Young badminton players proved top of the form when they took to the court for a tournament at Ashington Leisure Centre.

Teams from Berwick, Allendale, Alnwick and Prudhoe took part in the Key Stage Three and Four Northumberland Schools Badminton County Final organised by Badminton England and the School Sports Partnership..

Northumberland Schools Badminton County Final Key Stage Four winners (back) and the stage three victors (front) receive their trophies at Ashington Leisure Centre

For the first time, all six School Sports Partnerships in Northumberland - Ashington, Blyth and Bedlington, Cramlington and Seaton Valley, Morpeth and Ponteland, North Northumberland and Tynedale - were involved in the competition.

Cramlington paralympian Stephen Miller is about to take on his most ambitious charity challenge yet. The triple gold medal-winning champion will attempt to take his club-throwing skills to a new level this month.

In an audacious feat held at Gateshead Stadium, Stephen plans to "throw a mile", meaning he will have to throw the club around once every minute to cover the distance.

The event will raise money for Comic Relief's Sport Relief charity, for whom Stephen recently became an ambassador.

Northern Alliance Premier Division outfit Cramlington Town were caught out in the first round of the Northern Alliance Charity Cup.

Despite their home advantage the Town were hammered 7-0 by Cullercoats with goals from Ben Gardner (2), Robert Watson (2), Craig Deighton (2) and Stewart Wright.

New manager Warren Fisher is still waiting for his first win in charge of Heddon in the Northern Alliance Premier Division, and they were beaten 3-2 by hosts Cramlington Town.

The two sides had drawn in an earlier encounter, but the Town forged ahead this time and were three goals to the good after 50 minutes thanks to Stuart Hepple (2) and Kevin Long.

There were two quick replies from Heddon's Ben Haddock and Mark McEwen but they could not save the game.

The story of the early years of football in the North East has been researched for a new book.

Pioneers of the North, by Newcastle United historians Paul Joannou and Alan Candlish, examines the introduction of football to the region, and remembers some notable early FA Cup ties.

One of them was when Shankhouse Black Watch, from near Cramlington, were drawn at home in 1887-88 against FA Cup holders Aston Villa, one of the most famous and powerful clubs in the country.

After losing three games on the trot, Walker Central returned to winning ways by beating visitors Shankhouse 4-1 despite James Armstrong opening the scoring for the visitors midway through the first half.

Campbell claimed the home side's equaliser after 35 minutes and just before the interval his colleague Paul Chapman netted to put them in front.

David Dormand added a third for the defending champions after 74 minutes and, with two minutes to go, returning star Campbell completed Walker's tally with his second strike of the game.

Student Gemma White is hoping for sporting honours next year - after netting a place alongside the world's best.

The 20-year-old from Cramlington has courted favour with the England indoor netball selectors, who have included her in their squad for the forthcoming World Cup tournament in South Africa.

White, a member of the Concordia Leisure Centre club for six years and studying sports science at Northumbria University, is relishing the six-day tournament in Rustenberg.

In two first-round ties in the Kicks Leisure Challenge Cup, Seaton Delaval and Shankhouse made progress.

Shankhouse needed extra time to beat cup visitors Cramlington Town 3-1.

Anthony Moran fired Shankhouse in front straight from the kick off and Cramlington had to wait until the 89th minute for Chris Davison's equaliser.

With only one home win to their credit so far, Cramlington Town did well to restrict Northern Alliance third-placed visitors Heaton Stannington to a 2-2 draw.

Finishes for Gary Yates and Iain Irvin in the 14th and 17th minutes had Heaton apparently coasting, but the Town's Jordan Watson trimmed their lead on the stroke of half-time.

On the hour mark, Danny Long restored parity for the home side.

Top British tennis officials have been enlisted to boost plans to develop the game in Cramington.

Members of the Lawn Tennis Association visited Cramlington Tennis Club's Cramlington Park base to see what is being achieved there and to hear ideas for future development.

The club's aim is to gain the site's long-term lease from Northumberland County Council.