The North East | Archive | 2000 | December

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Stories for 06 December 2000

Consett,Stanley,Chester Le Street News

Poison-pen letters man gets jail term

A MAN launched a poison-pen letter scam and framed his brother-in-law in a bid to be re-housed away from his family.  more...

Showbiz stars of future

A youth theatre production of Mother Goose in County Durham could help hatch a career or two in showbiz.  more...

Co-op hands out £2,500 in grants

COMMUNITY dividend grants, totalling £2,500, have been handed out by the North Eastern Co-op.  more...

Darlington,Newton Aycliffe,Sedgefield,Barnard Castle News

National Lottery backs bid to renovate park

THE multi-million pound refurbishment of a Darlington park has moved a step closer.  more...

Children in Need charity effort praised

ORGANISERS of a fundraising effort which brought in £3,000 for Children In Need have paid tribute to the tremendous efforts of those involved.  more...

Students are rewarded for being positive

NINETEEN students from Darlington College of Technology received certificates at a Positive Young People Awards presentation.  more...

Crackdown on town centre litter louts has early success

A COUNCIL crackdown on litter louts, aimed at cleaning up Darlington's town centre streets, has achieved its first success.  more...

Advice on avoiding the rogue traders

TRADING standards officers are on the trail of rogue traders in Darlington.  more...

Protest over school traffic measures

A PROPOSED traffic calming scheme near a Darlington primary school has caused outrage among residents.  more...

Durham,East Durham News

Jewellery shop elves sparkle in fancy dress competition

IT was chocs away for Durham shops staff who got into the festive spirit and donned fancy dress for the city's Christmas Festival.  more...

Councillor goes blind for charity

SEDGEFIELD borough councillor David Newell raised more than £1,800 for charity by going blind for a week.  more...

N-E university to lead research on universe

DURHAM University scientists are getting £3m funding for their world-class physics research.  more...

Musical police aid disabled youngster

POLICE musicians hope to make life better for a disabled youngsters.  more...

Former pit village fighting to revive community spirit

FISHBURN is a village which is fighting back.  more...

Initiative targets festive thieves

POLICE are pointing the finger at potential shoplifters to help Durham stores in the run-up to Christmas.  more...

East Cleveland News

Executives resign from troubled steel firm

TROUBLED steel giant Corus is facing fresh turmoil after two of its joint chief executives resigned last night and left the company immediately.  more...

Pupils get it write after school is out

ARTWORK and creative writing by children from across east Cleveland is to be featured as part of an exhibition in Loftus.   more...

Scouts promise delivery of festive cards

COMMUNITIES in east Cleveland will get an extra helping hand with the delivery of Christmas cards this year thanks to local Scout troops.  more...

Town's image set to blossom

AN east Cleveland town is taking a leaf out of its neighbour's book and is attempting to spruce itself up.  more...

Mo steps in over refuse deadlock

INDUSTRIAL action by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's refuse collectors could soon be coming to an end, thanks to the intervention of Redcar MP Mo Mowlam.  more...

Curlers have an ice time with presents

A SPRINKLING of fairy dust Christmas madness descended on a corner of Teesside yesterday.  more...

Newton Aycliffe,Bishop Auckland,Barnard Castle,Darlington,Durham,East Durham,Hawes,Northallerton,Ric News

Elevated debate of no consequence

IN A debate in the House of Lords on leylandii hedges, a source of great distress to many, Earl Ferrers, a former Tory minister, said: "At the moment you have got hedgerow officers who tell you what hedges you may and may not remove. You have got tree preservation orders. You are told that you may not wear the skin of a mink on your back.  more...

Let there be lights... eventually

THOUGH it may prove akin to the youthful realisation that Santa has several billion little helpers, needs must that we recount another salutary story for Christmas.  more...

Where have all the singers gone?

