Archive
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Council sends many staff home and suspends democracy
NORTH Yorkshire County Council has suspended the traditional democratic process of meetings with elected members and handed decision-making powers to its chief officer due to the coronavirus outbreak. The authority, which is the region’s largest
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Virus fears lead to crown court trial being re-listed
A TRIAL due to start at a North-East court today has been put back for six weeks as the chief witness is said to be in home quarantine. The Crown applied to have the case of a man accused of knife threats and common assault vacated from today’s
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The Echo says: 'Whatever it takes is the Government's key pledge'
AFTER a day of unremittingly bad news, it was imperative Chancellor Rishi Sunak grasped the scale of the coronavirus crisis when he addressed the nation last night. By announcing what he described as an “unprecedented package of financial support
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Tour de Yorkshire postponed due to coronavirus
ORGANISERS behind the iconic Tour de Yorkshire cycle event have confirmed that this spring's racing will be postponed. The sixth edition of the annual race was due to take place between April 30 and May 3, but organisers say the developing situation
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Coronavirus: North East England Chamber of Commerce 'will support firms through crisis'
A BUSINESS leader says the urgent action taken by the Government is much needed to help struggling firms with cash flow as the coronavirus pandemic threatens economic disaster across the region. James Ramsbotham, chief executive of the North East
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Coronavirus patient dies at North Yorkshire hospital
AN elderly patient who tested positive for coronavirus has died at a North Yorkshire hospital. Harrogate District Hospital confirmed today that the patient had died while being cared for by the trust. A spokesperson said: “Sadly, we can confirm
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Repair yard on River Tees is thriving
POLAR research vessel HMS Protector returns to Teesside this week for upgrades and repairs in the next stage of a £150m contract at thriving UK Docks. The icebreaker is due to arrive on the high tide on Friday but it will have company, with both
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Morrisons is creating 3,500 jobs to cope with coronavirus demand
MORRISONS will create 3,500 new jobs as it expands its home delivery service to cope with a surge in demand during the coronavirus crisis. The supermarket chain said it would be recruiting around 2,500 pickers and drivers, while it will also be
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National park custodians fear proposals could hit landscapes and communities
THE custodians of a national park which has seen activities to conserve and promote it multiply despite its government funding dwindling have criticised the findings of a major review which concluded it should be doing even more for even less. The
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Chancellor announces loans worth £330 billion among coronavirus measures
CHANCELLOR Rishi Sunak has this evening announced loans worth £330 billion among other coronavirus measures. The measures were unveiled after the Government’s chief scientific adviser said around 55,000 people in the UK now have Covid-19.
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Oyster farms off coast could help climate fight
OYSTER farms could be set up along the County Durham coast to help the county meet its climate change targets. Durham County Council has set itself a target of slashing its carbon footprint by 80 per cent over the next ten years. And along with
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Callous thieves steal hand sanitisers from hospital entrance
CALLOUS thieves have been accused of putting vulnerable patients at risk after stealing hand sanitisers from a hospital entrance. South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has confirmed a small number were stolen from the Friarage Hospital at Northallerton
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Officers blazes a trail for Army women
CATTERICK GARRISON was the venue when a 28-year-old officer became the first woman in the British Army to pass the highly-demanding entry test for the Parachute Regiment. Captain Rosie Wild, who only joined the Army three years ago, has just become
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Coronavirus: Durham Cathedral suspends public worship for three months
Durham Cathedral has cancelled all events for three months and suspended public worship due to coronavirus - but will remain open for "prayer and quiet reflection". A statement on the cathedral's website, says: "Durham Cathedral's doors are open
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Council offers bird boxes to residents
A TOWN council is offering residents the opportunity to pick up free bird boxes for their gardens. Ferryhill Town Council recently purchased 100 bird and bat boxes from Ferryhill based Endeavour Woodcrafts CIC, who provide a day service for adults
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Medal wins for Sunderland martial arts club
MARTIAL arts club Red Star Sambo Sunderland continued their rise by winning three medals and narrowly missing out on two more in the British Open Sambo Championships. Head coach Barry Gibson had in the past competed on his own at such events, but
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Council apologises over disabled woman error
A LOCAL authority has apologised to the parents of a disabled woman after the councils’ watchdog found it had failed to carry out the remedy for a complaint upheld against it. North Yorkshire County Council said it fully accepted the findings of
