Archive
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The need for legislative change continues
Yesterday’s Supreme Court decision in the Kernott v Jones case again highlighted the urgent need to reform the law affecting couples that live together, according to Resolution. The Supreme Court declared that an unmarried couple’s share in
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Former police chief to sign books
A FORMER police chief who became a crime fiction writer will talk about his debut novel at a book-signing on Saturday. Graham Pears, from Northumberland, will talk about The Myth of Justice, which features a Newcastlebased detective called Jet.
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Fears about Hurworth flood plain
FEARS have been raised that residents could be left to pick up the bills if a controversial housing development on a flood plain causes their homes to be flooded. The Environment Agency has told MEP Fiona Hall it is not clear who would be legally
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£6,000 boost for Darlington heart unit
A CHARITY night held to raise funds for heart surgeons who saved a baby's life has raised more than £6,000. Ava's Precious Heart Charity Night, held in September, in Hurworth Village Hall, was arranged by Denise Wilson, mother of Ava, who was told
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Free blood pressure checks in Darlington
FREE blood pressure checks, advice on medicine and information and flu vaccinations will be available at a health awareness day. Stafffom the new Cooperative Pharmacy, in Victoria Road, Darlington, will be on hand to talk to customers at the event
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Royal visitor opens ice rink
AN ice-rink at the Centre for Life, in Newcastle, was declared open by Queen Rita from Newcastle Theatre Royal’s production of Sleeping Beauty. The rink opens to the public on Saturday morning 11am for its 10th consecutive year…and will welcome
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Bondgate shop break-in
A SHOP owner said a break-in at her cafe on Tuesday night has left her devastated. Wendy Davies, 39, who has been running Granny's Kitchen, in Bondgate, Darlington, for two-and-a-half years, yesterday found her premises had been smashed into and the
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Reto Bieri: Contrechant (ECM 476 4404)
Swiss clarinetist Bieri examines new developmental possibilities in the language of the instrument in modern music. He brings together pieces from the border regions of compositional exploration with recitals of works by Lucianio Berio, Heinz
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Alan Barnes with Ken Mathieson’s Classic Jazz Orchestra/The Glasgow Suite (Woodville WVCD133)
Subtitled The Music of Benny Carter this delightful album is a reminder of a remarkablytalented composer, arranger and soloist. It features several of his pieces like Easy Money and Symphony in Riffs plus the title suite, originally commissioned
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Boris Yoffe: Song of Songs (ECM New Series 476 4426)
Russian-born composer Yoffe began writing short pieces for string quartet in 1995. The Rosamunde Quartet and the Hilliard Ensemble perform a selection of some of his latest works. A unique sound world is created by the combination of voice and
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Short stories
WARWICK DAVIS, the 3ft 6in actor who shot to accidental fame in Star Wars and went on to become a fixture in the Harry Potter series, likens his latest project to the perfect cake. “It’s as if I sat there and thought ‘Right, what would make
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Tubby Hayes Quintet/Dancing in the Dark (Savage Solweig SS-002)
This second release from Tubby Hayes’ tape archive features Tubby on tenor saxophone and vibes with Jimmy Deuchar on trumpet and mellophonium plus Terry Shannon, Freddy Logan and Allan Ganley. Even with a little tape distortion on one track
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Martina McBride: Eleven (Humphead Records Cat No HUMP118)
WHILE Dolly Parton is nicknamed The Queen Of Country Music, it may have escaped your attention that Martina McBride has affectionately been called The Celine Dion of Country Music due to her soprano vocal range and big voiced ballads. McBride has
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Investigation to identify railway death victim
RAILWAY accident investigators are attempting to identify the remains of a person who was hit by a high-speed train. The victim of the incident, at 2.20pm, on the south-bound track of the East Coast Mainline at Northallerton Station, was declared
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Volunteer call for cash-strapped town
VOLUNTEERS could be drafted in to provide services in a cash-strapped town grappling with budget cuts. Middlesbrough Council, which already usesmore than 150 unpaid workers, now wants to attract more volunteers across a wider spectrum. The authority
