A pensioner bravely got back in the saddle after being dramatically rescued following a fall from her pony on the North York Moors, in April 2014.

Despite her pain, Jean Sanderson dragged herself half-way up a hill in an effort to reach help and then spent several days in hospital with a badly bruised hip.

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And paramedics from the Yorkshire Air Ambulance praised the courage of the then-74-year-old, who fell from her beloved New Forest pony Roe Down.

Mrs Sanderson, a retired farmer, was riding on her farm at Fangdale Beck, near Chopgate, when she was thrown.

"I went to see some sheep and the pony may have caught a hole or something but she dipped down on one leg and I came off, " she said.

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"I thought I had broken my pelvis, but I dragged myself on my hands and knees up the field as far as I could to try and get help. I don't carry a mobile when I'm riding in case it goes off and startles the pony."

Her pony made its way back to the farmhouse and stood by the back door, alerting Jean's husband and son that something was wrong. They promptly raised the alarm and went looking for her on quadbikes.

Once she was spotted it was clear a road ambulance could not reach her, so the Yorkshire Air Ambulance was scrambled to her location and she was flown to The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough.

A dog rehoming charity that helped thousands of canines to find loving new families was preparing to celebrate its 20th anniversary in April 2014.

Nestled on a hill overlooking the small village of Sadberge, Dogs Trust Darlington tries to help every dog it can, with the charity committed to never putting a healthy animal to sleep.

About 120 dogs of all shapes and sizes are cared for at the Hill House Farm centre at any one time, fed and exercised by staff and volunteers who walk hundreds of miles each year to keep them fit and healthy.

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Ugly tarmac making "an abomination" of a £5.5m market place was purely a temporary measure aimed at avoiding disruption to Durham city centre trade, project bosses insisted.

A two-foot wide trail of black and red tarmac led up Saddler Street and down to Elvet Bridge.

County councillor Nigel Martin branded it an unacceptable disgrace and an abomination. But a spokeswoman for Northern Powergrid said it was temporary.