THE Darlington & Stockton Times was happy to receive some 150-year-old news.

John Wilson, who runs his own sporting memorabilia auction company, brought two old D&S Times newspapers into our Priestgate offices, hoping to find them a good home.

Both in good condition and printed using parchment-quality paper, one dates back to November 30, 1850, just three years after the paper was founded on October 2, 1847, and the other February 7, 1852.

Printed by Robert Thompson of High Row they are priced at 4d and carry the penny tax stamp which was paid on top of the price of the paper during the mid-1800s.

After acquiring them two years ago, Mr Wilson gave the copies to his parents who live near Darlington. Now, following a spring clean, the couple have given them to the newspaper's archives.

"I got a call from the owner of a house in Middlesbrough who told me they had found a load of old newspapers while re-wiring the house," explained Mr Wilson.

"A cable had been passed through a hole in the attic but when the electrician went up to pull it through he couldn't find it.

"He knocked on the walls of the attic and found one was a partition. When he pulled it down he found the end of the cable and a load of old national and local newspapers and documents. None was any use to me as sporting memorabilia but I took the two D&S Times' because my mum was born in High Coniscliffe near Darlington and both my parents now live in nearby Middleton St George.

"After clearing out the dining room cupboard, they came across the papers and between us we decided to donate them to the newspaper's archives."

The 1852 copy, which is in slightly better condition, will be framed and hung in the D&S Times' offices in Priestgate.

Mr Wilson's next football memorabilia auction takes place at Marton Country Club Hotel, Middlesbrough on April 24, and entries are still being taken.

For information, call 01642 317141 or 07718 120274.