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.

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.

A residential home near Wooler has received the highest possible rating following an inspection by a governing body.

The Care Quality Commission, the independent regulator of social care in England, visited the Old Vicarage Residential Home unannounced. After a thorough 6 hour inspection the home was awarded the top rating of "3 Stars - Excellent Service".

Long-lying snow cover has taken its toll of barn owls in Northumberland. Barn owls have been slowly recovering after hitting a population low 20 years ago .

More than 400 nest boxes have been put up for the birds in Northumberland in the last 10 years,

But the recent snow and ice has hit the birds hard, with 15 dead owls having been found so far.

Culling is still an effective tool in the fight against grey squirrels if done properly, say conservation experts as they begin a new programme of extermination.

Seven culling projects have received £24,000 and will soon begin in the North East - including several in strategic areas of Northumberland - in an attempt to save red squirrel populations from the grey onslaught.

The work will try to thin the number of greys so that the much-loved red squirrels have less competition and less of a chance of catching the dreaded squirrel pox virus.

Farmers who help clear snow-blocked roads should be supported by the Government rather than threatened for using red diesel while doing so, said Berwick MP Sir Alan Beith.

Sir Alan raised the issue after the Government praised farmers for their public-spirited help while at the same time warning they could not use red diesel in snow-clearing machinery in certain places.

The NFU last week sent out guidelines to members based on information from HM Revenue & Customs covering when the fuel could and could not be used.