Getting to the hotel couldn’t be easier, with an underground car park on site and the town’s bus and train station just a five-minute walk away, providing connections across the country.

Located in the heart of the Midlands, the Sheraton Hotel in Athlone is a sophisticated venue offering guests a luxurious four-star experience.

Positioned right in the town centre, the Sheraton serves as an ideal base for exploring everything Athlone has to offer.

Getting to the hotel couldn’t be easier, with an underground car park on site and the town’s bus and train station just a five-minute walk away, providing connections across the country.

The hotel boasts 167 guest rooms, from compact classic spaces to expansive suites. During my visit, I stayed in a deluxe king tower room on the ninth floor. These tower rooms occupy the hotel’s upper levels, with each generous space – including my room, number 476 – featuring floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase stunning panoramic views across Athlone and the River Shannon.

Each room comes equipped with a sumptuous king-size bed, a comfortable seating area and an indulgent bathroom fitted with both a bath and separate shower, along with premium toiletries.

Throughout my visit, I had the pleasure of sampling the hotel’s afternoon tea service. This proved to be an exquisite culinary affair, set within an intimate space adjacent to the reception, and one I’d strongly encourage guests to reserve, regardless of whether they’re residing at the property.

The savoury selection featured chicken caesar wraps, sweet chilli chicken tartlets, savoury quiches and ham and cheese gourmet sandwiches. The sweet offerings included raspberry cheesecake, lemon meringue nests, chocolate-dipped strawberries, various flavours of macarons and mini chocolate fondants, as well as a selection of homemade fruit scones served with jam, butter and cream. Alongside your preferred tea or coffee, cocktails, champagne and sparkling wine are also on hand to elevate the occasion.

Come evening, I dined at the hotel’s refined La Provence brasserie. The establishment’s executive chef assembles this menu using the finest locally-sourced produce from across the Midlands and further afield, producing dishes that appeal to all tastes.

The restaurant’s atmosphere is enhanced by the team’s exceptional attentiveness and the tranquil sophistication of the hotel’s subtle décor, making it an ideal sanctuary for unwinding and treating oneself. I began my meal with the seafood skillet, featuring a medley of prawns and mussels in garlic and chilli butter, accompanied by toasted sourdough bread – perfect for mopping up the flavoursome butter and juices from the fresh seafood.

For my main course, I chose the pork tomahawk. This succulent and tender cut of steak arrived with house fries, a roasted tomato, Portobello mushrooms, sautéed onions, celeriac and parsnip purée and pepper sauce, with every element working harmoniously together.

For relaxed evening dining, S Bar & Bistro offers hearty Irish cuisine made with fresh, locally sourced produce, alongside an extensive cocktail menu featuring specially crafted seasonal beverages.

Breakfast at the hotel is served buffet style, offering something for everyone. The wide-ranging selection includes both hot and cold choices such as full Irish and vegetarian breakfasts, creamy porridge, fluffy pancakes, granola pots, fresh fruit, pastries, cured meats, cheeses and yoghurts.

An added bonus is the availability of takeaway cups, allowing guests to take a coffee, tea or hot chocolate with them after dining in the restaurant. The hotel’s impressive leisure centre features a 20-metre swimming pool complete with hydro massage jets (targeting your neck, back and legs), alongside a spa pool, sauna and steam room.

Guests can also use the Sheraton’s modern gym, which features an extensive selection of cardio equipment and weights, allowing visitors to combine energetic exercise with peaceful relaxation.

The Sirana Spa provides an intimate sanctuary within the hotel. Drawing inspiration from the gentle warmth and earthy palette of the Sahara Desert, it’s a haven where professional expertise, tranquillity and understated elegance converge, presenting an extensive menu of treatments. Using a selection of Elemis skincare products, each treatment is tailored to individual requirements, with options focusing on deep relaxation, skincare, or targeted muscle relief.

Whether you’re visiting Athlone or the surrounding area for work, catching up with mates or enjoying a romantic break, the Sheraton stands out as a first-rate destination, where every aspect of my visit met exceptional standards of service, comfort and quality.

