Archive
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Newcastle's answer to Simon Cowell fails to impress on Britain's Got Talent
BRITAIN'S Got Talent judges are confronted by a singing and dancing Simon Cowell in tonight's edition of the ITV show. Hopeful Eddie Shand, 53, from Newcastle, performs the Chesney Hawkes hit 'The One And Only' while wearing a mask featuring the
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Lee Edward Grainger charged with murder of Darlington pensioner, Sybil Sibthorpe, 80
A MAN appeared at court this morning charged with the murder of Darlington pensioner, Sybil Sibthorpe. Lee Edward Grainger, of Elmfield Street, Darlington, appeared at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court this morning charged with the murder of the 80-year-old
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Fitness fans sought for Spennymoor Leisure Centre cycle challenge
FITNESS fans are being invited to get on their bikes for a cycle challenge event. The Cyclenergy Extreme cycle marathon will take place at Spennymoor Leisure Centre on Wednesday, May 15, between 6pm and 9pm. The exercise bike challenge has
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Police hunt vandals who damaged parked cars in Leeholme, Bishop Auckland
VANDALS who damaged two parked cars are being hunted. Police in Bishop Auckland say the a silver Mitsubishi Shogun and blue Ford Transit were scratched, causing damage to the paintwork. PC Sam Chong said the incident happened between 8.40pm
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Anyone for tennis in Gainford?
ANYONE for tennis? That's the question being posed by fans of the game in Gainford, near Barnard Castle. The village has its own tennis courts, behind South View, and a small group of volunteers have been working to bring them up to scratch
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Adventurous fundraisers sought for Butterwick Hospice's Great Escape
A SHILDON woman is planning to get as far away from home as possible – but it's all in a good cause. Michelle Scott has signed up for Butterwick Hospice's Great Escape, which challenges pairs of fundraisers to travel as far as they can on just
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Sedgefield Day to be celebrated on June 1
A YEAR of celebrations to mark a historic anniversary in Sedgefield will be extended, thanks to the introduction of a new community fun day. Sedgefield Day on Saturday, June 1, is hoped to evoke the same excitement and community spirit that surrounded
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Much to discuss at Gainford and Langton's annual parish meeting
ANNUAL MEETINGS: Gainford and Langton's annual parish meeting will take place tonight (Monday, May 13) in the village hall. Reports from the village hall committee, Riverside Trust and parish charity trust will be presented at the meeting along with
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Teesdale YMCA helps local teenagers carve out new opportunities
A GROUP of young people are hoping skills gained at a special workshop run by a Teesdale stone sculptor will help them carve out a successful future. Eggleston-based Phil Townsend organised the event as part of his work to produce six representations
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Pardew fears job at Newcastle could be on the line
ALAN PARDEW fears his job is on the line, whether Newcastle United avoid relegation or not, and has braced himself for an “uncomfortable” endof- season meeting with the club’s owner, Mike Ashley. Despite signing an eightyear contract last autumn
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Barnard Castle Meet scarecrow competition extended to encourage entries from traders
A SCARECROW competition held as part of a market town's annual spring bank holiday festival is being extended to include window dressing in a bid to attract entries from high street shops. The build-up has begun to this year's Barnard Castle Meet
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Pilot scheme bringing Polish families living in Teesdale together to continue
A PILOT scheme bringing Polish families living in and around Teesdale together has proved so successful another session is to be held. The group offers the chance for families to socialise, while those taking part can also help with translation
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Durham High Sheriff award for sports-mad Teesdale teenager
A SPORTS-mad teenager who carried the Olympic torch through Barnard Castle has received one of the county's highest awards. Teesdale School sixthformer Lauren Read received a Shrievalty Award from outgoing High Sheriff of County Durham Harry Vane
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Barnard Castle councillors shed new light on popular town footpath
A POPULAR public footpath has finally been fitted with much-needed street lights – at the third time of asking. Previous attempts to install long-awaited lighting at the path, which connects the areas of Bartlemere and Kalafat, in Barnard Castle
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Cleveland Police pay more than £500,000 to Middlesbrough solicitor wrongly arrested
A SOLICITOR has been awarded more than £500,000 in damages after he was wrongfully arrested and his family held in their own home. James Watson, a senior partner with the Teesside law firm of Watson Woodhouse Solicitors, was detained in June 2009
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Bike-riding bag snatcher jailed for three years
A BIKE-RIDING bag snatcher dragged a woman several metres after striking as she left the off-licence where she worked late at night. While her colleague was pulling down the shutters at Booze Buster, in Newton Aycliffe town centre, Christopher
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Doorstep con-woman jailed again after burglary at home of elderly victim
A BURGLAR who targets vulnerable victims has been jailed for three-and-a-half years for her latest offence at the home of an elderly householder. Lauren Elizabeth Simpson, 23, was only released last May after serving a previous three year sentence
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Police find missing woman Christine Nicholson, from Thorntree, Middlesbrough.
