Archive
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Shooting a line…
Had a chat with Jackie Hammond this week and she was telling me how Cockfield firm, J R Teesdale, has sponsored a Clay Pigeon Shoot for Teesdale Gun Club. Jackie, who has been secretary of the club for the past 2 years, said she was delighted
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Why we must make 2014 a truly special year
IT is already clear that 2014 - the centenary of the start of World War 1 - will be a special year. And it is right that the planning starts now. David Cameron announced yesterday that £50m has been allocated for a "historic" national commemoration
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Man charged over Darlington pub assault
A MAN has been charged in connection with a violent attack in a pub which left a man fighting for his life. David Slaven, 32, of Coxwold Drive, in Darlington, has tonight been charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent and is due to
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Driving instructor critically ill after crash during lesson
A DRIVING instructor is in a critical condition in hospital after being injured in a crash during a lesson. The 49-year-old suffered serious chest injuries when the car, driven by a teenage learner driver, was involved in a collision at a junction
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Car Torque with .... mountaineer Alan Hinkes
ALAN Hinkes is the first Briton to climb the world's highest mountains. All of the 14 8,000m peaks are in the so-called 'death zone', where human survival rate is measured in hours. Alan, from Northallerton, North Yorkshire, is part of an exclusive
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Darlington supermarket shows support for toddler group
A DARLINGTON supermarket has shown its support for a local mother and toddler group by donating refreshments for upcoming meetings. Louise Gibson, community life champion, for the Asda store on Whinbush Way, took hampers with drinks, refreshments
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Restaurateur banned from running a food business
THE owner of a restaurant that was shut twice in one year by environmental health officers has been banned from managing a food business after he failed to meet hygiene standards. Chusak Phetmalaikul, the former managing director of Pawin Thai
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Car Torque with .... Ross Noble
GEORDIE comedian Ross Noble is one of the Britain’s best-loved funnymen. Known for his chaotic comedy style and terrifically vivid, and at times random, imagination, he is a former winner of both the Perrier and Barry Awards. A regular on TV panel
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Halloween fun at the Station
A Richmond tourist attraction is hosting a week of spooky games and crafts to keep children busy over the half-term holiday. The Station, Richmond, will be visited by Wanda the Witch on Halloween to take families on a story walk for children aged
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Lives put at risk as Army helicopter dazzled by laser over Ripon
POLICE are hunting the person who shone a laser at an Army helicopter, putting the lives of the crew at risk. It happened at around 9.50pm on Tuesday, as a Lynx helicopter, based with the Army Air Corp at Dishforth, flew over Ripon. It is believed
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South Shields X Factor winner Joe McElderry defends 'crazy' show
NORTH-East X Factor winner Joe McElderry has defended the crazy show which has been dogged by controversy this year. Judges Gary Barlow and Louis Walsh have fallen out after the deadlock situation this weekend which saw one of the Take That singers
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Housing group's apology over lack of information
A HOUSING company has apologised to neighbours of an apartment block being used for homeless young people for not keeping them informed of the move, but denied the youths pose a risk to the community. Nearly 200 concerned residents packed out Cockton
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Cameron on the defensive
David Cameron’s seventh conference speech as Conservative leader found him on the back foot yesterday. HAIR swept back and statesmanlike, persona calm and authoritative, delivery assured – but defensive. David Cameron looked like a prime minister
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There’s no contest
DAVID Cameron could never hope to compete with Boris Johnson as a crowd-pleaser – so he was wise not to try. The Mayor of London is the great entertainer of politics: funny, engaging, and increasingly popular. Even his opponents find it hard to
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The facts behind the speeches
THE conference season is over, the party faithful have gone home inspired – hopefully – for the battles ahead and it’s time to sum up what has been learned. After listening to more speeches than is healthy in Brighton, Manchester and Birmingham
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Why didn't anyone speak up
AT first I thought the accusations about Jimmy Savile were a load of rubbish. Now I am beginning to doubt myself. There will, of course, be some people who are just jumping on the money making bandwagon. But my main concern is why has it
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Good notices
I WAS pleased to read that John Braine’s novel Room at the Top has recently been adapted for television (Echo, Sept 30). I caught the repeat on BBC4 and thought it a well acted piece. It was a far meatier version, of course, from the one I
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Calls nuisance
AM fed up with getting phone calls from companies advertising their products. I am aware that overseas calls cannot be stopped but I would like some help with UK calls. Ruth Rowe, Darlington.