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Warning to vulnerable residents after spate of distraction burglaries
POLICE are warning people to be careful after a spate of distraction burglaries. Cleveland Police says it has received several reports since Sunday. On Sunday, two men are reported to have distracted an elderly householder in Bevenlee Road, South
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Coronavirus: Middlesbrough College Students to work remotely
STUDENTS at Middlesbrough College will continue their studies from home using online tools, in line with the Government’s most recent advice on coronavirus. From today, March 18, classes for 16 to 19-year-olds will move online, working remotely,
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Emergency services attend two-car crash at Trimdon Station
POLICE closed a road following a crash between two cars on Salters Lane, Trimdon Station, on Friday night. Officers were called to reports of a two-car crash at about 9.45pm on Friday. A spokesperson from Durham Police said: "One person suffered
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Drug dealer jailed for three years after being caught with cocaine
A MAN who was caught bringing class A drugs into the region has been jailed for three years. John Collard was found to be carrying a quantity of cocaine when he was pulled over by officers in Chester-le-Street in January last year. Officers
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'We're told to stay open, but people are told to stay away' - Pub landlady on coronavirus concern
CORONAVIRUS is impacting big business, but it is local, independent traders who could be hardest hit. Pub landlady Beth Robinson, of The Beeswing Inn at East Cowton, North Yorkshire, said: "It's a real worry and I'm trying not to panic about it
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Young scientists fuel school mini bus with cooking oil from kitchen
YOUNG scientists have been using old cooking oil to fuel their school minibus to do their bit for the environment. Members of the STEM club at Wyvern Academy, in Darlington, took part in the eco-project, which was looking at processing cooking oil
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Coronavirus: Nissan suspends production due to coronavirus
CAR manufacturer Nissan has said production at its Sunderland factory has been suspended due to the coronavirus. Economic uncertainty as a result of the crisis has led to a sudden fall in demand. There are currently around 7,000 people employed
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Letters: 'Coronavirus questions over attending the Jobcentre to sign on'
THERE seems to be a number of question marks over attending the Jobcentre to sign on. Government guidelines say anyone even the mildest of coronavirus symptoms must self-isolate for seven days, so they don’t need to sign on. The Jobcentre say
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Letters: 'Coronavirus pandemic is bringing out the worst and best in human nature'
THE worsening crisis around the coronavirus pandemic is clearly bringing out the worst and best in human nature. There are many stories of solidarity among people and great work done by hard-pressed medical staff, while unfortunately we are also
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Maguire feels football clubs could go under due to coronavirus
MARK MAGUIRE, Hartlepool United’s chief executive, feels the impact of the coronavirus shutdown could see clubs go under. Football has been put on hold until at least the first weekend in April, most likely for longer, with plans on how to end
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Police urgently appeal to help trace vulnerable missing 51-year-old
Police are urgently appealing to trace missing Hayley O’Shaughnessy. Hayley, 51, was last seen on Redcar's High Street, near to the Crown and Anchor pub. Police have said Hayley is vulnerable and that she was last seen on Saturday, March 7
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Letters: 'I didn’t think I’ll live to see the day when people are squabbling over toilet rolls'
HOW did this country get through the last world war? There was shortage of just about everything, nobody panicked, they just got on with it the best they could. I didn’t think I’ll live to see the day when people are squabbling over toilet rolls
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Council hands power to chief officer
North Yorkshire County Council has suspended the traditional democratic process of meetings with elected members and handed decision-making powers to its chief officer due to the coronavirus outbreak. The authority's leader, Councillor Carl Les
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Consultation into former steelworks site moved online
A CONSULTATION into the regeneration of a former steelworks site has moved online as government advises against mass gatherings. A public exhibition to be held this Thursday March 19 to present proposals for the regeneration of a derelict steel
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Letters: 'Same discretion, same day, same location - different Blue Badge fines'
READING a report in the (Echo, Mar 14), “Blue Badge misusers left out of pocket”, well one of them certainly was. The Durham County Council parking services officers, spoke with a lady from Evenwood and a gentleman from Leeholme for the misuse of
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Darlington chef prepares for semi-finale of The Roux Scholarship
A MICHELIN chef de partie is celebrating after winning his way into the semi final of a prestigious cookery competition. Jonathan Ferguson, 23, works at Darlington's 2 star Michelin The Raby Hunt and will later this week compete in the final round
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Man arrested after police chase and replica gun found in Stockton
A man was arrested last night after a replica handgun was recovered following a police pursuit in Stockton. Response Officers pursued a blue Ford Fiesta vehicle in Hardwick, Stockton, at around 7.30pm after it reportedly failed to stop for police
