Archive
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Vet calls on 'cowardly' van protestor to come forward
A VET has challenged whoever is behind an anonymous white van protest against his practice to go public with their grievances. A large van specially painted on both sides with the phrase ‘Dunelm Vets caused suffering to my dogs at great expense
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South Korea 0 Belgium 1
TOTTENHAM defender Jan Vertonghen struck in the 78th minute to hand 10-man Belgium a 1-0 triumph over South Korea on Thursday in Curitiba. Belgium's third straight win at the World Cup clinched top spot in Group H for the Red Devils and set up
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Algeria 1 Russia 1
ALGERIA booked their place in the last 16 of the World Cup for the first time in their history with a 1-1 draw against Russia in Curitiba. Aleksandr Kokorin gave Russia a sixth-minute lead, which would have earned Fabio Capello's team a clash against
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Kefalonian Idyll
Last week I travelled to Kefalonia on holiday. It is a beautiful destination; very peaceful and quiet. It's been at least 10 years since I visited Greece and I was pleased to see little had changed. Indeed, although we stayed in a modern villa, it
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USA 0 Germany 1
THOMAS Muller moved level with Lionel Messi and Neymar at the top of the World Cup scoring charts with the goal which took Germany through to the last 16. The Bayern Munich midfielder scored his ninth goal in as many World Cup appearances 10 minutes
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Portugal 2 Ghana 1
A VICTORY over Ghana was not enough to save Portugal's World Cup campaign as their target of a top-two finish in Group G and a place in the knockout stages fell agonisingly short. An own goal from John Boye and a second-half Cristiano Ronaldo strike
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Bishop of Durham calls for inquiry into institutional abuse
THE Bishop of Durham has called for a public inquiry into abuse as peers expressed anger and disgust over the scale of Jimmy Savile's sexual abuse in hospitals across the country. The Right Reverend Paul Butler said cases like Savile and Rochdale
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Brabazon: Evans hits top spot with course record at Seaton Carew
AN OVERNIGHT change of putter led to the overnight lead in the hunt for the Brabazon Trophy for Ryan Evans – and it earned him a share of the course record at Seaton Carew too. The amateur ranked 15th in the world turned on the style to power his
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'Free runners' putting lives and heritage at risk - police
POLICE fear so-called ‘free runners’ climbing ancient buildings could seriously injure themselves and damage the region’s historic treasures. PC Gary Thompson, of Durham Police, said free running is on the increase in Durham City and participants
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Greta and Ivan Humes of Chester-le-Street celebrate diamond wedding anniversary
A COUPLE who first caught each other’s eye on a bus trip to Blackpool today (Thursday, June 26) celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary. Greta and Ivan Humes, both 83, marked the occasion at Durham House Care Home, in Chester-le-Street, where
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Booklet produced to mark 150th birthday of Peter Lee
SCHOOLCHILDREN have been presented with booklets to mark 150 years since the birth of mining leader Peter Lee.Margaret Hedley, chairman of the Wheatley Hill Heritage Society in Wheatley Hill, east Durham, gave the booklets to children from Thornley Primary
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Fire damaged house is the latest to be transformed by residents
A FIRE-RAVAGED terraced house once earmarked for demolition has been transformed into a desirable family home by local residents eager to give a run-down suburb back its sense of community. When Middlesbrough CLT (Community Land Trust) Ltd, a not-for-profit
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Man denies "teen crush" on teacher with whom he claims to have had sex affair
A MAN has denied having had a teenage “crush” on an older female teacher with whom he claims to have had a sexual relationship for several months. The alleged victim of what prosecutors describe as Anne Lakey’s predatory sexual advances denied
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Flight of a lifetime for aviation fans as iconic plane visits region
A FACTORY full of women built the Dakota DC-3 because at the time of its creation most working age men were fighting in the Second World War.In 1944 it was delivered to the American Air Force’s Troop Carrier Squadron where it took part in major
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Darts player jailed for 16 years for raping vulnerable girl
A PROFESSIONAL darts player has been jailed for 16 years for the rape and indecent assault of a schoolgirl.Judge George Moorhouse said Tony “The Viper” Eccles had “systematically” abused a vulnerable girl.Eccles, 44, of Northgate
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Athletics event reaches 50th anniversary
