We played Tarzan and Jane and swung through the bushes
Despite the War, children in the early 1940s could have fun. We were at the fortunate age of being too young to worry about the War, unless in an air raid, but old enough to play unsupervised.
Our small gang of boys and girls all lived near the large open area in Wallsend known as the Burn Closes. It was an ideal place to play. There was an old village pump, a spring, a stream, an old ruined church with hidden steps, but best of all loads of bushes and some small trees.
Our favourite game was based on the story of Robin Hood. We hid in the bushes and, armed with home-made bows and arrows, stalked our enemies. There was always fierce competition to play the leading characters. I was never Maid Marian as I was built more like Friar Tuck!
We played Tarzan and Jane, and swung through the bushes and took turns being Cheetah the monkey. Great fun! The stream which was shallow and only a few feet wide became our river. We would build a dam which never lasted more than a day.
Having spent the whole day there, fortified with sandwiches and drinks, we would return home taking the forbidden shortcut – crossing the railway line on the old wooden bridge.