Hard-working carers in a Northumberland community are facing the challenge of raising £1.5m to build a new centre for their work.

Lynemouth Day Centre provides vital help for many people across the whole of South East Northumberland, but its current home, the village's methodist church, is cramped and not suited to its needs.

Gillian Thompson, Lynemouth Day Centre manager

The parish council and UK Coal have provided land on which the day centre might be able to construct a new, purpose-built home.

Today marks a special day on the North East calendar as we celebrate the life of the patron saint of Northumberland, St Cuthbert.

Often regarded as the most popular saint of medieval times and one of the most important, March 20 sees people celebrate the anniversary of the death of the region's own patron saint.

Pilgrims make their way across the causeway to Holy Island on Good Friday, 2006

Born in 634 AD, Cuthbert was born in the Lammermuir Region where he grew to work as a young shepherd.

A historic Cresswell landmark is undergoing thousands of pounds worth of repairs to help preserve it for future generations.

St. Bartholomew's Church in Cresswell is the subject of a major restoration and repair project costing in the region of £30,000.

The work on the church, which dates back to 1836, is being funded by the parish council and includes masonry replacement to the bell turret and end gable, lead repair work, lime mortar repointing and the renewal of the carved entrance pillars.

There was excitement at Grange View C of E First School on Friday as Martin Wharton, Bishop of Newcastle, visited the school for the first time since it re-opened in September 2008.

Bishop Wharton attended Friday morning's family assembly at which he greeted the children and their families before explaining the significance of the two castles on his mitre. He also allowed his crozier to be handled, he explained to the children that it had been made in Bethlehem.