LIBRARIANS were stunned when a customer returned a book almost 55 years late, 15-years-ago this week.

The novel, The Unnatural Behaviour of Mrs Hooker by Eileen Walsh, was due back at Darlington Library on December 3, 1948.

But the book was found in a battered old tea-chest lying in a garage in Stanhope, County Durham, when couple who had lived their for 40 years decided to move house.

The couple's son, who did not want to be named, said: "My dad said I could look through his old books and take any that I wanted.

"When I opened the front cover and saw the library form I couldn't believe my eyes – it had been borrowed in 1948 and never returned.

"I was a bit worried about taking it back because I thought I might get fined thousands of pounds as it was so late."

Due to the public spirit of his good deed, library chiefs decided to declare an amnesty on the case.

Fans of the BBC TV show Robot Wars got the chance to get up close and personal when the machines appeared at the Gateshead Metrocentre.

The metal monsters, armed with pincers, claws, flame-throwers and saws gathered in the shopping centre’s town square so youngsters could have their pictures taken with them.

Making their debut appearance in the North-East was the House robots, including the red-eyed Sir Killalot, flame-breathing Sergeant Bash and their cohorts, Dead Metal, Shunt and Matilda.

Durham contestants Firestorm and past winner Panic Attack were also on display.

And more than 1,000 fans got the chance to meet their pop idols, Girls Aloud.

The five-member all-girl band were promoting their latest single, No Good Advice, at the Big W store on Portrack Lane, Stockton.

Their first single, Sound of the Underground, went to number one in the charts after the band was formed on ITV's reality TV programme, Pop Stars.

"We've had a great day," said a spokesman for the store. "There were children of all ages queueing up in the sun to meet the girls. There were lots of smiles, laughs and even a few tears from the fans."