WE have seen a bizarre and historic week here in the North-East. A former policeman who pleaded guilty to disciplinary offences, but insists he is innocent, is Mayor of Middlesbrough. A former monkey who campaigned in an ape suit, but insists he is a normal bloke, is Mayor of Hartlepool.

Good luck to Ray Mallon and Stuart Drummond. Democracy states that they are the best men for the job and we wish them well.

For Mr Drummond, the task is to convince us all that he is serious in his declared intention to drive Hartlepool forward. It is only a few years since a body known as the People's Panel met regularly in Hartlepool to review local government standards. The panel came up with the conclusion: "If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys." Mr Drummond will earn £53,000 a year.

For Mr Mallon, the salary is more than £20,000 lower but the task is much harder. For while his counterpart along the A19 in Hartlepool has his doubters, the former Cleveland detective has his enemies.

The bitterness runs so deep, it is hard to see how appeals for a mass burying of hatchets can take place in the forseeable future.

Middlesbrough needs its own peace process and Mr Mallon, wounded by the knives in his back, is combative by nature. Fight him and he'll fight back harder.

It is therefore for the Labour Party in Middlesbrough to be made to rally round the new mayor for the good of the town.

Sadly, we doubt that will happen.