Groundwater is believed to have played a part in the flooding of Heighington’s primary school after Storm Babet in October 2023 Millfield Academy had to temporary close after Heighington Beck overtopped during the storm But the flooding investigation into the event suggests that groundwater flooding was also a factor Heighington village also has significant issues with groundwater getting into the foul sewer network and when the beck overtopped again in January 2024 flooding was exacerbated by drainage issues caused by the overloading of the drains As part of Lincolnshire County Council’s innovative Project Groundwater – which aims to better understand the causes and effects of groundwater flooding – an investigation will now be launched into the groundwater around the village The research hopes to uncover possible flood risk solutions for all of Heighington executive councillor for environment at Lincolnshire County Council “It’s obvious that Heighington Beck overtopping during Storm Babet and other periods of heavy rain is a huge factor in flooding incidents the threat of groundwater is little understood “The plan is to use modelling to understand how the groundwater in this area interacts with the drainage systems and what happens during periods of heavy rain Then we can develop options for possible mitigation measures and reduce the flood risk for Millfield Academy and across the village of Heighington.” Heighington to discuss the groundwater flooding issues with residents first hand Data will be collected from previous flooding incidents agencies and businesses involved in flood risk and water management in the village You can find out more about Project Groundwater at www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/projectgroundwater The causes of flooding in Heighington were initially investigated as part of a Section 19 flood investigation. The summary of these findings can be found at www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/flood-risk-management/flood-investigations.  All content © 2025 Lincolnshire County Council For editorial and advertising contributions email paul@newtonnews.co.uk Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Heighington railway station was opened almost 200 years ago but now it stands derelict and at risk to further damage I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Campaigners are rallying to save a nearly 200-year-old train station that helped launch the age of steam-powered passenger travel Built in 1826 on the Stockton and Darlington railway line - the world’s first passenger railway to use steam trains - Heighington station in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, is “possibly the world’s first railway station,” according to Historic England It has now been added to the 2024 Heritage at Risk Register which lists nearly 5,000 endangered historical sites over concerns about neglect and decay Campaigners hope to revive Heighington’s legacy and safeguard its place in railway history New research by the Friends of the Stockton and Darlington Railway has confirmed that the station was operational from 1827 surpassing Liverpool Road station in Manchester This discovery led Historic England to elevate the station’s listing from Grade II to Grade II* marking it as a building of “particularly important interest” - a classification held by only 5.8 per cent of listed buildings with independent horse-drawn coach operators using it and paying tolls until 1833 when the Stockton & Darlington Railway (S&DR) took over using steam locomotives and likely establishing a booking office at the station Renamed Heighington and Aycliffe Station around 1856 thought to be part of the former station’s low platform The cobbled surfacing shown in historic photographs could have also survived but may be concealed beneath gravel and vegetation Friends of the Stockton and Darlington Railway are trying to raise around half a million pounds ahead of the site’s 200th anniversary next year to restore the site and reopen it to the public. They hope that its addition to Historic England’s list will refuel conversations around the station’s future. Also added to the Heritage at Risk Register is the Roman Painted House in Dover, Kent, the remains of an early 3rd-century building unearthed in the 1970s with large masonry walls, an underfloor heating system and areas of intact painted wall panels in red, green and yellow. There is better news for a market town’s historic centre, an early railway goods shed, a city cemetery and a 1930s lido, which are no longer considered at risk after work to conserve them. A goods shed built in 1833 in Darlington, County Durham, considered the oldest surviving building of its type, has been repaired and redeveloped as a visitor attraction. Heritage minister Sir Chris Bryant said: “The UK has an abundance of heritage sites across the country that attract tourists and provide jobs in local communities. Many of these are in desperate need of support. The Heritage at Risk Register plays a vital role in our ongoing mission to protect and preserve our rich heritage across the country.” This article was amended on 14 November to remove a photograph of the wrong Heighington station. The image was of Branston and Heighington station, not Heighington station. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies 155 sites have been added to the list over concerns about neglect and decay The world’s first railway station is among the sites added to a list of heritage at risk But there is better news for a market town’s historic centre which are no longer considered at risk after work to conserve them Government heritage agency Historic England has published its 2024 Heritage at Risk Register which shows that 155 sites have been added to the list over concerns about neglect and decay Meanwhile 124 have been removed following efforts to conserve them and give them a new lease of life Among the sites added to the list are Tamworth Castle in Staffordshire a Grade I listed motte-and-bailey fortification that needs extensive repair one of England’s few working six-sail mills is on the list now because it is at risk from climate change Heighington and Aycliffe Railway Station in Newton Aycliffe which dates from 1826 and is considered to be the world’s first railway station has been added to the list as it has become derelict a half timbered building formerly used as a school from the 17th century and targeted by the Suffragettes have been added to the list due to structural risks and decay Also added is the Roman Painted House in Dover, Kent, the remains of an early 3rd century building unearthed in the 1970s with large masonry walls, an underfloor heating system and areas of intact painted wall panels in red, green and yellow. It has been added to the list because the protective building covering the archaeological remains is “no longer fit for purpose”, leaving the wall paintings vulnerable, Historic England said. The register aims to highlight heritage at risk of neglect, decay or inappropriate development across England, with 4,891 entries on the register in 2024, and support work to protect and conserve them. Sites which have seen their fortunes turned around and been removed from the register include the Goods Shed built in 1833 in Darlington, County Durham, which is thought to be the oldest surviving building of its type, which has been repaired and redeveloped as a visitor attraction. The 18th century Sherborne House in Newland, Dorset, has been transformed into an arts venue, and one of London’s “magnificent seven” cemeteries, Abney Park, has been restored into an urban woodland park. Hexham’s conservation area covering the medieval streets that formed its centre of trade, which was beset by vacancies and a rundown appearance, has been taken off the at-risk list following a regeneration scheme. And the 1930s Saltdean Lido in East Sussex, inspired by contemporary ocean liner and aircraft design, has been restored and is now home to a cafe, restaurant, gym, public library, work and exercise spaces as well as the swimming pool. Heritage minister Sir Chris Bryant said: “The UK has an abundance of heritage sites across the country that attract tourists and provide jobs in local communities. “Many of these are in desperate need of support. “The Heritage at Risk Register plays a vital role in our ongoing mission to protect and preserve our rich heritage across the country.” Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, said: “This year, we have seen partners and communities come together to help save the historic buildings and places that need it the most. “It’s inspirational to see how we can harness the power of our heritage to benefit local people.” Heighington and Aycliffe Railway Station, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, which dates from 1826 and is considered to be the world’s first railway station, which has been added to the 2024 Heritage at Risk Register, which shows that 155 sites have been added to the list over concerns about neglect and decay Works to replace worn out carriageway on Fen Road in Heighington will start on Monday 16 August The works are expected to last until Saturday 21 August (subject to weather) and will be carried out under a 24/7 road closure including overnight working on Friday 20 August The diversion route will be via B1190 / Lincoln Eastern Bypass / B1188 Lincoln Road / B1202 / B1190 assistant director for highways at Lincolnshire County Council said: "This section of Fen Road is nearing the end of it serviceable life so we're taking the opportunity to replace it "This work will inevitably cause some disruption but we'll be doing everything we can to keep this to a minimum these improvements will make travelling on the B1190 near Heighington safer and more comfortable for all road users." For