POLICE say 54-year-old Christine Nicholson, from Thorntree, in Middlesbrough has been found. An appeal was issued after she was last seen at her home address at around 1.20pm today (Friday May 10). It was thought she had travelled to Darlington
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War veteran celebrates 100th birthday with family
A FORMER scout leader and Methodist preacher born during the First World War celebrated his 100th birthday with family members who flew in from as far afield as Australia and Azerbaijan. Harold Beeforth, who was born on May 10, 1913, was presented
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Banned motorist jailed for high-speed driving while over limit
A BANNED motorist, who took his wife’s car after a row, led police on a high-speed chase while over the drink-drive limit. Zach Martin Melton, 24, was yesterday (Thursday, May 9) jailed for 19 months for the dangerous escapade at the wheel of the
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Durham becomes first UK university to appoint female Muslim chaplain
A NORTH-East university has become the first in the UK to appoint a female Muslim chaplain. Mahshid Turner, a part-time PhD student at Durham University, has taken up the post on a voluntary basis. The 58-year-old is a trained social worker
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Sean Lock in Newcastle
Comedy show: Comedian Sean Lock will perform his new stand-up show, Purple Van Man, on Friday, May 24 at Newcastle City Hall. The show starts at 8pm and tickets cost £21 from the box office on 0191-277 8030.
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General Synod to vote on whether to create "super diocese" for West Yorkshire and the Yorkshire Dales
A DECISION on whether to create one large diocese covering West Yorkshire and the Yorkshire Dales is to be made by the General Synod. Church leaders from the dioceses affected have already voted on the proposal to create a single diocese. Several
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Paedophile pensioner jailed again after breaching order over internet access
A PAEDOPHILE pensioner breached a sexual offences prevention order by secretly downloading child pornography. John Stuart Blackie, now 75, was forbidden from accessing the internet other than in a public library for work or study purposes, under
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Metal cable stolen
Police are appealing for witnesses after five large reels of metal cable was stolen from the British Telecom site in Princesway South on Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead between Thursday, May 2 and Friday, May 3. Scrap metal dealers are also being
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Knifepoint raid on city centre newsagent
A CITY centre shopkeeper was forced to hand money to a knife-wielding robber. The man went into McColls, Pilgrim Street, Newcastle, and asked for a packet of cigarettes. The woman reached over to get a packet and when she turned round she was
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Police continue to question three men arrested in connection with Sybil Sibthorpe murder
THREE men arrested on suspicion of the murder of an 80-year-old grandmother in Darlington are still in custody as enquiries continue. Sybil Sibthorpe, 80, died after being subjected to a sustained assault on Thursday (May 9) at an end of terrace
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Runners took wrong turn on marathon route
ORGANISERS of the Sunderland festival of running have apologised and offered runners a 25 per cent discount on next year's event after admitting competitors inadvertently followed an incorrect route, losing 264 metres from their finishing distance.
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Pussy cat, pussy cat where have you been?
The ever-popular Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, Cats, tours to Sunderland at the end of the month. Steve Pratt talks to Grizabella-playing Joanna Ampil about her Memories EVEN while making her debut in Miss Saigon, Joanna Ampil had her eye on
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Extension planning bid
Planners at Durham County Council are being asked to grant planning permission for a single-storey extension to be built at the back of a house in Ashford Drive, Sacriston. OPEN DAY: Fitness firm 2B-Fit is holding an open day tomorrow (Saturday
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Driving ban for woman
A WOMAN who crashed her car into a bollard was over the drink drive limit from the previous night, a court heard. Magistrates, sitting at Newton Aycliffe, heard that Linda Bethany Clayton hit a bollard on Carr Lane, Spennymoor, in her Ford Fiesta
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Fusco’s fishy feast
The perfect place for seafish and chips is the award-winning Fusco’s of Whitby. Jenny Needham tested its reputation COD and chips, a seaside staple, the nation’s favourite takeaway. Haddock and chips, a close second. Pollock and chips, anyone?
