10 YEARS AGO

DISASTER RISK: Residents claimed a major air crash was waiting to happen on the outskirts of Hexham after a microlight airstrip was established near Slaley – in an area used by low-flying fighter jets up to 30 times a day.

COW ATTACK: Farmer William Dodd, of West Belsay Farm, was recovering at home after sustaining injuries multiple fractured ribs, a collapsed lung, and a partially severed ear when he was attacked by a cow.

BUS BUNGLE: County council officials were left red-faced after they were sent to supervise a new school bus run, but left all the children they were supposed to pick up by the roadside.

TAKEAWAY: A fish and chip van was set to become a regular fixture in Corbridge, despite a snobbery row over a similar venture that made national headlines four years earlier.

25 YEARS AGO

PARK WARS: Furious Redesdale residents were petitioning the government to keep Otterburn Army training area in the Northumberland national park, due to concerns over a national campaign to stop the military training in Northumberland.

GIANT DEMANDS: Bellway and Leech Homes accused Tynedale Council of being “unreasonable” in their demands for planning gain inducements over a massive housing scheme at Broomhouse Lane in Prudhoe.

CUTE DISTRACTION: A gang of thieves were using a baby to distract victims before stealing their bags in Hexham and Corbridge.

PERMISSION GRANTED: Hexham town councillors clashed over multi-million pound plans for a commercial development on Station Road to create a new premises for Matthew Charlton’s, but the scheme was approved in principle.

50 YEARS AGO

MODEL TASK: Peter Robson, a 34-year-old printer, was the envy of all men when he escorted Miss United Kingdom 1968 at the Hexham Round Table barbecue on Tyne Green. His wife, who reportedly did not mind, was babysitting at the time.

NO LITTER: When Bellingham won the best kept village in Northumberland award, the judge commented: “There appear to be few litter receptacles in the village, but apparently, there is no need for them!”

COUNCIL BLOW: Under the new Representation of the People Act, Major George Peile was forced to stand down from Hexham Rural Council, because he lived 129 feet outside the area’s boundary.

75 YEARS AGO

HARD LINE: Five years into the Second World War, in his farewell sermon after 25 years as Rector of Hexham, Canon Farquhar, called for “no softness” in peace.

PRESSING NEED: After a Prudhoe man was found guilty of possessing two Army blankets, a police chief praised the press for making people aware that they should not buy, sell, or take possession of Army property.

CANDLE TRAGEDY: An inquest on a four-year-old Falstone boy reached a verdict of “death due to shock following burns.” According to his mother, he was burned by a candle.

100 YEARS AGO

VICTORY TEA: Children paraded through Ada Street, West Wylam, as part of a “Victory Tea” attended by members of the armed forces.

FALL GUY: Around 300 people turned up at the Haughs, Haltwhistle, to see local wrestler J.G Graham beat his Carlisle opponent for a £50 prize.

FLAMING HECK: A serious fire at the West Wylam and Prudhoe Co-operative Society was narrowly averted by a passer-by, Mr John Batey, who noticed an unusual glare in the windows and saw sparks through the letterbox, before raising the alarm.

125 YEARS AGO

WOMAN CARVER: A meeting in Hexham discussed setting up wood carving classes under the tuition of Miss Gertrude Culley, the holder of a certificate from the South Kensington School of Art.

MEDAL ROUNDS: Members of the Hexham Excelsior Football Club were presented with medals from the Northumberland Minor Challenge Cup. The Courant reported: “Songs were afterwards sung,and a pleasant evening spent.”

150 YEARS AGO

NAILED IT: A man had grown one of his finger nails to such a length that he made a pen of it, and was able to right with it in the “most rapid manner”. More surprisingly, a second man had grown his thumb nail to “a hideous long and dirty appearance” and used it as a weapon, targeting opponents “tender parts”.

BUCK SHOT: Two men returned home from a shoot, and inspected a valuable horse in the stables. For some reason, one of the men’s gun’s went off, removing two of his toes and severely injuring the leg of the horse.

DRUNK STRIPPED: A drunk man lay down and fell asleep on his way home from the pub. Whilst asleep, his trousers, boots, watch and money were stolen.