Here's this week's trip down memory lane in our Looking Back feature. 

10 YEARS AGO

WINTER WOES: The icy grip of the worst winter seen in decades was threatening to choke the life out of Tynedale's traders, following two weeks of heavy snow and temperatures dropping to -20.

LUCKY PIG: A "heartless rogue" dumped two live guinea pigs in a dustbin in Hexham. The animals were taken to Orchard House Vets, and while one of the animals had to be put down, the other had made a full recovery and was looking for a loving home.

KILLER SHRIMP: Experts feared an aquatic assassin could be lurking in the waters of the Tyne. Following the invasion of the Chinese mitten crab, the American mink and the signal crayfish, river watchers were on the look out for the deadly Killer Shrimp.

FIRST STRIKE: Crowds of people queued up in Hexham to be the first to try out Wentworth Leisure Centre's brand new £600,000 bowling alley.

25 YEARS AGO

BELT PLOT: Northumberland County Council was to join forces with Tynedale Council to decide on the crucial and controversial boundaries of the green belt proposed for Hexham.

LONG WAIT: Control room staff at Durham Coutny Ambulance Service and Northumbria Ambulance Service were disciplined after an ambulance failed to turn up for a cyclist who broke his collar bone and shattered his shoulder blade.

FESTIVE THIEVES: Hexham police warned shoppers and homeowners to be vigilant over the Christmas Period at a meeting of the Tynedale Police and Community Forum.

LAST CALL: Pub landlord Maurice Stork retired from the popular Globe Inn on Battle Hill in Hexham, after trading their for seven successful years.

50 YEARS AGO

BLACKED OUT: Power cuts caused a shortage of candles and lamps in Hexham, with shoppers queuing for long periods to buy remaining stock. Once inside the shops, customers were served by candlelight.

SLIPPERED EASE: The North-East Co-op advertised an abundance of high quality gifts in the "Hexham Courant", including no less than eight different styles of slippers, and among them ladies mules and gents' travelling slippers. Presentation packs of padded coat-hangers were also available.

75 YEARS AGO

ROAD RUNNERS: A horde of Government officials invaded Hexham and Corbridge to inspect diversions of the proposed Newcastle to Carlisle trunk road. Among the officials were two ministers of transport and three ministry engineers. It was laer reported "the visitors have not made their minds up over what to do about it."

THE RAT!: Havoc was caused to vases of flowers in Hexham Abbey - and the culprit was found to be a rat. Flower heads were taken off as if with razor blades, but a nightly vigil and baits were of no use and the raids continued.

DRESSED UP: An interesting demonstration of poultry dressing was given by Mr J. Keen to the monthly meeting of Acomb Young Farmers.

100 YEARS AGO

WOOING 'EM: Robinson and Sons took their Christmas trade seriously, and used an ad to woo shoppers. Figures showed that the Gent's Compact Crocodile Grain leather dressing cases and real silk Maltese lace collars were huge hits in 1920.

ON CALL: A new telephone call office was opened in Steel, Hexhamshire, and the fee for the use of the telephone was 2d for a call to any exchanges in the country.

BIRDS WATCH: A report noted that winter migrant birds had now reached the North of England, and Fieldfares had reached Hexham in large numbers.

BIG DRAG: A smoking concert was held in the lecture hall of the Unonist Club, Hexham, under the auspices of the Hexham Polling District Unionist Association.

125 YEARS AGO

AUSSIES FOXED: An Australian correspondent reported to the Courant that only was the colony suffering from a plague of foxes, apparently the countryside and towns were being overrun by them.

APOLOGETIC HAWKER: Alston Hawker John Bright was let off with a caution after he left his horse and cart unattended on the road. He said he was sorry for what happened.

150 YEARS AGO

DRUNK HAWKER: A tramping Hawker, Robert Russell, was charged before magistrates with being drunk and incapable on the streets of Bellingham, and fined 5s and costs.

NOT YOURS: John Drummond was sued at Shotley Bridge County Court for £33 in rent. He was a supporter of the so-called er of Countess of Derwentwater's claims to his land, and refused to pay rent to anybody but her. The judge ordered the amount to be paid at a rate of £10 a month.