Reports from tees valley. An icon of a vibrant an icon of a vibrant industrial an icon of a vibrant industrial past, now out of action, symbolising area struggling to find its feet. Tees valley, and infinite hercules in its day, a white capital of imake income is now clearing a site of past glories and looking for new ventures. A painful process with economic decline, alongside pockets of affluence. That has placed this area on the national map, and now a mayoral contest with high stakes mayoral contest with high sta kes from mayoral contest with high stakes from the two main parties. A poster boy of the red bull, after his narrow win here in 2017. Re elected in a landslide in 2021, ben houchen is now hoping to buck the national trend. A local labour stalwart, hopes to win back what was once a heartland for his party, and a winnerfor heartland for his party, and a winner for chris heartland for his party, and a winnerfor Chris Mcewan Heartland for his party, and a winner for chris mcew