THE grandson of a bricklayer who worked on a Hexham warehouse is following in his grandfather's footsteps.
Robert Dodds is working on The Wool House luxury apartment development, sixty years after his grandfather worked on Henry Bell's Wool Warehouse site.
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Back in the 1960s, Richard Dodds worked on the warehouse's rooftop.
He was undertaking urgent roof repairs, returning five minutes early from lunch and made his way up to the top.
The 47-year-old bricklayer then fell from the roof. Richard broke his back and could never work again.
Today, his grandson Robert Dodds works on The Wool House luxury apartment development.
Robert said: "Yes, I suppose you could say it is a bit of a family tradition working on this site, and as I live in East Hexham, I am pleased to be working on the doorstep for a change, instead of all over the region, which is often the case.
"I never met my grandfather, but the story goes, that because he came back early from lunch, he could not claim any compensation because he should not have been on site at that time, and he was never able to work again.
"That kind of thing would just not happen today, thank goodness. 
"For me, it is great to be working here, because it is an interesting and challenging site, with good working conditions and I am enjoying working with the onsite team."
Contract manager Darren Hall added: "The first pour of the ground floor slab, which is a major step forward took place last week, and the next pour will take place this coming week. This will provide a stronger base for us to work on, making construction easier as we lift materials up to each floor and it allows us to build the external brickwork and cladding going up the building, floor by floor.
"We are also concentrating on getting the building weathertight before the winter weather really sets in and then we will begin work on the internal finishes so that we can get the electricians, plumbing trades and plasterers hard at work in the new year."
Completion of The Wool House is scheduled for summer 2023.
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