A red hot spell of weather is with us but we wonder if it will match the legendary heatwave we all enjoyed 50 years ago.
The Summer of 1976 went on for ages and here’s a reminder of what happened in the South Tyneside area back then.
Our photographers went out and about to capture scenes such as a tennis tournament at Westoe, children on the rides at the South Shields amusement park, Morris dancers outside South Shields Town Hall, and a band giving a rooftop performance in the sun.
We had months of blazing sunshine back then but for now, let’s enjoy the sunny spell of 2026 with a look back at these Shields Gazette archive scenes.
We would love you to share your own memories of the summer of 1976 and you can do just that by emailing [email protected]
1. A beautiful day in '76
All the fun of the fair at South Shields Amusement Park in 1976, just as the weather turned warmer. Little did these people know what was to come for months ahead. | Local Library
2. Traditional at the Town Hall
Hot work in the sun. A group of Morris dancers outside South Shields Town Hall before the start of the Sports Week carnival parade in June 1976. | Local Library
3. Stormy in the 1970s
Workmen clear sand along the North Foreshore after a weekend of heavy storms in 1976. Tell us if you remember this. | Local Library
4. On the green
Dave Walker of St Stephen's Club in action on the bowls green in August 1976. | Local Library