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Illegal horses impounded in Bishop Auckland
TWO horses which have been illegally grazing on a children’s playing area have been removed as part of an initiative to help cut the number of road accidents caused by the stray animals Officers from Durham County Council and Durham Police have so far
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Stressed by court madness
The case of Kevan Thakrar, a triple murderer locked up in Frankland Prison in Durham, poses serious questions for the criminal justice system. Thakrar admitted stabbing three prison officers with a broken bottle and was yesterday cleared of attempted
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Twin schools share high aspirations
BRITAIN'S best-known climber has inspired a school to twin with another academy high in the mountains of Nepal. Pupils at Egglescliffe School in Eaglescliffe, near Stockton, have written letters and made a video for students at Melamhi School which
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Crushed cardboard helps charity
A TEESDALE hotel is crushing cardboard to raise money for charity. The Morritt Hotel, in Greta Bridge, has purchased a cardboard compactor machine, which presses cardboard waste into 100kg blocks. The blocks are collected by representatives from the
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Town will not introduce any more dog orders
NO more dog control areas will be introduced in Middlesbrough unless problems caused by irresponsible pet owners escalate. Since August 2007, Dog Control Orders have been imposed in the town's cemetery and crematorium grounds, Albert Park and in Centre
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Tata Steel bosoted by TCP sale before
Tata Steel's European operations were boosted by the sale of its Teesside Cast Products (TCP) plant at Redcar in the first half of the year, although a "testing" summer saw earnings plunge. Tata Steel Europe, which employs about 1,400 workers in this
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Budget cuts hit flood defence plans
A £3.4m scheme to defend a town from flooding has been announced - but it will be a scaled-down version due to budget cuts. National reductions in funding for flood defences means a major part of an Environment Agency scheme for Northallerton has been
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Appeal after horses' tails cut off in Catterick
POLICE in Catterick are warning horse owners to be on their guard after two horses had their tails cut off in an isolated field in the Catterick area. The horses were stabled in a field at Colburn Grange Farm, Colburn near Catterick Garrison.
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Horse owners warned after animals have tails cut off
POLICE are warning horse owners to be on their guard after two horses had their tails cut off in an isolated field. The horses, which were stabled in a field at Colburn Grange Farm, in Colburn, near Catterick Garrison, in North Yorkshire, were attacked
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Mixed response to North Yorks libraries plan
A NEW plan for the future of library provision across North Yorkshire has provoked a mixed response from campaigners fighting to maintain their services. After months of consultation and debate, the county council has revealed exactly where cuts will
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Parade restored thanks to cash gift
A MYSTERY benefactor has given nearly £700 to enable a traditional Remembrance parade to go ahead. As previously reported in The Northern Echo, organisers of the services in Willington had cancelled a parade due to the high cost of funding the road
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Gym'll fix children's fitness
A NEW gym has opened and its aim is to help young people stay healthy following the closure of a leisure centre. The Trex gym in Tow Law is already being used by both primary schools in the town and officials hope the healthy lifestyle message
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Over burning coals... and a blustery beach
HOW far would you go for your children? Do you love them enough to walk over burning coals for them? Go cold and hungry for them? Give them your last penny? The truth, of course, is that most parents would do anything for their children. As soon
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One-upmanship
TO Bishop Auckland v West Auckland in the Durham Challenge Cup, one year to the day since the first game at the impressive Heritage Park stadium. West score after ten seconds, so the golden goal is one. The raffle’s also won by number one and
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Rail delays after person hit by train near Northallerton
THERE are major delays on the East Coast Main Line today after a person was hit by a train. The incident took place near Northallerton, North Yorkshire, this afternoon. There are delays of up to two hours between Newcastle and York.
