Archive

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Sweet music.

Spring is sprung de grass has ris, I wonder where de boidies is. De boidies dai are on de wing, dat’s absoid, de wing is on de boid. Each morning, I put de boidies breakfast out. Diced value, wholemeal bread soaked in water, with diced value, coxs, sunflower

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Postwoman Karen Finnegan spared jail term

THE row over prison overcrowding has helped a postwoman who stole scores of York letters - and dumped scores more in a skip to avoid a jail term. Karen Finnegan, 38, who admitted theft and delaying the post, could have got up to nine years in jail, but

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Needle found in school meal

Pupils at Fulford School have been warned to keep a look-out in case there is a repeat of the incident, in which a student found the needle lying on top of a sandwich bought in the school canteen. Head teacher Steve Smith said no one was hurt by the

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Neil Graham Gover deception exposed

A BENEFITS cheat who squirreled away £50,000 in his bank account while claiming income support has been spared a jail term. Neil Graham Gover, 43, of Bellhouse Way, Foxwood Lane, York, walked free after a York Magistrates Court heard he was saving the

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PTC latest

PATIENTS from outside North Yorkshire are welcome at York Hospital for operations unavailable to many local people, one of its chiefs said. Earlier this week, we revealed the extent of the postcode lottery which is now dividing our region because of

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A bridge too far for trade

RESIDENTS and businesses in west York are bracing themselves for weeks of traffic misery during major improvements to a key bridge. Massive congestion is expected on the A59 following the announcement by Network Rail that engineers will carry out £1

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Axed Nestle man David Wilson turned to crime

A Nestle worker turned to house raiding when he lost his job in last autumn's cut-backs at the chocolate factory, York Crown Court heard. Desperate for money, David Wilson, 40, resumed the burglary career he had abandoned to earn an honest living. But

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Former Python actor Terry Jones to star in York’s Viking festival

COMEDY legend, popular historian and film director Terry Jones will be flying into York next month - but he has left the circus at home. The former Monty Python man will be in the city for a special screening of his film Erik The Viking, which is being

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Anger over street lighting 'blunders'

LET there be light! That was the plea from angry community leaders who have accused City of York Council of "utter stupidity" over its failure to install new street lighting. Clifton ward councillors Ken King and David Scott today highlighted major problems

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Housing sparks row

YORK'S shortage of affordable housing and rising property prices were discussed by city councillors. Tempers flared as a Labour motion was substantially amended and then passed by the ruling Liberal Democrats. David Horton tabled a motion calling on

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Plan for 80 city homes

DEVELOPERS want to build 80 new homes on the site of a York industrial plant. They plan to demolish Tarmac Ltd's batching plant at Ouse Acres, off Boroughbridge Road, along with a disused RR Donnelley warehouse, and build 48 town houses and 32 apartments

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Stand up to the motoring lobby

THE reported provision of a green transport link through the Nestlé site is excellent news (A blueprint for Nestle, The Press, January 18). With no selfish car users to bung it up, it will help to speed the journeys of bus passengers, pedestrians and

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Traffic dilemma

WHEN City of York Council closed Vyner Street and Fountayne Street to through traffic it created a necessary evil in the form of a bottleneck junction of Haxby and Wigginton Roads and Clarence Street, forcing people to queue down to the lights to

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Common sense

REALITY and common sense come into focus with regard to the recent "hoodie" furore (Branded a hoodie - aged two, The Press, January 21). You can find fault on both sides, irrespective of age or reason. If there is a ruling, no matter how ridiculous

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We are trying to improve the pioneering ftr service – First

IT is somewhat disappointing to read the recent comments about our ftr scheme made by Councillor Tracey Simpson-Laing as reported in The Press (ftr passenger swaps bus for Shanks' pony, January 19). The ftr project is important as part of the commitment

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Super database

THE Home Office, through junior minister Joan Ryan MP, seeks to reassure us that unregulated information cannot be held on the ID cards it is forcing on us (It's on the cards, Letters, January 20). Tony Blair announced plans for a "super database",

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EU turncoat

GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel is pushing like crazy for the rejected EU constitution to be adapted and adopted by 2009. Tony Blair, that well-known anti-EU turncoat, (as soon as he sniffed power, he did a 180-degree turn) is now working hand-in-glove

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In a tight space

ME and my husband recently went to see Chicago at the Grand Opera House, in York. (it was excellent by the way). We drove into the city centre and parked at Castle car park. It cost £2 for the evening which we did not grumble at. However, I did

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£6,164 raised

THE residents of Twinpike Way, Wigginton, would like to thank all the people who gave so generously to the Christmas lights display (Twinkle, twinkle, Twinpike Way, The Press, December 5). We raised £6,164 which will be divided between Macmillan

