poet Walter de la Mare to write a foreword in which he praised their enterprise and efforts. Stella South Power Station The post war era of the late 40s and 50s saw a rapid rise in demand for electricity and, in the North East, the extension of existing and construction of a number of new power stations was seen as a key part of the solution. For the Blaydon area, this meant the arrival of a new power station at Stella Haugh, known as the South Stella Power Station, which helped to meet the energy demands of the North East until its closure in 1991. It was demolished in 1992. Governance The House of Commons constituency seat of Blaydon is held by MP Liz Twist. The area has traditionally been a Labour stronghold and has been held by the Labour Party since 1935. The Labour candidate David Anderson received 51.5% of the vote in 2005, with the Liberal Democrat candidate, Peter Maughan, second at 37.9%. Blaydon ward elects three councillors to Gateshead Council. They are Malcolm Brain, Lee-Ann Moir and Steve Ronchetti (all Labour). Geography Modern Blaydon stands close to the Tyne with the A695, a key road from Gateshead to Hexham, passing through the town centre. Between this main road and the river is the railway and, beyond it, in a bend of the Tyne is the industrial district of Blaydon Haughs. The main part of the town lies south of the railway. Despite being a largely urban and industrial town, there are various rural aspects to Blaydon and the surrounding area. The area has many acres of open countryside mostly at or more above sea level and numerous farms and similar holdings. Between High Spen and Chopwell are large Forestry Commission woods and these and other forested areas extend down the hillside to the Derwent river which lies on the east and forms the urban district boundary. The area is also home to Shibdon Pond at the former site of Blaydon Main Colliery. Shibdon Pond is a nature reserve situated at the Eastern end of the town. Many species of waterfowl live on the pond and surrounding marshland, and a hide is available for ornithologists. English Nature has designated Shibdon Pond as one of Tyne and Wear's Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). The subject of a regeneration campaign, Shibdon Dene (sometimes inaccurately called 'Blaydon Dene') is another