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Repairs have been carried out at community centre
REPAIRS to a community centre have been carried out to improve the facility for users. After being saved from closure by the fundraising efforts of a team of volunteers a few years ago, the building and facilities at Dipton Jubilee Centre have been
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Middleham Open Day cancelled because of coronavirus
THIS year’s Middleham Open Day has been cancelled as part of the fall-out from the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The popular event, which sees stables in Middleham and its surrounding area open their doors to the public alongside a range of family-friendly
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Plans to turn former bank into a drive-thru coffee shop
A FORMER bank site could be transformed into a drive-thru coffee shop under new plans. Earlier this month, proposals were lodged with Durham County Council for a site in the North West Industrial Estate near Peterlee. The site at Stirling Close
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Coronavirus: Darlington GPs to triage patients by phone to reduce spread of virus
DOCTORS in Darlington will be triaging patients on the phone and are urging people to make use of online appointments where possible to try and protect vulnerable people at risk because of the coronavirus. Darlington Primary Care Network has issued
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How Teesside councils are planning for coronavirus
SCALING back services, meetings with care homes and new social media pages are part of council plans to deal with the coronavirus outbreak on Teesside. Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston called on people to “play their part” in the fight against the
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Hartlepool set for campaign over fly-tipping and dog fouling
A campaign is to be launched to encourage people to report incidents such as dog fouling, littering and more, to help council chiefs crackdown on the issues. It came as Hartlepool Borough Council Neighbourhood Services Committee conducted a review
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Coronavirus: 17,000 jobs could be lost in the North-East due to virus
ALMOST 17,000 jobs could be lost across the North-East if the government does not underwrite the losses suffered by businesses, the Tees Valley Mayor has today revealed. This afternoon Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said he was calling on the government
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Construction starts on primary school building
A COUNTY Durham school has marked the start of construction of its new building with a celebratory turf cutting ceremony. Teachers and pupils of Bowburn Primary School, gathered for the ceremony at the site of its new build, which is being made
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Euro 2020 postponed - and put back to 2021
THIS summer's Euro 2020 football tournament has been postponed by one year until 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic. UEFA have been holding an emergency video conference involving major stakeholders this morning. And while talks remain
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Darlington Iceland to open 'exclusively' for elderly as traders speak out about virus
DARLINGTON Iceland has revealed it will be dedicating time to allow vulnerable and elderly shoppers access to the essential household goods they need. A notice displayed by the store in Queen Street Shopping Centre confirmed that from Wednesday
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All UK horseracing cancelled until end of April
ALL UK horseracing has been cancelled until the end of April in response to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. Today's meetings at Wetherby and Taunton will go ahead as planned, but racing will then cease for a month-and-a-half, although the suspension
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Ambulance cadets get helping hand from masons
YOUNG volunteers at St John Ambulance at the Chester-le-Street Cadet Unit will be able to learn how to use a lifesaving defibrillator, thanks to a donation from the Durham Mark Master Masons. who are celebrating their centenary year The Moseley
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Coronavirus: School pupil 'self-isolating' as family member suspected of virus
A SECONDARY school pupil has been told to self-isolate due to a family member dealing with a suspected case of coronavirus. A letter has been emailed to parents and carers of children at Stokesley School in Stokesley, North Yorkshire explaining
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Burglar behind bars after leaving DNA-smeared screwdriver at crime scene
A BURGLAR is back behind bars after sharp-eyed officers found the DNA-smeared screwdriver that he had thrown away nearby. Michael Johnston, 40, smashed his way into a family home near Houghton-le-Spring in broad daylight just days before Christmas
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Northallerton driver Ethan Hammerton signs up for new season
NORTHALLERTON racing driver Ethan Hammerton is hoping for more fast-track success after re-joining Team HARD in this season’s JCW Mini Challenge series. Hammerton, who is 19, has signed up with Team HARD in partnership with JamSport Racing for the
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Cineworld, Odeon and Vue close all cinemas across UK due to coronavirus outbreak
CINEMA chains including Cineworld, Odeon and Vue have closed all of their branches across the UK due to the coronavirus outbreak. The companies have taken the decision to close until 'further notice' following advice from the Government issued
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"It's war time spirit" say Hurworth couple, 75, over support they've received amid coronavirus
