FIVE years ago this week, Durham witnessed a cricket triumph as England beat Australia by 74 runs to win the Ashes outright.

With play extended beyond 7.30pm and a packed crowd shouting themselves hoarse, Alistair Cook was able to revel in one of the most enjoyable moments of his England career.

"It was a great celebration, " He said. "To take nine wickets in the session, have the support of the crowd and everything that went with that, and experience all the excitement and nerves was fantastic. That was the moment for us.”

The game was hailed a huge success for the region, with about 70,000 spectators packing into Emirates Durham ICG for four fantastic days' play.

There was more sporting success that week as Britain’s first heart transplant baby won gold at the World Transplant Games.

Kaylee Davidson Olley, 25, from Houghton-le-Spring, made medical history in October 1987 after a heart transplant in Newcastle when she was five months old.

Beating her personal best, the athlete won the 4x100m relay at the World Transplant Games in South Africa.

She said: "It was like a dream come true to win gold for my country."

She also thanked her donor family for allowing her to live life to the full.

Also that week, the ex-wife of Dragons' Den star Duncan Bannatyne took out a billboard-sized advert promoting her new gym directly opposite his health club.

Joanne McCue Bannatyne was pictured on the eye-catching poster – which included the slogan Welcome Your New Neighbours.

She told The Northern Echo: "This was where we could get the advertising space in Darlington. It is one of the two main routes into the town and hoardings are quite hard to come by.

"Whether or not it's controversial, it picks up people driving into town from Teesside."

And the North-East saw a steady increase in the number of A-level students scoring top grades.

As results were announced, students from the North-East and Yorkshire saw an increase in the proportion of grades at A or better.

Northallerton College student Tom Rogers, 18, overcame disability caused by cerebral palsy achieving two A*s and two A grades in applied ICT, English and psychology.

While twins Hannah and Jessica Holmes, 18, both achieved three A* grades at Stockton Riverside College Bede Sixth Form and went on to study geography at Durham University.

Beccy Earnshaw, director of Schools North-East, which represents schools in the region, said: "The fact that we have got the highest rate of improvement is a real positive."