The Hartlepool grandchildren who made their grandparents so proud

We asked recently if anyone knew the dancers pictured on our Retro Mail pages, showing photographs from the 1990s.

One was Clementine Walker, 5, who won the top award in the baby section at the 1992 Hartlepool Dance Festival. A very proud grandmother Rhoda Gillen got in touch.

She said Clementine went on to become a singer and dancer on a cruise ship before moving to Sicily and teaching English to Italian people. After that, she became a Bachelor of Science, got honours in business administration before coming home, marrying and moving to Rhode Island in the USA.

Just as delighted was Kellyanne Stephens who featured on the same picture page. She beat 300 youngsters to get to the final 12 children auditioning to star in a Children in Need number. Kellyanne, of course, is now the proud owner of her own dance company called Dance World by Kellyanne Stevens. She said the photo of her had made her nana really proud.

Thirdly, Lisa Gardiner, formerly Lisa Normanton read our story about the 35th anniversary of the Hartlepool Mail Half marathon.

International star Mike McLeod won the race which also included the Normanton family, including grandfather Ron Normanton, 52, in the company of sons Graham, 21, Craig, 19, and grandchildren Adrian, ten, and Lisa, eight.

Lisa told us: “I was the 8 year old! I have ran marathons since in London and New York.... And inspired others to take up running..

“All because Ron Normanton , my grandfather believed.”

Thank you to everyone who responds to our appeals on Memory Lane stories.