THIS week 15 years ago, more than 10,000 people turned out at Whitby Harbour to welcome HM Bark Endeavour back home.

The visit marked its third visit to the North Yorkshire port since 1997, and about 30 small boats gathered around the magnificent replica of Captain Cook's ship as she glided into the dock, with church bells ringing to welcome her.

The excitement was too much for some people as a 58-year-old Halifax man fell forward into the water as spectators pushed the crowd to get a better view of the ship. A patrolling police boat pulled the man to safety and handed him over to paramedics.

Also, that week a famous actor dug into his pocket to help cast members of an international film who were angry over their wages.

Scouse star Ricky Tomlinson, paid three North-East extras £100 each after they wrote to him complaining they had not been paid.

Mr Tomlinson starred in the film Nasty Neighbours which premiered in Venice and was branded a huge success, but left extras upset.

George Rowe, 73, from Houghton-le-Spring, was furious about how he and the other extras have been treated.

Mr Rowe, who had appeared in several locally produced programmes such as Grafters, Our Friends in the North, and Crocodile Shoes, said he had always been paid.

He said: "They could not have made the film without us, yet they have treated us so badly and we have not even been thanked. We were absolutely used, and I am furious."

At that time, a Tynesider and Olympian who dominated North-East distance running between the two world wars, died aged 94.

Alec Burns' first Olympic appearance was in 1932 at Los Angeles, where he finished fifth in the 5,000m and 10,000m finals. He repeated his efforts four years later in Berlin, when he set the British 10,000m record in front of Adolf Hitler.

Following his death a plaque was unveiled in honour of the runner, regarded as one of the finest runners to come out of a Tyneside athletics club.