Congratulations to Stoney from the Matlock Mercury

6.15.44pm GMT Thu 1st Feb 2007

IN OUR OPINION

Adversity unites the community

It is incredible how communities can be galvanized and strengthened by adversity.

And if there is one community that has taken a battering in the last 12 months it has to be Stoney Middleton.

First, the village has had to rally around to try and save its school, which is earmarked for closure by Derbyshire County Council.

Then its post office faced the axe.

And, as if that wasn't enough, a torrent of mud has now flooded the village.

The residents must be wondering what they have done to deserve all this.

You can't help but feel sympathy for them, but you also can't fail to be impressed by them.

To start with, they have shown the rest of the Derbyshire Dales the strength of their community spirit in mounting such a concerted campaign to save the school.

Mercury reporters have been sent regular, often daily updates on the campaign, demonstrating enviable energy and organizational skills from individuals who also have jobs and families to worry about, let alone issues imposed upon them that they could well do without.

But is shows that how the determination of a few committed individuals can prove so infectious.

What happened at Stoney on Monday reminded me a little of the Cornish village of Boscastle in 2004 - albeit on a much smaller scale.

I was press officer for the Youth Hostels Association at the time and our hostel in the village was invaded by tons of mud when the river burst through the streets.

The scale of damage in Stoney may not be anything as great as in Boscastle, but the sight of the residents having to shovel mud away from their roads, homes and properties certainly made me think: "These people deserve a break - and some good news for a change."

Rob James, sports editor