Half-term bird-themed events will be on offer for youngsters from Northumberland Wildlife Trust.

The free events are being run through the SENSE Project. A Feed the Birds Event takes place on February 16, between 1pm and 3pm at Plessey Woods; there will be bird watching at Holywell Pond Reserve on February 17, between 10.30am and 12.30pm; and on February 18, between 1pm and 3pm, at East Cramlington Local Nature Reserve, children will be able to make bird feeders and take part in feathery quizzes and challenges.

Call Laura Lowther on 0191 284 6884.

Members of Cramlington Community Forum are taking to Manor Walks Shopping Centre to ask local residents about their concerns.

The 'Talking about Cramlington' event will take place next Saturday, 13th February from 10am- 4pm.

People can post their views on display boards post-it' notes, covering topics such as learning, environment, health, transport, community issues and jobs.

The community forum are also looking for forum volunteers to help run the event in two-hour slots. Contact CVA Blyth Valley at info@cvabv.org.uk or 01670 353623 to let them know when you would be able to attend.

A mining company's bid to extend the working life of a massive opencast site in Northumberland will be unveiled to local people next week.

The Banks Group wants to extract an additional two million tonnes of coal from the 750-acre Shotton mine west of Cramlington - which was given the green light by the Government despite strong local opposition.

The latest plans, which would extend the life of the site by two years, will go on display at three public exhibitions.

A walk down memory lane will take place at Cramlington Library.

Mining Memories in South East Northumberland will be hosted by local historian Barry Mead from 2pm on Thursday. Entry is free.

A community forum meeting is to be held on Thursday.

Cramlington Community Forum will take place from 6.30pm at St Nicholas Church, East Farm, Cramlington.

Community forums are the new mechanism for local people to engage with organisations operating in Northumberland and for those bodies to consult with local communities in Northumberland.

A young musician from Northumberland has been sharing her love of traditional regional music in a series of performances.

Chloe Corrigan, 12, from Fieldhead, near Morpeth has been playing the Northumbrian small pipes at festive events at Cramlington's Azure Garden Centre.

The Rothbury Middle School pupil first started playing the historic instrument when she was just nine years old, with the average age of players around 70.

She became interested after hearing renowned small pipe artist Kathryn Tickell on the radio and grew increasingly fond of the music after her family moved North from Jesmond five years ago.

Cramlington band The Longsands embark on a hectic December today, kicking off a national tour as support for From The Jam.

It is another notable step up the ladder for a hard-working group of lads who have been more than knocking on the door for the past few years.

"This tour has given us a fantastic opportunity to showcase ourselves in front of a new audience and to get the major record labels to see us," says lead singer Trevor Cox.

The first ever official switch-on of the Christmas lights in Cramlington will take place this Sunday.

The fun at the ceremony will include music from The Smokin' Barrels and Cramlington Learning Village choir. The lights will be switched on by the Mayor of Cramlington, Mr Brian Pickering.

The whole family is welcome at the free event, which will be at Cramlington Village Square at 5pm on 29th November. In the event of bad weather the entertainment will be at the Village Club.

Children are being offered the chance to have breakfast with Father Christmas at Café Azure in Station Road, Cramlington, at 9am on Saturday and Sunday.

Tickets for the events, which include breakfast and a gift from Santa, cost £5.99.

To book call (01670) 733 762 or visit www.cafe-azure.co.uk.

It has been six years since Gary Phelan sang his 21-year-old heart out to the nation on the BBC1 talent show, Fame Academy.

The Cramlington-born singer made it to the all-important live shows and stayed there for three weeks, thanks to his singing and songwriting skills, as well as his blue eyes, we wouldn't wonder.

Anyway, since his exit from the show (the now anonymous Alex Parks was crowned winner of the series), Gary - who narrowly missed getting a place in McFly don't you know - has been working on his own material... even using the world-famous Guy Chambers (who was Robbie Williams' writing partner for years and has since worked with pretty much any big pop act you'd care to name) as a sounding board.