A schoolboy's brave battle against cancer has inspired his uncle to complete a marathon, coast-to-coast bike ride and raise £3,400 for a hospital and children's charity.

Josh Cowell, 13, is currently undergoing his fourth gruelling course of chemotherapy after suspected glandular fever was diagnosed as advanced stage Hodgkins Lymphoma in May this year.

The pupil at St Benet Biscop RC High School in Bedlington, Northumberland, has impressed his devoted family with his courage in coping with chemotherapy, the loss of his hair and the side effects of steroids and other drugs he is taking to counteract his condition.

DOCTORS are bidding to run three new controversial polyclinics in the North East in a bid to prevent private companies taking over GP services.

The health centres were last night confirmed for the West End of Newcastle, Battle Hill in North Tyneside and Cramlington, Northumberland - the first to be announced for the North East.

Following a public consultation, NHS North of Tyne said the multi-million pound plans would also include two new GP practices in Newcastle, one in Walker and one in the Scotswood/Benwell area.

Fire service plans for a £10m shake-up of 999 cover in Northumberland are finally to go ahead - three years after being approved amid a storm of controversy.

Work is expected to start early next year on the PFI-funded modernisation, which involves the closure of fire stations in Blyth, Cramlington, Morpeth and Ashington and the loss of about 28 full-time firefighter posts.

Cramlington Town beat Ponteland 2-1 but these were expensive points.

Three players - Brian Howitt, Graham Hogg and Andrew Scott all suffered injuries against Ponteland and Scott could be sidelined for a couple of months.

A PHARMACEUTICALS giant is keeping faith with its North East roots by opening its new global corporate headquarters in Newcastle.

Aesica, which was previously based at its technical and manufacturing site in Cramlington and also has plants at Ponders End in North London and Queenborough in Kent, has set up its new head office at Balliol Business Park.

The business, which is named after a fort on Hadrian's Wall and was created as the result of a management buyout in 2004, supplies pharmaceutical ingredients and formulated products to a number of leading international drug companies.

After scoring 22 league goals for Cramlington Town last season, Jeff Fuller has joined Blyth Town and scored against his old team-mates.

Blyth won 2-1 after Fuller put them in front midway through the first half.

Jonathan Mann doubled the visitors' lead and Cramlington had to wait until the 85th minute for a reply from David Atkinson.

BRAVE two-year-old Emily Kate Jackson has twice fought for life in just two months -- and now she has her mum to thank for saving her.

The toddler was given mouth-to-mouth resuscitation by mother Sarah after she stopped breathing and is now recovering at home.

But it was the second time in just two months that the toddler had to fight for life.

Record numbers of young people in the North East have scooped top grades in this year's A-levels.

Cramlington High School achieved a pass rate of almost 100%, with Sarah Latty getting a place at Oxford with A grades in chemistry, physics, maths and further maths.

Headteacher Derek Wise said: "Once again we are pleased to announce outstanding results at A-level and we are particularly pleased that over half the grades are either A or B grades. It is a tribute to the hard work of staff and students alike."

Alnwick Town secured their first victory by beating hosts Cramlington Town 3-2.

James Swordy gave Alnwick the lead but replies from Steve Elsey and Kieran Parsons put Cramlington in charge. With five minutes to go, Andrew Tate's equaliser put Alnwick level before Ben Keenan hit their winner.

Youngsters who broke into a dairy depot and drove around in electric milk floats have been warned that they put their lives in danger.

The incident, which happened at the Dairy Farmers of Britain depot on Cramlington's Bassington industrial estate last weekend, is believed to have involved a group of local youths.

They broke in and then caused damage to a number of electric milk floats by getting on to them and driving them around.