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![THROWBACK THURSDAY: Bev Hadgraft and John Worrell during their kayak stopover in Forster. The pair were raising awareness about ovarian cancer. THROWBACK THURSDAY: Bev Hadgraft and John Worrell during their kayak stopover in Forster. The pair were raising awareness about ovarian cancer.](/images/transform/v1/resize/frm/storypad-WwnxjMJnfFasTcWZ8LkR3Y/1edaac15-716e-4ae5-aee6-1f8b2db33ac6.JPG/w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![THROWBACK THURSDAY: Finn and Saskia Kennett with the ruins of their trampoline which was once their pride and joy THROWBACK THURSDAY: Finn and Saskia Kennett with the ruins of their trampoline which was once their pride and joy](/images/transform/v1/resize/frm/storypad-WwnxjMJnfFasTcWZ8LkR3Y/9c8fa1cf-06e4-441a-8da3-bf16eeab9233.JPG/w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![THROWBACK THURSDAY: Boomerang Beach Boardriders' Jess Hickson;s perfect 10 on this wave contributed to her win in the Summer Surf Slam. THROWBACK THURSDAY: Boomerang Beach Boardriders' Jess Hickson;s perfect 10 on this wave contributed to her win in the Summer Surf Slam.](/images/transform/v1/resize/frm/storypad-WwnxjMJnfFasTcWZ8LkR3Y/f0558e8e-9ccf-41f9-9f42-69b03b41a8a4.JPG/w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![THROWBACK THURSDAY: Gemma and Beau McLean with their adored pet Bazwill. The greyhound won the family $40,000 after winning the Puppy Classic in Dapto. THROWBACK THURSDAY: Gemma and Beau McLean with their adored pet Bazwill. The greyhound won the family $40,000 after winning the Puppy Classic in Dapto.](/images/transform/v1/resize/frm/storypad-WwnxjMJnfFasTcWZ8LkR3Y/3b9df148-d677-4d63-ba63-40381856b804.JPG/w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![THROWBACK THURSDAY: South Australia's David Zakaris takes on local Tony Nardi at the Fudoshin Bujustu National Titles in Forster. THROWBACK THURSDAY: South Australia's David Zakaris takes on local Tony Nardi at the Fudoshin Bujustu National Titles in Forster.](/images/transform/v1/resize/frm/storypad-WwnxjMJnfFasTcWZ8LkR3Y/8a244719-45e9-4008-8bb6-4cd8ac682898.jpg/w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![THROWBACK THURSDAY: Neighbours aim garden hoses at the blaze while firefighters drag in the "big guns" during Sunday's fire at Lakesway Secondhand. THROWBACK THURSDAY: Neighbours aim garden hoses at the blaze while firefighters drag in the "big guns" during Sunday's fire at Lakesway Secondhand.](/images/transform/v1/resize/frm/storypad-WwnxjMJnfFasTcWZ8LkR3Y/5f77ceb1-59d5-4a2d-bcec-69d2ce94c83c.jpg/w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![THROWBACK THURSDAY: Teagan Allen (centre) with her rescuer Jack McNamara (right) and his brother Harry. THROWBACK THURSDAY: Teagan Allen (centre) with her rescuer Jack McNamara (right) and his brother Harry.](/images/transform/v1/resize/frm/storypad-WwnxjMJnfFasTcWZ8LkR3Y/0f9ec04f-3337-46db-b2cf-2c8294cd7294.JPG/w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![THROWBACK THURSDAY: Tuncurry Ambulance Station's new recruit Rachael Burton. THROWBACK THURSDAY: Tuncurry Ambulance Station's new recruit Rachael Burton.](/images/transform/v1/resize/frm/storypad-WwnxjMJnfFasTcWZ8LkR3Y/a1ccb0ef-c439-4fba-a910-7ab1647aedc4.JPG/w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![THROWBACK THURSDAY: the organisers and creators of the painted mural at Forster Main Beach. THROWBACK THURSDAY: the organisers and creators of the painted mural at Forster Main Beach.](/images/transform/v1/resize/frm/storypad-WwnxjMJnfFasTcWZ8LkR3Y/2c58b004-0757-465b-925d-158c35555b57.JPG/w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![THROWBACK THURSDAY: Paul and Brenda Nixon, Mark and Paula Greeves and Melinda and Roger Mentha. THROWBACK THURSDAY: Paul and Brenda Nixon, Mark and Paula Greeves and Melinda and Roger Mentha.](/images/transform/v1/resize/frm/storypad-WwnxjMJnfFasTcWZ8LkR3Y/ca435977-94c8-4386-8fef-0d83fef54d48.JPG/w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![THROWBACK THURSDAY: Jess Hickson, Adrianna Amato, Elkie Jones and Lara Haddon. THROWBACK THURSDAY: Jess Hickson, Adrianna Amato, Elkie Jones and Lara Haddon.](/images/transform/v1/resize/frm/storypad-WwnxjMJnfFasTcWZ8LkR3Y/c7fd1cfd-82ea-457e-9a09-cedbe8efe146.JPG/w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
TODAY'S Throwback Thursday features what made the news back in November and December 2003.
Here are some snippets from a few of the stories that appeared in The Advocate's November and December editions.
November 5: A second hand goods store in Forster was razed to the ground on Sunday November 2, 2003 by a fire which broke out while an auction was in progress inside.The story, which appeared on the front page, reported at the time that police were still investigating the cause of the blaze which started in a rear section of the Lakesway Secondhand shop at around 12.30pm. The building was completely engulfed by the blaze and three vehicles parked behind the building were also totally destroyed. Neighbours and volunteers raced for garden hoses and helped to keep water on nearby properties.
November 5: Vandalism by local youths left two tiny tots without one of their favourite toys. The incident was part of a spate of over-the-top "halloween" pranks carried out in the One Mile Beach area on Friday night (October 31). For Saskia and Finn Kennett, aged three and 20 months, the night left them without their pride and joy, a new trampoline. A group of youths had been jumping on the trampoline and were asked to leave by the children's parents before someone came back later that night and set the trampoline on fire.
November 12: After watching his late wife Suzie fight a losing battle with ovarian cancer, John Worrell of Sydney embarked on an epic trip with Australian journalist Bev Hadgraft along the NSW coast to raise awareness about the form of cancer. The journey covered 4000km and finished in Sydney on November 12, 2003.
December 3: Burgess Beach was virtually deserted but Jack McNamara his brother Harry and friend Teagan Allen, were out in the waves for their regular after school surf. Tegan, a keen surfer, decided to go in for a swim when a couple of large sets rolled through. Struggling to get to shore, Jack offered his bodyboard to Tegan to get on to but it had slipped from her grip and was swept away. The flippers he was wearing gave him the extra swimming power needed to push Teagan through the swell and into the shallows. Once safely back on shore, Tegan remained shaken from her ordeal but otherwise unharmed.
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