Tyne Tees TV youth news programme Newsview Young World, originally broadcast on 1 October 1964, looks at a day in the life of Sunderland gymnast Monica Rutherford, as she trains zealously on the shore at Roker near her home in Sunderland, and at Fulwell School (Gymnastics Club) with her former school coach, then called Mrs Groom (nee Allison).  She qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964. In a voiceover she discusses the background to her success and explains her career choice to train...

Tyne Tees TV youth news programme Newsview Young World, originally broadcast on 1 October 1964, looks at a day in the life of Sunderland gymnast Monica Rutherford, as she trains zealously on the shore at Roker near her home in Sunderland, and at Fulwell School (Gymnastics Club) with her former school coach, then called Mrs Groom (nee Allison).  She qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964. In a voiceover she discusses the background to her success and explains her career choice to train as a teacher. A commentary fills in information about her early success as a young gymnast. The news feature opens with a shot of Darien Avenue street corner and street sign. Monica Rutherford leaves her Sunderland home at six in the morning wearing her tracksuit, accompanied to the garden gate by her father. Monica Rutherford does warm up exercises on the promenade at Roker beach. She starts to jog onto the beach and runs and exercises along the shore line. General view of Fulwell School. Rutherford jogs into the school yard and through the school entrance behind two school girls. In the school gym Rutherford performs various “artistic gymnastics” floor exercises, including the splits. Her voiceover states: “In 1959 I entered my first British championships. And after that, although I was only 19 at the time, I thought, well, I had a flair for competition.” Brief shot of some school girls watching as she performs. Rutherford practices her routine on the balance beam. This sequence includes a dramatic low angle shot as she performs on the beam. A commentary states: “The first time Monica Rutherford made the headlines, she was a 15 year old girl. She surprised herself by winning the North East Junior Vaulting and Agility competition. And she next won the Junior Vaulting and Agility competition of the whole of Britain. It was then she decided to turn to the wider field of gymnastics. In 1960 she finished 9th in the British championship. And as the first ten were given coaching for the Olympics, she travelled up and down the country at weekends training with Britain’s best. But she was too young to be counted for the Olympics. This year, four years after the Rome Olympics, Margaret Rutherford is in Tokyo. Most of her work has been done here in the gym at Fulwell School.” Some schoolgirls hold the parallel bars steady as Rutherford runs through her routine, with the help of her coach Mrs June Groom (nee Allison), who also trained her as a junior. Ducks swim in the pond at Mowbray Park, Sunderland. Rutherford strolls around the park and relaxes with her boyfriend. In voiceover she explains about her career choice after school, and her teacher training at college. Two men stand and chat outside Binns department store, Fawcett Street, Sunderland. Rutherford and boyfriend stroll past hand-in-hand, and cross the street.