In pictures: Newton Aycliffe, from when the new town was still new

Delving into The Northern Echo archive for a look back at Newton Aycliffe...

The Neville Parade of shops in October 1959 The town centre in the late 1960s The parade of shops beneath Churchill House: next to the hairdresser was the Cofficana coffee bar where teenagers could congregate in booths. At the end of the run is Bruce Moore's record and electrical appliance shop which also doubled as a post office. This picture is from March 1967, before Moore's was taken over by Rumbellows Newton Aycliffe Development Corporation 40 years ago enjoyed courting controversy with its adverts which were meant to attract new businesses.

At the start of the 1979, it hired “the nubile charms of a naked Newcastle model”, and then, in 1980, came the Sweet FA campaign which, as previous Memories have told, was about how much in rates new start-ups had to pay, but it featured pictures of a 16-year-old girl called Claire "Fanny" Adams. Inbetween the two campaigns came the Aycliffe Angels, who were recruited from local factories to launch a new brochure. "It took me just three days to come up with seven smashers," said estates director Tony Cooper as he launched the brochure.

The smashers were, at the back, Debbie Hodgson, Valerie Curry and Ruth Pritchard. Front: Valerie Winship, Elaine Shedden and Gillian Singlewood SEE MORE PICTURES OF AYCLIFFE FROM THE ECHO'S UNIQUE PHOTO-ARCHIVE A beautiful picture from a French lesson at Newton Aycliffe Junior School on October 1, 1964. Whatever happened t.