HAVE you got something to sing about? Probably not. We don't sing any more. At the Choir of the Year final, composer John Rutter complained that we are no longer a singing nation. Except at football matches, of course. I bet the only songs my sons know are those questioning the parentage of referees.  more...

Newton Aycliffe,Bishop Auckland,Barnard Castle,Darlington,Durham,East Durham,Hawes,Northallerton,Ric Sport

Pool boss is hoping for third time lucky

HARTLEPOOL United boss Chris Turner tonight tries to get the better of Scunthorpe at the third time of asking.  more...

Durham on the trail of Law

DURHAM'S search for an all-rounder has put them on the trail of Danny Law, who specialises in producing his best performances against them.  more...

Rae sets up Sunderland for leap into sixth place

SLICK Sunderland completed a hat-trick of Premiership victories last night to move into sixth place with a well-deserved win over Everton at the Stadium of Light.  more...

Bennett opts for a strong LDV line-up

Darlington manager Gary Bennett intends fielding his strongest possible team for the LDV Vans Trophy game at York City tonight.  more...

Cowdrey - most eminent

Colin Cowdrey will be remembered as the fourth highest scoring batsman in English Test history. But the former England and Kent captain, who has passed away at his home at the age of 67, could have left an even greater mark on the game he loved.  more...

Close, gentleman of the cue game, dies at 65

BILLIARDS is mourning one of its top players.  more...

north-east -king' aims for crown

NORTH-EAST boxing coach Gary McCrory is hoping to see one of his charges win the British Super-Middleweight Championship, on Saturday.  more...

Irish take the honours as Falcons fail to take advantage

London Irish gained a psychological boost before Sunday's Tetley's Bitter quarter-finals by beating opponents Newcastle in the Zurich Premiership last night.  more...

Double blow dealt by weather

Darlington's game at York City was postponed with both sets of players standing on the waterlogged Bootham Crescent pitch.  more...

YOUNGSTER TOPPLES WORLD BOWLING CHAMPION

TEENAGER Andrew Barkess bowled over the world's number one, when he beat the champion in his first ever proper game of indoor bowls.  more...

Northallerton,Richmond,Hawes News

Drugs tsar launches scheme to help village youngsters

THE Government's drugs tsar Keith Hellawell yesterday launched a pioneering scheme aiming to tackle drugs and alcohol abuse in rural areas.  more...

Quarry plan sparks fears over traffic

PLANS to extend a quarry near Ripon have been opposed by city councillors.  more...

Home marks 25 years' work

A RESIDENTIAL home is celebrating a milestone after 25 years of caring for elderly people.  more...

Grandmother donates kidney to save pal's life

A grandmother has become a "a friend for life" to her best pal after giving her a kidney.   more...

Backing for road humps in square

PLANS for six traffic humps on roads surrounding Ripon Market Place have been backed by the city council.  more...

Youngsters' holiday activities

YOUNGSTERS are being invited to keep themselves busy over the festive holidays by taking part in activities organised by Thirsk swimming pool.  more...

Teesside News

Appeal marks hospice target of move into £2.5m premises

AN APPEAL is being made to a town today to construct a custom-built hospice.  more...

Reminder for parents in choice of schools

PARENTS of youngsters in Hartlepool who will move up from primary to secondary school next autumn are being reminded that time has almost run out for them to make a very important decision.  more...

Seconds out in fight for votes

HARTLEPOOL MP and Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson faces a fight at the next General Election - from a boxing promoter.  more...

Advert campaign to recruit nurses

A RECRUITMENT drive for hospital nurses is being launched on Teesside this week.  more...

Youngsters on fun wavelength

RADIO station Galaxy Radio plans more fundraising under-18 party nights on Teesside next year - following a successful event in Middlesbrough.  more...

The North East Features

Let there be lights . . . eventually

THOUGH it may prove akin to the youthful realisation that Santa has several billion little helpers, needs must that we recount another salutary story for Christmas.  more...