AN athletics association has hosted its 50th annual district sports event.The Chester-le-Street Primary Schools Athletics Association first held the event in 1964, which now sees 400 children from the area compete in numerous sports at the Chester le
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Work starting: Specialist care facility on the cards
A MULTI-MILLION pound specialist care development in Hartlepool is set to look after vulnerable people while also creating vital new jobs. Mariner Care is to operate four bungalows from the site of the former Bridge Youth Centre site in Burbank
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Manager stole £1,400 from Darlington pubs
A BAR manager has admitted stealing £1,400 from two Darlington pubs to repay a debt.Mark Heseltine, 27, was the general manager of the Golden Cock pub in Darlington town centre when he lifted £1,000 worth of the venue’s takings.Newton
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Date set for new jewellery gallery opening at Mima in Middlesbrough
A GOLD bracelet worth almost £40,000 will go on display alongside jewellery made out of teeth and horse hair in a new gallery opening in October at Mima.Storage space has been converted to showcase the museum's accessories collection, which
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Identity released of man wanted in connection with attempted rape in North Ormesby
AN urgent appeal been issued by detectives attempting to trace a man wanted in connection with an attempted rape in Middlesbrough. Cleveland Police has released a picture of 26-year-old Cezar Florea, who is of Romanian origin and has links to the
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Fourth air ambulance lined up for Tour de France Grand Depart
A FOURTH air ambulance will be on standby for the opening stages of the Tour de France to help critically ill children whose transfer to hospital may be affected by road closures.The Children’s Air Ambulance will carry out urgent transfers with
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Courageous Middlesbrough woman caught burglar trying to break into her home
A BURGLER has been given his second prison sentence in six months after being caught by his courageous victim.Anthony Gunn’s victim was sat in her living room in Montrose Street, Middlesbrough, on the morning of December 11 last year when she heard
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Angel's delight - thanks to big-hearted Jessie
SINGING sensation Jessie J won the hearts of thousands when she invited one of her biggest – and youngest - fans to join her on stage.Six-year-old amputee Angel Sutton joined the star on stage at Scarborough’s Open Air Theatre for a rendition
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Driving ban for man who switched on car to get CD while drunk
A MAN who switched on a car’s ignition to eject a CD while drunk has been banned from driving for three months.Police initially wanted to charge Michael Reynolds with being in charge of a motor vehicle while drunk.But the 44-year-old, from Darlington
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Teenager with no insurance or licence crashed motorbike into a car
A TEENAGER rode a motorbike without a licence and insurance and fled on foot after he crashed it into a car, a court heard.Prosecutor Ann Darwin told Newton Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday that police found 18-year-old Calam Currie hiding up a tree
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Tanni's Westminster tips
PARALYMPIAN Tanni Grey-Thompson will join forces with a North-East MP to advise health campaigners on how to get their voices hearD at Westminster tomorrow (Friday, June 27).Baroness Thompson and Durham City MP Roberta Blackman-Woods will offer advice
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Campaigners cut first sod in creation of Newton Aycliffe multi-purpose sports facility
WORK has started on a £40,000 multi-purpose sports facility which it is hoped will help to curb anti-social behaviour amongst youngsters in Newton Aycliffe.Horndale Residents’ Association has cut the first sod on the 40ft by 40ft multi-use
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Complaints over dog waste could see Spennymoor play equipment reinstated
PLAY equipment removed from Spennymoor on health and safety grounds could be restored after residents complained the area is now being blighted by dog waste.Spennymoor Town Council removed the play equipment from the Clyde Terrace play area in 2012 after
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Investigators looked at Savile's links with North-East hospitals
POLICE have been asked to investigate allegations that boys were procured for paedophile TV presenter Jimmy Savile in the North-East.The manager of a hospital radio station was told that boys were found for the disgraced disc jockey “to help him
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TV success for talented fashion designer
A TALENTED fashion designer has had her work featured on a popular reality TV programme less than four weeks after launching her own business. Cherry Cumberland set up Pink Cherry Couture in May from her home in Rushyford, near Newton Aycliffe,
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Full phat milk!
