Keith Scantlebury

I whent to Marton Boarding School at Whitegate, near to Northwich and Winsford. (not a million miles from Oulton park, we were well within earshot on race days) . It was a boarding school mainly for those from farming families in Northumberland and for those who were interested in going into farming. Kids from other backgrounds were also considered, but there was an interview process and an entry exam to get in, there was only 150 pupils in the school. There was a "sister school" at Haydon Bridge and the headmasters were brothers.

Chrysler ?

Q.) Who is responsible for the vadalism / criminal damage of the picnic tables A.) Those who did it ....... simple as that. Most of us can remember the murder of James !*!@# . (an extreme example, I know) . When Jon Venables and Robert Thompson were caught some people were taken aback by their ages , 10 / 11 . We heard people saying they were just kids themselves, dont be too harsh on them. Well, I'm sorry but when I was 10 years old, I knew right from wrong and I am sure all of you reading this did as well. I was in a slightly different situation to most kids in Bedlington because at the age of 11 I was at Boarding School in Cheshire until I was 15. Even so,when I was home on holidays, if my parents whent out on a Saturday night we were properly looked after, we didnt run the streets wrecking other peoples property, why?, we knew it was wrong. When they are caught, the Parents should be fined and made to pay for the damage. If they are good and responsible parents, they will "take it on the chin", pay up and then they will undoubtedly find a way to punish their kids and make them pay, hopefully they will not do it again. If the parents are those who like to go out on a night and let their kids run wild while they are in the club, the effect could be the same. If they were forced to cough up their beer money to pay for their kid's damage, I am pretty sure the message will get through to the kids ,one way or another, hopefully they will not do it again. Then there are the parents who could not give a damn. They will get a pittance of fine (usually because they are on benefits and up to the neck in debt), because it is all they can afford. They will be alowed to pay it on the drip at a couple of quid a week. Somehow, some of them, ( and I say SOME of them , not all people on benefits are bad people) will still manage to go to the club and get hammered every weekend leaving their kids to run wild, paying for someone to look after them would only deplete their beer and baccy money. Back to square one. The thing is, whoever did this, KNEW it was wrong to do it. If they are juveniles, the parents should be taken to book and be made to pay, but doing this will only work if the kids are utimately held responsible for their actions and in turn, made to pay (one way or another) so hopefuly the message gets through and they have a bit more respect for other peoples property. I have got to say, I was no Angel ( first time in trouble I was locked up for fighting when I was 17) and I have been dragged in front of the magistrate to explain myself a few times since then , but, marriage and kids of my own soon brought me back down with a bang. When I whent through this phase, I was working and had to pay my own fines. I knew I was wrong in doing those things , (never thieving or damaging property though).

Oh Aye, all sorts down there, climate change you see. Dont tell anybody though, cos he gets a bit embarrassed, that was no orang-utan, you have just caught your first sight of Malcolm.

Watched them film that doon the woods in March.

Do you want me to start building some stocks Symptoms

Blyth had the first one in 1867 ( flitted between there Newcastle and Tynemouth) till it whent to Morpeth in 1930. It then whent to Bedlington in 1952. So the answer to you question is 1952 Beddie

It's just a pity that the grass is'nt lower Stephen. The buck will always be passed and someone else blamed, but the grass will still grow. The thing is, this cannot be hidden. It is there for all to be seen and those responsible for it should be thoroughly ashamed. I wonder what it would be like if all our parish councillers lived here. On another note my wife saw some teenagers trying to sell some marigolds in Burnside, guess what ? ....... both of those barrels are now devoid of flowers.

Nor me

Drove from the Bank Top under the black Bridge an hour ago. You can hardly see the seats for grass and the long grass and weeds are right up tp the roadside now. I also noticed that some selfish, thieving lowlife has nicked the marigolds out of the barrel nearest the pavement in front of St. Johns.......... why bother ? !!!

I did'nt think that would get out !!!

please dont !!!!

Well at least we agree on something Malcolm.You never know, someone with a bit of nouse might even notice and realise Bedlington continues beyond the Front streets and the Market Place. Just because the Raisbeck has stopped running dosent mean you cant get to the station anymore, it is still there.

To be honest I could not give a monkeys chuff who pays for what,...... the..... grass.....needs.....cutting....... 'cos the place is a bloody mess.

well that counts some of us out then Malcolm

An old farmer once told me his take on it a few years ago. " Its all them old bed irons and other junk they're sending into space, playing havoc with the weather ". Who's to say he is wrong ?

Some flowers have been planted in the raised beds and hanging baskets put up !!! A half barrel has been placed in front of St. Johns and planted with marigolds. Just a pity they never cut the grass , weeded and re-planted the existing beds first.

Same old, Same old. "There is nothing better for them to do" BOLLIX !!! How many times have we heard that being said over years? Whether they have nothing better to do or not, this does not warrant wanton vandalism in any shape or form.I dont think for one minute that those responsible for this are children, therefore we should presume that they know right from wrong, making this act of destruction even harder to understand. However, I do agree that there is a lack of facilities for the kids ( same old, same old) and there needs to be something for them to do, but, do events such as this offer any incentive for anyone to help them get the facilities they want.? I would really like the people responsible to be put in front of the magistrate with the toughest reputation, with the people who paid for the tables, the people who worked hard erecting them, some of the people who have now been depraived of using them and the police. Collectively I think they may come up with a suitable punishment and somehow I dont think "something to keep them occupied at Gallgher Park" would be considered.

Brettly, you are doing just fine without it mate, ha ha. Just drive in the opposite direction to that of which the NCC gardeners vans and grass cutters are travelling, you may just find Bedlington Station among the weeds and undergrowth. The Station itself ? long gone, long forgotten and never to be ressurected it seems. (looks like my sarcasm button is working just fine, sunshine)

Wheres the Station ? EXACTLY !!

ya wrong bedie, I like a BIG drink

I took my son for his first drink down the pub. I bought him Foster's, he didn't like it, so I drank it. I bought him John Smiths, he didn't like it, so I drank it. This happened with the Carlsberg, Guinness, Stones, LCL and so on. By the time we got through the whisky and other spirits I could hardly push the pram home. !!!

Agreed. The Station next, possibly?

Now, you're not going to tell me that Torchie the Battery Boy was not real are you?. Next you'll be spreading rumors that a collie called Lassie never actually travelled hundreds of miles from the highlands of Scotland to Yorkshire making loads of friends on the way just to be with the son of a miner. Or that Skippy never saved people from wells and mine shafts and many other life threatening scenarios in the Australian Bush. Just don't burst any more bubbles for me please !! I have just composed myself after finding out that Mr. Ed was not really a talking horse !!! (I was devastated)

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