After a packed summer of family events around Northumberland, the final weekend of the summer holidays is beckoning, with another busy programme across the county.

The event likely to attract the biggest crowd is the Glendale Show (pictured), now in its 117th year, featuring a host of rural attractions and stalls. Spectacular carriage driving and falconry displays and a Ready Steady Cook style cooking competition are some of the highlights of the event on Bank Holiday Monday.

In the bottom corner of the county on the same day, Blanchland & Hunstanworth Show (see link below) will be taking place, and two days before on Saturday Bellingham will also be welcoming visitors to its Show to take part and watch various traditional competitions.

A new look for Northumberland online is being fronted by TV presenter Wendy Gibson.

The BBC personality features in a video on Northumberland Tourism's relaunched website, offering potential visitors to the region a virtual tour of some of its highlights.

Among the sites explored from spectacular aerial views are Hadrian's Wall, Bamburgh Castle, Berwick, and Lindisfarne.

A major review of local government boundaries in Northumberland is entering its second phase.

The Boundary Committee for England has started a second round of public consultation on future arrangements for the county's new unitary council.

The main purpose of the review is to ensure "electoral equality" following the restructuring of local government last year.

Tynedale could become a top filming venue for movie and TV crews in the future. This is part of the ambitious plan of a group that wants to promote the area and make the most of its burgeoning arts scene.

Members of Tynedale FM want to expand the currently closed district radio station and are looking into many possibilities to promote the area, including an arts magazine.

They have even discussed cutting-edge technology to keep locals engaged with what is going on in their part of Northumberland, including getting the radio through the mobile and having podcasts for people to download.

Free check-ups for electric blankets are on offer to pensioners in Northumberland.

The checks will be carried out in Ponteland, Prudhoe, Heddon-on-the-Wall, Hexham, Allendale, Haydon Bridge, Bellingham and Otterburn during the week beginning September 14.

Testing will be by appointment only, which can be made by telephoning (01670) 534570 from September 1. Early booking is advisable.

Schoolchildren from one of the North's most remote communities have found themselves victims of a cross-border row over school transport.

The families of 15 youngsters say bosses of two councils have "washed their hands" of any responsibility over getting the children to school and back.

Neither Northumberland nor Durham County Council are prepared to continue providing transport to take the 15 youngsters from Hunstanworth, near Blanchland, to school in Northumberland.

Grey squirrels will be extinct in Northumberland by the end of next year, campaigners say.

A week of action by the Red Squirrel Protection Partnership invited people all over the county to report their sightings of greys.

The RSPP has trapped and shot more than 23,000 grey squirrels in the last two-and-a-half years, as part of a drive to protect native red squirrels.

Music and beer mixed well at the Allendale Beer and Bands Festival, organised by Allendale Lions Club, last weekend.

With 15 beers on tap and 17 barrels sponsored, there was plenty of traditional drink to be enjoyed but, with some young bands playing to the 500-strong audience, it ensured that there was a good mixture of young and old and men and women.

Peter Aldcroft from the organising committee said: "It was excellent. If anything, it was better than last year in terms of numbers.

"We also had a greater spread of people, from both the local area and outside it, so we're very pleased."

A decision on whether a new specialist emergency care hospital in Northumberland will get the go ahead will be made today. Health correspondent Helen Rae takes a look at the proposals.

Contentious plans to develop hospital services in the North East have caused much discussion in recent months. Today it is time for a decision.

Over the past three months there has been a far-reaching public consultation on proposals to build a new specialist emergency care hospital for those living in Northumberland and North Tyneside.

A series of free concerts are to take place in the region.

The concerts - called Ear to Ground, Eye to Sky (E2G) - have been organised by the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty partnership.

In the first, We're Brass, a group of five members of the Stanhope Silver Band, will be performing a 'mini-concert' of popular local tunes on a South Tynedale Railway steam train departing from Alston at 12.15pm and 2.15pm on Saturday, September 5.

Other concerts are lined up at Blanchland, Northumberland and Romaldkirk, and Wolsingham, County Durham.

To find out more, phone Abi Wylde on (01388) 528801 or e-mail: abi@northpenninesaonb.org.uk.