A SUPERCHARGED milk float has picked up a new world record after reaching a speed of 84mph on a racing circuit. The specially-adapted vehicle, sponsored by Weetabix On The Go Breakfast Drinks, beat the existing top speed for a milk float of 77mph
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Silver band official jailed for sexual assaults
AN elderly silver band official has been jailed for sexually assaulting a disabled woman.Mobility scooter user Graham Harding was today (Thursday, June 26) sentenced to 27 months in prison at Teesside Crown Court.The court heard how Harding, a former
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Newcastle defender Tavernier heading to Wigan Athletic
JAMES TAVERNIER looks destined to leave Newcastle United after Wigan Athletic agreed a fee for the defender. Tavernier came up through the ranks at Newcastle having joined from Leeds United at the age of 15, but despite making a big impression
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Durham 'better at space science than NASA '
DURHAM has been named among the world’s top universities for influential space scientists.The North’s leading university was ranked sixth in the Thomson-Reuters list of the ‘World’s most influential scientific minds 2014’
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Mill in running for restoration award
A RESTORED mill in North Yorkshire is competing for votes as it bids to win a National Lottery Award live on television later this yearThe restoration project at Howsham Mill has been selected from over 750 entries to go into a public vote in the annual
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Future of parks under threat according to report
A WARNING has been issued that parks across the North-East are under threat from a lack of investment and neglect.The Heritage Lottery Fund raised its concerns in a report it published called State of UK Public Parks 2014: Renaissance to risk? - a comprehensive
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Councillor takes to stand in defence of accused Mayor
A SENIOR councillor has told a jury that a former city mayor would have told her if he had been handed money during Royal celebrations in her city. Pauline McHardy was deputy mayor for Ripon and Andrew Williams mayor during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations
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£10m hall approved for Great Yorkshire Showground
THE organisation behind the biggest agricultural show in the North has been granted planning permission for a £10m exhibition hall.Yorkshire Agricultural Society has received permission from Harrogate Borough Council to replace one of its exhibition
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Plans to build nearly 200 homes given go-ahead
PLANS to build 183 homes on land to the north of Stokesley have been approved.The proposals for outline permission to build housing at White House Farm, on the outskirts of the town, today (Thursday, June 26) received planning approval from Hambleton
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Savile was a regular visitor to the Great North Run
JIMMY Savile visited hospitals on Tyneside on three occasions, visits which coincided with the celebrity’s regular appearances at the Great North Run.But a report published today (Thursday) found no evidence of any inappropriate behaviour during
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Comment: Liverpool might query Suarez ban, but the guilty party can have no complaints
FORGET the comparisons with the length of ban that would ordinarily accompany a career-threatening two-footed tackle or head-butt on an opposition player, they are irrelevant. FIFA were in unchartered territory when it came to punishing Luis Suarez
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Disney dreams of ill toddler touches local hearts
A TODDLER’S Disney dream has moved a step closer to reality thanks to the big hearts of local people and organisations.Two-year-old April Benton has attended House Martins nursery in Malton since she was a baby and she is a huge fan of Mickey Mouse
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Renovation of Chester Moor
A £100,000 renovation of a pub in Chester-le-Street is underway after owners uncovered serious building issues during a routine upgrading scheme.The Chester Moor, which has been run by publicans Linda and Keith Hutchinson for more than 20 years,
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Police investigate attempted robbery where homeowner was threatened on their own doorstep
POLICE are appealing for information after a man used a blunt instrument to threaten someone in their own home. The attempted robbery happened at about 1.30pm on Monday, June 16, when the occupant of a house in Sanderson Street, in Darlington, answered
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RSPCA issues 'equine crisis' alert as number of neglected and abused horses soars
THE RSPCA is rescuing an abused, neglected or abandoned horse or donkey every other day in the North-East and North Yorkshire, figures have revealed.The charity said the region is in the “grip of an equine crisis” after receiving more than
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Cyclists complete 180 mile Newcastle to Edinburgh ride to raise funds for stillborn charity
CHARITY cyclists have pedalled 180 miles from Newcastle to Edinburgh to raise more than £2,000 for a stillbirth and neonatal help group.The Green Tree Cycling Squad completed the Coast and Castles route to raise £2,128.Gillon Hopson, Simon
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Darlington food store network expands
AN emergency foodbank network that has helped hundreds of vulnerable people over the past three years is opening a new distribution point.The King’s Church Foodstore Network, based at Whessoe Road, in Darlington, is opening its fourth distribution
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Display team fly in to help launch Sunderland International Air Show
A ROYAL Air Force Tucano display team flew in today (Thursday, June 26) to help launch this year’s Sunderland International Air Show.Europe’s largest free air show will be held at the seafront of Roker and Seaburn, from Friday, July 25 to
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New Darlington FC shirt onsale tomorrow
QUAKERS fans will be able to get their hands on the new Darlington FC replica home shirt tomorrow (Friday, June 27).They will be available from Quaker Retail at Blackwell Meadows from 10am and the club has extended the shop’s opening time to 8pm
