Smaller communities should be thinking ahead to the day when they can generate all their own power, energy expert Dr Barbara Sexon believes.

Dr Sexon runs the Thropton Energy consultancy in the Northumberland village of the same name, near Rothbury.

She studied for a PhD 25 years ago on the potential of small scale wind turbines in the days before wind farms of considerably larger machines became the hot potato they are today.

When Vicki Ridley bought three alpacas for her smallholding in 2001, she had little idea that her little herd would grow and grow. There are now 14 of the South American natives living on her land just outside Slaley in Northumberland.

"I bought three young entire males from a girl just outside Allendale who was emigrating to Portugal. I've still got two of them - Zippy and Khepri - and one I've sold," said Mrs Ridley, who is the alpaca secretary at the Northumberland County Show and also works as the show's assistant secretary.

A presentation on plans to revamp the region's hospitals takes place in Northumberland next week.

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is proposing a new specialist emergency care hospital near Cramlington for people living in Northumberland and North Tyneside, improvements to Wansbeck and North Tyneside general hospitals and rebuilding community hospitals in Berwick and Haltwhistle.

A presentation on the plans takes place at a meeting of Warkworth Parish Council on Thursday, June 4 at 6.30pm in the Memorial Hall on Castle Street.

Forthcoming sessions:

Corbridge First School, NE45 5JQ

Sunday 31 May 2009, 10:30 to 13:00 and 14:30 to 16:30
Sunday 18 Oct 2009, 10:30 to 13:00 and 14:30 to 16:30

Stocksfield Community Centre, NE43 7HL

Friday 04 Sep 2009, 14:30 to 19:00

There are further sessions in Hexham and Prudhoe

For more information and to book an appointment see the National Blood Service website.

A complaint about a parish council's accounts has ended up costing the community an estimated £9,000.

The query made by a villager from Riding Mill was not upheld by the district auditor, yet the legal and accounting fees have left the village out of pocket.

Broomhaugh and Riding Mill Parish Council has had to transfer money from its reserves into its current account to cover shortfalls and even had to put its usual grant to the village hall on hold.

The importance of farming and traditional rural skills in preserving the North East's countryside - and to bringing in the tourists' pounds - is being taken to a wider audience. Karen Dent discovers why our 'natural' environment is anything but.

Rolling hills and heather-covered moors are among the many attractions that the North East holds for visitors. But this stunning rural landscape isn't there by chance - it's something that needs to be managed and maintained.

That was the message for visitors to this week's Northumberland County Show, where the National Farmers Union (NFU) used the opportunity to demonstrate the importance of upland farming and traditional skills such as dry stone walling.

A North East charity, which delivers relief projects to poverty- stricken countries around the world, is desperately seeking volunteers.

Hexham-based Mercy Trucks is looking for helpers at the 30th Annual Steam and Vintage Rally, in Corbridge.

Volunteers would help staff a stand, which aims at spreading awareness of the charity, and act as Stewards in the Car Park. The rally takes place on June 6 and June 7. Anyone interested should email mcafferkey@btinternet.com

The Journal's Taste of the County even has been hailed as one of the most successful aspects of this year's Northumberland County Show, held at Tynedale Park in Corbridge on Bank Holiday Monday.

Open the article to view video footage produced by Tesco.

An entry of 280 cattle competed in 68 classes in baking sunshine at a packed Northumberland County Show on Monday.

The overall dairy championship was awarded to David Baynes' Marleycote Morwick Fawn and the supreme beef champion - chosen from the pedigree beef and commercial beef champions - went to the Watret's British Blue female Solway Black Beauty.

Cattle secretary Diane Harrison (ipictured) said: "It has flowed brilliantly. We've had some brilliant cattle in. Everyone's been happy, the stewards have worked hard and the standards are high. It's been quite hard for the cattle with the heat."

Glorious bank holiday sunshine saw thousands of visitors flock to Tynedale Park in Corbridge for the Northumberland County Show yesterday. Read related story »