She was capsized in the stormy Atlantic Ocean when Northumberland yachtsman Ross Hobson last saw his racing catamaran Mollymawk.

Two years later - and 2,000 miles from the spot where they parted - Mollymawk has turned up again.

The streamlined triple-hulled racer is now resting on the sandy shore of a tiny island in the Bahamas.

AMBITIOUS £7m plans are being launched to build a championship standard golf course and clubhouse at Close House Hotel near Heddon-on-the-Wall.

The hotel, which already has one golf course, is owned by Sage co-founder Graham Wylie, an entrepreneur, property developer and one of the North East's wealthiest men.

He has been steadily buying up around 200 acres of land from farmers to the north and west of the existing golf course to provide space to create the new facility.

Young people are being targeting in a hard-hitting campaign to reduce the number of bonfire and firework-related injuries across Northumberland.

Fireworks injure almost 1000 children in the North of England every year, often resulting in permanent scarring or disfiguration. Now Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service is warning pupils in secondary schools about the dangers in a programme of educational visits.

Landmark locations will be seen in a new light this winter with the return of a hugely popular winter festival. Northumberland Lights - and the award-winning team behind it - are back with more bright ideas for outdoor illuminations.

From November 2 to 30, the winter festival will bathe some of the most beautiful and remote spots from Blyth to the Borders in an array of colour, in celebration of the county's contrasting architectural and natural environment.

FREE bus transport for older students is set to leave Northumberland County Council with a £500,000 bill. But councillors last night hailed the scheme to provide passes for A-level and college students as a massive success - and said it was likely to cost much less than feared.

The free pass has seen the number of teenagers using buses more than double, from 800 in July to 1,850 now. The county council took the decision to scrap fares after they rose to £360 a year under the previous Labour administration.

There will be delays for the next two days for traffic near Ponteland.

The traffic problems will hit the A696 Ponteland to Kenton Bar Interchange during the nights from today until October 29.

Roadworks are causing the problems between 8pm and 6am each day.

Ponteland residents are being invited to a special talk with author Stephen Done.

The mystery writer will be visiting Ponteland Library on Wednesday November 12 at 7pm.

Stephen's latest novel, The Murder of Crows, is the newest book in his Inspector Vignoles series.

Shoppers in Ponteland will be able to sample a range of local produce at a special event this weekend.

The Ponteland Farmers Market offers a good mix of fare, including rare breed pork and beef; organic vegetables; fresh mussels; hand-smoked game; home-made soups; jams and pickles; fresh bread and pies; traditionally-made cheeses and hand-made soaps and natural skin care products.

The market also allows people to reduce their food miles and ensure that the income generated stays within the local community.

The farmers market takes place at the Memorial Hall on Darras Road from 9am until 12noon.
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Youngsters in a Ponteland church are about to take to the stage for charity.

Teenagers at St. Mary's Church will perform Celebrating the Seven Ages of Man, which was written by Canon Michael Hampel, on Saturday October 25.

The show starts at 7.30pm and admission is free. Refreshments will be provided and a collection will be made for the Down's Syndrome Association.

For more information, call the St Mary's Church on 01661 822140.

THE flood warning system failed Northumberland residents, despite officials knowing heavy rainfall posed a risk some days before the devastating deluge hit last month, it has emerged.

Environment Minister Jane Kennedy said no warning was issued for Rothbury - one of the worst-hit areas - during the events of September 6 because the system did not work due to technical limitations.

She added that the severe rainfall that caused the flooding, which also affected Morpeth and Ponteland, was first identified as a potential threat a number of days before the event as a substantial weather system was tracked.