World Cup winner Sir Bobby Charlton has been voted the Greatest Living Northumbrian in a poll on the Your Place microsites.

The Ashington-born footballer won 27% of the votes, beating actor Robson Green (17%) and comedian Ross Noble (15%).

Other nominees in the poll were Sir Bobby's brother Jack, musician Kathryn Tickell, cricketer Steve Harmison, the Duchess of Northumberland and darts commentator Sid Waddell.

A new range of free courses is being launched at centres in the Berwick district later this month by Northumberland College in conjunction with the Berwick Learning Partnership.

The 'bitesize' courses will include Computer Essentials, Introduction to Retail Skills as well as a DIY Introductory Programme and another relating to tourism employment.

They will be available at the college's centre in Berwick; Seahouses Resource Centre and Cheviot Centre in Wooler.

A massive £4.3m has been raised by the Glendale Gateway Trust for projects in the Wooler area since it was launched 12 years ago.

Parish councillors have been told by the Trust's Market Town programme manager Tom Johnston the funding has been crucial to the town's regeneration and economy.

Have I got a story to tell...returning from my Canaries retreat from the snow and ice I discovered that to my, and everyone else's amazement, I had won three CONSECUTIVE weekly Bonus Ball draws.

My winnings, at £40 per draw, totalled £120, but I collected nothing and paid £23 for the privilege - find out how the country boys diddled a toonie in this week's column.

A Wooler art gallery has unveiled an extension of its premises and is hosting a new exhibition to celebrate.

The Breeze Gallery, on the town's High Street, has opened a new room and is holding an inaugural exhibition of art, bronze sculptures and equine photography entitled On Burnish'd Hooves.

The exhibition features the work of Hexham-based artist Sue Malkin.

Players in the North Northumberland League enjoyed the recent relative good weather and played some of their hectic fixture list.

Teams got straight back into the action with some high scoring matches. Acklington Athletic and Craster Rovers took out the frustration of the last few weeks on each other with a 4-4 draw in their Division One clash.

Phil Grey with a hat trick and a Steven Watson goal were not enough for Craster as the home team hit back to share the points with goals from Richard Lemon, Kevin Kirby, David Littlefair and Steven Pearce.

A serial burglar who spent decades touring the region and raiding rural homes has begun a nine-year jail term.

Anthony Graham targeted wealthy families in Northumberland, Cumbria and North Yorkshire, creeping into their isolated properties and making off with treasured possessions.

The 50-year-old even plundered an historic castle of expensive antiques in his 30-year career as a "professional burglar".

A village near Wooler has had its say on plans to close its tiny first school.

Milfield First School has just seven pupils. Governors started a consultation to shut it in November.

And now villagers have spoken out - but they are split nearly down the middle. After a six-week consultation, 25 responses were received - with 14 against and 11 in favour.

A programme to improve the quality of drinking water in north Northumberland will begin next week.

Northumbrian Water is investing £85,000 to upgrade the Fowberry water treatment works near Wooler which supplies water to around 3,000 properties in the Wooler, Coldstream and Holy Island surrounding areas.

The work will begin on Tuesday and is expected to take two months to complete. It will include the the installation of a new UV filter and cleaning of boreholes which supply water to the treatment works.

After last week's fun poll to find Northumberland's favourite castle, this week we turn our attention to the important matter of finding the Greatest Living Northumbrian.

After much discussion in the Your Place office, we have come up with eight people who we think sum up all that is great about Northumberland.

From the world of sport, you can choose between World Cup winners Bobby and Jack Charlton, and the Ashington Express Steve Harmison. There's also comedian Ross Noble, folk musician Kathryn Tickell, actor Robson Green and darts commentator Sid Waddell. Finally, we've added the Duchess of Northumberland into the mix for her work in developing the Alnwick Garden.

You can vote below for your choice and the results will be revealed next Friday.