up-to-date information about this and other roadworks, visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/roadworks Campaigners hope to resurrect Grade II*-listed Heighington stop ahead of bicentenary celebrations Goods and passengers passed through it in the early days of steam travel Now an urgent appeal has been launched to resurrect what is believed to be the world’s oldest railway station The derelict Heighington stop in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham dates back to the early 19th century when it was an important location on the Stockton and Darlington Railway Campaigners hope to raise £500,000 ahead of the 200th anniversary of the line’s construction next year chair of Friends of the Stockton and Darlington Railway called the station’s current condition a “blot” and said it was a source of inspiration and education for the next generation “It is where Locomotion No 1 was first placed on the tracks it is where three boys became its first passengers and it is the world’s first railway station – the cobbles outside it may well be the world’s first railway platform,” he said “It should be an object of pride to local people and the businesses around it that their forefathers were involved in something revolutionary that changed the world.” Heighington in the days of steam locomotives Photograph: Friends of the Stockton and Darlington railway.Phase one of the campaign aims to acquire the site to “prevent it lending an air of dereliction to the 2025 celebrations which longer-term aim is to bring it back into economic and community use as an 1825-themed pub or restaurant with accommodation The community heritage group hopes that £400,000 can be raised through grant applications It has launched an online petition and is appealing to members of the public and local companies to help raise the remaining amount Durham county council plans to build a cycle lane and footpath along the 26-mile route in time for the bi-centenary Historic England has added Heighington station to its Heritage at Risk Register which places it in the top 8% most important buildings in the country It is described as an “early proto-railway station designed as a public house and domestic accommodation to oversee a coal depot but also accommodating passengers; marking it out as possibly the world’s first railway station” The opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway on 27 September 1825 Photograph: UniversalImagesGroup/Getty ImagesThe Stockton and Darlington railway opened in 1825 Heighington station was one of three buildings commissioned by the railway company in 1826 to handle goods and passengers and it was first in operation in early 1827 – predating Liverpool Road in Manchester which is thought to have been the world’s first inter-city terminus The station continued in railway use until the 1970s It was restored in 1984 and reopened as the Locomotion No 1 inn This article was amended on 28 February 2024 to reinstate the name of the pub mentioned in the final paragraph which had been inadvertently deleted during the editing process Heavy and persistent rainfall over recent weeks has pushed back the completion of works at two major Lincoln Eastern Bypass locations Please note all of the above dates are subject to suitable weather has experienced more than twice the average amount of rainfall during September and October along with several days of heavy rainfall in November "This rain has severely hampered on-site activity and completely saturated the bypass site Not only is there flooding in several areas but the earth and soil that was supposed to be moved to and from various locations still isn't in a suitable state to move or use since it's so wet "This has had an impact on the completion of the new Greetwell Road roundabout and Heighington Road bridge we will be extending the closure at Greetwell Road until Wednesday 4 December opening it in time for the Christmas Market on Thursday 5 December Hawthorn Road will remain open until after the New Year Heighington Road will remain closed until the end of January so we can complete the new bridge over the bypass "We want to thank everyone for bearing with us as we continue building the new bypass there will be less traffic congestion in and around Lincoln along with more opportunities for boosting the county's economy." The 7.5km Lincoln Eastern Bypass project is part-funded by a £50m Central Government capital grant and will improve Lincoln’s infrastructure minimise traffic congestion and enhance the inter-city environment For the latest news on the Lincoln Eastern Bypass, visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/leb Sign in Join now, it's FREE! There will be a Celebration of Life on Sunday donations can be made to Sick Kids Hospital in Gwen’s memory Please wear a splash of purple as this was her favourite colour CHRIS McQueen may pull on an England shirt after being called up for the Test