What we have written about Harry Blackwood

Sacked chief sub who won £21k damages dies aged 44

Journalist had long battle with alcoholism

Former editor does battle with the system

Ex-Mail chief discovers the darker side of unemployment

Northern Echo named North East Newspaper of the Year

The Northern Echo was named Newspaper of the Year in the Transco Tom Cordner North East Press Awards. The Darlington-based paper carried off a clutch of other awards in a ceremony attended by more than 340 people at Newcastle Civic

Mail scooped the nationals with Mandelson statement

The Hartlepool Mail scooped the national press last week with an exclusive statement from Peter Mandelson after he was nominated as Britain’s next European commissioner. The MP telephoned Mail editor Paul Napier the night before his nomination was officially announced

Assault on reporter leads to eight-month stretch

A rampage that ended in an assault on a regional newspaper reporter who was sitting at his desk in the newsroom has landed a teenager in jail for eight months. The yob confessed in court to the assault on Galloway

New editor is named at Hartlepool Mail

Paul Napier has been appointed as the new editor of the Hartlepool Mail, succeeding Harry Blackwood, who left the company in March. Paul is currently editor of the Scarborough Evening News, a post he has held since November 2001. He

Editor Blackwood is sacked from Mail

Hartlepool Mail editor Harry Blackwood has been sacked by his employers, Johnston Press. Staff at the newspaper were told the news yesterday. The decision came in the wake of a row between Harry and the local MP Peter Mandelson, who

Blackwood breaks silence on Mandelson "pressure"

Hartlepool Mail editor Harry Blackwood has broken his silence over claims that the MP Peter Mandelson tried to get him sacked. Harry is currently on sick leave from his job at the paper where he has worked for 30 years.

Downing Street link to editor's leave is denied

Downing Street has denied claims that the Prime Minister intervened in a dispute between MP Peter Mandelson and the editor of his local newspaper, the Hartlepool Mail. And the Mail’s owners, Johnston Press, said it found the idea that political

Mail refuses to be bullied by police

The Hartlepool Mail has come in for harsh criticism from the police after its exclusive about Cleveland Chief Constable Barry Shaw and his role in the ‘Robocop’ Ray Mallon affair. Cleveland Police Authority has threatened to report the Mail to

Mandy's late phone call makes the news in Hartlepool

Page 2 of 2 Harry Blackwood was reticent about revealing the exclusive after a prickly “live” encounter with a TV interviewer who asked why the Hartlepool Mail was so anti-Mandelson. The editor claims that’s far from the truth. He told

Mandy's late phone call makes the news in Hartlepool

Page 1 of 2 Hartlepool Mail editor Harry Blackwood faced the glare of the media spotlight – after disgraced minister Peter Mandelson chose to phone him at home rather than watch his own plight on the TV news. The phone

Court list name ban lifted

Page 1 of 2 A bizarre ruling that has resulted in sex offenders’ names being omitted from court lists in the north east has been overturned. Legal chiefs told the Hartlepool Mail that the ban was brought in to protect

Mohican Dick in hair-raising stunt

The Hartlepool Mail’s deputy chief sub may not have many similarities with David Beckham – but they shared the same striking look for a moment. Brummie Dick Stainton followed in the England captain’s footsteps by having his hair cut in

Minister backs Mail on hooligan stance

The Home Office minister responsible for anti-social behaviour orders is backing the Hartlepool Mail’s stance on identifying young troublemakers. Twice the courts have banned the paper from naming youngsters who have been handed the orders. And twice the Mail has