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Warnings over suspected cat poisonings in Darlington
PET owners are being urged to be vigilant after a spate of suspected cat poisonings in Darlington.At least four cats have died of suspected poisoning in recent weeks in the Westmoreland Street area of town and residents are concerned that somebody is
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Tow Law builder banned for 18 months after drink driving home from pub
A BUILDER who travelled less than a mile to get home from the pub after drinking two pints has been banned from driving for 18 months.Wayne Johnson thought he would be alright to drive the short distance home after drinking two pints of lager at the Brown
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Brabazon: Ben Stow takes centre stage as Bedale's Brown is disqualified
DORSET’S Ben Stow has gone one better than his impressive first round total at Seaton Carew to take pole position in the hunt for the Brabazon Trophy. Stow, 22, was rewarded for taking risks in conditions to suit the world’s top amateurs with a
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Savile wandered around hospital at night and touched nurse
JIMMY Savile repeatedly walked unchallenged into a cottage hospital after visiting hours, touched a nurse and made lewd comments, an NHS inquiry has concluded. A York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust report found that despite having no links
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Campaigners urge people to have their say in final days of Darlington housing development consultations
DETERMINED residents are stepping up their efforts to oppose a controversial housing plan as the end of a consultation period draws near.Proposals from Darlington Borough Council to build more than 6,000 houses in the town by 2026 have attracted scores
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Stage school pupils swing with Robbie Williams
NORTH-EAST stage school pupils got a taste of what their futures could be like by appearing onstage with megastar Robbie Williams.The aspiring performers, from Stagecoach academies including Darlington, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and Stockton, sang with
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Widlfire warnings for tinder dry North Pennines
PEOPLE enjoying the countryside this summer are being warned about the dangers of starting wildfires as large swathes of the North-East’s landscape are turning into potential tinder in the hot weather.Fire chiefs and conservationists claim a fire
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Watchdog orders energy market probe
A FULL investigation will be held into the UK's energy market in a bid to "rebuild" consumer trust, it has been announced.Regulator Ofgem says the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) probe should ensure "once and for all" that
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Dead fish found along a 10km stretch of waterway after pollution spill
A 10KM stretch of waterway has been left devastated after a pollution spill left hundreds of fish dead. The incident at Aldborough Beck has been described as the most serious of its kind by the Environment Agency. Hundreds of fish killed
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North-East musician signs with international label
A NORTH-EAST musician has her sights set on international stardom after signing with a Dubai-based record label. Singer and songwriter Samantha Durnan was snapped up by record company R U Listening after an executive watched her perform recently
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Rapist darts player jailed for 16 years and family warned over threats
PROFESSIONAL darts player Tony Eccles was today jailed for 16 years for the sexual abuse of a schoolgirl. Eccles, 44, of Northgate, Hartlepool, raped and abused the girl over a six-year period. Before sentencing at Teesside Crown Court this
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CCTV released in hunt for sex attacker
DETECTIVES have released images of a man they want to trace in connection with a sexual assault on a young woman in Middlesbrough. The victim, who is in her 20s, was walking home alone after a night out when she was approached by a man who attempted
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Construction firm's £20m turnover aim
A CONSTRUCTION firm is looking to double turnover to £20m after completing work on a medieval landmark.NCS, in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, has carried out a project at Black Gate, in Newcastle.The company, which employs more than 60 staff,
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Daytime curfew for drug addict shoplifter
A DRUG-addicted habitual shoplifter has had his daytime movements severely restricted by magistrates after he stole vodka.Benjamin McGill took two bottles of the spirit from the Co-op on Horsemarket, Barnard Castle, on May 8 but was spotted by an off-duty
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Cannabis scented cards to be handed out in region
CANNABIS scented cards will be handed out across the region in a bid to help the public identify the drug.The scratch and sniff cards will be distributed by police forces and Crimestoppers as part of a campaign to tackle cannabis cultivation.The cards
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Upbeat entrepreneurs report rising confidence
A SURVEY of North-East entrepreneurs has painted a positive picture of the regional economy. The latest Entrepreneurs’ Forum Business Tracker Survey, covering the first quarter of 2014, showed strength in many key indicators, including sales, profits
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Darlington company offers schools the chance to make their sports day a special occasion
A FLAG making company is celebrating 40 years in business by offering schools the chance to use inflatables to make their sports days go with a bang. Harrison EDS, based in Darlington, has created inflatable start and finish lines, complete with
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Former Middlesbrough defender Parnaby joins Hartlepool
COLIN COOPER has raided his former club to take another Middlesbrough academy graduate to Hartlepool United. Just days after confirming the arrival of defender Matthew Bates after his release from Bradford City, Pools have stepped in to persuade