At this hotel, you’ll enjoy a luxurious experience that justifies the cost. For more information, visit the website.

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The show, directed and choreographed by Joanne Hand, will run at Darlington Hippodrome from Wednesday, April 22, to Saturday, May 2.

Eddie Taylor-Jones, chairman of DarlingtonOS, said: “We have long awaited the opportunity to bring Joseph to life at Darlington Hippodrome.

“This production is a celebration of creativity, community, and the enduring magic of live theatre.

“Joseph’s story is one of hope, resilience, and joy, and we are proud to share it with audiences in a way that feels both fresh and deeply rooted in its timeless appeal.

“We can’t wait to welcome everyone to experience what promises to be a truly unforgettable show.”

The musical, written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, is one of the world’s most beloved family shows and is told entirely through song.

It follows the journey of Jacob’s favourite son Joseph and his 11 brothers, tracing his path from betrayal and imprisonment to redemption, reunion, and forgiveness.

The DarlingtonOS cast features a broad array of local talent.

Ben Connor will take the title role of Joseph, while the role of the Narrator will be shared by Samantha Morrison and Katie Spencer.

Other cast members include Julian Cound as Jacob and Potiphar, Eddie Taylor-Jones as Reuben, Luke Oldfield as Simeon, Barry I’Anson as Levi, and Baily Gascoigne as Judah.

Supporting roles are filled by Nick Robinson (Dan), Phil Bargewell (Naphtali), Joseph Arnott (Gad/Butler), Joshua Kay (Asher), Jonathan Wilson-Downs and George Rock (Issacher), Jack Machin (Zebulum/Baker), Kailum James (Benjamin), Steven Dunn (Pharoah), and Lucy Ivison (Mrs Potiphar).

The wider company includes Zoe Kent, Lucy Adams, Ali Baily, Lisa Marie Watson, Grace Mansfield, Safah Alazzawi, Eva Furguson, Joanne Johns, Stacey Dobson, Sasha Bramley, Sally Ivison, Olivia Brady, Sophie Simmons, Freya Moir, Emily Wright, Ruth Richardson, Fran Hague, Zoe Bellamy, Adele McNally, Kyra Batty, Nikitta Trainer, Faith Small, and Darrien Wright.

Young performers will also play a key part in the production, with two teams of children from the local area performing on alternate nights.

Team Pharoah includes Ellen Dickson, Grace McGuiness, Juliet Grey, Fallon Gibson, Harrison Brown, Clara Harper, Eliza Currie, and Evie Proctor.

Team Potiphar features Arabella Lowrie, Chloe Gowling, Lucie Bell, Penny Metcalfe, Thomas Loftus, Holly Neale, Rosie Tolston, and Cassie Hide.

Ms Hand brings extensive experience to the production, having previously directed DarlingtonOS shows such as Come From Away, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Kinky Boots, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Musical direction will be provided by Paul Walker, who will lead a live 15-piece band.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat began life as a school concert before being released as a concept album in 1969 and evolving into an international stage phenomenon.

The show has been staged in more than 80 countries, with productions in the West End, on Broadway, and beyond.

It features well-known songs including Any Dream Will Do, Close Every Door To Me, Jacob and Sons, There’s One More Angel In Heaven, Go Go Go Joseph, and the high-energy Megamix finale.

Tickets are available exclusively through DarlingtonOS and can be booked by calling the ticket hotline on 01325 405405 or by visiting www.darlingtonos.org.uk.

Pathways, based in Redcar, is aimed at supporting 16- to 25-year-olds in Redcar who are living with autism or experiencing mental health challenges, with the programme designed to help them develop the skills needed to navigate adulthood.

The project is the latest initiative from Jenny Crawford, chief executive of Wellbeing Plus, who has drawn on her personal experiences to create programmes that support those facing health and wellbeing issues.

Ms Crawford said: “Many of the young people we aim to support have expressed that traditional youth provision can feel intimidating or unrelatable to them.

