In this week’s Mercury:
Residents are being asked for their views on how a controversial housing estate on the outskirts of Barnard Castle should look
New police and crime commissioner Joy Allen was given first hand experience of the difficulties of tackling rural crime when she visited a far-flung farm in upper Teesdale
An appeal has been launched in Winston to raise cash for an oak tree in memory of Prince Philip
Yobs in West Auckland have left a trail of damage, destroying the work of volunteers working on the village’s Northumbria in Bloom competition entry
Pharmicist Pete Harrocks travelled tom 10 Downing Street to meet Prime Minister Boris Johnson who thanked him for his work on a vaccination scheme
Litter pickers turned out in force in Barney to remove a mountain of rubbish from the town’s streets
In What’s On, meet the singer songwriter who has penned a tribute to his stepfather and the artist whose work has gone on show at the Bowlees Visitor Centre. There’s also news of a tw-day exhibition of the work of Douglas Pittuck at St Mary’s Parish Hall, Barnard Castle
A rural crime fighting group is planning to use wildlife tracking cameras to capture criminal activity in the dale
In sport, we’ve a full cricket round-up plus motor sport, football, bowls, golf, tennis and pigeon racing
Plus… Bob garton’s weekly quiz, readers’ letters, family notices and free with this week’s paper is a lifestyle magazine
All in this week’s paper, out now