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Suarez banned for nine international matches and four months from all football for World Cup bite
LUIS Suarez has been given a nine-game international ban and a four-month suspension from all football for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini. The Uruguay forward will play no further part in the World Cup in Brazil after his attack on Chiellini
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A legendary musician who knows his Onions
Booker T Jones – he of Booker T & The MG’s is still producing that smokey Memphis soul music. It was way back in 1962 that the band released the iconic instrumental Green Onions, which was re-released in 1991. Now performing solo and on his
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French connection highlighted by village's on Tour De France route
A VILLAGE on the route of the Tour de France has turned a duck pond into an interpretation of the famous Monet water lilies painting, as it embraces French art with a Yorkshire twist.In a week that one of Claude Monet’s paintings, Nympheas, sold
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Drunken man smashed car windows and damaged police toilet
A DARLINGTON man was too drunk to remember smashing car windows to steal CDs and DVDs.Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court heard on Wednesday that Lee Fox was seen with his legs dangling out of a Volkswagen car parked in Darlington after he had smashed
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Castle to hold exhibition in honour of Armed Forces Weekend
AN EXHIBITION featuring the work of wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans will take place for Armed Forces Weekend at Bolton Castle.This weekend (June 28 and 29) marks Armed Forces Weekend to celebrate the contribution to the country
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Elderly County Durham stroke victim granted right to die by judge
AFTER a 'rich and happy' life, an elderly County Durham stroke victim has been granted the right to die with dignity by a High Court judge.The 'very frail' woman, in her late 80s, was languishing in a local hospital somewhere between a
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Multi-million pound sea defence work at Seaton Carew nears completion
WORK is nearing completion on the final phase of a £4.3m project to protect Seaton Carew from the sea.The sea defences have been upgraded along a 700-metre stretch of the coastline, from the Station Lane access ramp to the coach park.The construction
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Former fireman donates painting to raise funds for air ambulance
A FORMER firefighter has turned his hand to art as he confronts his Parkinson’s Disease head on.Ian Dunning spent 32 years working for Cleveland Fire Brigade before being diagnosed with the debilitating illness.Now his love of painting and drawing
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Brabazon: Things tighten up on the leaderboard as Storm does well in Germany
THERE are two new names at the top of the Brabazon Trophy leaderboard at Seaton Carew after solid mornings on another bright day on the fairways. Southerness’ Scott Gibson and Island Golf Club’s Paul McBride hold the clubhouse lead after posting
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Health secretary apologises for Savile's "sickening" abuse in hospitals across country
HEALTH Secretary Jeremy Hunt has apologised on behalf of the Government and the NHS to the victims of Jimmy Savile's "sickening" sexual abuse in hospitals across the country. Mr Hunt acknowledged they had been "let down badly" and said he hoped
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Jimmy Savile 'performed sex acts on dead bodies' in Leeds hospital mortuary, report reveals
INVESTIGATORS were given "macabre accounts" of disgraced presenter Jimmy Savile "acting unacceptably" with dead bodies in the mortuary of a hospital. An investigation into Savile's abuse at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) heard the now-dead entertainer
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Nissan creates another 50 North-East jobs as Juke production starts
NISSAN has started making the new version of its Juke model and launched a recruitment drive for 50 new maintenance staff at its record-breaking North-East factory. The Japanese car maker has invested £20m in its Sunderland plant for production
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Offshore work boosts coating firm owner
THE owner of a North-East industrial coatings firm says offshore energy work in the North Sea has bolstered its progress.The John Wood Group, which took over Gateshead-based Pyeroy, provides engineering and construction management for oil, gas and renewable
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Classical by Gavin Engelbrecht
REVIEWS: Donizetti, Aristea (Cantata) Naxos 8.573360 Gaetano Donizetti’s mini opera’ Aristea follows honours Ferdinand I, King of the Two Sicilies. Librettist Giovanni Schmidt recycled Aristea from an earlier abandoned opera set in idyllic Greek surroundings
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Fox and Hounds, Newfield, Bishop Auckland
DELIGHTED and surprised must surely be the initial reaction of any first-time visitor to the Fox and Hounds – it certainly was for my dining partner Rachel and for me. Newfield is a perfectly pleasant village on a hillside near Bishop Auckland,
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Non-Stop (Cert 15, 106 mins)
EMOTIONALLY scarred Federal Air Marshall Bill Marks (Liam Neeson) boards a transatlantic flight from New York to London. As the lights dim to allow passengers to sleep, Marks receives a series of cryptic messages via a secure channel on his handheld
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Ride Along (Cert 12, 100 mins)
HIGH school security guard Ben Barber (Kevin Hart) is a videogame junkie, who has been romancing his girlfriend Angela (Tika Sumpter) for two years. Her brother James (Ice Cube) is a highly decorated detective in the Atlanta Police Department,
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Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (Cert U, 81 mins)
WALT Disney’s 1937 animated adaptation of the Brothers Grimm fairytale returns to DVD and Blu-ray. The Queen (voiced by Lucille La Verne) is enraged to learn from her Magic Mirror (Moroni Olsen) that she is no longer “the fairest of them all”.