“Pathways works in smaller group sessions with a greater focus on individual needs.

“It’s all about equipping these young people so they can develop independence and the feedback so far has been very positive.

“First you have to gain trust and coming together in a non-pressurised, social setting is a good way of doing that.

“Through creative projects and skill-building workshops we can then help young people develop self-confidence, make decisions for themselves and plan and carry out activities.”

The scheme recently received a £200 grant from Broadacres’ Community Development Fund to purchase equipment for its Redcar base.

The Pathways programme offers a variety of hands-on activities, including gardening for the infirm, and making craft and decorative items that can be sold to raise funds.

These activities are designed to foster independence, encourage personal growth, and build confidence in a supportive environment.

Ms Crawford first launched Wellbeing Plus in 2018 after overcoming her own personal and health challenges, and has since helped hundreds of adults manage long-term health issues.

Her approach centres on creating safe, supportive spaces where individuals feel comfortable sharing their experiences and connecting with others through creative outlets.

The Broadacres Community Development Fund supports local organisations, groups, and projects in areas where Broadacres has homes.

Funding decisions are made by Broadacres residents.

Applications for the 2025/26 financial year are now closed, but organisations are encouraged to check the Broadacres website for future funding opportunities.

Those interested can visit www.wellbeing-plus.co.uk or www.broadacres.org.uk for more information.

LARGE quarters of this area of York have changed beyond all recognition over the decades.

Today, we are time travelling through the decades looking at the changing face of Walmgate.

This gallery of photos stretches back to before the First World War showing a century of change.

The ‘doss house’ at 111 Walmgate, 1913. This half timbered 15th century building was a common lodging house run by the Kilmartin family. In 1961 the building was acquired by the Civic Trust, fully restored and named Bowes Morrell House in memory

From slum clearance and flooding, the streets of this area and its people have witnessed much sadness and hardship – but displayed admirable resilience through the changes.

Share your memories

If you love delving into York’s past and seeing photos and reading stories from yesteryear then make sure you check The Press every day for its regular nostalgia stories. And don’t miss our eight-page nostalgia supplement every Wednesday in the paper.

Recommended reading:

We also have more than 10,000 members in our online nostalgia group on Facebook, Why We Love York – Memories. It is free to join and you will find us at www.facebook.com/groups/yorknostalgia/.

Walmgate in the 1930s…YEP PIC.

It would be great to see your old photos of York – and they don’t have to be from centuries ago. We all love seeing old photos from our recent past, and some of our more popular stories with readers date from the 70s, 80s and 90s.

If you have a nostalgia story for us, please email maxine.gordon@thepress.co.uk.

More York nostalgia stories:

More than 8,000 vaccines have been delivered after meningitis cases linked to the Kent outbreak reached 34.

The UK Health and Security Agency said the total number of confirmed and suspected cases had increased to 34, up from 29 previously, in an update on Saturday.

Hundreds of students at the University of Kent joined queues to be vaccinated for the third day, after two people died from the disease. By 5.55pm, at total of 8,002 vaccines had been administered and 12,157 antibiotics handed out, NHS Kent and Medway said.

Health chiefs have suggested the peak of the outbreak, described as “unprecedented” because of the large number of cases linked to a “superspreader” event at a Canterbury nightclub, has passed, but said cases may continue to rise in the coming days.

However they warned “sporadic household cases” of meningitis B could spread outside the epicentre of the outbreak in Kent.

On Friday, Dr Anjan Ghosh, Kent County Council’s public health director, said it was most likely that it would be contained in Kent with a few additional cases outside of the county, “which can be easily contained”.

Officials said secondary cases could involve people who were not infected at the nightclub, but caught the illness from someone who was there.

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More than 8,000 menB vaccines administered

More than 8,000 meningitis B vaccines have been handed out since the outbreak in Kent while the number of cases is up to 34 from 29.

Hundreds of students and other eligible people queued to receive vaccines and antibiotics on Saturday, and more are expected to be waiting outside the clinics when they reopen on Sunday morning.