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Rich Halley 4/Crossing the Passes (Pine Eagle 005)
Another largely vigorous and stirring CD from Oregon-based tenor player Rich Halley, trombonist Michael Vlatkovich, bass player Clyde Reed and drummer Carson Halley. There’s a passion and immediacy about these group compositions and improvisations,
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Deborah Latz/Fig Tree (June Moon Productions JMP 30304)
I haven’t heard this singer before, but I was impressed by this, her third album. She has a distinctive voice, tremendous control and a wide range of dynamics. Each song is carefully considered and interpreted, with sensitive and varied backing
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Joshua Redman/Walking Shadows (Nonesuch 532288)
A beautiful, sometimes lush, album with the saxophonist supported by an allstar line-up of Brad Mehldau, Larry Grenadier and Brian Blade, and on some tracks a large string orchestra, conducted by Dan Coleman. Delightful versions of Lush Life, Stardust
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Folk radio
THERE seems to be a swarm of folk radio currently hitting the local airwaves, mostly on small community radio stations, but also available via the internet. They are certainly filling the vacuum left by the lack of coverage on local BBC and commercial
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Natalie Maines: Mother (Sony/Columbia Music)
THIS is the first solo album from Natalie Maines, former lead singer of the award-winning Dixie Chicks, who was determined to create something different from her previous band. Gone are the creative country sounds, that the trio honed to perfection
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Richard Strauss: Don Quixote & Till Eulenspiegel (Hyperion CDA67960)
Strauss’s Fantastic variations on a theme of knightly character, as Don Quixote is subtitled, is one of the composer’s most popular tone poems. The central character of the Don is wonderfully performed by cellist Alban Gerhardt, while Sancho Panza
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Palestrina: The Brabant Ensemble (Hyperion CDA67978)
The Brabant Ensemble, conducted by Stephen Rice, perform Missa Ad coenam from Palestrina’s first book of Mass-settings, as well as antiphons, motets and five Eastertide Offertories. This glorious music is sensitively sung. A must for early music devotees
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Haydn: Piano Concertos 3, 4 & 11 (Hyperion CDA67925)
Pianist Marc- Andre Hamelin, who has been praised for his performances of Haydn’s piano sonatas, has recorded the composer’s three most popular concertos. This release, featuring dazzling technique, is the fruit of a partnership with the Canadian chamber
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News from the North
SCHOOL CLOSURE: The 100-pupil Derwent primary school in York is to be closed for good following a local council review and nearby Osbaldwick school is to be expanded. All 24 staff at Derwent school will be made redundant – and encouraged to apply for
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‘Pop’s crying out for a young Slade’
The man who enjoys the nickname of Sir Nodward, Noddy Holder chats to Viv Hardwick about two nights in the region when he’ll talk about Slade and much more NODDY HOLDER’s unmistakable voice, which Slade a generation of pop fans, is about to revive
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Surrey v Durham (first day, tea)
DURHAM missed a chance to take a grip of the game when Ryan Buckley put down a return catch with Steve Davies on one. That would have made it 138 for five, but at tea Surrey are 199 for four and after his debut wicket this morning Buckley has had
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Rising Damp began with a Banana Box
Don Warrington plays down his involvement with classic ITV sitcom Rising Damp as the former star talks to Steve Pratt about directing a stage version STAGE versions of old TV sitcoms often feature one or two of the original actors. The new theatre
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Woman sentenced for racist abuse
A WOMAN who made racist remarks to a pub doorman was given a community sentence. Carrie Ann Stewart made offensive remarks after being escorted from Hogan’s, in Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland, on Sunday, March 31. Prosecutor Alan Davison told
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New build at Nifco makes Stockton plant its European headquarters
A MULTI-MILLION pound factory has started construction and will include a prestigious research and development department. The announcement by Nifco UK, a Japanese car parts manufacturer, means the Stockton plant will effectively become its new
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‘The only way was excess’
Steve Pratt catches up with TOWIE’s Kirk Norcross as he prepares for a book-signing in Darlington which offers more than meets the eye IF Essex boy Kirk Norcross regrets saying publicly that he’s slept with 1,000 woman it’s not because he’s sorry
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Noel Ticks off career choices
When it comes to Hear’Say, the facts show that Noel Sullivan has used the band as a stepping stone to a musical career. He talked to Steve Pratt THE audition was unlike anything Noel Sullivan had experienced before. “I have never had to dress in
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Get writing to The Angel of the North
NORTH East residents have until May 20 to join the Dear Angel art project. As part of the Festival of the North East, residents are being encouraged to pen their thoughts about the region as if they were writing to The Angel of the North. The
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The wrong time to be bringing up baby
YOU’D think it would be okay to kiss the mother of your unborn child, wouldn’t you? Well, it’s not in Soapland for very complicated reasons. Tina is carrying a baby – a girl, in case you want the details – for couple Gary and Izzy, who resorted to
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Primary school pupil holds pyjama day to raise money for charity
A PRIMARY school pupil battling a debilitating condition rallied fellow pupils and staff to raise money for charity. ME sufferer Evie Dore, 11, wrote to the headmaster of her school and asked if she could hold a ‘pyjama day’ to raise money for
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Woman attacked by handbag-snatcher
DETECTIVES are appealing for witnesses following a violent handbag robbery on a riverside towpath. It occurred just after 12.30pm today (Friday, May 10) on the River Foss towpath at Foss Islands in York. When the 54-year-old victim, a local
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Caring for the young carers
TWO schools have been rewarded for supporting pupils who have caring responsibilities at home and others are being encouraged to follow their example. Chilton Primary School and Woodham Academy, in Newton Aycliffe, were this week presented with
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Men accused of hotel affray
FOUR men have appeared in court accused of being involved in a disturbance at a luxury hotel following a charity ball. Dwane Douglas, David Neil Garside, Leon Morfitt and Stuart Bell each faced a charge of affray when they appeared at Newton Aycliffe
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Match Previews: Sunderland v Southampton & QPR v Newcastle
Paul Fraser and Scott Wilson look ahead to Sunday's crucial games for Newcastle and Sunderland as both fight for survival in the Premier League. Sunderland v Southampton (Sunday, May 12) Kick Off: 3pm SUNDERLAND Mignolet Colback Cuellar
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First 'Confucius Institute' to open in the North-East
A NEW centre dedicated to promoting Chinese language and culture is opening in the North-East next week. The first Confucius Institute in the region will help to build closer academic, cultural and social ties between the region and China.