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Party politics
MAY I offer my congratulations to the six Spennymoor town councillors who recently displayed some sound common sense by forsaking party politics to serve as independents. Apparently the hypocrisy of sacrificing one’s true opinion to the party whip
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Cushy number
WHEN Neil Kinnock wades into the debate over an EU referendum I can’t help thinking he is just looking out for his own interests. Mr and Mrs Kinnock were paid good salaries when they were MEPs and have gold-plated pensions to look forward to.
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Weather
IT’S rather stating the obvious to say last month’s weather was exceptional. Councillor Alan MacNab (Echo, Oct 4) insults readers’ intelligence by implying that they might not be aware of this fact. He goes on to blame the closure of the A1
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Great result
AS an alderman and local councillor, I must say how proud I am of the Durham Federation’s outstanding GCSE results and the excellent Ofsted reports, at both Ushaw Moor and Sacriston. These results just show how much the two colleges have achieved
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Herbert Lom
I AM very sorry to hear the sad news of the death of Herbert Lom who passed away at the age of 95 (Echo, Sept 28). His 60-year career spanned 100 films and television shows although he is best remembered for his famous role as police chief Charles
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Alan Shearer reveals star-studded event to mark what would have been Sir Bobby Robson's 80th birthday
NEWCASTLE United legend Alan Shearer has announced details of a star-studded charity night on what would be Sir Bobby Robson's 80th birthday. Guitarist Mark Knopfler, The X Factor winner Joe McElderry and the Northern Sinfonia will perform at the
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Policing
REGARDINGo Derek Pattison’s letter about the risks taken by police (HAS, Sept 26), I say to him – get real. If he had bothered to check on the circumstances regarding the death of a man during the G20 summit in London five years ago he would have
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Sunflower growers needed for maths experiment
THE leaders of an educational scheme have asked people who grew sunflowers this summer to consider donating them as part of an experiment started by code breaker Alan Turing. Earlier this year Darlington Learning Zone students, based at the Imperial
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Party pooper
THE 2012 party conference season is over for another year. If there was ever a cure for insomia then this was it. Tired of counting sheep? Just try watching a closing party conference – Tory style. Chancellor George Osborne, who is set
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Darlington Tory leader accuses Labour group of 'neglecting' council assets
THE leader of Darlington’s Conservative group has accused the ruling Labour group at the council of neglecting public buildings in the town and allowing them to fall into disrepair. Councillor Heather Scott claimed that 15 years of Labour rule
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Crash landing
The Plane Crash (C4, 9pm) Waterloo Road (BBC1, 8pm) Battle Castle with Dan Snow (Discovery Channel, 9pm) MOST people’s experience of plane crashes is seeing them on news reports or depicted in films or TV dramas. Certainly fictional
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Small fish in a big pool
WE finally seem to be making steady progress with getting rid of the kids. The eldest, the Big Friendly Giant, is now working for a living and firmly established in his own flat. Our only daughter is beginning her final year at the Northern School
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Hazell nuts
FORMER Durham County cricketer Henry McLaren – surprised of Brancepeth – points out with some justification that the paper omitted to mention the local connection in England women’s narrow t20 World Cup final defeat last weekend. It’s Danielle
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Over 60s club
Marathon running is about a state of mind. It’s attritional, it’s a war IAN BLOOMFIELD, athlete extraordinary, reaches his 60th birthday on November 23. Two days later he will run his 60th marathon – in Florence – and hopes to beat 2-46-46, the
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Room for more Little Treasures
AN entrepreneur who set up a nursery when she was looking for suitable childcare for her own children 13 years ago has expanded her company to open a second centre. Deborah Troup is opening a second branch of Little Treasures to meet the growing
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Four hunted after bank robbery
A GANG of masked bank robbers are being hunted by police following an attack on a cash delivery man. Four men wearing balaclavas struck as a G4S van arrived outside a bank in Acomb, York, at about 9.45am today. They assaulted the driver as
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Russian deal will create engineer jobs
ENGINEERING jobs will be created in the North-East after warehousing and transport company Vantec won a deal to support the expansion of Nissan’s plant in Russia. The two-year contract starts next June and builds on the close ties between the two
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Fury over Durham housing plan
A DEVELOPER hoping to build three houses boasting nearly 30 bedrooms in Durham city centre is facing mounting opposition. Kingswood Properties has applied for permission to build three nine-bedroom houses on a garden next to 24 The Avenue.