NHS Kent and Medway, which is in charge of the rollout, said it moved staff to focus on sites with the longest wait times during the week.

A spokesperson said: “Our teams have been working overtime this weekend and into the evenings during the week to deliver antibiotic and vaccine clinics as fast as possible.”

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According to the trust, 8,002 vaccines had been administered and 12,157 antibiotics handed out in Kent by 5.55pm on Saturday.

Amy-Clare Martin22 March 2026 08:26

Wes Streeting pays tribute to healthcare workers battling to contain outbreak

Health secretary Wes Streeting has paid tribute to the “Herculean efforts” of healthcare teams battling to contain the meningitis outbreak.

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Writing in the Sunday Mirror a week after the outbreak began, he expressed his condolences to the family of two students who died and said his thoughts remain with all those in hospital battling the “terrible disease”.

He added: “It has been an incredibly difficult week for those affected and for those working on the response to this outbreak.

“As we look ahead to another challenging week, I wanted to pay tribute to the Herculean efforts of everyone who has worked tirelessly to care for those affected and keep people safe. To the UKHSA and other public health officials working to contain the outbreak.

“To the NHS team who stood up a vaccination programme within one day of it being announced and distributed thousands of doses of antibiotics, and to those caring for young patients in hospital.

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“To the school, college and university staff keeping students and parents informed, helping young people through this, and keeping their education going.

“And to the thousands of students, pupils, and other members of the public who have so readily and responsibly come forward for antibiotics and vaccination.

“I am incredibly grateful to you all. Thank you. We urge people in Kent and across the country to keep following the advice, living your lives and looking after one another.”

Amy-Clare Martin22 March 2026 08:13

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In brief: Everything you need to know about the meningitis outbreak

• The number of meningitis cases in Kent rose to 34 on Saturday, including 23 confirmed cases and 11 still under investigation, up from a previous total of 29
• Two students have died in the outbreak, including 18-year-old Juliette Kenny and another student from the University of Kent
• Hundreds of students and other eligible individuals queued for a third consecutive day at the University of Kent campus clinic for meningitis vaccinations
• As of Saturday lunchtime, health authorities had administered more than 11,000 doses of antibiotic and more than 7,000 vaccines to help control the outbreak
• Public health officials are urging vigilance for symptoms and reassuring the public that the risk to the wider population remains low, despite warnings of potential small, sporadic clusters appearing elsewhere

Amy-Clare Martin22 March 2026 07:10

Latest: Cases rise as more than 7,000 vaccines administered

The number of cases linked to the meningitis outbreak in Kent increased to 34 on Saturday, as hundreds of students queued for a third day to get vaccinated.

Some 23 cases have been confirmed alongside a further 11 cases that “remain under investigation”, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said. Eighteen of the 23 confirmed cases are meningitis B and all required hospitalisation.

Meanwhile more than 7,000 vaccines had been administered by Saturday afternoon as health officials worked to contain the outbreak.

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Amy-Clare Martin22 March 2026 06:10

Experts considering expanding menB vaccine availability

Experts are said to be considering expanding the eligibility for the routine meningitis B vaccine following a call for Wes Streeting.

The joint committee on vaccination and immunisation (JCVI) reportedly launched a review following the outbreak in Kent and are thinking about a wider review of eligibility for menB vaccinations, The Guardian reported.

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The JCVI has previously said a catch-up campaign for young people who were born before 2015, when the jab was introduced for babies, would not be cost effective.

Amy-Clare Martin22 March 2026 05:10

Towie star Jordan Brook battling viral meningitis

‘The Only Way is Essex’ star’s case is not connected to the outbreak of meningitis in Kent, where cases have now risen to 34.

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Amy-Clare Martin22 March 2026 04:10

WATCH: Michael Rosen opens up about son’s meningitis death

Amy-Clare Martin22 March 2026 03:10

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Recap: Scientists say meningitis strain is not new variant

The Independent’s health reporter Rebecca Whittaker reports:

Scientists say the meningitis strain is not a new variant and may not have mutated into an “invasive strain”.

