Northumbria in Bloom

Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council has praised communities across the Borough for their blooming good efforts in the annual Northumbria In Bloom awards.
The results of the 2009 Northumbria in Bloom competition were announced and presentations made at a ceremony in the Freeman's Quay Leisure Centre in Durham City on 14th September.
Over eighty entries reached gold standard in their class this year with judges looking for much more than pretty flowerbeds in spring andsummer. These days floral excellence is vital but not enough and permanent, sustainable planting involving trees and shrubs, conservation projects, cleanliness and year round community effort are all included in the final marks.
This year Saltburn was awarded the gold medal and Amberol Trophy for the Best Seaside Resort. Best conservation project and Gold Medal was awarded to Saltburn Valley Gardens. Best railway, bus or metro station: Saltburn Railway Station. Saltburn Gold Club was awarded a Gold Medal as one of the best kept sports premises. An RHS a Neighbourhood award was given to Laurel Road.
Locally Stanghow received Gold for the Best Small Village and Eston was awarded the Best Urban Community Award with Lingale being recognised as the most improved entry.
Both Stanghow and Eston have been selected to represent the North East in the prestigious 'Britain in Bloom' national competition.

New School Campus Opens

The new Saltburn Primary School opened its doors to pupils today. As the school’s Upleatham and Marske Mill bases completed their move to the new site at Saltburn Learning Campus, shared with Huntcliff Secondary School, headteacher Janet Richardson said she was delighted. She said: “Some of us were here in January 1992 when the infant and junior schools amalgamated, and we’ve been in two buildings ever since. So you can imagine our excitement at moving on to a single site.”
The school has also unveiled a new logo featuring Saltburn Pier, a compass, a book and the sun. It was designed by former pupil Thomas Chisholm, 11, now a student at Huntcliff School.
The school's new playground includes an amphitheatre and a pond with its own bridge, to allow for environmental studies.
The scheme is part of a £60m Government Primary Capital Funding programme that will see schools throughout Redcar and Cleveland updated. Redcar and Cleveland Council’s Cabinet member for children’s services and education, Councillor Ian Jeffrey said: “We are providing 21st century facilities for our children.”

Ravine rescue drama...

A Nunthorpe man whose dog fell 20 feet became the subject of a dramatic search and rescue operation himself after falling down a ravine in Saltburn Woods.
The 45-year-old, who made an emergency call from his mobile phone after falling, had been walking his dog in Valley Gardens when it fell down a steep slope and into a small ravine. He tried to get down to retrieve the dog but slipped himself and fell about 30 feet, sustaining serious injuries.

He landed in the shallow water of the beck that runs along a footpath close to Valley Gardens and Saltburn Woods. Cleveland Search and Rescue team, along with the Great North Air Ambulance, an RAF Sea King helicopter and Cleveland Police attended the scene after receiving the SOS call.

The Search and Rescue team used a stretcher to move the man to a suitable point where he could be safely winched into the helicopter. The team were up against considerable tree coverage in the Valley Gardens and gusting winds, but an effective winch was carried out and the man, who suffered back and leg injuries, was quickly airlifted to the accident and emergency ward of the James Cook University Hospital.