Northumberland Trading Standards is urging people in the county to fight back against the fraudsters this February by taking part in a major campaign.

The Scamnesty 2010 campaign runs from February 1 to 26 and will involve people dropping mail scams they receive through their letterbox into designated Scamnesty boxes which will be placed across Northumberland.

Online scams can also be reported via the virtual Scamnesty bin at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/scamnesty.

Fire cover in Northumberland is getting a boost after the Government give cash for three new fire stations.

The Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) has put forward the investment in the form of a Private Finance Initiative (PFI).

Northumberland's £7.5m allocation will be used to develop fire stations in Prudhoe, Haltwhistle and Seahouses.

Torch-bearing volunteers are needed to create a stunning line of light along the length of Hadrian's Wall.

Organisers are looking for 500 people to help create the lights, which will stretch from one side of Britain to the other.

Artist's impression of the beacons lighting up Hadrian's Wall

Each of the volunteer "illuminators" will be part of a small team responsible for lighting one of the 500 individual points along the wall.

People in Haltwhistle are being invited to give their views on the completion of a £2.2m library and community centre being developed in the heart of their community.

The new facility - which attracted £1.5m in Big Lottery funding - is due to open later this year on the site of the old Mechanics' Institute.

The former library building has been partially demolished and is being redeveloped to create a three-storey facility housing the new library, community activity space and offices.

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.

A special Christmas version of the Hadrian's Wall Farmer's Market will be held on Sunday December 13 in Greenhead.

This friendly village market is held every second Sunday of the month from 10am to 2pm. The organisers say their Christmas special will feature a veritable cornucopia of seasonal foods and crafts direct from local producers in Northumberland, Cumbria and South West Scotland.

From ales and alpaca wool to wholemeal bread and wreaths, you'll find gifts and gorgeous food galore.

What's more, you can get an excellent Sunday lunch at the Greenhead Hotel or the Blenkinsopp Castle Inn or a light meal at the Old Forge Tea Room.

Read The Journal's Christmas magazine online, featuring shopping ideas and details of seasonal events »

Artists in Northumberland are welcoming visitors for this year's Christmas Art Tour.

The festive tour is organised by Network Artists and takes place in twenty different venues around the region, running on weekends until Christmas.

Art lovers will have the chance to look around at artists' work, often in beautiful surroundings, while enjoying a friendly seasonal welcome from the artists themselves.

At Westwood, near Bardon Mill, stained glass mosaic artist Willa Story and blacksmith Scott Goodfellow will be opening up the studio at Birkshaw Farmhouse to let visitors browse an array of art, gifts and furniture. The opening times are 11am- 5pm on the weekends between now and the 13th December.

View the Christmas Art Tour leaflet at www.networkartists.org.uk for full details about the tour.

The first Northumberland National Park Forum which seeks feedback from local people will take place tomorrow.

The theme for the inaugural event is The Future of the Uplands. There will be 60 places available at the Cheviot Centre, Wooler, from 6pm-8pm.

The national park authority has invited Peter Jackson, a board member of One North East to chair the meeting.

People who want to confirm a place, or who have a question that they would like to raise, should e-mail npforum@nnpa.org.uk or telephone (01434) 611516.

Why not make a day of it in Western Tynedale and visit the 23rd Annual Art & Craft Fair in Haltwhistle.

The event takes place in the Masonic Hall on Banks Terrace on Saturday 7th November, between 10.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. and looks set to be a great event and getting close to capacity in terms of stall holders.

The Masonic Hall in Haltwhistle is not far from the Main Street. It is a comfortable, modernised hall with good disabled access and will be well sign posted on the day.

Almost 500 people have signed up for a Northumbrian walking festival which begins tomorrow.

The 14th Haltwhistle Walking Festival, which runs until October 18, opens with a three-day ramble which follows in the footsteps of the Border Reivers.

The route starts tomorrow at the 13th Century Hermitage Castle in Newcastleton with a first day leg of 12 miles.