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Chef (15, 114 mins) 4/5 stars
WRITTEN and directed by Jon Favreau, this uplifting confection works to a tried and tested recipe of triumph against adversity, and taps into the rising popularity of food trucks as a lunchtime hangout for famished American office workers. The
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Dragons: Defenders Of Berk - Part 1 (Cert PG, 242 mins)
UNLEASHED on home formats to coincide with the cinema release of How To Train Your Dragon 2, these 10 episodes from the animated series based on Cressida Cowell’s children’s novel continue the adventures of plucky Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel) and
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Seve (PG, 124 mins) 3/5 stars
SPANISH golfer Severiano Ballesteros became one of his sport’s greats after years of tireless practice in the village of Pedrena in northern Spain using a home-made club, fashioned out of the head of a broken 3-iron strapped to a stick. Armed with
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Mrs Brown’s Boys D’Movie (15, 94 mins)
THE misadventures of feisty Dublin matriarch Agnes Brown (Brendan O’Carroll) transitioned seamlessly from stage to the small screen in 2011 with the birth of the BBC sitcom Mrs Brown’s Boys. Creator O’Carroll cast numerous relatives and friends
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Walking On Sunshine (12A, 97 mins)
CAST in a similar mould to Mamma Mia!, this is a feel-good summer musical that brings together colourful characters for a wedding to a soundtrack of some of the greatest hits of the 1980s including Don’t You Want Me by The Human League, Faith by George
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Cold In July (15, 110 mins)
BASED the novel by Joe R Lansdale, Cold In July is a gripping thriller about a family man, who is unwittingly drawn into a deadly conspiracy after an uncharacteristic act of violence. Expertly constructed by writer-director Jim Mickle, who co-wrote
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The Antlers: Familiars
AFTER 2009’s Hospice, a heartwrenching concept album divulging a cancer sufferer’s relationship with her hospital worker, Brooklyn threepiece The Antlers found themselves near the head of the criticallyacclaimed indie table. If follow-up Burst
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The Orwells: Disgraceland
BOLSHY Chicago five-piece The Orwells release their second album Disgraceland, fresh from hitting out at UK rock ‘n’ roll royalty in the form of Arctic Monkeys. Guitarist Matt O’Keefe compared Sheffield’s finest to the Backstreet Boys due to their
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Various: The Only Way Is Marbs: Marbella Anthems
THIS album is for all those partygoers who plan to Shake That this summer. Mixed by The Only Way Is Essex star Lauren Pope, the album perhaps surprisingly has a chilled-out feel running through it. There is also a 1980s vibe on some tracks, and
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Mastodon: Once More ‘Round The Sun
AS the most acclaimed metal act of this millennium, Mastodon face a mammoth task living up to their reputation for consistency in producing top quality albums, Jonah Hex soundtrack aside. Fans can exhale in relief as Once More ‘Round The Sun sees
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Cooking up a storm at food festival
FOOD fans prepare to rejoice because NewcastleGateshead’s festival EAT! is back for its annual summer outing. Taking inspiration from the natural beauty of the North-East, EAT! NewcastleGateshead is going alfresco from Friday, August 8 to Sunday ,
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Why disorderly Q is ready for the North-East
IF YOU’RE staging a tour involving puppets then these are the ideal characters to help you sell tickets. Right? Wrong, says David Hutchinson, who hadn’t considered the impact of taking the Trekkie Monster from Avenue Q to Carlisle and Sunderland
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New Juke leads to jobs boost at Nissan Sunderland
THE launch of the newly revamped Nissan Juke has led to a jobs boost at the company’s Sunderland plant.More than 540,000 examples of the crossover have been made in the UK since 2010.The company has now invested more than £20m in the plant
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Alison blows her own trumpet
ALISON Balsom’s career really took off last year when she became the triumphant trumpeter of London The Globe’s Gabriel, featuring the music of Handel and Purcell, a project which she’d suggested, and saw it turned into a play involving lots of music
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Doorstep ultimatum for Gail
THE path of true love in Soapland is as crooked as Richard III's back. Even declaring your feelings in love letters has drawbacks as petty criminal Michael, who burgled Gail the hamster's home, is about to find out in Coronation Street (ITV1).
