Plus there was also the curious tale of another prospective arrival in town who never quite made it – Eric the Pangolin.
Today we travel back in time to what was making the news in Hartlepool at the end of the last century in 1999.
Remember to log on to www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk for even more trips along the town’s Memory Lane.
9. Just champion
Ever Ready Band member Anne Armstrong, centre, receives the championship shield at a ceremony in Hartlepool. Photo: Hartlepool Mail
10. Night life
Hundreds of youngsters gather outside the former Wesley Chapel building after it became a nightclub. We believe this picture was taken in 1999 at a junior disco. Photo: National World
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