against Samoa – and he could be joined by Chris Heighington. The Aussie pair, who qualify through ancestry, are the stand-out names in Wayne Bennett’s party for the May 6 game in Sydney. Gold Coast Titans star McQueen, whose father Kevin was born in London, has previously said he would love to pull on a white shirt. And even though he has played for Queensland, the 29-year-old, who can play in the back row or at centre, insists his family will be proud. The Brisbane-born ace, who is the nephew of Australian Olympic swimmer Geoff Huegill, said: “My old man was born in England and lived there until he was 10. “His whole family are from England and they moved out here in 1969 but they are still proud Poms. "When I played for Queensland, dad was right behind me but if I pulled an England jersey on, my whole family would be proud." Cronulla veteran Heighington’s inclusion in the 20-man squad is more surprising, especially as Wigan’s Liam Farrell missed out after Bennett vowed not to pick more than three players from one Super League club. The 34-year-old, who last played for England in 2011, has been part of the Australian’s plans with NRL-based players. But the inclusion of Heighington, whose family hails from the north east, will raise most eyebrows. Eight players based in Australia, including Sam and Thomas Burgess, have been included, as have James Graham, Josh Hodgson, Elliott Whitehead and Gareth Widdop. Zak Hardaker returns after a two-year absence and he has been joined by Castleford team-mate Mike McMeeken, while St Helens’ Alex Walmsley has received his first call-up. Sean O’Loughlin has regained the captaincy from Sam Burgess after missing last year’s Four Nations through injury. But the likes of Stefan Ratchford, Kevin Brown, Dan Sarginson, Daryl Clark, John Bateman, Mike Cooper, Sam Tomkins, Oliver Gildart and George Burgess have all missed out, mostly through a combination of injury and suspension. Bennett said: “This is a strong squad that I believe has the talent to do well. “The game against Samoa will be tough - they have some good players and plenty of spirit but this gives everyone in our squad the opportunity to show what they can do ahead of the World Cup. “I’m very pleased that we have this chance to play mid-season. “It gives the team a chance to work and spend time together and allows my coaching team and I the opportunity to take a closer look at how the players can rise to the challenge of playing against a tough and uncompromising opponent. “There are some quality players left behind in England who have either just missed out or been ruled out through injury and this game enables me to look at some of those who haven’t been in the squad before.” S Burgess, T Burgess (both South Sydney), Gale (Castleford), Graham (Canterbury), Hall (Leeds), Hardaker (Castleford), Heighington (Cronulla), Hill (Warrington), Hodgson (Canberra), McGillvary (Huddersfield), McMeeken (Castleford), McQueen (Gold Coast), O’Loughlin (Wigan), Percival (St Helens), Taylor (Hull), Walmsley (St Helens), Watkins (Leeds), Widdop (St George-Illawarra), Williams (Wigan) Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ England forward Chris Heighington will become the oldest player to make his debut for Newcastle Knights this weekend The 36-year-old is expected to make his debut for his new club on Friday with the Knights facing Manly Sea Eagles in the opening round of the NRL season Heighington scored 39 tries in 202 games for Wests Tigers between 2003 and 2012 before moving to Cronulla Sharks He represented England at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup and even though he has a lot of first-grade experience under his belt he admitted that he still gets nervous on gameday Heighington told NRL.com: “I always get nervous before games even though I’ve been around for a while “I’m a bit nervous with a new club and with the expectation win a few games “A lot of my family is coming down to watch so I am really looking forward to it.” © Planet Sport Limited 2025 • All Rights Reserved You will also start receiving the Star's free morning newsletter George Heighington in the trench at Diksmuide Visiting remnants of the Mulberry harbour of June 1944 which was used to help unload supply ships Fleurbaix rests great uncle Thomas Turnbull 'The number of military cemeteries brought tears to my eyes All contained the remains of the young men from foreign lands who came to fight there.' “The number of military cemeteries brought tears to my eyes All contained the remains of the young men from foreign lands who came to fight there.” We asked Star readers to tell us about trips they have taken and share their tips and advice: Our trip itinerary gave us 10 days in Belgium and Normandy Walking through the airport terminal in Brussels This was the same weekend for the BD Comic Strip Festival which was almost on the grounds of the Grand Place The Belgians are quite into the tales