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This picture was taken just minutes away from John's house and is just one of the reasons he wouldn't consider living anywhere else.

Consett is a medium sized town in County Durham, has a population of around 27,000 and is located on a bank at the side of the river Derwent which leads in to the Derwent Reservoir.

John tells us why he loves Consett

John has lived there all his life and explains why Consett is the place for him:

"I've lived here for 66 years and to be perfectly honest I don't think I'd care much for living anywhere else.

"I live in the same house that I lived in when we first got married 44 years ago. We've always been quite content there," John says while giving a confirming glance to his wife beside him.

No pain, no gain?

The closure of the British steel works in the 1980s affected many businesses and families in and around the area. This also marked the end of the Derwent Valley steel heritage.

"When I left school, I went to work [for the steel works] a couple of weeks before my 15th birthday. I followed my father in and in those days you either worked at the steel works or the pits.

Scenic view of Consett

"If your father worked in the steel works, you went in. My grandfather also worked in the steel works. So when they were demolished it was a very big blow for Consett,"

"I think over the last 27 years, it's been proven it might have not been too much of a bad thing because employment has come back and the place is 110% cleaner," says John.

John gives the advice to people wanting to visit Consett to explore around the area to truly appreciate what Consett has to offer:

"It's handy for the Northumberland coast and getting over to the lakes. You don't have to go far in Consett to enjoy a good walk out, everything I've ever wanted has been here.

"The Derwent valley countryside is as good as any in the country and I have walked and travelled a lot." says a proud looking John.

Fancy a pint?

With living in Consett for over 60 years, John has seen how Consett has changed over the years:

"At one time, when the steel works was open, you knew everyone. I could walk into a bar and there would be two or three lads who'd say "do you want a pint John?" and that doesn't happen so much unless I pick my bar. Now people are working in different places and spread out a bit,"

One of the many pubs in Consett

To combat the spreading of peers John has a found a new way to keep in touch with locals and to keep up with what's going on by regularly visiting an online forum:

"I know the online community is a gossip column, but you get to find out everything that is going on without having to leave the house.

"There is a lot of it going on. It is quite a good little community and we look out for each other."