FIVE years ago this week, a peer was forced to apologise after making comments about controversial fracking in the region.

Speaking in the House of Lords, Lord Howell of Guildford, said: "There are large and uninhabited and desolate areas – certainly in part of the North-East – where there's plenty of room for fracking, well away from anybody's residence.”

His comments were received with a social media backlash as the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, tweeted: "North-East England very beautiful, rugged, welcoming, inspiring, historic, advancing, not desolate as was said in House of Lords today."

People from the region echoed his words by flooding Twitter with photographs of the North-East landscape.

Lord Howell apologised for any offence caused by his comments, adding: "I certainly did not intend to suggest that the North-East is desolate and I do not believe it to be the case.”

Also that week, hundreds paid their respects to two teenage girls who drowned in the River Wear.

Sunderland Crematorium and Holy Trinity Church, in Washington, were packed for the funerals of Chloe Fowler, 14, of Shiney Row, and her friend Tonibeth Purvis, 15, of Barmston.

Kevin Thornhill, who led Chloe’s service, said: "The world will be a poorer place without Chloe, but it will always be a richer place because she was once in it."

Reverend Canon David Glover, leading Tonibeth's funeral, said: "This was just a tragic accident. But if there was any consolation for you, it may be in the fact that Tonibeth died trying to help her friend.”

Meanwhile, there was a weekend of carnage on the region’s roads.

A tanker driver was seriously injured when his vehicle crashed on the A1 – catapulting him through his cab.

He was anaesthetised at the scene before being flown to hospital by the Great North Air Ambulance.

The same day, a motorcyclist died after an accident in Studley Roger, near Ripon.

Two people were killed near Helmsley in a collision in Snilegate Head, close to Newgate Bank.

And another man was fighting for his life after being involved in an accident the following afternoon.

And in Darlington, families flocked to a town square for a big summer event.

A cinema screen was installed as part of Darlington by the Sea which saw the town's market square transformed into a mini seaside, complete with sand, boats, fairground stalls and even a whale.

Alex Hirst, manager of Distinct Darlington which organised the events, said: "There has been a really lovely atmosphere down there all week and with the cinema screen being something different, it has really added to it.”