of Tintin and the Smurfs Take day trips: Having a number of days in Brussels gave us time for short It is best to take a ride on the tour bus; this gives the lay of the land and provides an overview of places one might wish to visit The four days in Brussels came to an end and it was off to the next stop: Lille The large cross at Museum on the Yser beckoned for us to stop This is where Belgian soldiers tried to fend off the German advance in 1914 we could hear shells whistling in the air and a subsequent explosion propelling the adjacent water upwards but nothing compared to what those young men (soldiers) went through A large 14-floor building there contains an interesting museum about war The food here was excellent and reasonably priced our hotel gave us a room with a balcony where we could sip beer and wine while we watched the throngs of people walking about Be sure to take a trip to the battlefields: Lille was close for day trips to the Somme and Vimy Ridge where we went looking to find the graves of two of our great uncles The sheer number of military cemeteries — in a field on a street corner — brought tears to my eyes All contained the remains of the young men who ventured forth from many foreign lands to defend the nation of France from aggression Beside him were graves with names and also graves that stated simply “Known unto God.” This is a very humbling experience we could see the value of the high point of land We discovered my great uncle Russel Samuel Curry listed on a monument to the dead I must assume that no identifiable body was found His two brothers Andrew and Albert survived one being gassed and the other being buried alive temporarily Now I have an understanding as to why these men were the way they were Take in the history and reflect on it: The last stop was Caen where we spent four days If more generals had led their men (into battle in) The First World War some of the old-world military thinkers and planners might have been removed from influencing events a place made famous in the Second World War movie “The Longest Day.” John Steele playing dead so as not to have any more wounds as he had already been shot in the foot He was cut down and captured by the Germans we trekked to Bayeux to meet with a distant cousin Then we visited the building housing the famous Bayeux Tapestry which depicts the Norman conquest of England in 1066 in narrative form The famous historic cloth has survived for centuries we stopped by Gold Beach and were astonished to see still on the beach the remnants of the Mulberry harbour of June 1944 which British soldiers captured six hours before the D-Day landings began land a Horsa glider with 28 fully armed men within 50 yards of the bridge (Six gliders participated successfully in total.) We’ve launched a new series that invites Star readers to share places they’ve visited recently and would recommend whether it’s a weekend getaway in Elora Email us with “TRAVEL TIPS” in the subject line at travel@thestar.ca Please include brief responses to these questions Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account England international Chris Heighington will hang up his boots at the end of the campaign The 36-year-old has announced that this season will be his last after a 16-year career in the professional game Heighington started his career with Wests Tigers in 2003 and went on to play 201 games for the club He then moved to Cronulla Sharks in 2013 and enjoyed five seasons there And he will finish his career with Newcastle Knights this year having played 17 games for the club to date Heighington has earned six caps for England and played in their 6-0 World Cup final defeat to Australia last year he said: “A lot of ex-players told me I would know when it’s time but I do know the pre-seasons are long and another year is a big ask I’m still playing injury free and I don’t want to be greedy “I could try and continue to play but I risk picking up a bad injury or slipping in form so I feel it’s my time to move over and let one of the young boys come in you dream of playing in the NRL but to win a Premiership is beyond a dream I got to do that twice [with Wests and Cronulla] It was pretty special and something I will remember for the rest of my life.” Heighington also represented the Prime Minister’s XIII Washingborough Road will be closed for up to five months from Monday 17 February The temporary signals will remain in use every morning but will no longer be in operation after 3pm (exact shut-off times will vary depending on operational needs) The right-turn ban into Heighington Road will remain in place 24/7 said: "The barriers that were restricting vision and making it unsafe to remove the temporary lights from the junction have now been taken away and the lights can now be removed each afternoon "We apologise for any confusion surrounding the changing of these signals but we're now confident we can safely get traffic