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New plan for Durham student flats
DEVELOPERS who dropped plans for 132 student flats amid widespread protests have returned with new proposals - for 112. New Connislow Limited withdrew its bid for planning permission to build 132 studio flats on the former Prescription Pricing Agency
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Events to help people become self employed
A TEES Valley borough will run a series of events next week aimed at helping people to become self employed. Stockton Enterprise Week will see the borough council, local businesses, charities and schools working together to encourage entrepreneurship
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Construction firm supports local sports group
A COUNTY Durham construction firm has jumped at the chance to support a local sports club. Esh Group confirmed the second year of its main sponsorship of the Newcastle Eagles Basketball team with a photo session where player-coach Fab Flournoy and his
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Golden Gates
Child soldiers in Uganda were forced to decapitate their parents. Football is helping rehabilitate them. THE picture is utterly, wonderfully compelling. The guy in the Boro shirt and baseball cap is Bill Gates, millionaire tax exile and Middlesbrough
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Tourism industry receives major boost
The North-East's £4bn a year tourism industry, a major employer in the region, is set to be given millions of pounds in extra funding on the back of its spectacular growth over the past five years. Four tourist bodies in the North-East and North Yorkshire
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Almost 700 jobs safeguarded
ALMOST 700 jobs will be created and safeguarded in the region after a consortium of small engineering firms joined forces to secure a multi-million pounds cash injection. The individual members of the County Durham Engineering and Manufacturing Forums
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Time is running out
TIME is running out to have a chance of winning the prize package up for grabs as part of the Local Business Accelerators (LBA) competition. The Northern Echo has received entries from recycling, creative media and fashion businesses which are bidding
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Construction industry hit by downturn
THE construction industry in the North-East has been the hardest hit in the economic downturn, new research has shown. The study, by the Centre for Economics and Business Research and business intelligence unit Glenigan, found the economic benefit of
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Permanent jobs numbers fall
The number of permanent jobs available across the UK has fallen for the first time since July 2009, according to a "gloomy" survey of recruitment firms today. The drop reflected "hesitancy" among companies about the economic outlook, said the Recruitment
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ID cards for Shildon young people
YOUNG people can register for a new proof of age card at a drop in sessions next week. The Safe Durham Partnership’s ID4U scheme enables people aged 14 to 25-years-old to prove their age when buying certain goods or services without having to carry a
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Who will stand up for jobless?
WHO will speak up for the millions of people forced to survive on miserly benefits, in Britain’s new dole age? Not the Government, obviously, as it plots to break a long-standing promise to increase next year’s benefits in line with runaway inflation
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Sunderland star Bramble denies sexual assaults
SUNDERLAND footballer Titus Bramble today denied sexually assaulting one woman in a nightclub and another in a taxi on his way home on the same night. The 30-year-old Sunderland defender appeared briefly before Teesside Magistrates Court to
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The poppy ban farce
AT the start of this week, The Northern Echo called for the Fifa ban on England players wearing poppies on their shirts to be overturned. We were not alone. Support has grown for the ban to be defied throughout the week, with Prince William displaying
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Buried closer to home, but often forgotten
Talk of war graves conjures up images of lines of crosses in France. But many heroes are buried closer to home, and often forgotten. Mark Tallentire reports. WHEN people talk about war graves, most people think these places are all in France
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The death of the embargo
I can't help feeling that we've seen the death of the embargo in any meaningful form this week. The word 'embargo' has a Spanish origin, dating back to the 16th century, and started out as a Government order restraining the movement of merchant
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Plymouth trial for Roofing striker
Jarrow Roofing striker Aristote Guerin-Lokonga could be breaking through into the Football League. 20 year old Guerin-Lokonga, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, played in a behind closed doors friendly at Home Park yesterday, and might have done
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Cannabis plants seized
POLICE have arrested a man and seized 30 cannabis plants during a raid on a house. Officers carried out a raid at a house in Oak Road, in Easington, County Durham on Tuesday. A man in his 20s was arrested during the operation on suspicion of cultivating
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Fans turn against Newcastle United owners over ditching of St James' Park name
NEWCASTLE fans have hit out at the club for undermining a fine start to the season on the pitch by pressing ahead with controversial plans to sell the naming rights to St James' Park. Mark Jensen, editor of fanzine The Mag, insists
