WITH only a week to go until the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, Tynedale is gearing up to celebrate the unprecedented anniversary.

Tynedale has always made a valuable contribution to past Jubilee celebrations, with memorable events in local towns and villages to mark the anniversaries in years gone by.

Houses, pubs and other buildings have proudly displayed flags and bunting to mark the ccasion, with street parties, shows and fairs aplenty.

The Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977 is well remembered, as are more recent events, such as the Diamond Jubilee of 2012.

In 2002, a violent thunderstorm provided a spectacular backdrop to an unforgettable Queen's Golden Jubilee weekend across Tynedale.

It was a blisteringly hot day on the Saturday when Hexham, Allendale and Haltwhistle staged their main events, but the weather broke with a vengeance on the Sunday.

An inch and a half of rain fell in just a few hours, and a house on Acomb's Main Street - fortunately unoccupied at the time - received a direct hit from a thunderbolt.

Homes were also affected by power cuts, but nevertheless, the weather could not spoil the weekend for those determined to make the most of the celebrations.