Professor Brendan Wren, Professor of Microbial Pathogenesis, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine said: “The initial sequence data confirms that it is a single menB strain causing the current cluster of meningitis cases.

“The MenB ST-41/44 clonal complex has been previously identified in the UK and is not a new variant. This suggests that the strain has not mutated into a more invasive strain, but scrutiny of the full genome sequences and further studies will be required to confirm this.

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“The current Bexsero MenB vaccine based on the cell surface antigens of MenB strains should provide protection against the MenB ST-41/44 variant.”

Amy-Clare Martin22 March 2026 02:10

Meningitis: Symptoms to look out for

Some key symptoms of meningitis and sepsis, according to the NHS, include:

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• High temperature
• Vomiting
• Confusion
• Muscle and joint pain
• Pale, mottled or blotchy skin
• Spots or a rash
• Headache
• Stiff neck
• Sensitivity to bright lights
• Being very sleepy or difficult to wake
• Fits (seizures)

Amy-Clare Martin22 March 2026 01:10

WATCH: Hundreds queue for a vaccine following deadly menB outbreak

Amy-Clare Martin22 March 2026 00:10

Swiss-born Lehmann, 26, has spoken in the past about how she hopes to use her social media platform to build the profile of women’s football and bring the game to a new audience.

For comparison, England’s Chloe Kelly and Alessia Russo have 1.5m and 1.1m Instagram followers respectively, while ex-US star Alex Morgan has 9m.

Her posts alternate between lifestyle content and her football, catering for a broad and diverse following, but making her a target for those who seek to criticise.

“Sometimes, it’s frustrating,” she tells BBC Sport. “People don’t see the work that I put in. They think I just train and then go home to make TikToks – it’s not true.

“I’m very professional. I always give everything on the pitch and I want to be the best. If I’ve not done my best when I check my data after training, I will do extra rounds to try to improve.

“People can think what they want but everything I do is focused on being the best player I can be.”

Lehmann first moved to the Women’s Super League in 2018, joining West Ham after scoring twice in the 2018 European Under-19 Championship.

Across six years in England, she made 108 appearances, scoring 19 goals and providing 10 assists during spells in east London, Everton and Aston Villa.

After a difficult time in Italy with Juventus and then Como, Lehmann says returning to a country she thinks of as “home” was an obvious decision.

“I signed a long-term deal in Como but after a month I realised I didn’t like it and wanted to return to England,” she explains.

“I love it here, the football is better and England feels like home to me.”

Elsewhere in the women’s draw, American Coco Gauff dropped the first set but recovered to beat Alycia Parks 3-6 6-0 6-1 in the third round, while Amanda Anisimova was a 6-4 6-2 winner against Yuliia Starodubtseva and Victoria Mboko earned 6-1 7-5 victory over Anastasia Zakharova.

Former world number one Naomi Osaka, however, said she was trying to balance the tennis schedule with being a mother after she was beaten 7-5 6-4 by Australia’s Talia Gibson in their second round match.

“I feel like this also is a dilemma for me,” said Japan’s Osaka, who returned to the WTA Tour in January 2024 after a 15-month absence around the birth of her daughter in July 2023.

“For me, my daughter is very important, and I want to be a mom. I want to be the best mom I can, but sometimes I feel like I know what I have to do to become a really good player, and it’s very difficult.

“Because for me, I want to win titles and I want to be the best player I can, but if I have to sacrifice having a lot of time with my daughter, I’d rather not do it.”

In the men’s draw, world number two Jannik Sinner comfortably beat Damir Dzumhur 6-3 6-3, while Alexander Zverev beat wildcard Martin Damm 6-2 6-4.

Zverev will play Marin Cilic, who was a 2-6 6-4 7-6 (9-7) winner against Brandon Nakashima, in the third round.

Home favourite Ben Shelton did not progress as he suffered a surprise defeat by Alexander Shevchenko, who claimed a 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 win against the world number nine.

