A volunteer-run radio station is hoping to become a permanent fixture in Northumberland after being granted a licence to continue broadcasting.

Tynedale FM has a new month-long licence from telecoms watchdog Ofcom, and the station hopes it might lead to a permanent licence sometime in the future.

The radio station was given a month-long restricted service licence to test the water back in December, which went successfully and uncovered some talented presenters.

More than 2,000 female council workers in Northumberland are set for payouts after agreement was finally reached to settle a long-running, £50m equal pay claim.

Women county council employees such as cleaners, kitchen assistants and carers are in line for the compensation payments as a result of being underpaid for years in comparison to male colleagues who earned bonuses.

Northumberland County Council is the last local authority in the North East to settle its equal pay dispute with the GMB and Unison - and defended its case as far as an Employment Tribunal scheduled for earlier this month.

Farmers in north Northumberland and the Borders have been picking up tips on using their water effectively to guard against potential supply problems that are expected in the future.

The combined effects of climate change, rising demand for water, increased regulation and the possibility of droughts are all factors that are expected to have an impact on agriculture in years to come.

The UK's top irrigation specialists met invited farmers last Friday at an event focusing on practical irrigation, which looked at efficient water management, coping with climate change and how to successfully negotiate future water supply contracts.

Allan Bews added this beautiful photo of Hareshaw Linn, a waterfall near Bellingham, to the Your Place Northumberland Flickr group.

Hundreds of people are flocking to a remote part of Northumberland to see a rare bird nest.

Visitor numbers to the osprey nest and three chicks at Kielder Water are continuing to grow, and special ferry trips have been put on to cope with demand.

From today a special daily cruise is being provided by the Kielder Water ferry - called Osprey.

Independent rural petrol stations are facing an increasing battle just to survive, as they struggle to compete with their bigger rivals.

Many of the stations also act as convenience stores in their local communities, but dozens have closed over the last few years, in yet another blow to the rural economy.

Gordon Moore, pictured, who owns the Border Reiver Station in Knowesgate, Northumberland, said the margin on fuel from his station is tiny.

The North East's only Conservative MP has returned more than £100 in "gardening" expense claims.

Hexham's Peter Atkinson last month told The Journal his claims were reasonable for his second home in London.

But he declared being ready to repay money if ordered to do so by an internal party panel examining Tory MPs' expense claims.

A woman who carried on a university degree even when she was hospitalised with ill-health has seen six years of hard work pay off after graduating from university.

Pauline Murfin took up Open University study six years ago after stopping work due to chronic ill-health.

Despite having to take her books to hospital to study, Pauline, from Stonehaugh in the North Tyne Valley, persevered and always managed to finish her assignments on time.

More meetings are to be held in Northumberland to allow people to have their say on £200m proposals for new and improved hospitals in the county.

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust has drawn up plans for a new specialist emergency care centre near Cramlington, plus improvements to Wansbeck General and the rebuilding of community hospitals in Berwick and Haltwhistle.

But the changes would see the closure of emergency departments at Wansbeck and Hexham General, moves which have caused some concern with patients.

Finance chiefs at Northumberland's cash-strapped super council are trying to recover almost £9m in unpaid council tax inherited from the county's former district authorities.

The huge debt has been revealed following the abolition of Berwick, Alnwick, Castle Morpeth, Tynedale, Wansbeck and Blyth Valley councils on April 1 - and their replacement by the all-purpose unitary council.