Days when life was gentler... A town at peace with itself.

CAPTURED on camera are the heady days a seaside town wants to win back.

Among these fascinating snaps are people enjoying the sands at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Northumberland, in their heyday in the late 1960s or early 1970s.

The glimpse into the past also shows a former cinema in the town, factory girls at work, a leek show, fun-lovers on a night out, what appears to be nursing staff and sea coalers with their haul.

The collection, taken by photographer Keith Hobbs, once made up a travelling exhibition.

They have been saved for the town by lifelong resident Kate Thompson, a social worker, of Victoria Terrace.

She paid around pounds 160 for them when they came under the auctioneer's hammer at Louis Johnson's estate agents in Morpeth.

She said: "There are 28 black-andwhite photos of Newbiggin in its hey day.

"You can see the expanse of sand it had in the late 1960s and at the back you can see my house.

"I understand they were put in to the auction by Morpeth Libraries but I haven't been able to confirm that."

Mrs Thompson has saved them so they can be enjoyed by local townspeople as well as herself.

A new beach has just been created at Newbiggin as part of a pounds 10m coast project to regenerate the town's seafront and attract more visitors.

Do you feature in any of the snaps, or know anyone who does, or even know the photographer? If so, give the Chronicle newsdesk a call on [phone], or e-mail [e-mail]

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PICTURES: KEITH HOBBS