Independent rural petrol stations are facing an increasing battle just to survive, as they struggle to compete with their bigger rivals.

Many of the stations also act as convenience stores in their local communities, but dozens have closed over the last few years, in yet another blow to the rural economy.

Gordon Moore, pictured, who owns the Border Reiver Station in Knowesgate, Northumberland, said the margin on fuel from his station is tiny.

More meetings are to be held in Northumberland to allow people to have their say on £200m proposals for new and improved hospitals in the county.

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust has drawn up plans for a new specialist emergency care centre near Cramlington, plus improvements to Wansbeck General and the rebuilding of community hospitals in Berwick and Haltwhistle.

But the changes would see the closure of emergency departments at Wansbeck and Hexham General, moves which have caused some concern with patients.

Finance chiefs at Northumberland's cash-strapped super council are trying to recover almost £9m in unpaid council tax inherited from the county's former district authorities.

The huge debt has been revealed following the abolition of Berwick, Alnwick, Castle Morpeth, Tynedale, Wansbeck and Blyth Valley councils on April 1 - and their replacement by the all-purpose unitary council.

Free advice on how residents and businesses across Northumberland can harness renewable energy to meet their power needs is on offer over the next three months.

The specially-themed sessions are aimed at helping everyone from farmers to plumbers learn more about how they can design, install and run renewable energy systems.

They start on Sunday June 28 at the Jubilee Hall in Rothbury when householders and farmers who are not on the gas or electricity grid can find out about renewable energy solutions and technologies between 2pm and 5pm.

Berwick MP Sir Alan Beith last night expressed disappointment after failing to become Speaker of the Commons.

The Liberal Democrat MP pulled out of the election race at the second round as Tory contenders John Bercow and Sir George Young pulled ahead.

Sir Alan had won the support from dozens of MPs - including Lib Dem Treasury spokesman Vince Cable, former ministers and Wansbeck MP Denis Murphy.

Older people in Northumberland are threatening a revolt against new charges for day centre care which are being brought in by the county's cash-strapped super council.

Apart from meal and transport costs, attendance at day centres has been free for elderly and disabled people until now. But means-tested fees are being introduced to help County Hall bosses make savings on their adult care budget.

Day centre clients are being assessed and told how much they will have to contribute to their care each week, based on their income and savings.

Anger has erupted after people in Northumberland were sent warning letters and court summonses by their new super council wrongly stating they had not paid their council tax.

The 'intimidating' letters have been sent out to some householders who had already paid their monthly council tax bills because of problems which have been affecting the unitary authority's revenues and benefits section since April 1.

A caretaker at a school in Wooler is on the shortlist for this year's North East Schools Awards.

Jim Wood of Glendale Middle school is one of three finalists in the Caretaker of the Year Category.

The awards - which are run by The Journal in association with our sister paper on Teesside, the Evening Gazette, and main sponsors Northumbrian Water - are now in their third year.

Read full story with complete list of finalists »

A major review is to be carried out amid fears that a declining population in Northumberland will force the closure of more small schools and harm rural communities.

A working group of county councillors will be given the task of investigating the likely future impact of demographic change on the demand for school places across the county.

It will try to identify how many schools are at risk of closure because of falling rolls and how council policies - such as in new housing development - can help tackle the problem.

A chronic shortage of affordable housing in rural areas is plunging traditional village life into terminal decline, according to a new report.

The National Housing Federation claims that many village shops and pubs in the North East will be forced to close down unless action is taken to address the lack of new, affordable homes.

Nationally, it is thought up to 650 country pubs and 400 village shops will shut during the next 12 months, according to a coalition of leading campaign groups.