A trapped seagull, fencing champion, ferry favourite and a South Shields legend had one common link 15 years ago.
They were all in the Shields Gazette headlines and we have revisited their stories - as well as many more - in this round-up of news from this week in 2011.
The rooftop rescue involved a gull which was trapped in netting, while 11-year-old Matthew Dickinson was taking the sport of fencing by storm.
Jackie Mountain was saying farewell as a passenger on the Shields ferry with a last trip.
Stan Mortensen was the Shields-born legend and a scrapbook on his life was going up for auction.
But that’s not the end of it. We also have reminders from Lukes Lane Community School, Joe McElderry who was a royal hit, and a Jarrow man who had his own Olympic moment.
If that’s got you intrigued, find out more by having a browse through our gallery of photo memories and then tell us more by emailing [email protected]
1. Stan Mortensen
Scrapbooks capturing the career of a South Shields-born footballer who went on to play for England were being sold off at auction in London. Stan Mortensen’s mother started the albums in 1936, with the first entry an article about her son when he played for South Shields Ex-Schoolboys football club. They were expected to sell for in the region of £500 to £600 at Sotheby’s. | archive
2. Rooftop rescue
Fire fighters help the netted gull from a roof top in South Shields in May 2011. | sg
3. A golden moment for Peter
Peter Major, from Jarrow, was one of the first 500 spectators across the world to win a pair of tickets to see the 2012 Olympic Games. | sg
4. Jackie was a fantastic passenger
For 21 years, Jackie Mountain was the Shields Ferry’s most loyal passenger. But the 60-year-old has been forced to hand over her ticket to ride after being made redundant from her office duties at a company in North Shields. The South Shields woman made her final crossing and was presented with flowers and a pass for a river cruise. | sg