Thomas Tuchel named his penultimate squad before picking the players that will represent England at the World Cup, with the Three Lions boss hinting that youngsters could be involved

Wolverhampton Wanderers star Mateus Mane has been selected in Portugal’s latest under-21 squad after deliberating over his international future. The 18-year-old, who burst into prominence in 2026, is eligible for both the nation of his birth and the country he moved to as a youngster.

Mane, born in Barreiro, Portugal, has represented England at youth levels and there was interest from Lee Carsley in promoting him to the 21s.

However, Portugal were also keen to grab the forward after a string of impressive performances for struggling Wolves. Senior manager Roberto Martinez is understood to have played a role and has been in contact with Wolves technical director Matt Jackson, whom he played with at Wigan.

And that extra push appears to have been decisive with Mane included for the Selecao in their upcoming matches.

READ MORE: How 7th in Premier League table can qualify for Champions League as UEFA confirm ruleREAD MORE: England release new 2026 World Cup kits as Nike opt for bold away strip

Mane made his debut for Wolves in the Premier League last May, before making his first start under Rob Edwards in the defeat to Liverpool in December.

Since then, he has become a regular for Edwards, scoring against Everton and West Ham and playing a role in the club’s considerable uptick in form.

There is already speculation over his club future, but for now, it appears an international decision may have been made. Edwards has spoken glowingly about the youngster, predicting a huge future for the player signed from Rochdale as a 16-year-old.

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He said: “He can go a long, long way. It’s been a really good start for him but that is all it is.

“He’s getting a lot of headlines and there’s a lot of noise about him, there’s not many 18-year-olds in the Premier League doing what he’s doing at the moment, especially in a team that’s been struggling this season.

“He’s made a real impact for us and he has a really, really bright future ahead of him.”

Meanwhile, Three Lions head coach Thomas Tuchel has recently hinted that he is ready to give players a chance, regardless of their age, with the clamour for Arsenal’s wonderkid Max Dowman, 16, to be included in his upcoming World Cup squad.

“With these young guys, of course we know all these players. We see them as you do as well,” Tuchel said, when asked about Dowman. “The thing with young players to keep the momentum maybe going, keep their excitement.

“They have a level of fearlessness with them. There is no need to call him up now and increase the pressure and increase all the noise that comes with it but we have all options.”

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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package

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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.

The Top Gear star took to the social media platform following the success of his farming choir on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent (BGT).

The Hawkstone Choir is made up entirely of real British farmers and was created as a promotional and campaigning project linked to Clarkson’s Hawkstone beer and cider band.

Ahead of their performance, one of the farmers said, “Jeremy Clarkson did a thing, and that thing is the Hawkstone Farmers Choir.

“Jeremy brought us together to sing, and it’s really been amazing for us all.”

Hawkstone Choir performed Elbow’s One Day Like This, earning them a golden buzzer from judge Amanda Holden.

Explaining why she pressed the buzzer, Holden said, “I felt so much power.

“I love the whole community, I love how you’ve all got together.

“You work so hard every single day, you absolutely smashed it, and I can’t wait to see what you’re going to do in the semi-finals.”

Jeremy Clarkson holds back tears in emotional Instagram post

Following the choir’s success on BGT, Clarkson shared an emotional video on his Instagram page.

Reacting to the golden buzzer moment, Clarkson said, “I watched Britain’s Got Talent tonight for the first time because the Hawkstone Choir were on and they were just fantastic.

“These guys are all farmers, and they work incredibly hard for really incredibly small rewards, and to see them all on that stage with all that love in the room made my heart sing – I actually welled up.”

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Holding back tears, Clarkson added, “It shows that people quite like farmers.

“They were very, very good, well done all of you.

“I’m a very happy man tonight.”

Before posting the touching video, Clarkson shared a clip of the choir’s BGT performances, writing: “They did it!!!! They actually did it. Fantastic. I’m overwhelmed. Well done, all of you. You were brilliant.”

