There were some high-scoring games in the North Northumberland League, with some closer than others.

In Division One, Acklington Athletic lost 4-3 to Rothbury. Goalless at half time, the game came to life as Chris McGuilvery and Paul Christianson gave Acklington a two goal lead.

Adam Hall and Neil Johnson then netted for Rothbury to level the game but a second Christianson goal restored Acklington's lead. Rothbury hit back with two late goals from Craig Sutton to take the points.

Berwick Borough Council's much maligned planning department has improved, according to an audit.

The council's planners have come under fire in the past for failing to determine applications within timescales and for hiring consultants to consider proposals due to lack of staff.

In April, the department was determining only 19% of householders' applications within the eight week deadline and just 7% of commercial proposals.

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.

MP Sir Alan Beith travelled to Buckingham Palace yesterday to received his knighthood from the Queen.

The Berwick representative and longest-serving Liberal Democrat MP said he was still surprised when people refer to him with the prestigious title.

Sir Alan, who has been MP for 35 years and is former deputy leader of the party, said: "It's good for democracy for Parliament to be recognised as something that is good for the community."

People in Northumberland are being urged to have their say on executive decision-making arrangements for the county's new super-council which takes over in April.

Consultations on the issue close on Friday so residents are being reminded to comment before it is too late.

Bungling Post Office officials lost a North MP's 14-page response to proposed branch closures in Northumberland.

Sir Alan Beith, Liberal Democrat MP for Berwick, has demanded that the Secretary of State intervene after it emerged that his response to the proposed closure of branches in his constituency was misfiled and not taken into account when decisions were made.

A North MP has backed a winter campaign to heat homes through energy efficiency.

Sir Alan Beith, Liberal Democrat MP for Berwick, is supporting an annual drive by fuel poverty campaigners to raise awareness of how energy efficiency measures can make homes warmer, cheaper and healthier to live in; and what assistance is available from the government.

A restaurant in Wooler has signed up for a Christmas charity drive.

The Streetsmart charity raises money for homeless people through restaurant bill donations, asking people if they will add £1 to their bills in the coming weeks.

Among the restaurants taking part will be Milan on Wooler High Street.

Police emailed the personal details of suspected criminals to 150 farmers. Members of the Northumberland Farm Watch scheme were stunned when they opened the message to discover the names, dates of birth and addresses of dozens of alleged offenders.

Red-faced officers sent a follow-up message two days later when the error was spotted, asking the farmers not to read the information and to delete it immediately.

Plans have been drawn up to fell an entire conifer forest of around a million trees in Northumberland.

If the clearance of Threestoneburn Forest goes ahead, it would be one of the biggest landscape changes in Northumberland National Park since its designation in 1956.

The forest, 1,500ft up in the Cheviot Hills around 10km from Wooler, was bought by Lilburn Estate from the Forestry Commission in January 2007.