A former court reporter has used her experience of covering crimes to set up a murder mystery events company.
Two decades after leaving her reporting job with the Northern Echo, Sara West now runs Tall Tales Mysteries.
The company offers virtual murder mystery events for groups looking for entertainment in lockdown and also provides work for actors struggling for work due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Mum-of-two Sara, who is married to a barrister, has written around 20 plots so far for customers to play.
Speaking to former Echo editor Peter Barron for his weekly column with the Darlington-based daily, Sara, pictured, said: “It’s gone better than I dared hope, and the feedback’s been incredible.
“It’s provided a way to stay connected, have fun and socialise during lockdown, and people have been so grateful.
“We also made a decision early on to use actors who were falling between the cracks, with no income or Government support during the lockdown, so it’s helped to keep some of them off the breadline.”