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Second anniversary of disappearance of missing Hartlepool man
TOMORROW (Saturday) will mark the second anniversary since a Hartlepool man was last seen. Scott Fletcher was 27 when he was last seen on May 11, 2011 at around 8.20pm in the lay-by opposite the Jet garage on the A181 at Wheatley Hill in Durham
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Second council error over bin collections revealed by resident
A RESIDENT has accused Darlington Borough Council of wasting taxpayers’ money after it emerged that some streets did not have their rubbish collected over a bank holiday weekend because of a communications error. The mistake with the Easter collections
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Dates set
CHURCH NIGHT: St Aidan’s Church, Chilton, will hold a social evening with music from Sharon and Paul - The Singing Duo, in the church hall, on Tuesday May 21, 7pm. Tickets are £4 from 01388-721174 or on the door, refreshments included. Proceeds in
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New town mayors
ANNUAL MEETING: Spennymoor Town Council will hold its annual meeting at Spennymoor Town Hall on Tuesday, May 14, at 6.45pm. The agenda includes the presentation of funds raised by outgoing Mayor George Tolley’s charity campaign to the Chyrelle Addams
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Discover more about speed cameras
THE public will get the opportunity to quiz police in North Yorkshire about their mobile safety cameras next week. Team manager Dave Brown together with Traffic Constable Andy Forth, will host a live web-chat on May 15 between 6pm and 7pm.
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North Yorkshire news in brief
Fair day: Duncombe Park Country Fair, held in the grounds of the stately home near Helmsley, will take place on May 27. It will include a wide variety of displays and activities, from stunt riding and clowns to horse-showing and vintage cars. Cash
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Play time fun in store for pupils
SCHOOL pupils are looking forward to getting to grips with a new climbing wall. Youngsters at Langley Moor Primary School, near Durham, will be able to scale the heights with the new equipment in the school grounds. The £4,000 wall was bought
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Wild west event at Richmond charity shop
STAFF at a Richmond charity shop pulled on their chaps and Stetsons for a wild west-themed event to encourage people to donate unwanted goods – old or new. Julie Dobson, manager at the Sue Ryder shop in Finkle Street, Richmond, said: “People throw
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Thirsk community stalwart receives 60 year membership of Rotary award
A FORMER chemist who has given a lifetime service to Thirsk has been honoured for his 60 years of commitment to Rotary International for England and Ireland. Harry Woodhead, who was last year awarded an MBE, turns 95 next month and said the past
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Newcastle rapist gets 12-year sentence for knifepoint attack on teenage girl
A TEENAGER who raped and robbed a 15-year-old girl in a prolonged and terrifying ordeal has been jailed for 12 years. Abdul Miah, 19, had been drinking vodka and taking cocaine on the night he approached the girl and held a knife to her throat.
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Gearing up for Houghall classic car show
EAST Durham College will hold its annual open day and spring fair at its Houghall campus, near Durham, on Sunday, May 19. The Durham MG Club will stage the inaugural Durham Classic Car Show and there will be fun activities including a climbing wall
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Help needed at historic attraction
VOLUNTEERS are needed to welcome visitors to an historic castle where redevelopment plans are expected to transform it into a major tourist attraction. More than 100 people have joined the Friends of Auckland Castle volunteer team at the Bishop
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Catterick Garrison soldiers discover Taliban bomb stockpile
SOLDIERS from the region due to return shortly from Afghanistan have destroyed a major Taliban bomb stockpile. Troops from the Queen’s Royal Lancers (QRL), based at Catterick Garrison, in North Yorkshire, discovered a significant cache of explosives
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Teesside news in brief
AWARENESS DAY: A number of agencies including Carers Together; Coast & Country Housing; Clevearc, Alzheimers Society and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council have come together to host a dementia awareness raising day on Tuesday, May 21 between
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Two arrested following early morning raids in Hartlepool
EARLY morning raids at two addresses in Hartlepool resulted in the arrests of two suspected drug dealers. An address on Rugby Street and an address on Oxford Road were targeted by Cleveland Police. A 29-year-old woman and a 40-year-old man
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Female fitness fans get on their bikes for charity
MEMBERS of an all-female fitness club are doing a 24-hour exercise bike marathon. Ladies at Leisure Gymnasium in Front Street, Chester-le-Street, which is run by former soldier Glenn Hill is holding the event from 9am tomorrow (Saturday May 11)
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TV's Grundy to open history fair
TELEVISION presenter John Grundy will open a local and family history event next week (Saturday, May 18). Mr Grundy will launch Yesterday Belongs To You, an event run by the County Durham History and Heritage Form, of which he is president.
