A former academic who started a company at the age of 52 with money from his pension fund was last night named the North East Business Executive of the Year 2008.

Dr Tony Trapp, managing director of the IHC Engineering Business at Riding Mill, was given the region's highest individual business accolade in Newcastle last night.

The 25th North East Business Executive of the Year Awards, run by The Journal and the Evening Gazette, reached their climax last night at an awards ceremony at the Newcastle Marriott Hotel, Gosforth Park.

A Corbridge teenager who is spending a year in Africa teaching underprivileged children reports today on her first impressions.

Rose Walsh, 18, is working at a school in Otjikondo, Namibia, which offers youngsters a chance to gain a consistent education in an area which suffers from desperate poverty and widespread illness.

She enrolled on a scheme organised by The Project Trust and spent the months in the run-up to her departure raising funds to meet the target of £3,400 to secure her place.

An artist is to donate a slice of the takings from her latest collection of paintings depicting a rare breed of wild cattle to the association that protects the future of the animals.

Sue Moffitt, who owns the Fifiefofum Gallery in Newton, near Stocksfield, is renowned for her paintings of cattle and her most recent project has seen her take the Chillingham wild white cattle as her subject.