A rural quarry which supplies distinctive sandstone for prestigious buildings in the UK is bidding today to extend its life for another 15 years.

The Cop Crag quarry at Byrness in Northumberland produces stone which is particularly good for decorative features due to its finely grained texture, yellow-pink colouring and resistance to weathering.

It has been used in new buildings like the Victoria Gardens shopping centre in Harrogate, the Rutland Building in Edinburgh, and Glasgow Medical school and for restoration work on Durham Cathedral and Durham Prison.

Pooches will be competing for their very own "Olympic" crown with the climax of the first ever Dog Cup Championship in Kielder Water and Forest Park.

The Forestry Commission is staging a canine carnival on September 13 and 14 at Kielder Castle in the 62,000-hectare (155,000-acre) beauty spot with an open invitation to dogs of all shapes and sizes to take part.