Still a poplar entertainer

GETTING on three decades ago, Vin Garbutt wrote a song called John North, about this grand young lad who drank the best ale in the land. Chance would be a fine thing...  more...

Opinion

'WE never closed" is the proud boast of Darlington Memorial Hospital. Even at the peak of last winter's horrendous beds crisis, the 450-bed hospital somehow managed to stay open to new emergency medical admissions.   more...

Opinion

IT is difficult to escape the hard-hitting and graphic images of the latest campaign warning of the dangers of drink-driving.  more...

The North East,Echobusiness Business

ICI in £325m Industrial chemicals sell-off

CHEMICALS group ICI has all but completed its massive three-year transformation by agreeing the sale of its industrial chemical operations for £325m.  more...

S&N sales buck the ale trend

BREWING and leisure group Scottish & Newcastle is set to continue its "significant progress" in transforming the business, after bucking the trend with an eight per cent jump in pre-tax profits.  more...

Executives resign from troubled steel firm

TROUBLED steel giant Corus is facing fresh turmoil after two of its joint chief executives resigned last night and left the company immediately.  more...

interprise brings east to west

A DELEGATION from Jiangsu province, near Shanghai in the People's Republic of China, has just paid a visit to County Durham to check on the progress of the Interprise 20001 event, organised by the County Durham Development company (CDDC).   more...

Building society strengthens its board

*The Universal Building Society has strengthened its board with the appointment of a partner from a local accountancy firm. MAXINE POTT from Newcastle-based RMT is a chartered accountant. She is also treasurer of the North-East and Cumbria German British Chamber of Commerce.  more...

The North East,Necom News

Pay boost for GNER drivers

BRITAIN'S fastest train operator - GNER - has handed a 20 per cent pay rise to its drivers.   more...

For some drivers, there's a fast-track pay rise

BRITAIN'S fastest train operator - GNER - gave its drivers a 20 per cent pay rise last night.  more...

Boro win one at last - new coach Venables

TERRY VENABLES finally linked up with Middlesbrough last night and admitted the fight to save the club from relegation is one of the biggest challenges he has faced in his colourful football career.  more...

Churches take the vows out of new-style Christenings

BIG changes have been introduced into baptism services in the North-East in a bid to give parents more choice.  more...

A golden day for rescue hero Meg

A SEARCH and rescue dog has received a rare award for saving the life of a depressed man after he went missing from home.  more...

Curlers have an ice time with presents

A SPRINKLING of fairy dust Christmas madness descended on a corner of Teesside yesterday.  more...

Oh baby, just look at you now

A BABY'S fight for survival has amazed her family and doctors.  more...

Murder trial told of argument and gunshots

A CANNABIS smoker who used a wood around a field to smoke joints, told a murder trial jury that he saw two people arguing on the night a man was shot dead.  more...

N-E university to lead research on universe

DURHAM University scientists are getting £3m funding for their world-class physics research.  more...

Fury as drinker who ended three lives gets eight years

Angry relatives have attacked an eight-year sentence handed to a drunk kerb-crawler who killed three friends.  more...

Families urged not to overload NHS resources

HEALTH bosses have urged the North-East public to be sensible about how they use the NHS this winter - as it emerged that operations have already been cancelled in the run-up to Christmas.  more...

Campaigner challenges snares conviction

A WIILDLIFE campaigner admitted yesterday he had cut dozens of snares and handed them in at a police station to invite prosecution.  more...

Suicide bid man jailed

A FATHER-OF-TWO who tried to steal a car so he could kill himself with its exhaust fumes, left it ablaze in the narrow street when failed to get it started, a court heard today.   more...

Father and son escape loft trap

A FATHER, who with his son, cheated death when they became trapped in their blazing home, spoke for the first time about the ordeal last night.  more...

Bulldozer threat to Forum complex

BILLINGHAM Forum - one of the North-East's best-known leisure centres - has been earmarked for demolition to make way for a supermarket.  more...