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Anita Harris stars in York panto
THE Grand Opera House in York is fielding veteran performer Anita Harris, plus Stuart Wade and Tom Owen, for its 16th annual panto, Cinderella. Harris made her legitimate theatre debut in 1986 when she took the role of Grizabella in the West End production
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Country by Brian Clough
Melody Walker & Jacob Groopman We Made It Home Maker/Mender MusicPERHAPS like me Melody Walker and Jacob Groopman will be new names to add to your artist list.I have to confess that when I received the album I made a few lines of enquiry and it seemed
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Surrender to Slow Club
IT'S almost three years since Slow Club released their second album, Paradise. On it, the Sheffield duo - Rebecca Taylor and Charles Watson - made a giant leap forward from their playful 2009 debut, Yeah So. Gone was the puppyish energy and naval-gazing
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Folk by Jez Lowe
MORE and more people “in the know” are suggesting that the future of folk music is on the festival stage, rather than the small venue scene. How musicians and singers are supposed to develop their act and hone their repertoire, not to mention support
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Five minutes with... Paul Weller
You played a handful of small shows in clubs recently. how were they? Good fun, but a lot of hard work, which I'm not averse too, but it was extremely hard work. Cramped for space, sound limitations, the rest of it. Our rehearsal space is bigger
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Ed Sheeran: X
THE Brit-winning singer, who counts Jamie Foxx, Courteney Cox and Taylor Swift among his friends, is back with X (pronounced ‘Multiply’), the highly anticipated follow-up to his 2012 debut +, and there is plenty here to sate fans’ appetites. A
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Boys in Brazil
I HAVE watched my boys suffer despair, heartbreak, broken dreams and bitter disillusion every four years now, from as far back as 1998. Since the eldest was seven, our house has been festooned with England flags, football charts and other bits
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Sale of the century
GIVEN a practice run in the column two weeks ago, former Darlington footballer Ian Larnach and World Cup referee George Courtney duly completed their 100-hole golf challenge last Friday. They teed off at Bishop Auckland at 5am, got back to the
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Report says Savile allowed to abuse at hospitals for four decades
DISGRACED presenter Jimmy Savile subjected patients in hospitals across the country to "truly awful" sexual abuse for more than four decades, a series of chilling reports have revealed. Savile's victims at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) ranged from
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Split Festival, Sunderland
THE Split Festival, one of the region's biggest music events, will return to Sunderland on August 9 and 10, and host home-grown acts such as School of Language, Gallery Circus, Lilliput, and Hyde and Beast play alongside headliners Dizzee Rascal,
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Boro to appoint former Real Madrid forward to coaching staff - and hoping to sign Spanish full-back
MIDDLESBROUGH are set to appoint former Real Madrid forward Ivan Perez Munoz to their coaching staff. A product of the Real Madrid academy, Perez spent a year with the La Liga's senior squad after turning professional in 1996 and was briefly a
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God save the beauty queens
Beauty Queen Or Best (C4, 9pm) LONG, long ago, small-town Britain thought nothing of crowning an annual beauty queen as part of its carnival procession, flower shows, beer tents and display rings. Look at us now. The very idea of judging one person
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Mining firm holds public exhibitions
A FIRM behind £1.5bn mine plans is holding public exhibitions over its revised proposals.Sirius Minerals wants to extract millions of tonnes of the fertiliser polyhalite from under the North York Moors National Park at Sneaton, near Whitby.Bosses
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PM's team hear about small firm's export plans
A DELEGATION from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) yesterday travelled to Number 10 Downing Street to share details of their export plans. The Prime Minister David Cameron’s team was keen to hear about the challenges, barriers and opportunities
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Man in court charged with murder after woman's body found in Newcastle house
POLICE have charged a man after the body of a woman was found in a house in Newcastle. At 8.14am on Wednesday, June 25, police received a report of the death of the woman at the house at Lismore Place. "The woman can now be identified as Shiela
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Lord’s day observed
TO mark the centenary of the first match there, Lord’s – the world’s foremost cricket ground – held on Sunday a celebration so special that for the first time in 50 years non-members were allowed into the pavilion, and in “relaxed” clothing, too.
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Attitude of England players explains Brazil failure
ALTHOUGH the overriding feeling among England’s fans was that they were never going to bring the World Cup home from Brazil, they were naturally disappointed by the team’s early exit. However, I was astonished by the complacency shown by the players
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Cancer clinic
IT is always a worry when we hear about hospital services being transferred or closed down and I, for one, share the concerns of Darlington MP Jenny Chapman relating to the breast cancer clinic (Echo, June 22). All I can say to Jenny is cast your
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Railway museum
I AM writing concerning the news that the Head of Steam Museum, in North Road, Darlington, has been saved (Echo, June 24) and the town is bidding for World Heritage status based on its railway heritage. The Friends of the Stockton and Darlington
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Andy Coulson
AFTER racking up a total bill of more than £30m and eight months of legal argument Rebekah Brooks, the former chief executive of News International, is cleared of all hacking charges. The only guilty verdict went to Andy Coulson, the former editor
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Battlefields
LAST week, my wife and I went to Seaham Harbour to see the statue of a First World War soldier created by Ray Lonsdale. It was very impressive with about two miles of welding to create a 9.5ft sculpture that captures the severe weariness of war
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Radio Ga-Ga
