A FORMER North-East schoolboy who emigrated to the US with just $200 to his name has retired a wealthy man - thanks to the humble Post-it note.

The ingenious invention, which covers office walls, desks and computer screens around the world, is 20 years old this year.

The sticky piece of yellow paper owes its existence to a lad from a former mining community near Durham City.

Dr Geoffrey Nicholson, 63, a teacher's son from East Rainton, arrived in America in 1963 with his wife, Isobel.

The ex-Leamside Primary and Houghton Grammar School pupil went on to become vice-president of US manufacturing giant 3M after being part of the team which developed the simple, but effective stationery.

He is now leaving the company following a round-the-world farewell tour and is splitting his time between his executive home in Minnesota and a new house, which is being built in Texas.

Dr Nicholson developed his idea from 3M scientist Art Fry, who grew frustrated at constantly losing the paper markers from the pages of his hymnbook.

He experimented with a glue invented by a colleague to make bookmarks that could be removed without damaging the pages.

So the Post-It was born.

Thanks to Dr Nicholson's backing, the idea has become an international best-seller and in the last decade he has helped set up 3M laboratories around the world.

His 85-year-old mother, Connie, still lives at Rainton Gate. His late father, Charles, was a headteacher at nearby New Lambton.

Mrs Nicholson remembers when her son almost died, aged just 16, because of appendix problems, an illness which held up his education.

She said: "When Geoffrey left school he went to work at Lambton Cokeworks, but he always wanted to go back to school to do his A-levels.

"He went to the Imperial College, London University, and got his PhD in Chemistry.

"He was always very interested in science and he showed grit and determination to get where he has, although he is a very modest man."

Dr Nicholson and his wife, 63, have three children and five grandchildren