30 YEARS AGO.

Schools suggest plans for Ironmasters' district LOCAL schools made suggestions for redeveloping the Ironmasters district of Middlesbrough in a competition as part of the Tidy Up Middlesbrough Campaign. Among the suggestions were a wild life centre, a marina and moving Ayresome football ground near to the river so fans would not have to go through the town centre.

Jobs bombshell leaves empty site in town A HUGE swell of protest built up as Cleveland prepared to fight back after plans to bring 3,000 civil service jobs to Middlesbrough were withdrawn. The jobs bombshell left years of planning in ruins and a huge cleared site in the centre of Middlesbrough standing empty.

Folklore Festival hit by cash blow BILLINGHAM Folklore Festival was hit by a financial body blow less than two weeks before the first night curtain went up. A pounds 2,000 English Tourist Board grant used to publicise the festival nationally was withdrawn with a message to festival organisers "apply earlier next year." Money had already been spent on the assumption that the grant would be awarded.

Exorcist vicar called in to 'banish evil' A STOCKTON family lived in fear because of things that went bump in the night, so they called in the local vicar to banish the power of evil. He said that some strange events had happened which had clearly terrified the occupants but after the house was blessed the strange noises in the night ceased.

Anti-vandal surface is vandalised AN experimental anti-vandal surface installed on council properties in Eston was vandalised. If vandals had spray painted messages on the surface then it could be easily wiped clean, but local vandals abandoned their spray cans for hammers and chisels, chipping their names into the new surface.

Still in limbo AFTER six years the future of the Royal Exchange building in Middlesbrough was still in limbo. The building had been earmarked for demolition as part of the Northern Route of the A66 since staff moved out six years previously to Steel House on the Trunk Road.