Young footballers from Cramlington beat all-comers in a national competition to claim a prestigious trophy.

The young players from Cramlington Town juniors won the final of the Blackpool Seven tournament with a convincing 5-1 scoreline.

They beat teams from Yorkshire and Manchester as well as others from the North East.

An interior design and manufacturing company expects to start growing after seeing a 20% fall in sales last year following a shake-up by its German parent company.

Cramlington-based H-A Interiors said it had suffered at the hands of the recession, with its sales slipping from £12m to around £9.4m as homeowners cut back on their decorating spend.

The company, which was founded in 1947, also said it had been forced to cut 30 jobs last year as part of its efforts to streamline the business .

Scouts from across South East Northumberland got together to prepare for a massive European outdoor adventure.

They gathered in the North ahead of a trip to Kandersteg, Switzerland, this summer, where they will enjoy a 10-day adventure.

Ahead of their trip, 90 of them gathered just outside Carlisle to get acquainted with some of the activities they will be participating in in Switzerland.

Cramlington-based mobile airtime distributor Fone Logistics has been nationally recognised at the Mobile News Awards for a year of growth despite the recession.

Founded in 1996, Fone Logistics was commended by Mobile News for its performance in 2009, ringing in a turnover increase of almost 10%, and a 26% growth in network connections.

The company restructured in November 2009 with local businessman and founder Ian Gillespie reassuming full control of the business, following a deal to acquire share capital from external funders.

Newcastle University and Heddon have become isolated at the bottom of the Northern Alliance Premier Division- and both lost again to Cramlington sides.

Bottom club Newcastle University had Ben Burt on target at home to Cramlington Town but went down 2-1 after conceding goals to Jordan Watson and Martin Wardale.

Heddon, despite leading 2-1 at the interval with strikes for Kevin Urwin and Ben Haddock, were beaten 3-2 by hosts Shankhouse whose scorers were Jack Davidson, Anth Moran and Paul Armstrong.

Meanwhile in Division Two, Swalwell easily beat second from bottom hosts Cramlington Blue Star 5-1.

The Swalwell counters flowed from Stuart Rook (2), Joe Adams, Matthew Scott and Chris Smith, with Ross Armstrong replying for the losers.

When Cramlington firm Insulation Industries went into administration early last year, two employees decided to try running the factory themselves.

The new company, Specialist Panels, is now reporting better-than-expected turnover of £1.1m in its first year of trading.

Former Insulation Industries commercial manager Rob Parkin (pictured) set up the company with co-worker Brian Camp and fellow partner Peter Moody following a management buy-out from the receivers.

Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service are holding a Family Fun Day next month.

The day, organised by Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service in conjunction with the Royal British Legion, will take place at Ann Welfare in Cramlington on Saturday May 22 from 11am to 6pm.

Throughout the event attractions will include Spanish City rides and amusements. There will also be a freefall parachute display, tank rides, an RAF dog display team, paintball, climbing and an obstacle course.

Leading mineralogists from across Europe have been learning lessons about environmental best practice during a visit to an opencast coal mine in Northumberland.

More than 40 delegates spent two days at Newcastle University for the annual conference of the Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland's Clay Minerals Group.

As part of the conference, they made a half-day visit to the Banks Group's Shotton surface mine near Cramlington to see how modern opencast operations keep their impact on the environment down to a minimum.

Health and safety rules will stop young people across Northumberland carrying out charity work.

Youth projects and independent schools are among the organisations which have been told by the county council to stop sending youngsters on Duke of Edinburgh awards' scheme expeditions until further notice.

Council bureaucrats say they have no choice but order an immediate suspension of expedition activities.

When Cramlington mother-of-two Ann Lamb survived breast cancer 17 years ago she was determined to support vital research into the killer disease as a personal thank you for the gift of life.

She started organising sponsored walks involving family, friends and work colleagues at various locations along the North East coastline and countryside.

Now her annual Crocus Walks - along with other activities such as raffles and donations - have raised a staggering £21,500 for the national charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer.