Travelling criminals who use the cover of darkness to prey on rural areas of Northumberland have been warned that police are on their trail.

Poachers, burglars and other lawbreakers who commit crimes in the countryside are being urged to take heed of a recent successful operation by Northumbria Police, which netted five offenders in Tynedale.

Hexham-based police officers were carrying out patrols in the Colwell village area when they caught the men with lurcher dogs and lamping equipment on land where they didn't have the required permission to be.

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.

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.

Some pictures from the Haydon Hunt as it celebrated its bicentenary yesterday morning at Langley Castle. Read related story »

Two hundred years to the day - and almost the hour - since its first recorded meeting, a North East hunt met yesterday morning to mark its bicentenary.

On November 25, 1809, the Haydon Hunt, one of the oldest in England and based near Haydon Bridge in Northumberland, met on the vast Greenwich Hospital estates, land obtained from the Earls of Derwentwater.

After a hunt of some three hours, which began at Langley Castle, members killed their first fox.

Thousands of trees will be planted in the North East as part of a record- breaking bid.

As part of National Tree Week, the BBC Breathing Places campaign is inviting people to help in its attempt to set a new Guinness World record for planting the most trees in one hour in multiple locations.

The aim is to plant a million trees, beating the current record of 653,143 trees, between 11am and noon on December 5.

Councillors who will decide the fate of controversial plans for an opencast mine in Northumberland countryside are being advised to reject the bid.

Northumberland County Council's planning and environment committee is being recommended to refuse HM Project Developments' application for land beside Halton Lea Gate, near Haltwhistle, when it meets next week.

Residents of Halton Lea Gate who are opposed to the plan. From left, Stan Rowntree, Wendy Green, Nick Kennon, Stephanie Armstrong, Tom Potts and Jeremy Ancketill

Last night people living in the tiny village said they hoped councillors would follow that recommendation.

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.

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.

Hadrian's Wall will be lit from east to west coast in an atmospheric event targeted at a national and international audience.

Gaslights placed at 500 points in 250-metre intervals will illuminate the length of the 84-mile Wall national trail from Wallsend on Tyneside across Northumberland to Bowness-on-Solway in Cumbria.

An artist's impression of Hadrian's Wall lit up by beacons

One of the main aims will be to highlight the vast scale of the world heritage site and its landscape.