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

PRAISE FOR SCHOOL: A Tynedale school earned praise from the then Environment Secretary Chris Huhne. He applauded Shaftoe Trust First School, in Haydon Bridge, for a renewable energy project which will halve its fuel bill.

SAFETY PETITION: A petition to introduce measures to slow down speeding traffic on Aydon Road in Corbridge gathered momentum. Parents with young children in the village began collecting signatures in favour of a review of safety measures on the road after Corbridge Middle School pupil Abby Proud (then 10) escaped serious injury when she was knocked down on the road.

25 YEARS AGO

ROAD IMPROVEMENTS: Simonburn parish councillors called for improvements to be made at the village's Nunwick junction. Councillors agreed to press the county council for an extra sign to be put up on the B6320 and to consider having a mirror installed to give motorists a better view of the road.

SIR JOHN VISITS: The then chairman of Newcastle United Sir John Hall visited Haydon Bridge High School to officially open the new shopping mall developed by business studies students at the school.

50 YEARS AGO

WATERY WRANGLE: Hexham Rural Council came out against plans to reorganise the country's water and sewerage services by creating all-purpose regional water authorities. One council member, Alan Beith, now MP for Berwick and the Lib-Dems' home affairs spokesman, described the proposed changes as diabolical.

LAST LESSONS: Plans to close the then St Peter's Primary School at Sparty Lea were announced. This closure proposal came 11 years after a campaign by parents led to a previous closure threat being averted. This time round, thoughm it was the parents of the school's seven pupils that wanted it closed, as they wished their children to go to nearby Allendale First School instead.

DIRT DISPUTE: Villagers at Dirt Pot, near Allenheads, came in for criticism from Allendale parish councillors for dumping their rubbish in the River East Allen there instead of taking advantage of the district council's refuse collection service.

75 YEARS AGO

RESISTANCE RADIO PRESENTER REVEALED: The voice that kept French resistance workers abreast of wartime developments via the BBC's regional French radio news bulletins belonged to Haltwhistle's John Weightman, a former pupils of Hexham's Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, it was revealed.

HEADMASTER MOVES ON: Humshaugh First School's head of the previous 18 years, Edward Waite, left to take up a similar post at Haydon Bridge's Shaftoe Trust School.

BIRTHDAY PRESENT: Hexham Rotary Club celebrated its 21st anniversary and was given a chair for its president as a birthday present by Hexham Inner Wheel Club.

100 YEARS AGO

RATS ON RAMPAGE: Corchester and other Corbridge houses nearby were being overrun by rats nesting at the tip then next door, a parish council meeting there heard.

FARM BLAZE: A fire at Bradley Hall farm, near Prudhoe, destroyed 70 tons of hay and straw stored in a shed there.

BOOST FOR MINE: A £15,000 aerial rope-way linking the then Whitechapel colliery, near Bardon Mill, with the Carlisle-Newcastle railway line was opened.

125 YEARS AGO

TOPPER TURNIP TURNOUT: That year's root vegetable show at Hexham Town Hall attracted a record number of entries.

ELECTORS CHECKED: 1896's electoral register revealed there to be 10,335 voters in the Hexham parliamentary constituency area. Of these, 278 were to be found at Allendale, 198 at Allenheads, 271 at Bellingham, 273 at Blenkinsopp, 343 at Bywell, 218 at Chollerton, 477 at Corbridge, 135 at Corsenside, 208 at Falstone, 668 at Haltwhistle, 403 at Haydon Bridge, 181 at Harbottle, 229 at Henshaw, 105 at Hepple, 1,461 at Hexham itself; 154 in Hexhamshire, 129 at Horsley, 289 at Humshaugh, 109 at Knarsdale, 213 at Kirkwhelpington, 216 at Lambley, 141 at Longframlington, 235 at Matfen, 429 at Mickley, 306 at Newbrough, 167 at Ninebanks, 143 at Otterburn, 301 at Ovingham, 761 at Prudhoe, 493 at Rothbury, 110 in Shotley Low Quarter, 198 at Slaley, 180 at Stamfordham, 262 at Wark and 51 at Whittonstall.