A TRIP down memory lane, we take a look back at the stories to have hit the headlines 10, 25, 50, 75, 100 and 125-years ago. Do you remember any of the events?

10 YEARS AGO

HERO DAVID: A part-time fireman was hailed a hero after crawling into a burning building to save a pensioner's life. David Dixon (50) was walking his two dogs in Haltwhistle when he heard the shrill of a smoke alarm. Paramedics said afterwards that David's selfless bravery had probably saved the woman's life.

BUS FIRE: Youngsters had to be evacuated from a school bus near Blanchland after it caught fire.

25 YEARS AGO

VANDALS HIT WENTWORTH: Vandals who threw jars of salad dressing on to the all-weather running track at Hexham's Wentworth Leisure Centre caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage. The clean-up came just days before a major programme of international events were held that summer.

ROYAL VISIT: Tynedale was eagerly awaiting a visit from the Queen. Her Majesty's itinerary included visiting Prudhoe Community High School and its community centres; Open Door Adult Learning Centre and the East Youth Centre, and lastly the Roman fort and settlement of Vindolanda, near Bardon Mill.

50 YEARS AGO

SECRET SIGHTSEEING: Princess Margaret paid a secret visit to the Vindolanda Roman site, near Bardon Mill.

GARDEN THEFT: Thieves stole 450 onion seeds from the St Helen's Lane garden of award-winning Corbridge onion grower John Hardy.

RESTAURANT SCHEME SCUPPERED: Plans for a restaurant and eight-room hotel at Mariners' Cottage, Acomb, were given the thumbs-down by Hexham's licensing justices.

EXPRESS SERVICE: Improvements made to the Newcastle-Carlisle railway line by British Rail led to journey times on the cross-country route being cut by up to a quarter of an hour. At that time, an advertisement in the Hexham Courant reveals, a single Hexham-Newcastle fare cost just 25p.

75 YEARS AGO

MASS EXODUS: Some 500 German officers kept captive at Featherstone prisoner-of-war camp were sent to a repatriation camp in Sheffield. This exodus, the biggest since the South Tyne Valley camp opened, was to be followed by the release of a further 150 officers the following week.

HANGING PLEA: At their 1948 annual meeting, Hexham Unionists passed a resolution deploring the suspension of the death penalty for murder and called for its reinstatement.

RATS KILLED: Figures released by Hexham Urban Council 50 years ago revealed that 10,942 rats had been killed in the town the year before at an average cost to the taxpayer of tuppence per deceased rodent.

100 YEARS AGO

MINE BLAZE: Fire broke out at Stagshawbank Colliery, near Corbridge, destroying sheds and damaging coal screens and other equipment.

WAR DEAD REMEMBERED: Otterburn War Memorial Hall, built at a cost of £1,200, opened. At the ceremony held to mark its opening, tributes were paid to the nine Otterburn men killed during World War I and the 50 others that survived the four-year conflict.

125 YEARS AGO

HALLOWED GROUND: An extension to Chollerton's churchyard was consecrated and officially opened by the then Bishop of Newcastle, a Mr Jacob.

BAD BREAK: A three-year-old Corbridge boy had one of his legs broken when he was knocked over by a woman cyclist in the village's Station Road.

MAKING WAVES: Hexham Amateur Rowing Club's new £105 boathouse at the town's Tyne Green opened for action. Club president Thomas Taylor did the official opening honours.

150 YEARS AGO

SERVANT SET UPON: A servant employed by Matfen farmer Joseph Beck was headbutted and beaten up by a beggar in Newcastle while heading home by horse to return a sizeable sum of money to his master.

FARMER MOURNED: Slaley farmer Thomas Burdus, of the village's Coalpits Farm, died at the age of 90.