Hard-pressed headteachers are bringing in business managers to cut paperwork in the classroom.

As part of the trials, heads are expected to delegate responsibility for administration and finance to a qualified, school business manager.

The Ashington family of schools forms one of 24 projects in the country taking part in the trials, which are being run by the National College for School Leadership.

Last week's poll on the Your Place Northumberland sites asked people to vote for their favourite natural beauty spot in the county. We celebrate the winner, the Farne Islands, with a gallery of photos showing some of the islands' inhabitants:

You've picked Northumberland's top castle and its top beauty spot, but now we're asking you for your views on the county's best building.

Our choice of 12 impressive structures ranges from the Royal Border Bridge in the north to Seaton Delaval Hall in the south, from the 12th century Hexham Abbey to modern buildings like Woodhorn and Alnwick Treehouse.

You can also pick from Morpeth Chantry, Howick Hall, Belsay Hall, Wallington, Brinkburn Priory, Cragside or Biddlestone Chapel - or add your own choice if we've missed it.

You can vote by clicking your choice on the Local Poll section at the bottom of this home page. The voting will be open for the next two weeks, with the winner announced on April 10.

College students are holding a special dance event in memory of a popular teenager who died last year after battling leukaemia and a rare blood disease.

Sports science student Danny Petini, 18, passed away on New Year's Day 2008 surrounded by his family at his home in Hepscott Park near Morpeth.

He had been diagnosed with leukaemia some months earlier but had also contracted Haemophagocytic syndrome, a rare and little understood blood disorder.

A mum has won backing to realise her lifelong ambition to run her own business by opening her own tile and cladding business.

Janine Bell has just opened The Tile & Cladding Centre on Milburn Road in Ashington, where she is building up business and already plans to expand it.

She said: "I'd always wanted to start my own business since leaving school. I went to work for a furniture, bathroom, and kitchen manufacturer so started to build my knowledge around my everyday working experiences.

Cramlington Town their predicament at the bottom of the Northern Alliance table thanks to a 2-0 home win against fellow strugglers Ashington Colliers which lifted them off the bottom rung.

The Colliers - now propping up the Premier Division - were sunk by second-half goals by Gary Day and Mark Holt.

Only three points separate eight teams in the bottom half with Newcastle University still in danger after a fourth successive defeat away from home, losing 1-0 at Shankhouse, the goal in the second half by Lee Gustard.

The Northumberland Sea Fisheries Committees have prosecuted three people for capturing undersized lobsters.

Mr D McLaughlin from New York, North Tyneside, was fined £100 and ordered to pay £200 costs after admitting catching four undersized lobsters at Seaton Sluice while John Brown of Amble was fined £115 and £200 costs for landing 27 undersized animals at Amble last October.

Steven Marston, of North Seaton, admitted landing 23 undersized lobsters and was fined £115 and £200 costs. Robert Baxter, from Blyth denied obstructing a fishery officer but was found guilty, fined £60 and ordered to pay £200 costs.

Springhill and Alnwick Town Reserves will battle it out for the Robson Cup after winning semi-finals at the weekend.

Springhill coped better with the conditions to beat Alnmouth United 3-0. Mark Reid gave the visitors a half-time lead while a Daniel Carey own goal and Andrew Skelly's third wrapped up the win. Alnwick beat Wooler 2-0 through Neil McFall and Stephen Hogg.

The Traveller's Rest in Choppington overcame a tricky away game at Pegswood Ex-Services to maintain the pace at the top of Division One.

Goals from David John Kilpatrick (2) and Dale Wilkinson earned them a 3-2 win, with Carl Sanders and Matthew Cummins getting on the scoresheet for the hosts.

Lynemouth keep snapping at their heels, however, after comprehensively beating Ashington Booze Brothers 8-1.

A Northumberland teenager was in a critical condition in hospital yesterday after being knocked off his bike.

The 18-year-old, from Newbiggin, sustained serious head injuries after being thrown from his bike when it was in collision with a car in Ashington on Saturday night.