Archbishop of York the Most Reverend Dr John Sentamu shares his impressions of rural regeneration initiatives in Northumberland during a visit to the Cheviot Centre in Wooler yesterday. The Archbishop also called at Kirkharle and Berwick in his tour of the county. Read related story »

Music greeted the Archbishop of York as he travelled to some of the northernmost parishes in England yesterday.

The Most Reverend Dr John Sentamu called at Kirkharle, Wooler and Berwick as part of a two-day visit to the Church of England's Newcastle Dioceses organised by the Bishop of Newcastle Martin Wharton.

Archbishop of York the Most Reverend Dr John Sentamu, far right, looks on with Bishop of Newcastle Martin Wharton as Wooler youngsters greet him with steel drum music at the Cheviot Centre

On Wednesday, the archbishop also visited parishes in Newcastle, as well as the West End Refugee Service, before giving the City for Peace inaugural lecture, hosted by Newcastle City Council.

Wildlife Minister Huw Irranca Davies has accepted a petition signed by more than 200,000 people demanding an end to the killing of birds of prey.

The petition is the largest ever collected by the RSPB.

According to the RSPB's most recent annual Birdcrime report, published last August, Northumberland is the third worst county in England for illegal persecution against birds of prey.

A popular guide aimed at helping older people in Northumberland get the most out of life has been published for the fourth time.

Previous issues of the Golden Guide have gone down so well with the over-50s that there was a waiting list for the latest 5,000-copy print run.

The free booklet, which is produced by community information specialists Clever Clogs Publishing in partnership with Age Concern Northumberland, the county council and care trust, has also been given a new design.

An exhibition that tells the story of two linked communities during the Second World War has been launched at a Northumberland library.

The Big Lottery funded Their Past Your Future II project examines life in Berwick and its Polish twin town Trzcianka during the Second World War.

The exhibition, administered through the Museums, Archives and Libraries Partnership, runs at Berwick Library in Walkergate until March 15, before going to Wooler Library and Wooler Book Fair from March 17 to 27.

An art teacher is on a mission to bring creativity into people's lives to help them 'see the world in a different way'.

Annabel Milne is determined to bring art into people's lives both through classes and also by taking children to visit art galleries for the very first time in their lives.

She has a wide background in art, including studying fine art at St Martin's College of Art in London, doing an MA at Edinburgh College of Art and then working at Tate Britain and in art publishing as well as teaching art and design and art history.

Northumberland County Council will not have to make a further £11m in "horrendous" budget cuts, the Government has said.

It was feared that around £30m worth of savings would be required to balance next year's budget but the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has allowed councillors to pay for some costs from the capital budget.

The authority had submitted four bids for capitalisation in respect of potential losses on Icelandic investments of £9.1m, for £6m in strain on the pension fund, £2.8m for enhanced redundancy and £1.4m for statutory redundancy.

Andrew Gibson of Morpeth sent us this distant view of the snow capped Cheviot Hills.

Send your photos for sharing on this site to northumberland@ncjmedia.co.uk.

Berwick MP Sir Alan Beith has won an appeal against submitting any misleading claims over his rent in the expenses scandal.

The Liberal Democrat MP was revealed to have claimed expenses for cleaning his home, laundry, a new television and kitchen equipment when the furore over expenses broke.

He was also listed as claiming around £1,200 a month in rent on average.

Beleaguered council bosses in Northumberland have been left anxiously waiting for a key Government decision on whether they will have to find a further £11m in "horrendous" budget cuts.

County council leaders expected to be told yesterday whether ministers will allow them to use a financial loophole to avoid having to make almost £30m in savings this year.

But last night - as the authority revealed it has dropped plans to close a number of tourist information centres in Northumberland - there had still been no decision from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).