A 26-year-old Hartlepool man has been arrested following the daylight mugging of 60-year-old Violet Worthington, in Cemetery Road, Wheatley Hill, on Wednesday, May 1. Detectives had appealed for information regarding the incident, and yesterday, a spokeswoman for Durham Police, said a 26-year-old man from Hartlepool had been arrested and charged with robbery. He has been remanded in custody and will appear before magistrates in Hartlepool, on Monday.

BLOOD DONORS: Blood donor sessions will be held on Monday at Benton Methodist Church, Station Road, Forest Hall, Newcastle, from 11am to noon and between 2pm and 6.45pm, and at the Community Association, Tyne Road, Stanley between 2pm and 7pm.

Castle walk: Ian Graham, of Durham Wildlife Trust, will lead a walk through Hylton Castle, in Sunderland, tomorrow, at 4pm at the castle, off Craigavon Road. The walk is free. For information, call 0191-548 0152.

CARERS' GROUP: Stanley Carers Group will hold its annual meeting on Wednesday, at the Beamish Room, in Clifford Road Health Centre, at 10.30am.

CREATIVE WRITING: A creative writing workshop will be held at Chester-le-Street library on Wednesday. The workshop will be given by tutor Stephen Yelverton of the Return to Learn Centre of Stanley, between 1pm and 4pm. For more information call Barbara or Lisa on (01207) 230521.

TARTAN LADS: Derwentside Accordion Club will celebrate its 25th birthday with a return of local musicians The Tartan Lads, at Castleside Workingmen's Club, Castleside, near Consett, on Thursday, May 30, at 7.30pm. Admission is £1.50 at the door. For more details, contact (01207) 506646.

Sunday stroll: Local historian Donald Miller will lead a six-mile walk tomorrow, at 2pm, from the Bowling Green opposite the school in Haswell Village. The walk is one of a series organised by Durham County Council and costs £2 for adults, £1 for concessions.

Sew nice: Durham City Young Embroiderers meet today, at the dli, formerly the DLI Museum and Durham Art Gallery, at Aykley Heads, Durham City, between 10.15am and 12.15pm. The group is aimed at seven to 18-year-olds interested in textiles and embroidery. Admission costs 50p plus the normal gallery entrance fee.

Service awards: Durham City councillors David Bell, Grenville Holland, Michael Howarth, Stephen McDonnell, George Mardsen, Ed Ramsay, James Turnbull, Philip Wolstenholme and Jeff Young have been presented with awards in recognition of long service.

Home plan: Gainford Care Ltd is seeking planning permission from Chester-le-Street District Council to build a 55-bed residential care home for the elderly on land at St Benet's Hall, Institute Terrace East, Perkinsville.