Three-tier education could be retained in parts of Northumberland - three years after a huge petition to keep it.

A major review of education plans in the county could now ditch the controversial intention to scrap all 44 middle schools.

The original plan to convert the entire county to a system of primary and secondary education is likely to be scrapped as part of a revised Putting The Learner First (PLF) strategy.

Tonight, Allendale will enjoy its traditional Tar Bar March march through the town.

The pagan ceremony is held annually to mark the New Year, and will see carriers taking barrels of flaming tar on a colourful parade.

The procession will be timed to arrive at the bonfire shortly before midnight, when the barrels will be tossed on to the pile, setting it ablaze.

A multimillion pound TV and radio studio could be built in Northumberland.

The £5m development in Tynedale would be part of a string of media centres nationwide.

Designs are being drawn up by Napper Architects, the firm behind The Alnwick Garden and the Law Courts on Newcastle Quayside.

Special protection zones aimed at safeguarding Northumberland communities and landscapes from the impacts of opencast mining are set to be scaled down in the wake of criticism from Government planning experts.

Four opencast coal constraint areas - where mining is actively discouraged for regeneration or landscape reasons - were officially designated several years ago in a bid to protect sensitive parts of the county from being damaged by the industry.

Now they are almost certain to be scaled down and altered as part of a major policy review, in a move which will heighten concerns that more of Northumberland could be ripped up by surface mining.

Almost 50 vehicles were stopped as part of a police crackdown on red diesel in Northumberland.

Two teams of officers spent a day targeting Hexham, Corbridge, Haltwhistle and Allendale and two motorists were fined.

Sgt Nick Garrett said: "We also dealt with other road traffic offences and gathered some valuable intelligence."

Budget proposals - including proposed efficiency savings and likely Council Tax levels - for Northumberland's new unitary council will be discussed at a series of area committee meetings in January, which are open to the public.

The Tynedale meeting will be held in Hexham's Beaumont Hotel at 6pm on the 20th.

Post offices services will return to Ninebanks after being closed since May.

The Ninebanks Post Office at The Cottage closed due to the resignation through illness of the then subpostmaster.

But from January 6, the subpostmaster at Stocksfield will offer services from a mobile every Wednesday from 10.50am-11.50am and every Saturday between 10.30am and 11.30am.

Bumper pay rises of up to 40% for county councillors in Northumberland have been approved in principle - but will be subject to a public consultation exercise on whether they are acceptable and affordable.

Pay rates for the 67 members of the county's new unitary council have been recommended by an independent remuneration panel, and reflect the extra workload which they will face following introduction of the single, all-purpose authority in April.

People power has won the day in the choice of the name for Northumberland's new super council.

County councillors agreed last night that the new unitary authority - which takes over in April - will be called Northumberland County Council. They rejected the alternative of calling the all-purpose authority Northumberland Council.

Last night's decision followed a public consultation exercise in which people voted 2-1 in favour of Northumberland County Council. Only staff at the six existing district councils backed the Northumberland Council option - voting 3-1 in favour of that name.

Children's services at Northumberland County Council have been given a series of positive ratings from the education inspectors Ofsted.

The county is judged as outstanding in the categories of staying safe, making a positive contribution, and capacity to improve. It is rated as good at overall effectiveness, being healthy, enjoying and achieving, and achieving economic well being.