KNIFE PLEDGE: Police in Darlington insist there is no culture of knife crime in the town. It follows the arrest of a 22-year-old woman on Friday (October 26), after a 34-year-old man was stabbed in the back with a kitchen knife, in what officers have described as a domestic incident. The woman has been released on bail pending further inquiries following the incident in Gladstone Street. Detective Inspector Phil Curtis, of Darlington CID, said: “There is no knife crime problem in Darlington. 34 people were stopped over the weekend and not one was carrying an offensive weapon.”

ROTARY CLUB: At the club’s most recent meeting, Roland Lang, president of Darlington Rotary Club, congratulated Sue Campbell for organising the recent fashion show, held at Darlington College. The main beneficiaries will be Mencap. Professor Cliff Hardcastle, deputy vice chancellor of Teesside University, gave members an insight into the development of the organisation. Prof Hardcastle believes that, in the next five years, Darlington will become the business hub of Teesside University.

FESTIVE STORE: Christmas has arrived early at the Cornmill shopping centre, in Darlington, with the opening of Taste Christmas, a store specialising in festive produce. The Taste Christmas store, opposite Vision Express, will be open until Christmas Eve.

COMMITTEE MEETS: Darlington Borough Council’s efficiency and resources scrutiny committee meets on Thursday (November 1), at 9.30am, the town hall.

AUTUMN FAIR: An autumn fair will be held at St Cuthbert’s Church Hall, in Darlington, on Saturday (November 3), from 11am.

FOLK NIGHT: Darlington Folk Club meets on Thursday (November 1), at the Copper Beech pub, in Neasham Road, at 8pm, for a club singaround.