepool. The lookout station was directly in front of the Heugh lighthouse. One night, about 2am, it was raining and windy. He had just finished writing up his log
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Future jobs
THE Northern Echo recently highlighted the urgent need for engineers companies like Nissan have (Echo Oct 20). A couple of days later, the paper carried the excellent news that Darlington tops the GCSE rankings (Echo, Oct 25). One could, therefore
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Mum's the word
REGARDING Mrs J Scott’s letter (HAS, Oct 21) about mothers at home. Those mums who go out to work have helped grossly inflate house prices. Ever since the idea of a second income became the norm they’ve gone up steadily. So really they’re their
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Persecuted
SO the persecution of the taxi trade in Darlington continues unabated with drivers now receiving parking tickets for trying to rank up. Many local drivers are having to work up to 16-hour shifts to try to generate income to feed and clothe their
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Wall Street kerfuffle
As anti-capitalist demonstrations, modelled after New York’s Occupy Wall Street, are about to start in the North-East, Alli Pyrah spoke to demonstrators in Manhattan about the growth of the movement and their messages for protestors across the
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A Tiny world
Top Boy (C4, 10pm) Andy Hamilton’s Search for Satan (BBC4, 9pm) NO sooner has Ronan Bennett’s enigmatic thriller Hidden ended on BBC1 than he has a new drama series on C4. Top Boy is about children on an impoverished London council estate being
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Villagers oppose idea for care home in Heighington
PLANS to build a care home in a village could be shelved after residents overwhelmingly rejected the idea. The idea for a care home was first included in Heighington's parish plan more than five years ago, but was not classed as a priority because
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Breast scratched in row over split
A TEENAGER scratched his ex-girlfriend's left breast with a house key when she ended their tempestuous year-long relationship, a court heard yesterday. The girl had refused to give back the keys to her ex-lover's flat after they had broken up only
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ID cards to be available at drop-ins
YOUNG people can register for a new proof of age card at one of four drop-in sessions. The Safe Durham Partnership's ID4U scheme enables people aged 14 to 25 to prove their age when buying certain goods or services without having to carry a driving
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Charity furniture supplier to expand
A CHARITY that recycles and sells low cost household goods to needy people plans to expand. The Chilton-based County Durham Furniture Help Scheme hopes to open a new base serving the Durham Dales by the end of November. The charity collects second
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Take steps to deter winter burglars
POLICE are warning residents to take extra steps this winter to protect their homes from burglars. As part of their Winter Nights campaign, officers are urging householders across County Durham to leave a light on when their homes are unoccupied,
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Pupils join biggest school trip
CHILDREN from a village school will take part in the country's biggest school trip next week. Howden-le-Wear Primary School pupils will visit Life, the science-based attraction in Newcastle, as part of The Co-operative's week-long programme of events
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Scrolls of thanks for town stalwarts
A TOWN has shown its appreciation for the contribution to their community of two women. Spennymoor Town Council awarded scrolls of honour to the Reverend Lynda Gough and Beatrice Newell in recognition of the part they have played in local life.
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Scary clown rumours are unfounded say police
CLAIMS a man dressed as a clown is spooking North-East communities appear unfounded, according to police. Rumours are rife on Facebook and Twitter of a man sitting in people’s gardens across Durham, tapping on windows and even slashing at people
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US military honours soldier from the North-East
A PARATROOPER from the region who administered first aid to casualties following a bomb blast in Afghanistan has been awarded a medal by the American military. Lance Corporal Stephen Lewis, of 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, was working
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Goalkeeping fears for Bruce
STEVE BRUCE will spend the next 48 hours assessing goalkeeper options amid fears he will have only one recognised first team shot-stopper available for Saturday’s trip to Manchester United. Belgian No 1 Simon Mignolet needed CT scans after suffering
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Match Report: Sunderland 2 Aston Villa 2
Sunderland 2 Aston Villa 2 IT was a day to sadden the old and an outing to remember for the new. While Darren Bent fluffed his lines on his unwelcome first return to Wearside, the Sunderland supporters who turned up to abuse him had a couple of
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Durham taxi changes have 'created a monster' - cabbies
COUNCIL-imposed changes which have led to taxis flooding a city centre until the early hours have ‘created a monster’, cabbies have claimed. Durham County Council deregulated the taxi trade, allowing unlimited numbers of vehicles to operate in the city
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Bridge-Wilkinson pleased to be back on teamsheet
DARLINGTON may not have got the result that they wanted on Saturday, but Marc Bridge-Wilkinson enjoyed his recall after being frozen out of action in the final games of Mark Cooper’s tenure. The playmaker was one of Quakers’ key performers last
