Northumberland's new super council is preparing to start spending £2.7m of Government funding on "pump priming" key sites earmarked for a major housing-led regeneration programme.

South East Northumberland was designated an official Growth Point a year ago as part of a Government initiative involving 6,300 new homes in the county by 2017.

Blyth Estuary, the Ellington/Lynemouth area, the former St George's Hospital in Morpeth, Cambois, East Ashington and south west Cramlington have been earmarked as the six areas to benefit from the programme, which aims to deliver regeneration and increased affordable housing.

A company that makes giant hoses for the offshore oil and gas industry expects to see its turnover more than double from £28m to about £60m by 2016 with the help of a booming market and a leaner business model.

Andrew Esson, MD of ContiTech Beattie

Ashington's ContiTech Beattie believes it is on track to achieve what it has termed its Olympic target, as it has seen its sales rocket from £16m to £28m since the business was taken over in 2004.

Students have been showing their support to a Northumberland special care baby unit.

Wansbeck General Hospital's special care baby unit received a donation of £250 from students at Northumberland College.

The students on the adult extended education enterprise course wanted to support the unit because they all know someone who has benefited from it.

New team Lynemouth are taking the MB Socca Leagues by storm and they head Division One after overcoming fellow title contenders Cramlington Ford FC 2-1.

Joint top and hot on Lynemouth's heels are North Seaton Elephant, who looked more like the team of old as they convincingly beat old foes Newbiggin Sports Centre 3-0.

Real Ashington smashed struggling Entertainers 7-2, while the game between Stakeford and Northern Social Club was declared void.

More than 2,000 female council workers in Northumberland are set for payouts after agreement was finally reached to settle a long-running, £50m equal pay claim.

Women county council employees such as cleaners, kitchen assistants and carers are in line for the compensation payments as a result of being underpaid for years in comparison to male colleagues who earned bonuses.

Northumberland County Council is the last local authority in the North East to settle its equal pay dispute with the GMB and Unison - and defended its case as far as an Employment Tribunal scheduled for earlier this month.

ContiTech Beattie, the Ashington and Aberdeen-based market leader in hose technology for the oil and gas industry, has won a national award.

Winning the financial management prize at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2009 follows success at last year's ceremony and a number of regional accolades.

ContiTech Beattie was shortlisted for five awards and listed as finalist in three, after a visit from external assessors last May and a presentation in London to a panel of seven judges, all experts in manufacturing.

Families in Northumberland are being invited to have their say on policing in their area at a special meeting.

A Police and Community Together meeting will be held for people living in Ashington, Ellington, Linton, Lynemouth and Newbiggin.

The session is designed to give residents a chance to meet their Neighbourhood Policing Teams and discuss any problems they have in their area.

With both Swalwell and Shotley Bridge stalled by the weather, a new kid appeared on the Wellstream NTSL championship chasing block in the shape of Sacriston.

The games at Ryton, where Swalwell were due, Percy Main, who were entertaining Bridge, and Ashington, where Morpeth were the visitors, all succumbed to the previous day's downpours which left the grounds unfit for any play.

Ashington's game with Leadgate the previous week had also been rained off.

This is first picture of murder victim Lee Matthewson. The 21-year-old was stabbed to death during a disturbance on Bolam Road, in Ashington, on Monday.

Emergency services were called to the street during the early hours of the morning, following reports of an altercation.

Mr Matthewson was taken to Wansbeck District Hospital, but he was pronounced dead at around 5.45am.

Newcastle United Foundation has teamed up with Ashington High School Sports College to provide sixth-form pupils with essential work experience.

As part of a new initiative to develop the football coaches of the future, six A-level students at the High School are being given a unique opportunity to work alongside senior coaching staff at the Foundation.

The six students, all keen to carve a career in football or sports development, will each undertake 15 hours of work experience on the Foundation's weekly and holiday coaching programmes within Northumberland.