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Important link

I AM pleased to be able to update readers that the plans, as previously reported in The Press (A wheel good idea, January 22), to build an off-road cycle path linking Heslington and Fulford were approved on January 25. The off-road path will especially

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Jade Goody is not thick or talentless

CAN I say a word in defence of Jade Goody? Not, I hasten to add, that I condone the racist bullying of the beautiful Shilpa, which was despicable and deserving of all the condemnation poured on Jade. But the description of Jade as ugly, a fat pig, gruesome

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January 27, 2007

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Contracts boost for York rail firm

SHARES in Jarvis were boosted after the York-based rail engineering firm announced it had won three contracts from Network Rail worth at least £65 million. The biggest deal, involving signalling work on a stretch of track between Peterborough and Berwick

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Crash medics meet Richard Hammond

HARROWING video footage of the high-speed crash which almost killed Richard Hammond at an airfield near York will be aired for the first time tomorrow night - but five of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance crew who helped save him have already had a sneak preview

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Something to smile about

MORE than half of Selby and York's adults and children are registered with an NHS dentist, according to the latest figures. The percentage was revealed by health services minister Rosie Winterton after she was asked a parliamentary question by York MP

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Mobile police want your view

RESIDENTS and business people in York are to be asked for their views on crime as a mobile police station goes into the community. Officers in charge of policing the South Bank area will hold a special surgery on Wednesday to find out where local people

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Row over road cash

YORK'S roads could become some of the best in the world, if a bid for Government funding is successful, the city's council boss has said. But his opposition counterpart said the city risked facing major cuts in other services, and "third world" social

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Keep warm, avoid a stroke

KEEP warm - it could stop you getting a stroke. That was the warning today from The Stroke Association, the national charity dedicated to combating the condition. The charity has put out its plea as the country was plunged into icy temperatures this

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Judge Hoffman shows 'mercy' on heroin dealer Louise Ducey

UNDERCOVER detectives stopped a heroin deal outside a York supermarket as the dealer was handing over the drug, a court heard. Louise Marie Ducey, 26, had seven wraps of heroin in her hand and ten more in a Kinder egg in her handbag, said prosecutor

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Millions of reasons to celebrate

A SELBY-BASED charity has celebrated spending more than £2.5 million on community projects over five years. Regeneration agency Selby Groundwork is five years old this month. In that time it has worked on more than 120 projects spanning 40 Selby district

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Backing for pig farmers

PIG farmers in North Yorkshire have backed a group of farmers who are suing the Government after they went bust during the foot-and-mouth epidemic. A group of 51 pig farmers are trying to sue the government for compensation totalling £41 million after

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'I had often thought about running the marathon. Maybe it is part of a mid-life crisis!'

A DIABETIC mother-of-two is getting her running shoes out to try to raise hundreds of pounds for charity. Despite having next to no athletic experience, Catherine Bamford has signed up to run the second largest marathon in the world, the Flora London

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Cancer patients urged to speak out

A leading health charity is calling on cancer patients across York, North and East Yorkshire to speak out about the hidden cost of getting treatment. Macmillan Cancer Support wants people to take part in the Department of Health's consultation into

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Homeless hostel will 'enhance city'

THE developers behind York's controversial Arc Light homeless hostel have pledged to create an "iconic building" that will "enhance the city landscape". York Housing Association has also pledged to talk to residents who live nearby, incorporating "safety

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Cycling in the Vale of York

THE last time I cycled any distance was when I went to Selby on my mountain bike. It's a tractor of a bike with knobbed tyres, and weighs about a ton. Still, I loved the ride out. I had a picnic in the grounds of Selby Abbey, then started back. And got

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Green goodbyes and thoughts of Uncle Peter

It's my birthday tomorrow. I hadn't envisaged celebrating the occasion at a green burial site, but one has to follow the work. As my editor reassured me, "There's nothing like going to a burial ground on your birthday, it makes you know you're alive."

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Proboscis pigmentation

I KNOW some wine drinkers have a permanent red nose, but those of you with more respect for your body can always buy a plastic one for Red Nose Day this year. You can also swell the Comic Relief charity coffers by buying vino at a number of well-known

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Hockey girls fight in vain

CITY of York Hockey Club's Under-18 girls put up a brave fight at the junior national indoor championships in Birmingham. The youngsters took on the junior hockey might of Britain in the prestigious competition, which was held in front of a busy crowd

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Tockwith’s victory shield

YOUNG athletes at a North Yorkshire school have been hitting the heights. These children from Tockwith C of E School were victorious in both the Tadcaster Cluster and Selby Area Indoor Athletics Championships. The teams consisted of 20 children from

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Making breathing fun

THIS week I'm staying on the topic of frontcrawl, the easiest stroke for any child to pick up, and breathing. A couple of fun things we look to do is Ring-a-Roses'. If you all hold hands and start singing. When it comes to the "All fall down" encourage

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Ears’ gala gold

NEW EARSWICK Swimming Club took 64 awards from the York City Baths Club B' Grade Gala. Many of the team of 26 came away with awards and new personal best times. Speeding tickets were received by James Hudson in the 11-year individual medley and Ben

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We’re gluttons for buttons

In the chaotic blur of our 24/7 society, where meals are microwaved in minutes and all information is a click away, it's comforting to know we still take time out to sew on a button. For 50 years, Drusilla White's family has been selling buttons to the

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Skelton need players

SKELTON junior football club is looking for players to turn out for a new girls under-14 team and a boys U11 side next season. Anyone interested in playing should attend a meeting at the village hall, from 7pm, on January 30.

