AMAZING it hasn't been done before - the oldest of this, that, and just about everything, described in snappy profiles, many illustrated with excellent, specially-taken photographs.

North-East oldests include... seaside resort (Scarborough), tourist attraction (Mother Shipton's Cave), hunt (Sinnington), suspension bridge (Wynch Bridge, Teesdale), breed of horse (Cleveland Bay), sweet shop (Pateley Bridge), public steam railway (S & DR).

The oldest sewer (York) is perhaps edged out by the oldest roundabout (Letchworth) as the oddest oldest. Devised in 1777 and registered in 1876, Bass's Red Triangle is the oldest trademark, and a church door of 1016 at Hadstock, Essex, faced with cowhide, is Britain's oldest door.

Absolutely unputdownable - the book, that is.