A top headteacher has been appointed to take charge of a huge new school in Northumberland.

Phil Hearne, who will lead the joint primary and secondary school academy in Ashington, was the head of Edgware School in London when it became a city academy.

During his time there it was ranked "outstanding" by Ofsted.

Its community feel and above average standards are what makes Tritlington First School such a success.

The Church of England school has a strong contribution from parents and works hard to maintain its high performance in key stages one and two.

Headteacher Elizabeth Donaldson has emphasised the school's very inclusive ethos.

Staff at a transport charity were surprised when an appeal for unwanted cycles led them to find an old colliery bike that was in near-perfect condition.

When Mark Curr and Adam Bell, pictured, from Sustrans, went to the house in Lynemouth, they found that the only thing that needed doing to the old bike was to pump up the tyres.

In February Journal Extra told how Sustrans in Ashington was launching a campaign to get people to donate their unwanted bikes so they could loan them out to people who need them.

Police are appealing for help from the public following the latest in a series of vandal attacks which are making life a misery for people in a former Northumberland pit village.

Community leaders in Lynemouth are becoming increasingly concerned at the amount of criminal damage and anti-social behaviour which has been plaguing the seaside village for several months.

Since the turn of the year, cars have been torched, allotment sheds damaged, car tyres slashed, telephone and satellite dish wires cut and other property targeted on a regular basis in night-time attacks.

The on-going battle between leaders Amble United and rivals South Shields United for the Northern League Division Two championship has tipped in Amble's favour.

Both sides beat Stobswood Welfare last week, effectively ending hopes that Stobswood's games in hand could give them an interest in the title race.

The world's most gifted musical prodigies are putting the finishing rehearsal touches to a one-off North East concert.

The five musicians, including 16-year-old conductor Alexander Prior (pictured), will perform in a concerto at The Sage Gateshead later this month.

Alexander, who composed the concerto as part of a film being made for Channel 4, led the selection process that plucked the talented youngsters from all over the globe.

Bosses at Northumberland's new super council have been accused of failing to comply with an independent regulator's guidance by providing an 0845 number for people who need to contact the authority.

Bob Watson is unhappy that Northumberland County Council's new number is premium rate

Members of the public who telephone the all-purpose council - which came into being on April 1 following the switch to unitary local government - now have to use a single number, 0845 600 6400, to speak to call handlers.

Springhill have won this year's Robson Cup after beating Alnwick Town Reserves 2-0.

The match played at Shielfield Park in Berwick had a goalless first half, but Springhill went ahead following a penalty scored by Kristian Neil.

Alnwick keeper Gordon Sanders kept his team in the game with a string of good saves but could do nothing as Adam Roberts scored with a well-struck effort to give Springhill a second goal.

Willy Wonka has got competition from the North East after enterprising charity workers came up with a delicious idea to raise much-needed funds.

With grants drying up and faced with fewer and fewer ways to get the money they need to keep going, staff at Lynemouth Resource Centre have decided to set up their own chocolate factory to boost their coffers.

Dawn Watts and Andrew Gooding from Lynemouth Resource Centre

It will be a professional operation with specialist machines being imported from America and Europe, a well-designed website, and some interesting and local flavours.

A multi-million pound education project in Northumberland has been temporarily put on hold - amid fears it might not deliver enough benefits for the recession-hit local economy.

Opposition county councillors are concerned that the £48m investment to create a new academy school in the Hirst area of Ashington might not provide sufficient employment or training opportunities for local people.

They are pressing for safeguards to ensure that the national company awarded the lucrative contract delivers a much-needed boost for the economy of the area.