Residents are claiming that part of their small town is being over run by rats and that the council isn't doing enough to get rid of them.

The infestation in Haltwhistle is said to be affecting two streets in the town and, according to a town councillor, residents are scared to let their children play out because of the danger from disease.

Margaret Forrest, 70, a Haltwhistle Town Councillor, said: "The residents on Dale Street and East View have got rats coming from a nearby derelict building going into their yards and children cannot go out to play.

A mass courts closure ordered by the coalition Government has been attacked by one of its own North MPs.

Hexham MP Guy Opperman, a barrister by training, said he would find it "astonishing" if the plans would work.

It comes after Justice Secretary Ken Clarke unveiled plans to close magistrates and county courts nationwide - including Bishop Auckland, Hexham, Alnwick, Blaydon, Gosforth, Houghton- le-Spring and Consett.

A new warning has been issued by consumer watchdogs about scam emails which try to trick people into giving out personal information.

Trading standards officials in Northumberland are urging people to be on their guard against a number of emails currently in circulation which look like they have been sent by leading banks and building societies.

They aim to obtain personal details which could be used in identity fraud or to secure payments from bank accounts.

A campaign is to be launched to bring home paintings by one of the North East's most celebrated artists, John Martin.

The fundraising drive will kick off at the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle on Monday, which is the birthday of the painter, who was born in Haydon Bridge in Northumberland.

The target is to pull in on-loan paintings to support a major John Martin exhibition which will be staged at the gallery next year.

Angela Brown uploaded this cute photo to JournalLive, taken near Slaggyford in May.

Add your photos to JournalLive or send them to northumberland@ncjmedia.co.uk

The next ranger-guided walk takes place near Haltwhistle on Sunday July 11.

Part of the Northumberland National Park's free walks, it starts at the National Park Centre, Once Brewed, and goes along Hadrian's Wall with the theme Crags and Loughs, at 11am for three hours.

Hundreds more council jobs are set to be axed in Northumberland as town hall bosses seek a further £40m in budget savings over the next year.

Up to 1,000 posts in the county council's 7,000-strong workforce are potentially at risk - on top of around 1,300 which have been shed over the last two years.

A two-week trawl for further voluntary redundancy applications was launched yesterday, after employees were briefed by their department heads about the latest budget cuts facing the unitary authority.

People at risk from flooding can now monitor Northumberland river and sea levels online.

The new facility allows people to check developing flood situations in the county, and it complements the Environment Agency's free flood warning service. Monitoring information online will be updated at least daily.

Visit the website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/riverlevels for information.