Curtain may come down on a Royal command performance

ALTHOUGH not the biggest of buildings, the Forum has dominated the skyline for more than 30 years and is one of the most recognised facilities in Billingham.  more...

Police chief will not face charges

A FORMER Cleveland Police chief will not be facing criminal charges.  more...

New roads -are threat to green surrounds'

LOCAL authorities are forging ahead with multi-million pound road building schemes without fully assessing the dangers to the environment, according to a survey by a conservation watchdog.  more...

Rail passenger's anger over two-day delay -shambles'

A RAILWAY passenger has told of a nightmare journey which cost him two days' pay and a £50 taxi fare.  more...

Support from Blair as mast is refused

VILLAGERS have won their fight against plans for a mobile phone mast near their village green, after Prime Minister Tony Blair gave them his backing.  more...

'Bearing brunt of cuts in defence'

A NEW report claims the North-South divide is alive and well within the corridors of power at the Ministry of Defence (MoD).  more...

Action demand over gas deaths

MORE than a year after promising to take action, the Government has been accused of dragging its heels over ending the menace of the silent killer.  more...

Rail passenger tells of nightmare journey

A RAILWAY passenger has told of a nightmare journey which cost him two days pay and to add insult to injury, a £50 taxi fare.   more...

Tyneside News

Pair deny murder over cider bottles

TWO men have appeared in court charged with the mugging and murder of Tyneside father David Bruce.  more...

Art display blossoms

AN exhibition of watercolours of plants opens at a North-East museum this weekend.  more...

Fuel allowance stolen by thief

A thief stole a 92-year-old woman's pension book and winter fuel allowance in the middle of a packed post office.  more...

Consortium's £2m deal for theatre

ONE of the North-East's best known music and concert venues has changed hands after its sale was agreed to a business group.  more...

No payout for beach fall man

A GRANDFATHER whose working life was ended by a devastating fall while taking an evening walk along a North-East beach has lost an Appeal Court bid for compensation.  more...

Spiderboy starting his longest sentence

A PROLIFIC young criminal is starting his longest sentence behind bars, with a warning that stiffer stretches will follow unless he mends his ways.  more...

Students join protest by university lecturers

STAFF and students at a North-East university joined forces to protest about bad pay and spiralling debts yesterday.  more...

Wear Valley,Bishop Auckland News

Lead mine taken over for Santa's grotto

CHILDREN in Weardale will be able to meet Father Christmas on Sunday, when an old lead mine is transformed into a fairyland grotto.  more...

PC in line for national award

A POLICE officer is in line for an award for his efforts in setting up a community police house on a troubled estate near Bishop Auckand.  more...

Road safety issues to be debated

A ROAD safety group will respond to complaints from the public at a meeting on accident prevention in Teesdale.  more...

Youngsters take part in safety campaign

A MEDIEVAL fortress in Teesdale was the setting for a police road safety campaign yesterday.  more...

CHILDREN get road safety message

A WEAR Valley police force has wound up its biggest ever road safety campaign.  more...

Project highlights importance of wildlife

THE international importance of wildlife in Weardale is to be highlighted in a new project.   more...

Wearside News

Headset and shoulders in front

A COMPANY that is tapping into the ever growing call centre business in the region has scooped two major prizes in the annual North-East excellence awards.  more...

Lesbian rape case man is cleared

A WEARSIDE man has been cleared of raping a woman after she accused him of kissing her lesbian lover.  more...

Quinn in a dream world

VETERAN Republic of Ireland international Niall Quinn - labelled "irreplaceable" by Sunderland boss Peter Reid - admitted: "I'm playing in a dream world and it's absolutely fabulous."  more...

Hope's op dream is granted

THE appeal for surgery to treat a North-East youngster now stands at £100,000.  more...

Store openings see SCS surge

NEW store openings have helped SCS Upholstery record pre-tax profits of £5.4m, up 19 per cent.  more...

  
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