A RADIO advert tells listeners that the Government protects the money people have in their bank and building society accounts. It adds that this service is “free of charge”. Stopping banks going bust is a service performed by the Government which
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Tony Blair — a man on a mission
TWO former Prime Ministers popped up on the airwaves the other day to pass on their wisdom — but with very different reactions. One left office a failure, a laughing stock almost, after leading his party to calamitous defeat, to a quiet life of
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Hidden cost of the Great War
TODAY there will be a debate in the House of Commons on “The preparations for the commemoration of the First World War”. I hope to contribute. “The Great War” affected every town and village in Britain. In every community there stands a memorial
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Rise in weights may bring end to handicaps for Fahey's Baccarat
WOKINGHAM winner Baccarat is likely to have run in his last handicap for some time after a hefty rise in the weights. Richard Fahey’s sprinter landed the competitive Royal Ascot heat off a mark of 105 but has been put up 7lb to 112 by the assessor
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Nashville could have more to offer on quicker ground
NASHVILLE is unlikely to be too far away in the Betfred Racing Like Us On Facebook Handicap at Newcastle. Richard Fahey’s gelded son of Galileo has picked up the pace in recent months and shaped encouragingly in a good two-mile handicap at Musselburgh
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An ethical mismatch
NEWCASTLE United’s commercial relationship with Wonga – a payday lender, charging huge interest rates – has always been an uncomfortable union. Legally, there has not been a case to answer. Ethically, there have been big question marks over St James
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Northumberland Plate: Guide to key runners on first day of Newcastle meeting
IT’S the first day of the Northumberland Plate meeting at Gosforth Park, Newcastle this afternoon. There’s a cracking juvenile Novice event over 6f to start proceedings; Richard Fahey has saddled the winner three times in the last four years and
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Azarenka must learn from her mistakes
VICTORIA AZARENKA knows she needs to start learning from her mistakes if she is deliver on her undoubted potential. Azarenka is a two-time Grand Slam winner, both titles coming in Australia, but there is no doubt that given her undoubted talent
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Ferrer in shock defeat at hands of Kuznetsov
DON’T ask Benoit Paire what he thinks about Wimbledon … or David Ferrer for that matter. Unknown Paire exited Wimbledon with a vintage verbal volley in which he claimed he ‘hated the tournament’ and ‘wanted to leave as soon as possible’. He
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Nervous Moore makes her mark at Wimbledon
NEW tennis hope Tara Moore refused to be downbeat after nearly pulling off a memorable Wimbledon shock. The British number five had two chances to serve for the match against former All England Club finalist Vera Zvonareva but admitted nerves got
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Murray strolls past Rola into third round
PITY poor Blaz Rola. He endearingly worried about ‘pooping his pants’ ahead of his show court Wimbledon debut and duly got his backside kicked by Andy Murray. The defending champion advanced to the third round 6-1, 6-1, 6-0 and, ominously for his
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Brooks to take a break from action
YORKSHIRE will rest Jack Brooks during a hectic week of Twenty20 cricket as they look to preserve their leading wicket-taker for the final six LV= County Championship matches. Brooks will miss some, if not all, of the Vikings’ five NatWest Blast
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Durham v Sussex: Day Four (LV= County Championship)
Durham v Sussex: Day Four (LV= County Championship) DURHAM hope to have Graham Onions and Mark Wood bowling for the second team at Middlesbrough next week ahead of what could be the season’s make-or-break game at Headingley. They needed 17
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Hodgson insists he will keep position as England manager
ROY HODGSON has reiterated his desire to stay on as England manager, defiantly insisting he has no intention to quit. Hodgson and his 23 players touched down in England on Wednesday after their worst World Cup campaign in history. England finished
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Bento to stay as Portugal boss
PORTUGAL manager Paolo Bento is adamant he will not resign even if his side fail to qualify for the World Cup knockout stages today. Bento’s position has come under scrutiny after his team were thrashed 4-0 by Germany and a last-gasp equaliser
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Suarez could pay for previous sins
LUIS SUAREZ’S previous record for biting may be used in evidence against him when disciplinary chiefs consider the case against him for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini, FIFA has confirmed. Suarez’s lawyer Alejandro Balbi, who is also a Uruguay
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Popular hotel and restaurant could become student digs
A POPULAR city centre hotel and restaurant are facing an uncertain future, after plans emerged to convert the premises into more student accommodation.A planning application has been filed to Durham County Council which would see the Kingslodge Hotel,
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North-East transfer gossip (Sunderland, Newcastle, Middlesbrough): Thursday, June 26
SUNDERLAND As one of four Premier League clubs chasing Robert Snodgrass, Sunderland have been patiently waiting to see who jumps first. Like a guest at the evening do of a wedding when they announce the buffet is now open - an apposite
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Golf Shorts: Region still have Open hopefuls as Rockliffe confirm new signing
THE Open dream is still alive for a number of North-East golfers after they progressed from regional qualifying earlier this week. Darlington’s Simon Calvert posted back-to-back 67s to climb to five under and finish a shot behind the Golf Foundation
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Green energy scheme declared a "dud" after just 11 homes in the region sign up
A SCHEME to cut energy bills has been declared a “dud” because just three people are signing up each month across the region.Only 45 households in the North-East and Yorkshire have joined the ‘Green Deal’ in 14 months, taking out
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London landmarks repaired by Darlington experts
A NORTH-EAST steeplejack has won contracts worth £250,000 to work on some of London's historic buildings. Darlington-based Stone Technical Services Group (STS) has carry out vital repair work at the Royal Courts of Justice, Lambeth Palace and
