TALK of the closure of local newspapers came home to me last Friday as I was reading The Northern Echo. On just two pages, we had your excellent Comment article, the always readable columnist Ray Mallon with his usual shrewd insight and the lovely story of the inspirational Guy Turnbull, plus the always enjoyable Hear All Sides and its variety of subjects.

All these articles were very relevant to the local area, but the paper also featured stories from the wider area and all of a very high quality. The nationals usually only cover local stories if they are, in their view, sensational.

With the Echo we get the benefit of full details for and of “us” first; the worldwide news we get on television anyway.

I would be as lost without my daily dose of The Northern Echo as I would without my morning cuppa.

A satisfied customer for 57 years – please keep coming through my letter box.

Mrs S Harnby, Stockton.