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Technology could save millions in energy bills
The manufacturing industry generates vast quantities of heat... which is discarded as waste Clive Whitbourn of DRD A PIONEERING technique that could save companies tens of thousands of pounds a year by converting waste heat into electricity is
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Millionth milestone for SSI
IRON and steelmaker SSI has reached another milestone, having exported its one millionth tonne of steel slab since operations restarted in April. The landmark load is being shipped by the Yasa Eagle as part of a 64,000-tonne cargo of Redcar-made
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Winger to miss six weeks
ANDY MONKHOUSE is facing up to six weeks out of action with ankle ligament damage. Hartlepool United’s left winger hobbled off in the opening minutes of last Saturday’s defeat at Crewe and sat out Tuesday’s game with Bradford, as Pools suffered
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Saunders shares spotlight with star Flintoff
BRADLEY SAUNDERS has been earmarked to make his fifth professional appearance in Manchester – on the same night former Ashes hero Andrew Flintoff makes his debut in the ring. There will also be a Commonwealth title shot for Middlesbrough’s super-featherweight
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Ballance and Rashid help Tykes qualify
YORKSHIRE are into the main draw of the Champions League t20 after Gary Ballance and Adil Rashid starred in a pulsating win over 2009 finalists Trinidad & Tobago at Supersport Park in Centurion last night. The White Rose have clinched a Group
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Match Report: Darlington 2 South Shields 1
RELIEVED Darlington manager Martin Gray admitted his side “got out of jail” as they recorded a 2-1 victory last night, their 13th win of the season. Darlington-born Steven Johnson was the local hero, coming off the bench to grab a late winner against
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Fundraiser steps up campaign with shop
A CANCER survivor who has raised more than £100,000 for medical equipment will open her first shop this weekend to step up her charity’s campaign. Trish Greensmith had hoped to open the Chyrelle Addams Cancer Support Shop yesterday, but, due to
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Live News: October 11, 2012
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Jimmy Savile assaulted girl in North Yorkshire - claim
POLICE are investigating claims that BBC TV star Jimmy Savile assaulted a girl in North Yorkshire in the 1980s. A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said the force had received an allegation linked to Scarborough. The report was made to police
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Road closure at Levisham station
THERE will be no road access to Levisham Station for four weeks from Monday, October 15 for essential road maintenance. North Yorkshire County Council Highways Agency will be improving access to the station, and working with the North Yorkshire
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New bike centre to open at Dalby Forest
A FOREST cycle centre will re-open this weekend after seven months of closure following a long-running battle between the previous contract holders and the Forestry Commission. Dalby Bike Barn, in the North York Moors, will open on Saturday (13
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William Hague to open bridleway bridge
A BRIDLEWAY bridge over the River Swale to provide a safe link for walkers, cyclists and horse riders will be opened by Richmond MP William Hague. The crossing, which uses a refurbished ex-railway bridge, will be opened on Saturday (13) and is
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Greggs warns of sales slump
RISING food prices and shoppers tightening their purse strings blighted a trading update from bakery chain Greggs. Its shares were more than 4 per cent lower as the Newcastle-based business said it no longer expected underlying sales growth in its Christmas
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Hundreds turn out to give Kate a royal welcome
EXCITED crowds lined up to greet Kate Middleton as she made her first visit to Teesside yesterday. She was greeted by hundreds of cheering people as she made her debut appearance in Stockton. Wearing a burgundy jacket and a radiant smile, the
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Darlington man stabbed ex-girlfriend then killed himself