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Pikes recruiting

PICKERING Town Under-14 girls football team are looking for more players. Training and matches are held on Saturday mornings at Thornton-le-Dale. Anyone intersted should contact Ian Blanchard on 01653 699135.

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Refs’ course

AN eight-week long football referees' course is to be held at Lady Lumley's School, Pickering, starting next month. Sessions will be held on Monday evenings and anyone interested should contact Keith Sales on 01751 473348.

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Wiggy on the mark

Wigginton Primary School has been awarded an Activemark for the number of sports it offers. The assessment is based on an annual school sport survey and is in recognition of the range and amount of sport provided, both within the curriculum and in extra-curriculum

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Johnson’s brace inspires York Under-16s to Bowl glory

A BRACE of tries from scrum-half Ben Johnson gave York RUFC's Under-16s victory in the North Yorkshire Bowl. The junior Clifton Parkers travelled to Harrogate to play in the final, which was a round robin festival between York, Harrogate and Wensleydale

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Bad blow for Acorn’s Kellett

A serious leg injury to Mike Kellett marred York Acorn ARL Club's Under-15s' match against Castleford Panthers. It was otherwise an exciting game with plenty of open rugby played, with Acorn, for whom James Mountford was man of the match, taking control

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King Richard’s call

POCKLINGTON RUFC and Pocklington School back row forward Richard Skowronek has gained rugby union representative honours with his selection in the Yorkshire Under-15s squad. Skowronwek plays his club rugby on Sundays for Pocklington RUFC U15s and is

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Cockayne

COCKAYNE in upper Bransdale might be the most out-of-the-way outpost in the North York Moors. A big house called Bransdale Lodge looks down the semi-enclosed part of the valley, the little church of St Nicholas caters for the few hardy souls, there's

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Cup of tears as York go out to late goal

YORK Under-15 schoolboy footballers had their dreams of national cup glory snatched away by a late Nottingham winner which robbed them of the chance to get into the quarter finals of the National ESFA Cup. Nottingham took a 1-0 victory with a goal two

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Breezy Under-12s blow away Wakefield

YORK Schools Under-12s footballers defied the cold and blustery weather to win 4-2 at Wakefield in their penultimate Yorkshire League game. The first half started well for the York boys with great runs from Tom Allen and Elliot Frodsham down the left

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Making headway

Headlands have shot to the top of League C', leaving coach Pete Vasey happy with progress to date. He said: "If the team can continue to play as a team, and not revert back to playing as individuals, they should be successful, as they are more than capable

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Nestle’s Northern lights shine

SPRINTERS and hurdlers were to the fore for Nestlé Rowntree Athletics Club at the North of England Indoor Championships at Sheffield. The York-based club won five medals in all - two silver and three bronze. James Buck zipped to silver in the Under-

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It’s so heavenly

THERE are still plenty of berries in gardens and hedgerows for the birds, which seem to have been singing especially loudly this week. They have eaten the fruit that covered the stems of cotoneaster, and most of the Christmas redness of the holly has

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Pock fencers rise up rankings

Pocklington-based Ridings Sabre Club are proving a cut above the rest at youth level. Their teenagers have won a string of high-profile events at national and regional level. Leading the way is Jo Mountford who has been selected to represent Great Britain

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Biker Benn

BENN Shilleto clocked up the miles to help his Norwich Union Junior Football Club team-mates. The eight-year-old plays on Sundays in the newly-former Under 9s team who play in the York Mitchell Junior League. He decided he wanted to raise money for

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York’s high rollers

YORK'S Under-18 team stole the show when they won the Yorkshire U18 Bowls League. In their first game they beat Scarborough 37-18 with Adam Liddell's team winning 19-6, only losing three ends, while Adam Tattersall's side went from 11-11 to win 18-12

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Ryedale into regional finals

RYEDALE School's Under-16 and Under-13 boys are through to the regional finals of the English Schools Table Tennis Championships. They travelled to Northfield School, Billingham for the North East zone finals and qualified for the regional competition

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Beano there, done that

DENNIS the Menace and the Four Marys may not have been real children, but many wished they were. Such comic favourites brightened up many youngsters' days with their scrapes, sagas and dare-devil personalities, indulging in new adventures every week.

