Haltwhistle heroes praised by police for efforts after fire

The festive season got off to a dismal start for people in Haltwhistle living near the town’s working men’s club on December 1, when a blaze took hold of the building.

Firefighters worked through the night into the morning to put out the blaze and a swathe of locals living nearby had to be evacuated from their homes in the process.

Unable to stand back and watch their friends and neighbours uprooted in such abrupt and distressing circumstances, Terry Christie of The Manor House Hotel and Martin Campbell of the Black Bull were quick to spring into action and opened their doors to help temporarily shelter residents and raise their spirits.

Northern area commander chief superintendent Mark Hall and his team of officers were blown away by the level of community spirit shown and recently presented the pair with commendations.

He said: “It’s amazing how the community came together to provide a haven for people who had nowhere else to go after being evacuated from their homes.

“That was a dark night for the people of Haltwhistle but thanks to our amazing fire service and people like Terry and Martin, community spirit and Christmas cheer was far from lost.

“It’s the people that make this area such an amazing place to call home.

“I’m incredibly proud and grateful for the way everybody responded and took care of each other during a very serious incident.”