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'Bent hurt by chants'
DARREN BENT was just as upset about the the reaction of Sunderland’s supporters towards him as he was about missing a glorious chance to put Aston Villa ahead, according to team-mate Stilyan Petrov. Bent was given a rough ride from the moment
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Cooper favourite to replace Cooper
COLIN COOPER is the front-runner for the Darlington job and it is likely the new manager will be installed before tomorrow’s FA Cup replay at Hinckley United. Cooper attended Saturday’s FA Cup tie at The Northern Echo Arena, a 1-1 draw with the
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Match Report: Darlington 1 Hinckley United 1
Darlington 1 Hinckley United 1 THE first training sessions under the new Darlington manager, whoever he turns out to be, could well involve some shooting practice. They have scored only 18 goals in 18 league games and Saturday’s 1-1
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The holidays are over…
Having spent most of October on holiday it was back to work this week and, of course, back to the blogs. It’s been a busy time in the village while I’ve been away, the most serious of which was the news that Arriva have announced that they
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Cable stolen from Esh Village
OVERHEAD metal cabling has been stolen near a north Durham pub. Police are appealing for information after the theft from a road next to the Board Inn near Esh Village. It is believed the theft happened in the early hours of Monday October 24 with cabling
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Newcastle footballer Nile Ranger charged over drinking
NEWCASTLE United footballer Nile Ranger has been arrested following a night out drinking with friends. Police arrested the striker in the early hours of yesterday morning in Newcastle's Cathedral Square. The 20-year-old, who has only just been reinstated
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Growth fund winners in the region
Among projects winning support are: Johnson Matthey plc, Teesside, for research and development and engineering resources for catalyst products Cummins, Darlington, for capital investment in diesel engine manufacturing Kromek
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Teesside author signs copies of new book
TEESSIDE author David Hay is signing copies of his book The Tower House at the weekend. Mr Hay, from Long Newton, near Stockton, will be at Waterstone's, in Darlington, on Saturday, from 11.30am. His novel, the story of an outgoing ten-year-old
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Lottery funds help improve pitches
PLAYING fields at three of the Stockton area's best-loved sports clubs are to be improved thanks to Olympic legacy grants. Billingham Synthonthia Cricket Club will receive £32,500, Billingham Rugby Union Club will be given £46,000, and £20,000 has
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Pupils working on skills to improve job prospects
TEENAGERS are being given the chance to learn new skills to help them secure employment in the future. The TTE Technical Training Group is working with St Peter's RC College of Maths and Computing, in South Bank, near Middlesbrough, to use its experience
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Boro boss has some fancy footwork
MIDDLESBROUGH FC manager Tony Mowbray put his feet up to help celebrate a pharmacy's 50th anniversary. The Boro boss was joined by Middlesbrough South MP Tom Blenkinsop and former Middlesbrough star Alan Peacock when Marton Pharmacy, in Middlesbrough
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Crackdown warning to youths
GANGS of youths are being warned not to congregate on the streets as a clampdown on anti-social behaviour begins. A dispersal order covering Eston and Ormesby came into force on Friday and runs until Sunday, covering Halloween and Bonfire Night.
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Unions oppose services merger
UNIONS will oppose proposals to either privatise or merge some council services as part of public sector cuts. Darlington and Hartlepool borough councils are preparing to debate different proposals to share some of their services that could save a
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Opinion still divided over countryside wind farm scheme
A FORMER village bobby has backed plans for a wind farm which had its initial planning permission quashed after campaigners launched a legal battle. David Foster has voiced his support for four turbines at Lambs Hill, to the west of Stillington
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Match Report: Darlington Mowden Park 49 Beverley 3
Darlington Mowden Park 49 Beverley 3 MOWDEN will be hoping that the weather doesn't change in tandem with the clocks because as long as they can play running rugby they will remain leaders of the pack in National Three North. They went five
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Growth fund set to create thousands of North-East jobs
THE North-East has emerged as one of the biggest winners from the Government's flagship job creation fund which has announced its second round of awards this morning. In total, 49 bids from this region have been pledged money from the Regional
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Boro unfazed by big names
WITH World Cup referee Dave Pearson in charge and former England captain Roger Uttley looking on, Middlesbrough must have felt they were moving in high circles at Team Northumbria on Saturday. There was no stage fright, however, as they eased
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Farm-friendly girls bare all for charity
THIRTEEN women got a good helping of fresh countryside air when they bared all for a charity calendar. The group of brave models from North Yorkshire and Teesdale, in County Durham, stripped off in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. Pictured
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Fury over 400% rise in cost of day care
