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.

Plans to build a ten-pin bowling alley on the home of a Northumberland sports club are to be fought by outraged members, who say it will signal their demise.

North Country Leisure (NCL), managers of the Wentworth Leisure Centre at Hexham, has announced plans to create an eight-lane £600,000 bowling alley on the facility's bowls hall, funded by Northumberland County Council, with building work to begin in Spring 2010.

But the move has outraged Tynedale Indoors Bowl Club, which hosts league matches and competitions in the hall and will be left homeless.

Firefighters were called after a van caught fire next to an oil tanker in Northumberland.

Crews from Bellingham and Hexham fire stations attended the incident in South View, Colwell, following reports of a fuel spillage from a domestic tanker close to the blaze, at around 8.30pm yesterday.

Around 600 litres of oil was reported to be running down the road close to the van, sparking fears of the fire spreading to nearby homes.

A crash happened on the B6318 Military Road at Chollerford, near Hexham, yesterday.

Two women were treated for minor injuries after their saloon car left the road just before midday and ended up overturned in a field.

Northumberland Theatre Company (NTC) is to take The Last Snow Rider by Ann Coburn round village halls and small arts centres across the country this winter, beginning tonight.

The play will be at Wall Village Hall on the 22nd December at 6.30pm and at Newbrough Town Hall for a 3.00pm performance on 3rd January.

The cast includes NTC regulars Kim Evans and Gemma Clough and newcomers William Reay from Bellingham and Christopher Ranson.

Visit www.northumberlandtheatre.co.uk for a full list of performances and contact details for tickets.

A business in Hexham will be manipulating customers to give them gifts - all in the name of charity.

Family Chiropractic will be offering free treatments to raise money for the Salvation Army's Christmas Present Appeal.

As part of their Toys for Adjustment week, Family Chiropractic's Dr Belinda Ambrose will be enthusiastically carrying out adjustments on her patients in return for a donation of a toy that will go to needy children.

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.

A sale of a hundred of pieces of original artwork from professional and amateur artists from around the region is to be held.

The event will take place from Saturday until Christmas Eve at the Queen's Hall Arts Centre in Hexham, from 10am until 4pm.

For more details on the art sale, contact manager Annette Dickson on (01434) 652 476 or annette.dickson@queenshall.co.uk