AT the end of another miserable week of weather, it is a good time to look back on the days when the sun shone on the North-East.

This is Tynemouth, on a beautiful Bank Holiday in 1947. Look at the thousands of people speckled on Long Sands (No 1) and around Sharpness Point (No 2) to the beach of King Edward's Bay (No 3). It must have been warm - there are even people around the open air swimming pool (No 4) and the seapool in front of the Plaza Hotel (No 5).

The swimming pool and the Plaza are among the few things that have changed since retired Darlington photographer Jimmy Blumer took the photo. The swimming pool was opened on May 30, 1925, but was converted into a rock pool in 1996. In the same year the Plaza, which opened in 1878 as the Aquarium and Winter Gardens, burnt down.

Elsewhere on Tynemouth's coast, much remains the same. Admiral Lord Collingwood, Nelson's second in command at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 and Tyneside's most famous nautical son, still gazes out across the mouth of the Tyne from his statue (No 6) that was built in 1845. In front of him are the Black Middems (No 7), rocks that were apparently thrown into the sea by the Devil, who was jealous at the money Newcastle was earning from the shipping trade plying up and down the Tyne.

On Benebal Crag sit the priory (No 8) and the castle (No 9). The priory was built by St Oswald in 637AD and destroyed a couple of centuries later by Vikings. The raiders may well have used the crag as a fortification of their own and, in the 11th Century, a wooden structure was built here to defend the mouth of the Tyne - and possibly the legions of early sunbathers who flocked here.

This 50-year-old photograph is part of a series of Mr Blumer's works that The Northern Echo is publishing every Friday. Readers can also buy prints of the pictures showing their home towns and childhood holiday haunts.

l To buy copies of this photo: An 8x6in print costs £6.50; a 12x8in costs £8.50. Both include post and packaging and VAT. To buy a copy, send a cheque made payable to Newsquest NE to Photosales, The Northern Echo, Priestgate, Darlington, DL1 1NF. Alternatively, telephone photosales on (01325) 381313.