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Call for women to join fun run
WOMEN are being encouraged to limber up and take part in a fun run at an historic country park. Organised by Durham County Council, the event will be held at Hardwick Park, Sedgefield, on Sunday, June 2 is open to all women aged 16 and over.
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Hapless thief ended up in intensive care after raid on electricity sub-station
A HAPLESS thief is lucky to be alive after sending a 165,000 volt shock through his body as he tried to steal copper cable from an electricity sub-station. Anthony Dewing suffered horrific injuries and was in a hospital's intensive care unit for
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Durham physicist joins Royal Society
A NORTH-East physicist has been elected to the fellowship of the Royal Society. The honour has gone to Professor Nigel Glover, a particle physicist at Durham University’s world-leading Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology (IPPP). He
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Surrey v Durham (first day, lunch)
PAUL Collingwood lost an important toss this morning and a debut wicket for Ryan Buckley might prove a mixed blessing. Coming on for the 21st over, Buckley turned his off breaks on an Oval pitch on which Surrey appear to have backed their experienced
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Fusiliers band gives concert
THE Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Band will give a spring concert at West Rainton Jubilee Hall, North Street, West Rainton, on Saturday May 18 at 7pm. Under the directorship of Captain Kevin Crook the Newcastle-based band will perform a wide selection
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Putting best feet forward
MARRIED police officers will pound a beat together to raise awareness of a benevolent fund that supports retired police dogs. PCs Ken and Anne Cruickshank will trek 85 miles along Hadrian’s Wall with Paws Up mascot Bob, a German shepherd soft toy
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Bionic ear show gives lessons on protecting hearing for Hartlepool residents
ORGANISERS of a new scheme to show people how to protect their hearing are hoping it doesn’t fall on deaf ears. The National charity Deafness UK’s Bionic Ear Show visited the Hartlepool’s College of Further Education today to spread their message
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Nunthorpe residents give unofficial yes to boundary change to move into North Yorkshire
THE result of a poll to determine whether people want their leafy suburb to split from Middlesbrough and return to North Yorkshire has proved an overwhelming yes. Residents of Nunthorpe took part in an informal referendum to decide whether they
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Callous thieves steal from organisation set up to help the learning disabled
CALLOUS thieves raided an organisation set up to help the learning disabled, leaving its users devastated. The thieves broke into the premises of Advocacy in Darlington and stole four laptops that were donated less than a week ago. The organisation
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Honour for Olympic gold medal winning rower Kat Copeland marks the start of a new chapter
KAT Copeland is looking forward to opening a new chapter of her career after receiving an MBE at Buckingham Palace today. Copeland, who is from Stokesley, made history last summer when she became the first North-East female to win an Olympic gold
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Club on the up
A VILLAGE table tennis club is celebrating a second successive promotion. Ouston B Team gained promotion to Division 2 of the Northumbria Leagues by finishing the season as runners up to Division 3 championsLumley Old England Crocks. Team captain
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A star property? Durham's Observatory House listed for sale
A GRAND Victorian observatory house has been put up for sale. The building is in one of Durham City’s most exclusive areas, stands within the grounds of Durham University’s Grade II-listed observatory, is accessed by a private driveway and was
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Parish church reopens after essential vitals repairs to damage caused by lead theft are finished
AN historic church that was targeted seven times by lead thieves has officially reopened after the completion of an extensive renovation programme to repair the damage caused by water getting into the building. The roof at the Grade I listed St
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Volunteers sought for park clean-up
ENVIRONMENTALLY friendly Darlington folk are being urged to help with a big clean up this weekend. The town’s annual Green Fair will take place at South Park on Sunday, May 12 and volunteers are being sought to help with a litter pick afterwards
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Young Stockton starlet to perform at London's O2 arena
A YOUNG starlet from Stockton is just one step away from performing at London’s O2 Arena. After wowing judges at the audition stage of the TeenStar competition, 11-year-old Eliza Mackenzie became one of just a handful of hopefuls who made it through
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Village to blitz its rubbish with a community litter pick
A COMMUNITY hopes to deal with its rubbish by staging a two-hour blitz on litter. Leeming Bar Residents’ Association is staging a litter pick from 11am on Sunday, May 19. It intends to cover the whole village and says it will take up no more
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Curry night raises £1,600 for mayoral charities
More than £1,600 has been raised from a fundraising curry night hosted by the chairman of Ryedale District Council. Councillor Eric Hope organized the event at the Jinnah Restaurant, between York and Flaxton to raise money for his chosen mayoral charities
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Terminally-ill bridegroom raises funds for Fraja
A TERMINALLY-ILL bridegroom has asked guests to his wedding for donations to increase a five-year-old girl’s chances of surviving a rare cancer. Former Wensleydale gamekeeper Dave Craddock, 66, and his partner of 14 years Carol McNally said they
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IT centre celebrates cash injection
AN east Durham IT Centre is celebrating after getting a cash injection of £6,500 to update its equipment. Shotton IT Centre has been able to get a state-of-the art Smart Board thanks to a grant of £4,836 from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust Community
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Having a ball for cancer charity
A CHARITY ball is being planned for next month (Saturday, June 8). Bridgfords in the North East, an estate agent, will hold its Inaugural Annual Ball in a marquee on the pitch at Durham City Rugby Club, Green Lane, Durham, on Saturday, June 8.
