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This week's Teesdale Mercury is in the shops and it's our special Christmas edition with 12 pages of nativities, vintage editions, puzzles and seasonal events across the dale.

Here are the headlines:

Outcry after it is revealed the Church of England may sell off the well-used Startforth Community Centre.
Farmer Christmas – tractor drivers deliver 300 gifts to children.
Startforth sparkle – winners announced.
Fresh plans submitted to convert remote Teesdale pub.
Foodbank helps 90 people in upper dale in a year.
Dales people – we speak to Brian Robinson, groundsman extraordinaire.
How crayfish are providing a fine feast for predators.
The Bowes Museum gets ready for the year of the swan – but will the iconic automaton ever work again?
Cooking up a storm at free community Christmas meals in Evenwood.
Hopes for solution over shared use of Middleton-in-Teesdale school field.
Santa brings Christmas cheer to Barnard Castle day care centre.
Witham's panto review.
Sport – the young rugby player who aims to kick killer disease into touch.
Plus letters, community news, what's on and arts, farming, marts and Remember When.