Hi There,

I live in East Anglia, and was born and bred in London, but my Mum was from Bedlington and I used to spend all the school holidays up there when I was a kid (mainly the 1970's). My family lived in the Alfred Avenue and Hollymount Avenue areas.

I took my daughters there a few years ago, and tried to explain the attraction. The beautiful countryside and the lovely people. But it was hard for them as they haven't actually experienced it.

Although I'm not a Bedlington person by birth, my family are from there (my Grandma was born at Netherton Colliery) and the family surname is very local to Northumberland (Tweddle). For these reasons Bedlington will always have a special place in my heart.

To be honest despite my best efforts my kids only know of Bedlington because the Terriers beat our local team, Colchester, quite substantially some years ago!!!!

Welcome to the board. I spent my first 7 years living in Bedlington and I still have lots of good memories about that place. No bad ones at all. So that alone says to me that Bedlington's a good place at heart.

Welcome to the board. I spent my first 7 years living in Bedlington and I still have lots of good memories about that place. No bad ones at all. So that alone says to me that Bedlington's a good place at heart.

Thank you for the welcome.

Yes I have lots of happy memories of Bedlington too.

I always loved the country park leading down to the Blythe over the back of Hollymount Avenue (I don't know the proper name) and the walk through the woods to the stepping stones.

The buildings I remember are mainly the churches, St Cuthberts, the old St Bede's and the 'Coffin Chapel' (I don't know the real name or the denomination - but I just remember being told it had it's awful name from the shape of the building).

When I took my daughters there in 2002 (the first time I'd been back since 1982) I told them the first thing they'd see would be the huge man made hill that dominated the skyline (i.e. the !*!@# heap). You can imagine my shock when it was gone! No bad thing, but it was a huge mass to just disappear. I'd heard talk years ago of it being turned into a country park or something. But I believe it just became roads and houses in the end. A bit of a shame really.

My other strong memory of Bedlington was being there one Halloween, and Bonfire night and going round with a lanten made out of a hollowed out swede and knocking on peoples doors asking for 'A penny for Halloween.' That really shocked me. As knocking on people's doors asking for money seemed immoral to me! Now kids do it all over the country under the guise of 'Trick or Treat'. But I saw it in Bedlington first! We also did the same with a 'guy' a few days later. We had 'guy's' in London, but used to sit on street corners with them asking for 'A penny for the guy'. Now that's something you don't see anymore down this part of the world.

I've loads of scant memories of Halloweening & Bonfire Night/ fireworks display - on one occasion I got lost if I remember rightly from that big field behind Beech Grove. The nights were cold and dark, but the memories remain warm and vivid.

I remember my parents' dismay on the unveiling of the 'spaceship shaped' working mens club next to the library. Atlee Park, going down Furnace Bank on my bike for the first time...

A great town for which a peice of my heart shall always remain.