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Mincoffs bolsters team
MINCOFF Solicitors is celebrating its 65th anniversary this year and continues to bolster its team. Ryan Bannon joins as partner and head of the commercial property department, having previously held leading positions with two prominent North-East
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Players needed to girls under-10s football team
PLAYERS WANTED: The Spraire Lasses under-10s girls’ football team are looking for new players to join the side. This season the team finished second in the table and won ten games out of 14 played. Players who would like to play for the team are asked
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Help keep Durham beautiful
GREEN-fingered residents and workers are being invited to enter an annual floral competition. Beautiful Durham is aimed at encouraging people in Durham to brighten up the city with floral displays in gardens, window boxes, plant pots and hanging
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Former Archbishop of York denies abuse cover-up
A FORMER Archbishop of York has denied covering up allegations that a senior Church of England clergyman sexually abused choirboys. The Very Rev Robert Waddington, a former Dean of Manchester Cathedral, who died from cancer in 2007, is said to
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New fund launched to keep communities safe
POLICING boss Julia Mulligan has called on people to back her efforts to make the police force more people-focused – and has launched a new fund to help keep communities safer. North Yorkshire's police and crime commissioner told Bedale’s annual
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River Skerne clean up operation 'a roaring success'
MORE than five tonnes of rubbish were removed from a one-mile stretch of the River Skerne in Darlington in a massive clean-up operation. Officers from the Environment Agency, Durham County Council and Darlington Borough Council joined forces to
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Brass band appeal for members
A BRASS band is recruiting for new members. The Cockerton Prize Silver band, who recently reached the First Section of the British Brass Band Championships, is searching for Eb and BBb bass players. The band rehearse on Wednesdays and Sundays
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Preston Park strikes a pose for photography competition
BUDDING photographers have until Wednesday to enter their favourite images of Preston Park Museum and grounds into a national competition. It is one of 10 finalists shortlisted for the Art Fund Prize for Museum of the Year 2013. The winning
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College stages 1940s garden party
A TRAINING college will stage a 1940s garden party tomorrow (Saturday, May 11) to celebrate its 70th anniversary. Finchale College, in Brasside, near Durham, will host the event from 10am to 2pm. There will be bedding plants and hanging baskets
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Former detective elected as council leader
A FORMER detective has been elected chairman of Sowerby Parish Council after its long-serving leader stepped down to take the reins of Hambleton District Council. Members of the parish council unanimously selected Councillor Bill Austin to lead
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Church memories wanted to mark building's 111th anniversary
A FORMER church in Hartlepool celebrating its 111th birthday is appealing for old photos and people’s memories of the historic building. The management committee of St Matthew’s Hall in Elwick Road, Hartlepool, which operated as St Matthew’s Mission
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Special ale brewed to celebrate Darlington Arts Festival
A SPECIAL ale has been brewed to coincide with the Darlington Arts Festival. More than 70 arts-related events are taking place across the town this month and local Mithril Ales brewer Peter Fenwick has produced the ‘Arts for Arts Sake’ ale to be
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Residents urged to ignore leaflets from wheely bin cleaning companies
DARLINGTON wheely bin owners have been warned about leaflets being circulated by private cleaning companies. Leaflets claiming that dirty bins may not be emptied by the council have recently been delivered to households ahead of the upcoming roll-out
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Elderly dog walker suffers head injuries in city centre collision
AN elderly woman has suffered head injuries after a collision with a 4x4 in a city centre. The 76-year-old had been walking her two dogs on Water Skellgate, in Ripon, when she was hit by a green Nissan X-Trail which had travelled down Duck Hill
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Stockton Borough Council looking to cut 300 jobs
ABOUT 300 jobs are expected to be lost at a Tees council as part of a package of cuts. Stockton Borough Council has already taken out 600 posts in the last four years and now expect to shed another 300 by 2016/17. Other proposals to also cut
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Volunteers repair damage caused by vandals at nature reserve
VOLUNTEERS have repaired damage caused by vandals at a local nature reserve. Volunteer countryside ranger Billy Jones said there had been a bad spell of vandalism at the Crowtrees Nature Reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest at Quarrington
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Family firm backs raceday
A NORTH East racecourse is preparing for its final race of the season before returning with its annual Ladies Evening in the summer. Sedgefield Racecourse will be taking a break for the racing season after hosting its JG Paxton’s raceday on Tuesday
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East Durham coastal area undergoes spring clean
AN EAST Durham coastal area which has been blighted by fly-tipping is undergoing a spring clean today (Friday, May 10). Representatives from Durham County Council, Durham Police, Durham Heritage Coast and Natural England are being joined by a team
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So what’s the local gossip?