A MAN committed suicide hours after he stabbed his former partner in an early-morning attack, severing an artery in her neck, an inquest has heard. Jerzy Tomkowski, 56, originally from Poland, was found hanged at his home in Darlington on May 11
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Curry mad father cooks Indian meal for his family every day for 20 months
A FATHER-OF-THREE loves curries so much he has cooked his family an Indian-style meal every day for the past 20 months – even on Christmas Day. Dan Toombs, of Low Worsall, near Yarm, has urged more people to try making curries after his penchant
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Hollyoaks actor's tribute to Sedgefield fire death brother
A FORMER Hollyoaks actor whose brother died in a house fire has spoken of his heartbreak at the loss of his “hero” and “idol”. Lakhbir Uppal, 45, died after a blaze broke out in the bedroom of his ground floor flat in Wellgarth Mews, Sedgefield
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Schools facing cut in budgets
SCORES of schools in the region could see their budgets slashed following Government funding changes. Headteachers are lobbying MPs amid fears that a new “one-size fits all” system of funding will prompt widespread cuts. Education chiefs last
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McDonald: Watford win can kick-start season
AFTER scoring the winning goal against Watford, Middlesbrough striker Scott McDonald believes the feel-good factor that Saturday's win brought to the dressing room could help kick-start their season. Boro have had an indifferent start to the new
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Magpies chief now looking to Brazil
AFTER sealing the controversial £32m sponsorship deal with Wonga, Newcastle United are working on ambitious plans to raise the club's brand even further by targeting the worldwide market. As the fall-out and impact of the four-year deal with the
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Sunderland man holds England dream
WHENEVER an international fixture with the Faroe Islands crops up it is not unusual for key players to be rested, but Sunderland's Seb Larsson is desperate to play in Torshavn tomorrow night. If Larsson earns his 48th cap for Sweden against one
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Darlington MP hits back at exam "over-optimism" accusation
A NORTH-EAST MP has criticised the exam watchdog for suggesting schools in her constituency may have over-estimated the GCSE grades their pupils were expected to receive. Darlington MP Jenny Chapman wrote to Ofqual last month, asking what they
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Champion volunteers look forward to a royal audience
A GOOD Samaritan is one of ten volunteers to be rewarded with a royal visit for their years of helping others. Norma Bain was one of 60 people from across the North-East and Cumbria to be named a Diamond Champion by older people’s charity WRVS
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Man arrested following violent attack in Darlington pub
A MAN has been arrested in connection with a violent attack in a pub which left a man fighting for his life. The victim, Mark Drummond, was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital after being hit over the head with a chair, leaving him with multiple
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Yarm Town Council fails in legal bid over parking fees
CONTROVERSIAL plans to introduce pay-and-display parking in a North-East town will now almost certainly go ahead after a legal challenge failed yesterday. Yarm Town Council has already spent more than £20,000 fighting the proposal for Yarm High
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Housing association reveals £600,000 upgrade plans
A DARLINGTON social landlord has announced £600,000 plans to improve nearly 300 homes in the town. Railway Housing Association will install new central heating boilers, kitchens, bathrooms and doors in a five-year project to upgrade 291 properties
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Birthday Girl
According to various reports, Katy Perry, who separated from Russell Brand last year and was divorced in July, is planning to celebrate her forthcoming birthday with a divorce party. It’s not a course I would recommend. Believe me, whilst it may
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Football fans face ban from grounds
FOOTBALL fans who cause trouble at Darlington FC games will be issued with anti-social behaviour orders and banned from all Northern League games, say police. The warning follows isolated incidents of violence at several Quakers matches this season