THIS week, 15 years ago, people in Scarborough had a lucky escape when a car crashed into a shop.

The vehicle careered down Market Street before crashing the Bjorn Clogs shop in Queen Street, minutes after owner Bjorn Roswald had closed the premises for the night.

Mr Roswald said: "Two minutes earlier, my wife, Cath, and I would have been in the building."

A couple and a child in the car received only minor injuries, despite it being embedded in the shop, causing much of it to collapse on to the vehicle.

A police spokesman said: "It was a miracle that no one was really injured. It could have been a very tragic incident if the car had hit pedestrians or people in the shop."

Also that week, former heart patient Des Mahon prepared to challenge himself by climbing three of the world’s most notorious volcanoes.

The 54-year-old former RAF Engineer from Easingwold was diagnosed with heart disease and after two bypass operations he fully recovered.

Mr Mahon decided to help others facing the same problem and by scaling the heights of Etna, Vesuvius and Stromboli to raise money for the British Heart Foundation.

He said: "My two heart operations have enabled me to return to a full and active way of life. I do, however, realise that many others affected by heart disease aren't as lucky and so this trek will enable me to do something positive to help them.

"As an ex-RAF engineer I have always been extremely fit but I know that this will be a real test of my strength."

One of Britain’s leading conductors, Richard Hickox, received an honorary degree awarded by Durham University.

Mr Hickox made his name leading the Northern Sinfonia from 1982 to 1990. He went on to win acclaim through conducting several leading orchestras at international venues and earned a CBE.

His honorary doctorate of music was conferred by university Vice-Chancellor Sir Kenneth Calman, at a ceremony in the Tunstall Chapel of Durham Castle attended by his wife and two children.

Following the ceremony, Mr Hickox said: "This is incredibly special to me, because my time as artistic director has been seminal to my life and I'm very honoured they still confer the title."