Many of us don’t have a clue what’s going on in our neighbourhood. Perhaps it’s time to get nosy. SO how much do you know about your neighbours? Would you notice if they kept three or four young women locked up in the house for ten years or
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The years roll by
THE Queen, 87, and the Duke of Edinburgh, 91, were in their places on Wednesday doing their stuff for the state opening of parliament. Sitting alongside them, though slightly lower, of course, was Prince Charles, taking some of the responsibility
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Charity night in memory of Malcolm
A CHARITY night in memory of a well-known washing machine repair man is being held in County Durham. Malcolm Kirk, from Consett, died aged 63 last summer after suffering from cancer since 2009. Now his relatives have organised an evening of
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BT turns up the heat on BSkyB
TELECOMS group BT turned up the heat on rival BSkyB yesterday after unveiling free Premier League football for broadband customers in a move that sent the satellite broadcaster’s shares slumping into the red. BT’s aggressive pricing, detailed at
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Just an old sew and sew
SOMETIMES I feel like a living antique – just because I’m old enough to have a set of skills that were once commonplace, but are now rapidly dying out. You know, stuff like patching and mending, putting in a zip, rescuing a moth-eaten jumper or
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Tommy made every trip fun
IT was with great sadness that we read of the passing of Tommy Spoors who for many years was a driver for Weardale Motor Services (Echo, May 7). Being keen fell walkers, we had many a good chat with Tommy while traveling from Stanhope to Cowshill
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Stolen bike recovered
BIKE RECOVERED: A ladies' bike, believed to have been stolen, was recovered by police in the Cockerton area recently. The bike is stamped with a YO postcode. Anyone with information or who believes they may be the owner of the bike should contact DC
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Life Of Crime (ITV1, 9pm)
FIVE years ago, Hayley Atwell’s name was relatively unknown, until a double bill of period dramas that year propelled her into the limelight. Her role as Lady Elizabeth Foster in The Duchess won her two supporting actress nominations, and she was praised
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UKIP
THE surge in support for UKIP represents a brief window of opportunity for voting reform. If the right-of-centre vote is split then it is unrealistic to expect a resulting Labour government to introduce reform which would resolve such a split.
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Bus
MANY grateful users of the hourly 16 bus to Darlington’s West End, which was “saved” by a campaign last year following council austerity cuts, may be unaware that a small minority of pensioners are regularly forgoing their free-travel privilege in
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High Life
GROWING up in the 1940s I had three brothers and a sister. My oldest brother was called Joseph. When Joe left school my father found him employment at East Hetton colliery. He hated working in the coal mines and he threatened to leave and join
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A buzz about the Green Fair
A COLONY of bees is expected to add an extra buzz to the Darlington Green Fair on Sunday. The annual event, which promotes eco-friendly living, takes place at South Park from 11am to 4pm with a range of attractions. The Darlington Bee Keepers
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Elections
THANK you to all 877 people that voted for me in the recent Durham County elections for Spennymoor ward and for voting me back into Spennymoor Town Council with 602 votes. Comments by the successful county council candidate, Ian Geldard, accusing
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No Comment
I READ the letter from George Dunning, a man who now has to manfully deal with all the problems that I had to deal with when leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council (HAS, May 6). He was writing in reply to my letter on purdah and the seeming
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Toy Hearts Jumpin’ Hot Club, Newcastle Live Theatre
CRAMMED in the upstairs studio venue, the sell-out audience was all keyed up and ready to savour the bluegrass and western swing music of the Toy Hearts. Made up of Hannah, Sophie and Stewart Johnson – plus Spike Barker on upright bass – a tonne of
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A salute to football’s hairdryer
“THE decision to retire is one I have thought about a great deal and one I haven’t taken lightly.” This week the papers were full of stories about the Queen handing over to Prince Charles. So, when I saw these words flash across the screen, I thought
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Caring to remember
To mark International Nurses’ Day, on Sunday, the Royal College of Nursing interviewed retired nurses from across the North-East and Cumbria for a new history of nursing in the region. Two former nurses shared their memories with Health and Education
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Tough at the top?