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No plans for staff to speak to German, say Arriva
TRANSPORT firm Arriva says it has no plans to introduce German as a second language for its staff after the RMT rail union revealed that Network Rail engineers were having to learn some phrases. The RMT said staff on a recent course in Kent had to learn
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Poppy protest
SO, Sepp Blatter and his "yes men", better known as Fifa, have said the English players cannot wear the poppy on their shorts when they play Spain at Wembley this weekend. To say I am disgusted and insulted would be a gross understatement. Not only
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Housing
ISN'T it about time the Government sorted out our broken housing market in the North-East? As chief executive of Fabrick Housing Group, I know of many families who are being forced to wait years for social housing. Most families simply can't afford
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Robert Meggs
ROBERT MEGGS (HAS November 8) indignantly repudiates the suggestion that he uses offensive language. Given Mr Meggs' track record as a correspondent, however, other readers might find his indignation somewhat disingenuous. Of course, Mr Meggs has other
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Religious tolerance
Robert Megg's letter (HAS, Nov 8), was highly selective and factually incorrect in content, rancorous and hostile in tone, and a complete vindication of the main point of my earlier correspondence. That letter had nothing to do with homosexuality, rather
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Bad Driving
THE horrible accident on the M5 was surely a catastrophe waiting to happen (Echo, Nov 7). The standards of motorway driving are all too often abysmal. Almost everybody drives far too fast and pays little attention to elementary road safety. A recent
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Nile Ranger fined £3,300 for drink driving
NEWCASTLE United footballer Nile Ranger was fined £3,300 after admitting drink-driving today. The 20-year-old striker was arrested at 4.45am on September 11 after he was pulled over in his personalised black and white Range Rover in Newcastle city centre
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Middlesbrough driver dies after collision with parked cars
A MAN has died after the car he was driving collided with parked cars and a tree in the early hours of this morning. Mohammed Latif, 46, from Middlesbrough, was taken to the town’s James Cook University Hospital where he died from serious head injuries
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New striker for Consett
Consett have signed a new striker to add to their attacking options. Manager Kenny Lindoe this morning announced that the club has signed striker David Molloy, who has been at Jarrow Roofing and South Shields, and he will probably make his
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SSI delays re-opening Redcar steel plant
THE restart of Tees Valley steelmaking has been postponed by a month after it emerged that more work was needed to prepare the blast furnace. It is now planned to fire up the furnace at the former Teesside Cast Products in Redcar on January
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Chilton remembers
Residents of Chilton are invited to join a Remembrance Sunday service and parade in memory of those lost at war. The service will be held at St Aidan’s Church at 10am on Sunday. It will be followed by a parade down to the Cenotaph where
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Kink confident of Republic shock
TARMO KINK believes Estonia have nothing to lose as they go into the biggest game of their lives tomorrow. Estonia face Ireland tomorrow night in the first of two legs, with the winners getting a place in Euro 2012. And, despite the Republic
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'Stressed' killer cleared of attack on guards in Durham's Frankland Prison
A TRIPLE murderer has been cleared of stabbing three North-East prison officers after he claimed to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) caused by his previous prison experiences. Last night, the brother of one of the officers
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Northern counties linked by cavers
MORE than 40 years of digging has created the longest cave system in Britain – allowing cavers to go underground in Cumbria, travel below Lancashire and emerge in Yorkshire. Two teams of potholers made the breakthrough on Sunday, shaking hands
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More help for vulnerable people this winter
AN appeal which was launched to help vulnerable people in the North-East through the winter months is being extended nationally. Last year, the County Durham Community Foundation launched the Winter Relief Appeal, with the support of The Northern
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Remembrance services and events across the region
Listings for remembrance services across the North-East and North Yorkshire. All services Sunday unless stated. COUNTY DURHAM ANNFIELD PLAIN 2pm, St Aidan’s Church, then march to war memorial. AYCLIFFE VILLAGE 3pm, St Andrew’s
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Owner could face £7k bill for parking in Durham
AN absent motorist could face a bill of nearly £7,000 after apparently abandoning their car in a city centre parking bay for more than three months. The W-reg Ford Escort is believed to have been parked in a pay-and-display bay in Old Elvet, Durham
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Youth unemployment in the region at 'crisis levels'
YOUTH unemployment has reached crisis levels, the Government was warned yesterday – after figures showed the region’s jobless count doubled in nine months. The number of under-24s claiming jobseeker’s allowance for at least six months soared
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Wild about the Wildcats