A COUPLE in their seventies have been touched by the support they've received from the local community during the coronavirus pandemic. Hurworth residents Barry Cornell and his wife Kath, both 75, were forced to travel to several different supermarkets
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Coronavirus: businesses are facing investment challenges
WITH covid-19 spreading across the world we are seeing major disruption to the global economy. Business operations have shut down to try to curtail the spread and flights have been banned. This is having knock-on effects for supply chains and has the
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Five ways you can help others during the coronavirus outbreak
IF you've been on social media at the weekend, your timelines have probably been filled with people sharing pictures of emptying shelves or videos of queues outside supermarkets. But there are also a lot of people using Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
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Coronavirus: The venues that have CLOSED across the North-East so far
MUSEUMS, clubs, cinemas, theatres, swimming pools and council-owned attractions are shutting shop across the North-East following the government's latest advice on coronavirus. Across the region household names are closing, many until further notice
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Paedophile who abused two girls is jailed thanks to bravery of victims
A PAEDOPHILE who abused two children has been locked up for nearly two decades – thanks to the bravery of his young victims. A court was told how Graham Lane abused his first victim for a period spanning several years. The abuse came to light
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Man in his 70s shot by BB gun in Stockton
An elderly man was left shaken after he was hit by what police believe to be a BB or airgun pellet in Stockton yesterday (Monday, March 16). The man, who is in his mid-70s, was loading shopping into his car at Aldi in Darlington Back Lane when
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Coronavirus: Tour company forced to cancel all holidays from the North-East
A HOLIDAY firm which operates coaching holidays from the North-East has revealed it has cancelled all of its holidays for at least a month due to coronavirus. National Holidays, which operates UK-wide tours from Darlington, County Durham and Teesside
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Death on Aysgarth Bank
INVESTIGATIONS are continuing into the death of a pedestrian after a crash on a rural road near Aysgarth in the Yorkshire Dales. A 28 year old HGV driver from Cheshire East was arrested after the fatal crash on Church Bank around 12.30pm on Thursday
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Jobs lost as Carphone Warehouse to close stores across the North-East - full list of closures
THOUSANDS OF jobs will be lost as Carphone Warehouse announces it is to close all of its standalone mobile phone stores in the UK. Carphone Warehouse, which has stores across the North-East, said it expected to make 2,900 roles redundant as part
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Steam gathering presentations
ONE of the biggest steam festival groups in the North has handed over £10,450 to good causes from money raised during their event. Hunton Steam Gathering, near Leyburn, had the biggest and most successful event in its 34 year history last year and
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Coronavirus: Patient dies in North Yorkshire, Rishi Sunak announces £330bn package
8:08pm We're rounding off our live blog for another day - a day which has brought some major announcements from Chancellor
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Youngsters suspected of arson attack which destroyed hay
YOUNG arsonists are suspected of starting a fire which destroyed 20 tonnes of hay and took firefighters three hours to put out. Firefighters from blue watch at Spennymoor were called to reports of a fire at Merrington Road, Ferryhill, at about
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Steve Bruce: 'If play resumes - Karl Darlow will be ready'
STEVE BRUCE expects Karl Darlow to prove a capable understudy for Martin Dubravka if the Premier League season resumes at the start of next month – and will stick with the second-choice shot-stopper for Newcastle United’s FA Cup matches if the tournament
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High speed pursuit began in city centre shortly after mid-day
A MAN driving a van containing a suspect wanted for other offences sped off when police signalled for him to stop, a court was told. Dennis Burdon was at the wheel of a van, which was registered in his name, that was spotted by police in Durham,
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New bank card lands convicted sex offender in court
A CONVICTED sex offender was back in court after he failed to correctly register his new credit card. Henry Devine pleaded guilty to failing to notify the authorities that his card number had changed. Teesside Crown Court heard how the 69-year-old
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Steampunk enthusiasts descend on Newton Aycliffe festival
ALIENS, zombies and science fiction enthusiasts rubbed shoulders at a steampunk festival on Sunday. Dozens dressed up and headed to FantazMagoriA, at the Oakleaf Sports Complex, in Newton Aycliffe, to showcase their colourful costumes from the world
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Boys, 15 and 16, subject woman to 'horrifying' hammer attack in raid on her home
TWO teenagers have been sentenced to detention after a mother of five was subjected to a 'horrifying' attack with a hammer and her home raided. The boys, aged 16 and 15 were found by police after they fled the house in Prospect Road, Northallerton
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Darlington company to build bridge to reduce A19 junction congestion