THERE are understandable sensitivities surrounding levels of pay among the most senior officers working for councils. Figures released today by the Taxpayers’ Alliance, showing how many council officers are paid more than £100,000, are clearly
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Holidays in the sun from regional airport
A HOLIDAY company has announced flights from Durham Tees Valley Airport for summer 2014. Balkan Holidays will be offering a peak season weekly flight to Bourgas in Bulgaria throughout August It marks a return to Durham Tees Valley by the company—news
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Co-op defends downgraded bank
THE Co-op defended its banking business after a ratings agency said it may need external support to maintain regulatory capital levels. In a downgrade last night, Moody's said the banks capacity to absorb future losses was now too low to support
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Surrey V Durham (YB 40 League)
Surrey V Durham YB 40 League DURHAM are almost certain to be without star all-rounder Ben Stokes in the championship match against Surrey starting today after he suffered a back injury in pulling off a miraculous catch at the Oval last night
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MPs call for abolition of air passenger duty
THE House of Commons Transport Committee today publishes a report recommending abolition of Air Passenger Duty and increased capacity at Heathrow Airport. James Ramsbotham, the North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC) chief executive, said: “
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Police boss calls for the people's backing as she launches new community fund
POLICING boss Julia Mulligan has called on people to back her efforts to make the police force more people-focused – and has launched a new fund to help keep communities safer. The county’s police and crime commissioner told Bedale’s annual parish
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Difficult time for golf clubs as memberships fall
A WORRYING time for all golf clubs at the moment is their membership renewal date. With falling memberships, golf clubs must start to take a look at the main causes for this. The time that it takes to play golf makes it hard for somebody with family
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Pride & Prejudice: Having a Ball (BBC2, 9pm)
WHAT better way to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Pride and Prejudice than a ball? Of course, back in 1813, when Jane Austen’s much-loved novel was first published, readers would have known exactly how to go about organising such a bash; but in
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Residents recycle the equivalent weight of the Eiffel Tower in a year
PEOPLE living in Hambleton and Richmondshire have recycled more than 11,000 tonnes of waste in just over 12 months – equivalent to the weight of the Eiffel Tower. In a year, people in Hambleton sent more than 7,000 tonnes of material for recycling
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An uneasy relationship around Victoria Park led to Hughes' departure
AS they searched for Neale Cooper's replacement at the back end of last year, Hartlepool United courted Phil Brown, then decided at the last minute he wasn't the man to take charge of the club. Now they've decreed John Hughes isn't the right man
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Di Canio admits Sunderland face an uphill battle to keep Rose
PAOLO Di Canio has conceded Sunderland face an uphill task to prise Danny Rose from Tottenham this summer, but will make a pursuit of the full-back his first priority once his side's Premier League status is secured. Rose will play the final game
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Why Ferguson's faults should not be airbrushed from history
IMPOSSIBLE not to respect; incredibly difficult to like. Sir Alex Ferguson might have been the greatest British football manager of the last three decades, but it would be wrong to suggest he was showered with universal acclaim. So while the tributes
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Di Canio is gutted he won't face Ferguson - after twice turning him down as a player
HAVING been one of the few players to rebuff Sir Alex Ferguson's advances on two separate occasions, Paolo Di Canio has expressed regret that he will not get the chance to lock horns with the Manchester United boss on the touchline. Ferguson's
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Boro boosted by season card sales
IT has been another season of disappointment at Middlesbrough, but manager Tony Mowbray's quest to guide the club back to the Premier League has received a boost after it was announced season card sales are up on last season. Boro will embark on their
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Newcastle keen to avoid pay-cut clauses
NEWCASTLE UNITED are not intending to rethink a policy to ignore provisions for relegation in new contracts despite this season's ongoing threat of dropping back out of the Premier League. The Magpies are focused on fighting off the prospect of
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Council warns residents of waste collection letter scam
RESIDENTS are being warned about a letter scam from people posing as council officials, offering to collect large household waste. Hambleton District Council has alerted people to the bogus scheme running in the Great Broughton area, near Stokesley
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Village fly infestation shuts shops and empties pub
THE Environment Agency has launched an investigation after vast swarms of flies struck a County Durham village. Mark Tallentire reports. THE shop closed, the pub emptied and villagers slammed their windows and searched in vain for somewhere selling
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Durham council under fire after 22 staff get over £100,000 despite budget cuts
THE North-East’s biggest council has come under fire for paying six-figure remuneration packages to 22 staff – more than the previous year, despite unprecedented budget cuts. According to the Taxpayers’ Alliance (TA) Town Hall Rich List published
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Panther mystery deepens as more black cats spotted
THE mystery surrounding the possible existence of a big black cat in County Durham has deepened after several more residents claimed to have seen the creature. Following last week’s report on Neville Shaw, who claims to have seen a black cat about
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Landlord's anger as tenant causes thousands of pounds worth of damage
A LANDLORD has told of his anger after thousands of pounds worth of damage were caused to the house he rented out. In May last year, Phil Smith and his wife, Marlyn, spent about £8,000 refurbishing the ground-floor of a house he owns in Gladstone
