Tynedale stole away from Cinderford with a neat 18-10 win thanks to a late Johnny Williams try.

Andrew Murray's first-half score cancelled out the home side's early penalty try, and one conversion and two penalties for Andrew Hall proved sufficient for Tom Borthwick's men.

Danny Pointon landed a conversion and a penalty for the hosts, but Tynedale hung on for a creditable victory.

Overnight stays in Hadrian's Wall country have hit record levels, a report next week will reveal.

Hadrian's Wall Heritage Ltd launches its annual review next week.

It shows June this year saw the highest ever levels of overnight accommodation occupancy in Hadrian's Wall Country of 80%, compared to 63% in Cumbria and the Lake District and 58% in the rest of the North East. This is a significant increase from the previous summer.

In a year when a number of big agricultural shows have been forced out of business, the region's major country shows have more than adequately managed to hold their own. Karen Dent reports

The hot, sunny May Bank Holiday Monday weather answered the prayers of Northumberland County Show's organisers and helped to bring 25,500 people through the gates this year.

The figure is slightly down on 2008's record 26,000 attendance at the annual event in Corbridge but is part of an upwards trend that has been continuing since the middle of the decade.

Police have released CCTV stills of two women they wish to trace in connection with two thefts from jewellers in Tynedale.

Between 12.20pm and 1pm on Tuesday, November 24, two women entered the Joyce Anderson Jewellers, Hill Street, Corbridge and browsed through some of the display items.

When staff were distracted a Pandora bracelet and a Pandora ring were taken from the window display.

Northumberland Theatre Company (NTC) is to take The Last Snow Rider by Ann Coburn round village halls and small arts centres across the country this winter, beginning tonight.

The play will be at Stocksfield Institute on the 4th December at 6.30pm.

The cast includes NTC regulars Kim Evans and Gemma Clough and newcomers William Reay from Bellingham and Christopher Ranson.

Visit www.northumberlandtheatre.co.uk for a full list of performances and contact details for tickets.

Andrew Murray returns for Tynedale at Cinderford meanwhile, with rugby chairman John Shotton expecting a tough encounter.

"It's probably going to be another one where we have to grind out a result, but sometimes that's just the way it is," he said, anticipating another rain-affected clash.

"Andrew Murray's return bolsters the pack and hopefully we can go down there and get the edge in the tight exchanges, but we know it will be a very tough contest."

A new organisation designed to support and sustain businesses based in rural west Northumberland has been launched.

The Mid-Tyne Business Forum will also aim to help companies in and around the area build new, mutually beneficial links with each other, and will encourage members to buy local wherever possible to help enhance the local economy.

A seven-strong committee of local business people has been formed after an initial meeting to discuss the aims and ambitions of the forum attracted more than 30 attendees. And plans are now being put in place for the forum's first networking event, which will be held early next year.

A Northumberland dairy farm is celebrating an autumn of successes with shorthorn calf Marleycote Fleur.

The Baynes family, which produces the Northumbrian Pedigree Milk and Cream brand from its herd of 130 dairy shorthorns at Slaley, won the intermediate calf class and received an honourable mention with Fleur at the National All Breeds Dairy Calf Show at Stoneleigh.

Stocksfield have been impressive away from home this term and they secured a 2-0 victory over Ponteland United at the latter's Leisure Centre Ground.

Ponteland made one change from the team that had pulled off a great cup victory at Wark on the previous Saturday, Gavin Wood replacing the suspended Liam McIvor.

Wood made his presence felt after 10 minutes when he collected a clever back heel from Billy Holden and saw his left foot drive cannon off the inside of the post and into the grateful arms of visiting goalkeeper Peter Adnitt.

Below is a sneak preview of how tourism bosses believe Northumberland's identity could be portrayed in the future.

It follows an announcement from Northumberland Tourism that it plans to "present a new face to the world" in 2010.

As part of a re-focussing of advertising and promotion the travel chiefs are aiming to lure more big-spending holidaymakers to the area.