Thousands of people who put their names to petitions opposing the potential closure of day care centres in Northumberland have been sent official council letters - questioning whether they had the right information when they signed.

The letters - signed by a senior member of the Liberal Democrat administration at County Hall - have gone out to almost 2,500 people who signed petitions calling for the seven county council-run centres for the elderly and disabled to remain open.

Yesterday they were branded insulting, unnecessary and a waste of taxpayers' money by some of those who have received them.

A young man died yesterday after getting into difficulties while swimming at a North East beauty spot.

The 20-year-old victim is believed to have been with friends in the River Coquet, in Northumberland, when tragedy struck.

His friends raised the alarm after he got pulled away by a fierce current close to the weir, near Guyzance, at about 3.20pm.

Victorian costumes will feature at a north Northumberland show -150 years to the day after the inaugural event.

Warkworth Show, which began life on August 22, 1859, as the Warkworth Grand Floral and Horticultural Fete - The First Exhibition, will include special commemorative features during this year's staging.

And an anniversary booklet was also launched at a cream tea event at Emberside House, Bridge Street, on Sunday afternoon. Tickets for the cream tea event are £3 and the booklet will cost £1. Call Sally Black on (01665) 711 262 for more information.

Residents, businesses and organisations across Northumberland are being asked to have their say on a major review which will shape future car parking policy in the county.

County council bosses are undertaking the review in a bid to devise suitable management arrangements for all of the car parks that it owns or manages.

The exercise will also help county councillors decide whether to leave car parking free in Blyth Valley and Wansbeck, or introduce charges similar to those currently facing motorists in towns such as Berwick, Alnwick, Hexham and Morpeth.

Youngsters in Northumberland are being urged to sign up for a summer reading challenge and activities at their local library.

The Knights and Princesses story and craft sessions involve storytelling and model making and are for children five to 10.

They will be held at Widdrington library on Monday, July 27, from 10.30am to 3.30pm, Hadston House library on Wednesday, July 29, from 10.30am to 11.30am, and Amble library on Monday, August 10, from 2.30pm to 3.30pm.

A Northumberland couple are trying to trace an old friend ahead of their golden wedding anniversary.

Former RAF firefighter Bob Jones married wife Audrey at St Cuthbert's Church, Amble, in October 1959.

His best man was fellow RAF man Dennis Patterson, pictured, who served with him at RAF Acklington .

A Labour MP has accused council bosses of using the excuse of following Government policy in planning to close seven Northumberland day care centres for elderly and vulnerable people.

The Liberal Democrat-led county council is consulting on plans to give elderly people personal budgets to spend on social activities - which could lead to the closure of the traditional council-run day centres in Amble, Bedlington, Blyth, Haltwhistle, Hexham, Prudhoe and Ponteland.

Meet Antonia Johnson - the plucky schoolgirl who is pounding the streets to raise money for a new classroom.

The five-year-old is raising cash by completing a two-mile round walk to school every day.

Every morning she sets off at 7.45am from her home in Amble and snakes her way down the A1068 to Warkworth First School.

Torrential rain in Northumberland at the weekend raised fears of a repeat of the weather chaos of last summer.

This 4x4 car was photographed in the River Coquet near Felton having been washed downstream.

Yesterday the Environment Agency said there were no severe flood warnings in the North East, although Flood Watches remained in force on the River Wear in Durham and the Rivers Pont and Blyth.

The all-clear had been sounded on the Derwent, Gaunless, Coquet, Wansbeck and other coastal rivers in Tyne and Wear and Northumberland.

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More than 20 caravan owners at a flagship Northumberland seaside park have been told to get rid of their holiday homes because of their age and appearance.

Letters have been sent to 26 owners at the 650-caravan Links Coastal Retreat and Holiday Park in Amble telling them they must upgrade to a newer model or vacate their pitch.

But yesterday, site owner, Park Leisure 2000, firmly rejected claims that have been circulating locally that the letters have gone out to more than 80 owners.