HOUSE building is often a contentious issue, especially when it seems as though hundreds of family homes are sprouting up in your back yard.

Residents of Colburn have had it tough lately, with 1,900 new houses either being built or in the pipeline, and the worry of even more coming their way.

Our Dales Life columnist Joe Willis ruffled a few feathers a fortnight ago, with his wry look at what developers are calling the new Colburn estates in a bid to maximise their appeal – with names like "Richmond Park", they appear to want to draw on links to the Dales rather than to accept the more urban nature of Colburn.

Some residents also felt disgruntled at Joe's suggestion that Colburn is not particularly picturesque, and the local council was moved to defend the town as it struggles to cope with its swelling population.

The council’s main concerns are school places, health care facilities, drainage and the dwindling green space.

Richmondshire District Council has assured residents and the town council that infrastructure will be improved as building goes on, but it is easy to see how Colburn could be feeling overwhelmed, despite its strong community spirit.

The town council has worked tirelessly on projects to improve all the play parks in the town, and has secured around £170,000 for new facilities including improvements to the well-used town hall.

St Cuthbert’s Church is also a lively hub, with groups including mother and baby, older residents and a veterans’ art group – proving the town does have plenty to boast about.

GETTING the inspiration to lose weight can be a struggle, but one Northallerton woman has shown us all how it is done by losing eight stone and becoming an ultra marathon runner.

Mandy Norris, 46, was 18 stone and size 20 just four years ago, but a holiday to Marrakesh gave her the push she needed to lose the weight when she felt too unfit to enjoy herself.

In two weeks’ time she is running 100km around the Isle of Wight for the Alzheimer’s Society in memory of her dad, and has so far raised around £3,000 – good luck Mandy!