It will be fitting to gain a little exercise in what we hope will be warm sunshine amid the daffodils in a village that once called itself the “Montpelier of the North” such was its healthy position.

An Echo photographer tried out a new wide angle lens in Haughton in 1965

Indeed, so wholesome was it that in 1845, the artist William Bewick, his health shot to pieces by hanging around in the draughty Sistine Chapel, was advised to settle in Haughton by his doctors.

Bewick had been commissioned to paint a copy of Michelangelo’s famous ceiling for the Royal Academy. He had scaffolding 60ft high erected inside the Vatican chapel, and from the top of it, began his work.

An Edwardian postcard looking east along Haughton green

However, Pope Leo XII didn’t like the smell of the paint, and insisted that all the windows in the chapel should be kept open while Bewick was at work.

As it was winter, the unfortunate artist suffered immensely, and once he had finished his commission, his doctors in London suggested he should retire to the “Montpelier of the North” for the sake of his health.

Next Saturday’s walk will go past Bewick’s home and studio on the green.

The walk, arranged by Cllr Chris McEwan and led by Chris Lloyd, who compiles Memories, with local historian Carol Atkinson, will begin at the church – the oldest in Darlington – and end in the Wave Café in the church hall – which is next to the oldest domestic building in Darlington.

A 1905 postcard showing Haughton church

The Grey Horse, Haughton, with licensee Jane Robinson in the centre of her door frame. Here the first football team in Darlington met in 1879

We’ll kick up a stink over the Cheese Affair, start a discussion over Fatty Man’s Squeeze, look at where the first football team in the town had their headquarters, and wonder whether the Highland Laddie pub really is named after a Scottish soldier who was injured in a skirmish with English soldiers during the 1740s Jacobite Rebellion but taken in and cared for by kindly villagers.

The Highland Laddie used to be on one of the most dangerous corners in Durham. Work to remove it began in 1939 but was stopped by the war. A newly built Highland Laddie was eventually opened in 1948

Then we’ll head down Mill Lane to the site of river-powered mill that was one of three mills in the district – the others were at Ketton and in Darlington town centre – that were mentioned in the Boldon Book of 1183.

The Skerne used to meander badly here but a dead straight mill race was built to provide it with greater power and it grew into a large complex straddling the waterway.

Haughton Church reached over a bridge over the meandering Skerne

It ground corn and malt until the late 18th Century when it was taken over by John Kendrew. He had used a mill in the town centre to produce the best spectacle lenses until his methods were stolen by unscrupulous Birmingham businessmen. Then assisted by the Backhouse family, he pioneered the use of steam power to spin flax. He protected his invention with a patent but, despite a lengthy court case in 1787, his idea was stolen by John Marshall of Leeds, forcing him to retire to Haughton.

The mill here was ideally located as flax was being imported into Stockton from the Baltic states and Russia.

Mr Kendrew died in 1800, and the Parker family took over the mill. Their employees were noted marching behind their banners on Tuesday, June 12, 1832, through the town centre with 3,000 other labourers, and with 12,000 spectators, celebrating the passing of the Great Reform Act. The millworkers then returned to the mill where they were “sumptuously regaled with plum pudding and roast beef”.

Once the mill had a stone inscribed “JM 1782 KS” on its gable end, but now nothing of it remains, although as we walk along the Skerne we’ll be able to note how its course has been changed over the centuries as we also talk about the lost Red Hall mansion.

The Red Hall mansion fell derelict from 1966 and was used as a riding stables before it was demolished in 1984

The walk will finish at the church hall where hopefully we’ll be sumptuously regaled with a cup of tea and a slice of cake.

A lovely 1949 picture looking east along Haughton Green taken from The Northern Echo archive. The electricity cables running the length of the road powered the trolley buses which reached the end of their run at the roundabout

• The walk is free will set off from the church at 10am, but the vicar is kindly opening the doors from 9.30am so people can gather and have a look around. We aim to be back for 11.30am. All are welcome. Cllr McEwan has been put in charge of the weather. Bring a brolly, just in case.