THE region’s favourite detective returned to screens across the country this month.

But how many of the millions of viewers can say they live, work or play where the popular ITV crime drama Vera is filmed.

For us in Northumberland, it is now - almost! - a normal occurrence to see Brenda Blethyn as DCI Vera Stanhope in our towns and villages and we always offer up a warm welcome to cast and crew when they chose some of our favourite haunts and historic landmarks as filming locations, whether it be in Hexham, Maften, Corbridge, Blanchland, Ridsdale, Newbrough or Barrasford.

Some of the county’s most recognisable figures have too made appearances, most recently, the all important North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team - a volunteer led, always operational organisation which requires public donations to carry out its often lifesaving work across the vast Northumbria Police area.

We’ve opened our archives - full of readers’ fan shots of Vera - to look back at all of the times she has shot in these parts.

Vera, based on books by Ann Cleeves, who was made an OBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours, first hit the big screen in May 2011 and has grown in popularity ever since, with large audiences tuning in for their North-East-based crime hit.

Now in its eleventh series, Vera follows the life and work of the nearly retired employee of the ‘Northumberland and City Police.’

And as well as proving popular at home, the show has met widespread success across the world.

It is now even billed as an ‘experience’ when tour company Brit Movie Tours advertised its ‘Vera’ tours last year - a series of full day tours across Northumberland, showcasing some of the stunning locations to have featured in the series.

The eight-hour tours promised fans the opportunity to delve’ into the DCI’s world of murder and mystery by visiting Northumberland towns and villages including, Amble, Alnmouth, Bamburgh, Hadrian’s Wall and, of course, the home of DCI Stanhope on Lindisfarne Island.