The Northern Echo columnist Mike Amos

Mike Amos was four times North-East Journalist of the Year in the 1990s, has won many other awards both regionally and nationally and is known also for his modesty.

The good looking one of twins, he was born and raised in Shildon, Co Durham, was a councillor there and retains a strong attachment to the old railway town.

After seven years at Bishop Auckland Grammar School, which Stan Laurel also attended, he began his journalistic career on the Northern Despatch in 1965 and joined The Northern Echo in 1969.

He now writes six multi-faceted fact-based columns each week, is chairman of the Arnott Insurance Northern League and of the Northern League Club, editor of the League magazine, father of two huge sons and still finds time to be by far the greatest 5s and 3s player the world has ever seen.

He is married to fellow columnist Sharon Griffiths, which alone sustains his reason.

Latest columns:

The Wensleydale Heifer, West Witton, North Yorkshire
The last time we were in the Wensleydale Heifer, the lady of the house recalled, the elder bairn had phoned to say he'd passed - surpassed - his driving test.

The Ship Inn, Newton by the Sea
Mr Harry Whitton, a gentleman of Thirsk, has left me £500. We'd not met: rather it was a token of what, on a good day, may exist between columnist and reader.

A place with a-peal
The food is wholesome and delicious, the real ale kept impeccably. The column visits the Black Bull at Frosterley - where the bells ring merrily too

New Inn, Thrintoft
PEOPLE write in about all sorts of things. Columns in the past few months have included notes on the Bumblies, on the etymology of the term "square meal", on the youthful use of "yooz" and - much the most prolifically - on the sex life of Edward VII.

The Devonport Hotel, Middleton-One-Row
101 is usually a number best avoided, thanks to George Orwell, Paul Merton and a Newcastle killer, but the column fared well at table 101 at the Devonport Hotel

God's Kitchen, Chester Moor
Is a former incarnation as a church a good enough reason to call your eating house God's Kitchen? The column investigates . . . and discovers some pretty heavenly dishes

The King's Head, Masham
The old coaching inn at Masham treats travellers in the bar to a warm welcome, but you'll have to fight for your seats in the best bit of the hostelry.

A date in Doggy
First time for everything, we have been having a night out in West Cornforth, known affectionately - yes, affectionately - as Doggy. The etymology's arguable, something to do with molten iron a hot favourite.

Browse through our archive of Mike's reviews from his Eating Owt column by selecting an area below

North Yorkshire | County Durham | East Cleveland | Teesside