flowing more freely during the closure of Washingborough Road "Thanks for bearing with us during the construction of Lincoln's much-needed Eastern Bypass." The traffic signals at the Heighington Road / Canwick Hill junction will be temporarily re-implemented on a 24/7 basis as of this afternoon said: "As part of our plan for changing the signal operation times here our traffic management contractor removed some of the temporary barriers overnight so drivers could turn more easily onto Canwick Hill the remaining barriers can obstruct the view for people wanting to leave Heighington Road making it unsafe to turn onto Canwick Hill we've decided to re-implement the signals on a 24/7 basis just until all the barriers can be removed and replaced with lower ones that don't obstruct visibility "We expect this to be within the next seven days the temporary traffic signal arrangement at the Heighington Road / Canwick Hill junction will be changed said: "Our traffic team has been monitoring the effects of the temporary signals at the Heighington Road / Canwick Hill junction and found that they have been causing congestion when people are leaving Lincoln after work in the week we've made the decision to continue using the signals for people traveling towards Lincoln in the morning but will remove them ahead of the late afternoon and evening rush "We will continue monitoring the impact of the signals and will modify them as and when necessary to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible while Washingborough Road is closed "I want to thank everyone for remaining patient as we work towards opening Lincoln's new bypass later this year." The road closure will be from the entrance of the Anglian Water compound in the west to the rail bridge just past the bypass site.  This will allow for the final new bypass roundabout to be built along with other essential works including lowering Washingborough Road by 1.5m and carrying out drainage we expect there to be significant disruption south of Lincoln particularly on the B1188 between Branston and Lincoln we're asking drivers to leave extra time for their journeys "We're also encouraging people to consider using other modes of transport while Washingborough Road is shut including catching the train from Metheringham into Lincoln we'll be installing temporary CCTV cameras at the Branston junction so our traffic team can monitor the area and tweak the timing of the signals there and at the Washingborough Road/Canwick Hill junction if necessary "We'll also be installing temporary traffic signals at the end of Heighington Road to make getting onto Canwick Hill easier for people choosing to use this route our advice to drivers is to follow the official diversion and avoid using Heighington Road." The signed diversion route for normal vehicles will be via Church Hill / Canwick Road / Sheep Wash Lane / Branston Road / Station Road / B1188 Lincoln Road The diversion route for lorries will be via B1188/Lincoln Road to B1202 to B1190 Please note a right-turn ban onto Heighington Road will be in place for drivers traveling towards Lincoln Cllr Davies continued: "This road closure is an essential part of getting Lincoln's eastern bypass built and it's important for people to remember all the benefits the new road will bring once open later this year "This includes reduced congestion in and around Lincoln and a huge boost to the local economy." Heighington U9’s got back to winning ways recently with a fantastic passing display from the whole team It was one way traffic from the kick off as the new look formation clicked into play nicely at the right time Matty produced a solid display in his new role as the midfield general and Lucas took to his new role as the teams striker and talisman with two emphatic first half strikes to send Heighington into a commanding two goal lead Isaac and Logan produced a defensive master class at the back with the opposition only having one shot in the first half Jamie produced a great assist and James ran tirelessly up and down the wings creating plenty of chances and helping in defensive duties As the pressure mounted in the second half Oliver held firm up front with his blistering pace enabling the team to have an outlet whilst under pressure narrowly missing the goal on two occasions The pivotal moment came in the second half when Mitchell found himself in space just inside his own half and drove a looping shot over the keeper and into the top corner to make it 3-1 with 10 minutes to go Wear United scored from a corner with 2 minutes to go but the defence saw off any threat at the end with the Heighington boys ending the game victorious The boys gave absolutely everything they had in the tank for these points and played with their hearts on their sleeve Riverside Juniors Whites 3-7 Heighington Whites Heighington Whites looking to continue their away winning run after a recent win at Bishop St Mary’s