A FORMER Scout hut was destroyed by fire yesterday afternoon. The disused timber building, in St Mary's Avenue, Crook, was well alight by the time firefighters arrived. It took them more than an hour to extinguish the blaze.

HOSPITAL EVENT: The Friends of Darlington Memorial Hospital's summer fete takes place at the hospital on Saturday, at 1pm. Volunteers will be abseiling down the south-west face of the hospital to raise money for the friends group and St Teresa's Hospice.

FUN DAY: The Derby Pub, in Bishop Auckland, is holding a family fun day on Saturday, at 1pm, to raise money for cancer research.

VILLAGE FETE: Middridge is holding its village fete on Saturday, at 1.30pm.

SCHOOL EXTENSION: Mount Pleasant Primary School has applied to Darlington Borough Council for planning permission to build an extension to form a lavatory for the disabled and a cloakroom.

COMMITTEE MEETS: The Ferryhill 2000 committee holds its next meeting on Wednesday, in the town hall, at 6.15pm.

WHIST DRIVE: A whist and dominoes drive will be held at Hamsterley Village Hall tonight, from 7.30pm, in aid of Cancer Research.

CHARITY AID: Whitworth Hall, near Spennymoor, will host an evening buffet on Wednesday, from 7pm, to raise funds for Whitworth Church.

SCOUTS FAIR: Scouts at Hurworth, near Darlington, are holding a strawberry fair on Friday, at 6.30pm, on the village green.

PARISH COUNCIL: Stanhope Parish Council holds its next meeting on Wednesday, at 7.15pm, in the town hall.

ALLOTMENTS DEBATED: Spennymoor Town Council's allotments committee meets tomorrow, at 6.45pm, in Spennymoor Town Hall. It will be followed by a meeting of the council's finance and general purposes committee.

SUMMER FETE: Whitworth School, Spennymoor, is holding its summer fete on the school fields on Sunday, at 2pm.

WIND CONCERT: Zephyr Winds, a quintet of musicians from Britain's leading orchestras, will perform at Auckland Castle on Friday, July 12, at 7.15pm. Tickets are available from Top Sounds on (01388) 609444, or at the door.

PAIN TALK: A medical consultant will be giving a talk on the pain threshold to Darlington Coronary Support Group, on Tuesday, July 16, at 7.30pm, in the Dolphin Centre. Call (01325) 352035 for details.

SEASON CLOSES: The final play in Darlington Civic Theatre's summer repertory season will run from July 9 to 13. Willy Russell's comedy One For The Road features former Emmerdale star Glenda McKay.

STRAWBERRY FAIR: The vicarage in Ingleton is hosting a strawberry fair on Saturday, July 13, at 2.30pm.