IF Durham Wildcats head coach Dave Elderkin needs some advice about moulding a side capable of competing at the highest level of British basketball, he could do worse than talk to one his star American imports, Fred Hinnenkamp. As well as
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Shanghai inspires Halsall
Fran Halsall insists her disappointing performance in the 100 metres freestyle at the World Championships will stand her in good stead for London 2012. Halsall was the fastest qualifier for the final, securing her a coveted middle lane, but could only
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FIFA agrees to poppy compromise
England players will be able to wear poppies on their black armbands on Saturday after FIFA agreed a compromise with the Football Association. The compromise means that FIFA's rules preventing symbols on shirts are still adhered to but will allow the
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Widow backs Echo campaign for tougher sentencing
THE widow of a man who died after being attacked by a teenager outside a pub has backed The Northern Echo's calls for tougher sentences for one-punch killers. Aaron Hayes was yesterday convicted of the manslaughter of darts team captain Spencer
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Union anger as company suspends majority of workforce
A UNION said a Tees Valley construction firm is "playing with people's lives" after suspending the majority of its staff without pay, claiming many had been involved in fraudulent behaviour. The GMB said it was considering legal action after 23 of its
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Aircraft passengers saw wheel fall off
PASSENGERS on board a flight heading for the North- East saw a wheel fall off the plane just after take-off, an accident report has revealed. But the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) report said that those who had seen the wheel fall
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Burglar confronted by Durham clergyman's brave wife
THE wife of a prominent North-East clergyman was praised in court for confronting a burglar at their cathedral residence. Jenny Sadgrove, wife of the Dean of Durham, the Very Reverend Michael Sadgrove, came across sneak burglar David Stephen
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Memorial wall honours those who gave their lives
A MEMORIAL wall built to commemorate those who have given their lives for their country since the Second World War will be at the centre of the region’s biggest Remembrance Day parade. Click here to view listings for remembrance services across
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Treasury hopes to be Kempton banker
Treasury Devil might not have measured up to his early promise this year, but he can turn around his indifferent patch of form as he makes his first all-weather start at Kempton. John Gosden's charge looked a promising individual when winning his first
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Woods believes he can dominate again
Former world number one Tiger Woods is confident he can once again dominate the sport in which he was almost untouchable for more than a decade. The American won 14 Majors in an 11-year-period from 1997 but has not added to that total since his last
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Bardsley warning for England
SUNDERLAND defender Phil Bardsley has warned England's players to prepare for a footballing master-class when they lock horns with Spain in two days time. Bardsley was a member of the Scotland side that suffered a 3-1 defeat to the world and European
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Kink looks for chink in Republic armour
TARMO KINK believes Estonia have nothing to lose as they go into the biggest game of their lives tomorrow. Estonia face Ireland in the first of two legs, with the winners getting a place in Euro 2012. And, despite the Republic being clear favourites,
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Button now having second thoughts
Jenson Button believes the formbook can again be turned on its head this weekend as he targets one more grand prix win this year to end his season in style. With just two races remaining, in Abu Dhabi and Brazil, Button is poised to finish a respectable
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Comment: Ashley’s latest self-inflicted wound
JUST when things appeared to be going so positively, trust Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias to take out a giant pin and burst a bubble of optimism with quite remarkable force. Forget Newcastle equalling a club record for going 11 games unbeaten
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Singh ready to quit club
Darlington chairman Raj Singh has declared he is ready to step down from his position at the helm of the club and invited potential new owners to come forward. Singh's bid to renegotiate a contract on the land at The Northern Echo Arena
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Nissan gets £188m cash injection from Europe
THOUSANDS of jobs will be safeguarded across the region after Nissan secured a major cash injection from Europe to develop electric vehicles. Yesterday, the Japanese car maker said production of the Nissan Leaf and electric car batteries will progress
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Bent relishes facing champs
Darren Bent is viewing England's international friendly with Spain as a chance to prove he can perform against the best opposition and help convince Fabio Capello to include him in his Euro 2012 squad. Bent spearheads one of the least experienced strikeforces
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Newcastle United rename St James' Park
NEWCASTLE United will scrap more than 100 years of history this morning when they officially rename St James' Park as the Sports Direct Arena. The move, which is sure to draw a furious response from the club's supporters, is aimed at attracting
