EDITORS are frequently faced with the accusation that they are only interested in putting bad news on their front pages: murders, armed robberies, sex offences, political corruption and the like.

It's, therefore, important to ensure that when really good news comes along, it's prominently celebrated.

Last week, the North-East had cause to celebrate as the Hitachi train-building plant at Newton Aycliffe was opened at Newton Aycliffe by Prime Minister David Cameron.

The factory is generating nearly 800 jobs directly but – as with Nissan – the greater value will be in the supply chain, which will create employment for thousands more.

In my view, the return of train-building to County Durham – the birthplace of the railways – is a historic development and The Northern Echo needed to make sure it was marked in the right way.

We, therefore, planned ahead with Hitachi, Durham County Council and Business Durham to produce a special edition on Thursday, comprising a four-page "wrap-round" of the main paper, and a supplement inside, telling how the jobs were won for the area. On Friday, we gave extensive coverage of the opening, with a picture of the Prime Minister at Hitachi on the front page

Hopefully, the coverage was generally well received but...I got an email from one reader saying: "Don't you think you're going over the top on Hitachi?" Another took to Twitter to say: "The Echo should be challenging Cameron on the destruction of the North-East, not lapping up his rubbish." Another Twitter user addd: "Quite frankly, Cameron should have better things to do – why is he not paying full attention to the refugee crisis?"

No, I don't think we went over the top on Hitachi – I think it's arrival fantastic news for the region.

The Northern Echo has repeatedly challenged Mr Cameron over the disproportionate impact of austerity on the North-East.

And, I agree that the Prime Minister should be prioritising the refugee crisis – but that doesn't mean he should be locked away in Downing Street doing nothing else.

It just goes to reinforce the words of John Lydgate, a Benedictine monk and poet, who died in 1451: “You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”.

THE speaking circuit has taken me to some down to earth venues but Dalton-on-Tees Village Hall, just outside Darlington, may well be the most grounded of the lot.

Built as a school in 1832, it is still standing – but only just. The damp has had its wicked way, the paint is peeling on every wall, and it's draughtier than an old coal bunker.

Nevertheless, the members of the Women's Institute who meet there are warm and friendly and it was a pleasure to address them last week.

I'm especially grateful to former Croft School teacher Valerie Garwood, who booked me, and for telling me about her favourite Northern Echo missprint.

It came in the small ads where someone was selling a "Caravan with six births."

DUE to my summer holiday in rainy Bournemouth, I'm a week late in paying tribute to Mike Amos for reaching the remarkable milestone of 50 years writing for The Northern Echo.

There can't be many journalists who have worked on the same paper for half a century but Mike is still going strong, with his uncanny ability to capture life in the North-East through his special way with words.

Some illustrious figures have occupied the editor's chair at The Northern Echo since 1870 – campaigners like Sir Harold Evans, who achieved so much and went on to the Sunday Times, and William Stead, who perished on Titanic and now has a pub named after him in Darlington.

But I would argue that none have made a greater contribution to the Great Daily of the North than Mike Amos. The Amos Arms...it has a ring to it.