A MAN who has dedicated the past six years of his life to caring for his severely brain-damaged wife has been nominated for a national award.

Ron Payne, 65, from the Hexham area, is one of three finalists from across the UK competing for the title of Carer of the Year in the Headway Annual Awards 2008.

Seven years ago, having just returned from a holiday in Spain, Ron's wife Heather began to complain of a pain in her leg, which had become cold and discoloured.

Young people are being targeting in a hard-hitting campaign to reduce the number of bonfire and firework-related injuries across Northumberland.

Fireworks injure almost 1000 children in the North of England every year, often resulting in permanent scarring or disfiguration. Now Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service is warning pupils in secondary schools about the dangers in a programme of educational visits.

Hexham Racecourse is offering a range of practical courses open to all ages through the Countryside Skills Training Centre CSTC.

Examples of courses available include All Terrain Vehicles (Quad Bikes), First Aid Training, Tractor Driving and Trailer Handling to name a few.

The CSTC are approved through the LANTRA awards, specialists in nationally recognised qualifications in health, safety and practical courses.

Landmark locations will be seen in a new light this winter with the return of a hugely popular winter festival. Northumberland Lights - and the award-winning team behind it - are back with more bright ideas for outdoor illuminations.

From November 2 to 30, the winter festival will bathe some of the most beautiful and remote spots from Blyth to the Borders in an array of colour, in celebration of the county's contrasting architectural and natural environment.

FREE bus transport for older students is set to leave Northumberland County Council with a £500,000 bill. But councillors last night hailed the scheme to provide passes for A-level and college students as a massive success - and said it was likely to cost much less than feared.

The free pass has seen the number of teenagers using buses more than double, from 800 in July to 1,850 now. The county council took the decision to scrap fares after they rose to £360 a year under the previous Labour administration.

Hexham travelled to third place South Shields in the Re-Max Northern Alliance Division Two and were almost literally blown away, not so much by the opposition but the howling gale which total ruined this fixture.

Both sides really struggled to cope and very little constructive play was possible. The early part of the match was the best for Hexham when the wind was at its lowest, Neil Tiffin having a couple of long range efforts but not troubling home keeper Gary Jeffries too much.

To both sides' credit they attempted to keep the ball on the ground and play to feet but this game was being played out in the middle third of the pitch. It was no surprise when at half time the score was level at a blank stalemate.

A RESTAURATEUR is working to keep his multi-million-pound group trading successfully after three of his companies have been placed in the hands of liquidators, and one is being run by administrators.

Paul Lilley, who heads Grill Group, of Hexham, is currently running a chain of five Lancashire bistros under the name of Wolfteam, under licence from administrator Begbies Traynor.

The "Le Frog" bistros have suffered from a lack of trade as customers' disposable incomes have been cut by the economic downturn.

A North East businesswoman is helping a disabled boy achieve his lifelong dream, after reading of his plight in The Journal.

Last month we reported on the ambition of 13-year-old muscular dystrophy sufferer Harry Thompson, from Cornhill in Northumberland.

The teenager, whose broken leg in January left him unable to walk and reliant on a powered wheelchair, wants to travel to America to swim with dolphins. Harry's personal assistant Rebecca Clark and mum Michelle, 40, were at the time beginning a fundraising drive to allow him to realise his dream.

A couple had a lucky escape yesterday when their car overturned on a country road.

The accident happened at about 3.10pm at the junction of the Military Road and the Stagshaw Roundabout near Hexham.

A 60-year-old male driver and his female passenger, 59, suffered minor cuts and bruises.

For the second year running, Hexham FC's senior team has won the Northern Alliance Fair Play Award.

During the season of 2007/08 the team received just 10 yellow cards and not a red in sight.

The season before they won the award outright, but this year they shared the title with Amble United. The club received a cheque for £75 from the Northern Alliance and also a voucher for £200 from the Northumberland FA to spend at the Umbro website.