First half they started well and had a few chances but unfortunately they didn’t go our way it turned into a scrappy game and the opposition took full advantage of that and went 3-0 up Our boys didn’t stop playing our way and some great defending with Chris Abrams clearing one off the line to keep it 3-0 at half time Second half and a change in formation for the Whites turned into a smart move The lads started getting the ball and passing through them like the Riverside Junior’s weren’t there Nathan McKenna got one back quickly followed by a Cruz Denton penalty then with a beautiful through ball by Charlie Murrey to free Nathan McKenna to pull the Whites level (captain for the day) through ball put us 4-3 ahead and completed his first league hat trick for the Whites Riverside Juniors came back at us but the defence second half was fantastic they gave it everything Daniel Bennett-Scott eventually got his first of the season with a well timed run and finished to make it 5-3 to the Whites with another well timed run and finish after a Wilko power kick from their corner Then my favourite moment of the game Daniel Bennett-Scott won our second penalty of the half and gave the honours to birthday boy Joseph Wilkinson Every single one of them were fantastic in the second half and the team spirit was amazing MOTM’s went to Nathan McKenna and Joseph Wilkinson but every member of the team showed that they can play football and have all done themselves and the club proud Thank you to everyone for your support it means a lot to me and the boys Thank you Mark Brown for all your help and support The story began in 1935 when Heighington WI entered a patchwork quilt into the National Federation of WI’s Handicraft Exhibition at the Horticultural Hall in London accompanied the quilt and according to archives eleven members were involved in its creation which took six months to make Also in the records is a black and white photograph with WI members; Mrs Dixon’s hand-written report of the exhibition and a newspaper cutting telling of Queen Mary’s delight at seeing the quilt “How lovely.” The quilt was exhibited in County Durham in 1938 but then disappeared That was until earlier this spring when Richard Peperell of Cookham in Berkshire went into his attic and discovered a box containing a quilt Dixon’s name and address and another label printed Lynne Peperell got in touch with Val Bedocs of Heighington WI and sent photographs of the quilt and when compared with the archives there could be no doubt it was the same quilt made by ladies of the WI in 1935 but imagine their joy when the Peperells said they wished to return the quilt to the WI and would be visiting the north-east in July and would like to call into Heighington On Wednesday 17th July the Heighington WI arranged a reception and afternoon tea for the Peperells in the village hall and invited special guests to join them The Deputy Mayor and Mayoress of Darlington Gerald and Ruth Lee; the Chair and Vice Chair of Durham County WI Cecelia Wharton and Lyn Swift; the Chair of the County Craft Committee Dorothy Allen; President of the neighbouring Redworth WI Audrey Wilkinson; Margaret Wellings who had tried in 2003 to trace the quilt; the Rev Heighington and John Robinson who had helped Mrs Peperell to track some of her forebears in County Durham and whose mother was a member of Heighington WI many years ago and knew Mrs The Peperells arrived with the quilt and it was put on a frame for everbody to see The quilt is in wonderful condition and astonishingly the labels from the exhibition in 1935 are still attached Everyone was stunned at the skill and workmanship of the quilt nearly invisible and it is really a thing of beauty President of Heighington WI thanked the Peperells for the trouble they had taken to track down the original owners of the quilt and their generosity in deciding to travel to County Durham to return the quilt in person Lynne Peperell explained she may have took the quilt in a box with them from a house in Ealing they had owned some years ago but had no memory of putting it in their attic in Cookham Val Bedocs presented Lynne and Richard Peperell with a print of Heighington Village by Eric Thompson a handbag mirror with a needlepoint cover made by member Carol Charlton and a copy of a book by Iris Farley written to commemorate Heighington WI’s 80th Birthday in 1998 The quilt is mentioned in the book and states its whereabouts are unknown Heighington WI is still producing award winning patchwork,and Val showed guests a beach bag made by member Margot Harryman that won first prize at the County Competitive Craft Exhibition the previous weekend She announced the WI will arrange an event where the quilt can go on show for all those who wish to see the quilt for themselves The whole amazing story will certainly go down in the history of Heighington the WI and County Durham WI to be talked about for a very long time to come