Hidden linebreaks in string? VB.NET

I have the following problem.

I receive an XML file from one of our customers webservice.
Within this xml file, I have a section with the following .

<comment>20-03-2008
Issue 12345 handled
Issue 12345 closed

28-03-2008
Issue 12345 handled
Issue 12345 closed
</comment>

Now i generate some sort of report, in HTML.

I read the <comment> tag into a string.
I use the string in my report, and that’s where the misery starts. The HTML gives an error and can’t show.

After some testing and debugging, I found out, that the error is likely because of hidden linebreaks in the string. When I look at the string when debugging, it just shows as a normal linear string, no weird chars.
However when I copy the string and paste it in word for example, it suddenly shows the text with the linebreaks as it was in the xml comment. If for example I copy the string manually while debugging and make a variable, which I then paste the string in, and use this string as the source for the HTML, then it does not give an error (although when comparing the string textually, it is the exact same thing).

My problem is, that it would be fine for me to either remove the hidden linebreaks, or to alter the string so that it does show in HTML without errors.
I tried everything I could think of, looked for vbClRf etc but I just can’t find what causes the linebreaks in the first place, let alone how to remove it.
Other then that I don’t really have any clue atm, since the linebreaks don’t show visually appear in my string.

Any help appreciated is greatly appreciated.

Jiggy