OF all the truly incredible people I've met in my time in newspapers, it's hard to think of anyone who tops Lyndon Longhorne for courage, determination and sheer will of personality.

Lyndon, now, 21, from Crook, County Durham, suffered from meningitis as a baby and lost both legs and an arm but he has somehow managed to become a champion swimmer.

This Friday, he travels to Glasgow for the Paralympics trials – competing in the 200m freestyle, 50m butterfly, 150m medley and 50m breaststroke. He makes Superman look average,

I'll never forget the night at Hardwick Hall, Sedgefield, in 2009 when Lyndon won our overall Local Heroes award. Over the years, he has become a friend and he was among those who attended my send-off as editor of The Northern Echo.

After 32 years at the paper, 17 of them as editor, I knew it would be an emotional occasion. In anticipation of ending up in tears during my farewell speech, I asked Lyndon to sit nearby with the instruction: "If I start to cry, do something to take my mind of it."

Sure enough, within a minute of starting to speak, my emotions took over. From the chair I was standing on, I looked down at Lyndon for help - and he promptly removed his artificial leg and handed it to me.

When I'd said "do something" I never for one second thought he'd give me his leg, but it worked a treat. It made people laugh and I was able to refocus and carry on. I think I choked up four or five times during my speech and, each time, Lyndon gave me his leg as a distraction.

The biggest laugh of the evening came when I was still holding his leg and I started to cry again. With perfect comic timing, Lyndon shouted up: "Do you want me other one?"

Thank you to everyone who came to see me off and a special thanks to my mate Lyndon for giving me a hand - with his leg.

AFTER stepping down, a good luck card arrived from Tony Robinson, from Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough.

The significance is that he was my English teacher at St Peter's Comprehensive School in South Bank, Middlesbrough, in the 1970s.

He was the person who planted the seed by saying: "You should be a journalist, son."

Good teachers steer children on the right path and he one of a number of excellent teachers at St Peter's.

So thank you, Mr Robinson – sir.

I AM delighted that my leaving 'do' benefited the Butterwick Children's Hospice thanks to the efforts of the man who gave me the job 17 years ago - former managing director David Kelly.

As a leaving present David produced a book, based on my own Monstrous Morals children books, called "Black-tongued Peter Barron". It was inspired by my habit of eating pens and was beautifully done.

Signed copies sold for a tenner each and the magnificent sum of £450 is on its way to the hospice.

LIFE away from the editor's chair goes on and the speaking tour took me to Ingleby Arncliffe Women's Institute last week.

They are a lovely lot who meet in Ingleby Cross Village Hall, where the mounted heads of stags stare down quite sadly from the walls.

More positively, on one wall, there is an impressive bronze plaque bearing the intriguing inscription: "Presented by the War Savings Committee to the people of Ingleby Arncliffe to commemorate their notable subscription to War Securities during Guns Week 1918."

Guns Week was an enterprising idea which was rolled out around the country in early November 1918, a week before Armistice Day.

Throughout the Great War, the Government raised billions of pounds towards the war effort by selling war bonds and securities and, during Guns Week, captured German guns were toured around the country to encourage people to invest.

It was such a success that Tanks Week was launched a year later, with British tanks going on tour to generate more cash.

IT was nice to meet Pam Smith at Ingleby Arncliffe WI and to hear about the time the Daily Mirror scored a bit of an own goal in her back garden.

Pam had been asked by a family friend if a photographer from the Mirror could take a picture of her son, Anthony, having a kick around in his Middlesbrough kit in the garden in Billingham.

No one knew exactly what the picture was for until the Saturday edition was published with Prince William's head on Anthony's body.

A story had emerged, suggesting that the prince was a Boro fan, and the Mirror wanted to mock-up a picture.

"Anthony was devastated because he'd told all his friends he was going to be in the Mirror," said Pam.

Following a family complaint about the beheading, Andrew was sent a £300 "modelling fee".

FINALLY, there was considerable excitement amongst the Ingleby Arncliffe ladies about the latest national Women's Institute competition.

Members nationwide are being asked to use their imagination to make hanging floral baskets out of bras. Photos of the "braskets" have to be submitted by August 31 to stand a chance of winning £100 worth of gardening vouchers.

I guess it's what you call a booby prize.