What stories made Hexham Courant headlines 150 years ago?

10 years ago

PEAK PERFORMANCE: Head of music at St Joseph's Middle School in Hexham, Philip Rosier, hit the high notes when he participated in a concert like no other. He played his tuba at the top of the highest three peaks in Scotland, England and Wales within 24 hours.

BALL: Hexham-based children's cancer charity, Josie's Dragonfly Trust, was to hold its third annual Dragonfly Ball, with guests including Faye Tozer from pop group Steps.

OPPOSED: A farmer who hoped to buy the Haydon Bridge farm he had rented for 20 years from Northumberland County Council faced his plan being blocked by Hexham MP Guy Opperman, who thought the farm should be transferred to the governors of Haydon Bridge High School for free. The farm had formed part of the curriculum at the school since the school was created.

25 years ago

REUNITED: Italian ex-prisoner of war Pietro Mostini was reunited with farmer Bill Dinning. Pietro had worked at Bill's Catton farm during his enforced stay in England in the Second World War before he returned to Sardinia.

(Left) Ex-prisoner of war Pietro Mostini and Bill Dinning (Image: Newsquest)

COLLAPSE: A family had a lucky escape after one of the walls of their house collapsed in a pile of rubble in Ovington.

The collapsed building in Ovington, which was a former school house (Image: Newsquest)

50 years ago

FIGHTING FARMERS: Tynedale farmers fought day and night to save their corn harvest which had taken a battering from weeks of rainstorms.

RESCUE: Angler Clifford Moore, 36, had a lucky escape when he was hauled to safety after becoming trapped by rising water in the North Tyne at Chipchase Mill.

75 years ago

FUNDING: A call for more money to be ploughed into Tynedale's agricultural industry was made by the National Farmers' Union.

SQUAT SQUAD: A Polish anti-squatting brigade moved into the old prisoner-of-war camp at Featherstone. The volunteers were part of a labour force of agricultural workers who were instructed to stop overcrowded Haltwhistle families invading the 225 huts at the camp.

100 years ago

HONOUR: Corbridge postman Mr W Trathan was awarded an Imperial Service Medal for more than 35 years of loyalty to the postal service.

TRAGIC: Jarrow cyclist, John Robert Siddle, drowned when he fell into the Tyne Green aged 19.

125 years ago

QUOIT: A young boy was hurt when he was hit in the face by an iron ring during a game of quoits at the Golden Lion Hotel in Corbridge.

150 years ago

NEW CHURCH: The first stone of a new Methodist church was laid at Haydon Bridge. A fundraising committee paid £110 for land on the north side of the village on which to build the chapel.