COURT users are mourning the end of an era at the North-East's oldest serving centre of justice.

The people who have been running the Durham Crown Court canteen for almost three decades are leaving for pastures new.

Linda and David Yeates have decided to hang up their aprons to start a new life on the Cleveland coast at Marske.

They leave with the future of the small cafeteria in doubt because a decision on its fate is still awaited from the North-East Court Service.

Family ties with the business began when David's mother, Rosemary, started working in what was little more than a tuck shop in the 1970s.

She eventually took over the running of the premises and built up the range of snacks, including the court's claim to fame, its legendary bacon sandwiches.

Passers-by not even using the court have been known to pop into the caf for a quick bacon buttie.

On Rosemary's death, her husband, retired policeman Ken Yeates, took over the canteen, and maintained its reputation.

For the past eight years, David and Linda, assisted by long-serving assistant Doris Smith, have been running the canteen.

Speaking on her last day, yesterday, Mrs Yeates said: "I'll miss it and, particulary, the regular customers, from the security guards to the barristers and the court staff.

"But, we've decided to move on now while the children are young, so we can get them into school at Marske," she said, referring to Madeleine, aged two, and five-year-old Dominic.

Linda's sister, Susan Grant, and Doris will run the canteen until the end of the month by which time a decision is expected on its future.