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Cry Salty Tears, by Dinah O’Dowd (Century, £9.99)

Boy George's mother Dinah O'Dowd suffered humiliations and both physical and mental abuse for the best part of 40 years. Her husband Gerald beat her on regular occasions and terrorised her with a knife several times during their married life. But the

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Blowing Up Russia: The Plot To Bring Back KGB Terror by Alexander Litvinenko and Yuri Felshtinsky (Gibson Square Books, £14.99)

Towards the end of last year, the shady world of international espionage burst on to the front of the newspapers as if from the pages of a spy novel. We watched in horror as former Russian intelligence agent Alexander Litvinenko died, slowly, from

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Shopaholic And Baby by Sophie Kinsella (Bantam Press, £17.99)

Shopaholic Becky Bloomwood is back, and this time she's shopping for two. Now happily married to Luke Brandon and about to buy the house of her dreams (with a shoe room), the forthcoming baby is the icing on the cake. And with the pregnancy of course

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North Yorkshire One Nine Nine by Richard Jemison, Chris Firth and Nigel Whitfield (Shutter books, £19.50)

IN Whitby One Nine Nine, photographer Richard Jemison and writer Chris Firth teamed up to produce an unforgettable celebration of the Yorkshire seaside town. It was Richard's 66 photos of Whitby that first caught the eye. He managed to get beneath

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Friendly marred by injury to new Knight Waldron

YORK City Knights were today sweating on the outcome of winger Johnny Waldron's trip to hospital. The speedy recruit from York Acorn ARLC had to be carried off the field in the second half of last night's friendly against Castleford with what looked

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Golf club pitches in to help sort out turf troubles

YORK City have turned to the kind of technology which is more at home on a golf course in a bid to solve their worrying KitKat Crescent pitch problems. The Minstermen have borrowed a machine from York Golf Club, in Strensall, in a bid to improve the

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£4m-plus bids for Boro’s McCain Stadium

SCARBOROUGH FC have received offers "in excess" of £4 million for the McCain Stadium, Seadogs chairman Ian Scobbie has revealed. A deal to sell the self-styled "Theatre of Chips" is likely to be sealed in the next two to three months and Scobbie said

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Bookies tip United for drop

LEEDS United will be relegated in May, according to the bookies. For the first time this season, Leeds are quoted odds-on for the drop by all the leading bookmakers, who are unlikely to change their opinion in the short term unless manager Dennis Wise

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Players’ group unhappy with Rudolph signing

THE Professional Cricketers' Association have strongly criticised Yorkshire for signing South African Jacques Rudolph as a Kolpak player. And yesterday the PCA reluctantly accepted that the England and Wales Cricket Board had acted on sound legal advice

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Knights lose but development is key

ANY York City Knights fans who went home disappointed by last night's 18-16 defeat to a young Castleford side should not be too downhearted. Okay, Cas did only bring an Academy team for the Huntington Stadium friendly, but Knights coach Mick Cook had

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Wigginton whitewash

IT Sports Wigginton had their second whitewash in a row when they hammered local rivals Harrogate 5-0 in the Yorkshire Squash League premier division. Manager Ian Tooms got them off to a flier beating Simon Myring 13-11, 11-7, 11-9. Captain Matt Lowry

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Tight up at the top

ONLY four points separate the top three after 16 weeks of the York John Smith's Sunday Pool League. Clifton lead the way after a comfortable 6-2 win at Fulford Arms. Clifton never looked back after Steve Scott took the first two frames as they raced

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It’s been all change at KitKat Crescent in a whirlwind 12 months

AS any regular viewer of Sky Sports' Soccer AM programme will appreciate, "Change is (supposedly) not good" in Yorkshire. The same would seemingly apply across the Pennines where Sir Alex Ferguson is widely credited as having created three teams during

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Sinking sands for poor Simon

SIMON Dyson has crashed out at the half-way stage of the European Tour's Qatar Masters. The 29-year-old golf ace could only card a two-over-par 74 in his second round at the event, at Doha Golf Club, to follow his opening round 75. That left the Malton

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Pike Hills want to build driving range

ONE of York's oldest and most prestigious golf clubs wants to build a new 12-bay driving range for its members. Pike Hills Golf Club put forward an application to City of York Council to erect the new building on the practice area at the Askham Bryan-based

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Auss adventure

WHETHER stepping out onto the turf at Melbourne Cricket Ground or lining up alongside England captain Michael Vaughan, Nigel Durham lived the dreams of thousands of club cricketers when he took part in the MCC tour of Australia. The York CC wicketkeeper

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TKO in USA for NBA

NO away fans, no venom, no snarling spite - but passion still spills down from the 20,000-plus seater stadium. Welcome to American sport close up and personal. My first introduction to sporting passion-plays USA style was a National Basketball Association