THE husband of an elderly Alzheimer’s sufferer has accused a council of acting like “cowboy builders” after the cost of his wife’s day care went up by 400 per cent. Last night, the Alzheimer’s Society said the case of 76- year-old Evelyn Wiffen
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Trevor has a dead good time
MARK TWAIN once famously said: “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” In the North Yorkshire fishing village of Staithes yesterday, that could also be said by retired publican Trevor Readman. The 77-year-old grandfather decided
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Man who sent threatening message to rape victim's family escapes prison sentence
A YOUNG man who sent a threatening message to a rape victim’s relative narrowly escaped a prison sentence. James Westwood was told he added more misery to the “trauma and upset” of the victim and her family. Durham Crown Court was told
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Rural communities fight for fare deal as 'essential' bus services threatened
Rural communities in County Durham are fighting for the future of threatened bus services they say are essential. Catherine Priestley jumps aboard the number 95 to see for herself. I CUT a lonely figure as I wait in the centre of Middleton- in-Teesdale
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Crime against birds on the rise
A CONSERVATION charity has named North Yorkshire as the UK’s worst blackspot for crimes against birds of prey. The RSPB says species including the goshawk, red kite, hen harrier and peregrine falcon are being targeted across the county’s two
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Deadly gas still poses big danger
THREE out of five households in the North-East are not protected from a deadly gas, with people from the region the least aware in the UK that carbon monoxide poses a danger to heath, research has revealed. Figures show about 1.5 million
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Horsemen gather for first weekend of hunting season
HUNDREDS of horsemen, women and children embraced the autumnal chill and gathered in the great outdoors for the first weekend of the hunting season. Members of the Zetland Hunt, which straddles the border of County Durham and North Yorkshire
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Match Report: Hartlepool United 0 Charlton Athletic 4
WHEN Hartlepool United next meet Charlton, there's every chance the opposition will be lifting the League One title at The Valley on May 5. At the same time it's down to Pools whether they will be heading straight off to Benidorm to round off
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Taylor claims unity is the key to Newcastle's success
NEWCASTLE travel to Stoke tonight looking to leapfrog Chelsea to claim third position in the Premier League with talismanic defender Steven Taylor claiming off-field unity has been the key to the club's on-field success. The Magpies might
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CBI calls on Government to introduce employers incentive to take on youngsters
A LEADING business group called on North-East expertise ahead of a new report today (Monday) in which it outlines measures to tackle unemployment, particularly amongst young people. The CBI has called on the Government to introduce a new tax incentive
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Film shows grave dangers of river
THE family of a barman who drowned after jumping fully-clothed into a river are backing a hard-hitting film highlighting the dangers of a city’s waterways. Richard Horrocks died after leaping from a balcony into the River Ouse, in York, in
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Tributes to Flying Scotsman saviour
A BUSINESSMAN and steam enthusiast who spent three years restoring the iconic Flying Scotsman locomotive has died at the age of 55. Tributes have been paid to Dr Tony Marchington, who paid more than £1m for the famous LNER Class A3 4472 steam
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Murray calls for self-criticism
IN echoing his manager's sentiments, Paul Murray feels the only way the Hartlepool United squad can put an end to their problems is to take a close look at themselves. Pools lost their fifth game from six on Saturday as Charlton swept to a 4-0 Victoria
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Slashing victim helps save attacker from prison
A SLASHING victim helped to save her attacker from prison after telling a judge: “Sending her to jail would be detrimental to her children.” Louise Wardell was told by the judge at Teesside Crown Court that she owed thanks to the woman she
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Handlebars embedded in girl's chest
A SCHOOLGIRL was rushed to hospital after part of her bike’s handlebars became embedded in her chest yesterday afternoon. The ten-year-old became impaled on the brake lever after falling onto her bicycle while playing at her grandparents’ home
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Bates admits Saints defeat was a shock to the system
A FRANK Matthew Bates admits his Middlesbrough team-mates left Southampton's St Mary's Stadium on Saturday evening with their pride significantly dented. The Teessiders travelled to the south coast hoping to usurp their opponents at the top
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Match Report: Southampton 3 Middlesbrough 0
Southampton 3 Middlesbrough 0 A TEMPORARY blip against the in-form league leaders or a more fundamental reality check for a side that have now won just one of their last seven league games? Only time will tell, but just as the end of
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Leading engineers stress importance of apprenticeships
A FIRM whose products were held up by the Government as an example of British engineering excellence has stressed the importance of on-the-job training for youngsters after being inundated with applications for two apprentice places. When precision and
