People in Northumberland are getting good adult social care, according to a new national inspection.

The Commission for Social Care Inspection has given Northumberland's adult services department a two-star rating, and says it has "excellent capacity" for improvement.

The Northumberland Theatre Company will be bringing its latest production to Kielder as part of a big national tour.

Straw Headed Peter by award winning writer Mike Kenny is a re-telling of classic cautionary tales written Dr Heinrigh Hoffman more than 150 years ago. It features a talented cast including Stephanie Butler, Nigel Collins and Philip Oakland.

A green energy company has been slammed for planning yet another wind farm in a Northumberland landscape said to be already 'under siege' from turbine developers.

Npower renewables has been accused of showing 'complete disrespect' for local residents and communities after lodging a bid to erect eight giant turbines at Kirkharle, north of Hexham.

The site is next to where three other energy companies are already proposing to build a total of 55 turbines, at Steadings near Kirkwhelpington (21), the Ray Estate (16) and Green Rigg Fell, Birtley (18).

Three new arrivals at a Northumberland hill farm are creating quite a stir in gastronomic circles. This is because the calves are pure-bred Wagyu cattle - a Japanese breed which is renowned for the quality of its beef, but still very rare in the UK.

They have been bred by Steve Ramshaw, of Monkridge Hill Farm, near Otterburn, who has turned to the breed in a self-styled quest to produce what is renowned as the best eating beef in the world.

If you fancy partying with the stars, then there is a great opportunity coming up this month.

Weekly star parties at Kielder Observatory have resumed due to popular demand, and there are new dates throughout November and December.

Since it was launched by the Kielder Partnership in April, more than 1,000 people have joined public events at the spectacular new facility, which is run by the Kielder Observatory Astronomical Society (KOAS).

Companies seeking to build three wind farms came under fire yesterday for prolonging a public inquiry.

Developers AMEC, Steadings Wind Farm Ltd and Wind Prospect were accused of "unacceptable conduct" for their role in dragging an inquiry out to 10 months.

UK air traffic control body NATS En Route claimed the firms, who are seeking a combined 59 turbines near Kirkwhelpington have put it at "an unnecessary cost" and forced it to pull experts away from their normal jobs.

The success of this year's Northumberland County Show has benefited a number of local charities.

With 26,500 visitors going through the gates, the Tynedale Agricultural Society has been able to donate thousands of pounds to charities and donate 10 free trade spaces at next year's event.

Following four straight defeats in the Northern Alliance Premier Division, Wark turned the corner. Their 6-0 home win against Peterlee Town lifted them off the bottom rung which is now occupied by Murton.

Jack Wanless's goal gave Wark a slender interval lead before they stepped up a gear. Marc Nixon completed a second half hat-trick and Phil Thompson and Mark Elliott were also on target. The troubled Newtowners have secured only a single point from their last five league games.

A rare white tailed sea eagle named Sima will be on display at a Northumberland nature park from next week.

Weighing more than a stone and with a wing span of 9ft, birds like the enormous four-year-old eagle were once extinct in this country after being culled by farmers and gamekeepers.

But now Sima has travelled from her home in Austria, where she was hand-reared since birth, to live at Northumbrian Water's Leaplish Waterside Park.

Six sustainable homes are being built as part of an affordable housing development.

The site at Castle View, in Kielder, will be linked to a newly-built District Heating System, which provides heating and hot water to the castle, school and nearby workshops.

The houses have been designed to achieve Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 - the only homes in Tynedale to reach this.