AS March comes to an end, I want to reflect on the story which attracted more interest than any other news item published by The Northern Echo during the month.

I receive a daily report on the number of visitors to our website and the news about a man found wandering along the A66 near Middlesbrough, after having his penis cut off, produced record statistics.

Perhaps that doesn’t come as a surprise because it has been a major talking point and, no doubt, the subject of countless jokes and sniggers.

But what we shouldn’t forget is that, whatever the truth about the various rumours surrounding the attack, there is a human tragedy behind the story.

Was it right to name him? Some newspapers did but I chose not to. This is a man who has been horrifically tortured and mutilated.

His life has been changed for good and he will never be able to walk the streets or go in the local pub again without being pointed at, stared at, talked about, or ridiculed.

And it is a story which serves to underline the difference between local papers and the nationals. What’s right for one paper isn’t always right for another. It’s up to editors to understand the expectations of their readers.

The Northern Echo’s headline was: “A66 mutilation victim in a coma.” The Sun went with: “Where’s willy?”

REGULAR readers will know that my blood boils when petty-minded, power-mad football club bosses resort to banning journalists from doing their jobs during disagreements. But beware the local paper scorned...

Nottingham Forest manager Billy Davies didn’t like the Nottingham Evening Post so he made sure its reporters were denied access to players and himself.

But Mr Davies has now been sacked by Forest after a string of poor results, culminating in a 5-0 thrashing by local rivals Derby County.

The Evening Post could have taken the high ground and risen above the provocation – but I’m really pleased it didn’t.

Its response to Mr Davies’ sacking was a front page blurb featuring a picture of the jobless Mr Davies on the telephone alongside the carefully-chosen words: “Looking for a job? Hundreds of vacancies up for grabs: see our jobs fair special inside.”

Nice move. It not only delivers a spot of revenge but it is a creative way of promoting the job ads and selling more papers.

Just the job.

THEY were a lovely friendly bunch when I spoke to the Ladies Fellowship at All Saints Church in Darlington last week.

It was nice to see Marjorie Roberts again.

The wife of former Mayor Eric Roberts, Marjorie was the friendly face of The Northern Echo’s head office reception in Darlington when I arrived as a reporter in 1984.

Joan Mattison came over for a chat after I’d given my talk and filled a gap in my local knowledge from my formative years.

Joan told me that her grandfather was George Henry Bennett who lived in the Middlesbrough suburb of South Bank, where I grew up.

He was a distinguished chap by all accounts and he became the Mayor. He also had a funeral parlour at the main crossroads and the horse which pulled the hearse grazed out the back.

And that’s why the junction has been known ever since as Bennett’s Corner. You live and learn.

The Northern Echo:

FEEDBACK from readers is always valuable but I must admit that I had not anticipated the complaints about our new weather panel which was introduced on Thursday.

The panel is part of a number of design changes aimed at giving the paper a freshenup.

Several readers were quickly on the phone to complain about the sun in the new weather panel being blue when it used to be yellow.

One caller said: “It cheered me up to see a nice yellow sun peeking out from behind the cloud.”

The weather panel is sent to us via a syndicated service. We’ve passed on the feedback in the hope that the sun can shine more brightly again in The Northern Echo.

I DON’T like jargon so can someone please remind me – was the couple who announced they were “consciously uncoupling”

last week Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin, or Thomas The Tank Engine and Clarabelle?

FINALLY, a little insight into the world of football writers – or, to be specific, our Chief Football Writer, Paul Fraser.

Paul travelled to Merseyside last Wednesday night to report on Sunderland’s crucial match against high-flying Liverpool.

How do you think he prepared? By researching statistics which might prove useful for his match report? By striving to set up an exclusive interview with a key player?

No, he visited the set of Brookside.