FAMOUS FACES

The weather was dull and damp today but I went out anyway.  I made my way to Byker - a bus journey and then on the Metro. Then I walked to a shopping centre on the outskirts.  Looked in the M & S outlet shop - tried some things on but got nothing.  Then to TK Maxx - got nothing.  Then Asda - bought food.  Then the Metro back to Newcastle and bus home.

I took my blip shot at the Monument Metro Station in Newcastle. This mural by Bob Olley is called " Famous Faces" and was unveiled in 1996. It depicts 14 well-known Tyneside figures: Robson Green, Brian Johnson, Brendan Foster, Rowan Atkinson, Sir John Hall, Peter Beardsley, Dame Catherine Cookson, Tim Healy, Jack Charlton, Paul Gascoigne, Jimmy Nail, Sting, Cardinal Basil Hume, and Mike Neville. The figures appear to be looking out from the carriage of a Metro train. In order to convey the breadth of achievement spanning across the region, celebrities are depicted from a multitude of backgrounds, encompassing sport, entertainment, broadcasting, literature, music, acting and the church.

The chap on the right of my shot wearing glasses is Mike Neville _ a retired television presenter who worked mainly on regional news programmes in this area. Over 40 years with the BBC and on the ITV channel Tyne Tees Television. He became an iconic figure in the region and is remembered for his solid presentational style and witty banter. In 1990 he was awarded the MBE for services to broadcasting.  There is even a SONG about him.  He lives just round the corner from me.  He is in his late 70's and we don't see him around these days as I think he is in poor health.

On the bus home from Newcastle there was an " incident ".  The bus stopped suddenly and I heard the driver shouting out of his window  -- " Leave her alone ".  He was shouting at a man and woman who appeared to be having a struggle.  There was a baby in a buggy nearby.  Then the driver left the bus ( in the middle of the road ) leapt over a fence,  ran across the other side of the road  and over to the couple.  The woman  was in tears.  The man was pointing and arguing.  This went on for a few mins.  Then the police arrived - a car and a big van.  A few more mins went by and the driver got back on the bus. Apparently the woman's handbag had been stolen by a young girl who had run off.  The girl was with the man and the woman whose bag it was had grabbed hold of the man and there was a struggle and this is what our bus driver had first seen.  Hope the police catch the thief and the woman gets her bag back.  So a bit of excitement on the journey home.

Steps today 9,154