A DARLINGTON construction company has won a bid to make a bridge for a project to redevelop a busy North-East roundabout in the hope of reducing congestion. Highways England is carrying out the major junction improvement scheme at the A19 Testo's
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Hunt for chocolate eggs this Easter at Ferryhill
AN EASTER tradition is to return to a County Durham town this April. Ferryhill Town Council announced that it will once again be hosting an Easter egg hunt for local school children, at the Surtees Doorstep Green at Ferryhill Station, during the
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Rare part of mining history saved for future
A SMALL part of North-East social history is to be preserved in a dedicated coal mining museum. The knocky-up board is something that might seem alien to many people outside mining towns, but for those growing up in the pit villages it was an important
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Pictures: RAF passes stiff NATO test in skies above North Yorkshire
NORTH YORKSHIRE was the focus for one the largest RAF deployments in the 21st Century when the RAF were given a tough test to prove themselves. A force of more than 600 Royal Air Force personnel successfully passed a major NATO evaluation at RAF
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Newcastle United review of the season so far - 'A mixed response to Steve Bruce's first year on Tyneside'
GIVEN the source of the coronavirus outbreak that has brought Newcastle United’s Premier League campaign to what could well prove a premature end, it is somewhat ironic that the story of the Magpies’ season also began in China. When Newcastle’s
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Football shutdown is now complete
THE National League has fallen into line with English football’s other major leagues and suspended all its matches until at least April 3. And last night the Grand National at Aintree was added to the list of cancelled events. The three-day Aintree
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Velma’s Verses to fund Parkinson's research
A POETIC pensioner who published her first book to help others battling an incurable disease has donated the proceeds to fund vital research. Velma Dixon, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease five years ago, released Velma’s Verses, a book
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Coronavirus: Volunteer network launched in Darlington for vulnerable people
A WOMAN has set up a coronavirus support network and is now appealing for businesses to get on board. Darlington woman Kimberly Scott set up a group for vulnerable and isolated people to ask for help, whether they need support or a carton of milk
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High Sheriff awards Awards to defy coronavirus pandemic by taking the celebration online
A COUNTY Durham awards ceremony is defying the coronavirus pandemic by taking the celebration online. The High Sheriff Awards give out thousands of pounds every year to local youth groups, but charity hosts County Durham Community Foundation have
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Darlington man avoids prison over 'deplorable' collection of child abuse images
A YOUNG man who had a troubled background has been given a chance to turn his life around after being caught with more than 45,000 indecent images of children. Ethan Demitri Chapman's vile collection was described as 'disgusting' and 'deplorable
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Man in court accused of spree of break-ins in town burglary spree
A MAN has appeared in court accused of committing a spate of dwelling burglaries in a dales market town on the same night. Brendan Cawley, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, is alleged to have travelled by car to Barnard Castle, in Teesdale, and gone
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Police target motorists using mobile phones in week of action
POLICE in the region are cracking down on motorists who use their mobile phones at the wheel as part of a national week of action. Despite the obvious dangers and potential for prosecution, Durham Police say they are still seeing motorists flouting
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Legal firms offer pension law work experience to students
DURHAM University law students are now offered the opportunity to gain work experience at leading law firms and chambers which specifically specialise in pensions law. The Pensions Law module, introduced at Durham Law School at the start of this
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National park set to bid to join world's elite stargazing sites
BODIES managing two national parks are set to bid to join a family of landscapes, including those of the Alpes Azur Mercantour in France and Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, in New Zealand, as among the best places on the planet for star-gazing.
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'It could have ended up in tears': Nuisance teens blight Arriva bus in Darlington
A GROUP of youths whose actions left a service bus blocking a busy Darlington road have been described as having a complete 'disregard for their own safety.' On Sunday, a group of around eight teenagers brought an Arriva bus to a halt on Haughton
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Do time-management apps really work?
Time management apps are usually marketed as better ways to make use of your working day and improve productivity. The world of technology has seen a proliferation of time management apps as consumers try to make the most out of their working and even
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Coronavirus: Who should stay at home and for how long?
“DRASTIC” plans to respond to the coronavirus pandemic have been set out by the Government. Here are some questions answered from the Downing Street briefing on coronavirus. Who will this affect? Most people in society have been asked to