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Two heroes who saved the life of a man suffering a cardiac arrest have been nominated for an award.
Robbie Beckwith and off duty Police Community Support Officer Mark Rodgers were playing table tennis at Ouston Community Centre when they heard a call for help.
Mike Jones, 63, had just finished a match at the Chester-le-Street centre when he suddenly collapsed.
The pair quickly realised the father-of-three’s heart had stopped beating and started performing CPR until paramedics and an emergency care assistant from the North East Ambulance Service arrived on the scene.
Mike, of Nedderton, near Bedlington, was then shocked with a defibrillator before transporting him to Newcastle’s Freeman hospital.
Robbie and Mark’s quick thinking saved Mike’s life and they have now both been nominated for a Chronicle Champions award in the category of Outstanding Act of Bravery.
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CLUB STATEMENT 
Bedlington FC were formed this summer following the recent merger of Bedlington Town FC, Bedlington United and Hazelmere Juniors. The Club has been working closely with Bedlington Juniors since then to move towards creating a super club. At a meeting on 31st August 2017 both parties agreed to join forces and continue together as Bedlington FC.
David Langhorne, Chairman of Bedlington FC said: “These are hugely exciting times for the club as we move in to the season together as Bedlington FC. With a massive 36 teams playing for us we are rapidly becoming one of the biggest clubs in the region. Over the years Bedlington has had a growing number of clubs all competing but doing their very best for the community and grassroots football - but together we will do much more. All of the founding clubs have a proud history that we will never forget but that said we now look firmly forward to a very exciting future together and improving the offer to our future and existing footballers. We have brand new indoor and outdoor 3G facilities to boast of and great partnerships around Bedlington giving us fantastic grass venues. This is only just the beginning.” 
Michael Quigley, Chairman of Bedlington Juniors said: “Like David says these are truly exciting times. The merger of clubs brings about a wealth of experience at both a coaching and committee level ensuring grassroots football in Bedlington will only get the best. Not only will the club boast 36 teams of boys and girls at virtually every age group they will also have one of the best, if not the best tots programme in the area. Then not forgetting the senior teams at the top end. Bedlington FC is most certainly the place to be.”
Good luck to all Bedlington FC players for the 2017/18 season. Let’s have some fun!
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Councillors are set to give the go-ahead for the construction of almost 2,000 homes in Northumberland.
Developments in Amble, Blyth, Ashington, Bedlington and Choppington have all been earmarked for approval by Northumberland County Council’s strategic planning committee.
Developers are expected to be granted permission to build 500 homes on a site near James Calvert Spence College in Amble at a meeting on Tuesday.
Plans for 500 properties off Glebe Farm in Bedlington could also get the nod, as well as another 200 homes on land off Summerhouse Lane in Ashington.
In Blyth, two developments for 300 and 142 homes respectively are expected to go-ahead, while another 327 properties could be built on land at Willow Burn in Choppington.
Below we take a look at each application in more depth.
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Cycling legend Mark Cavendish has confirmed that he will ride in next week’s Ovo Energy Tour of Britain, which has a stage in Northumberland on Monday 4 September.

Cavendish will lead Team Dimension Data in the Tour  as the ten-time stage winner in the race makes his comeback from injury after fracturing his scapula on Stage Four of the Tour de France.

The OVO Energy Tour of Britain is British Cycling’s premier road cycling event, giving cycling fans the opportunity to see the world’s best teams and riders competing on their door step.  

On Monday 4th, Northumberland  is hosting an entire stage of the prestigious  cycle race including an exciting start in the heart of Kielder and a dramatic finish on the coast at Blyth. It will pass through 28 communities covering 211 kms along its route through the county.

Dimension Data will be heading to the race as two-time defending champions and hoping to make it a hat trick of wins in 2017, having won the 2015 and 2016 editions of Britain’s biggest professional cycle race with Edvald Boasson Hagen and Steve Cummings respectively.

Boasson Hagen is the current Norwegian Time Trial Champion, and with the Stage Five test at Clacton in Essex over a short 16-kilometre distance that is likely to play to his strengths, the 30-year-old is among the favourites to add to his overall wins in the Tour of Britain in 2009 and 2015.

The line-up includes a strong mix of strength and experience with Mark Renshaw (a double Tour of Britain stage winner), Bernhard Eisel and Jay Thomson, while Scott Thwaites will make his third appearance in his national Tour, having last ridden in 2014.

Commenting on the line-up, Sport Director Roger Hammond – himself a double-stage winner in the event – said:

“It is great to be heading back to the OVO Energy Tour of Britain this week. As this event has grown in stature year on year, so has our team and the last two years in particular were fantastic for us.

“We always receive a huge amount of support in the UK for the team and for Qhubeka. With our partners, Dimension Data, Deloitte and Nederburg having such a large in presence over here too, the Tour of Britain is a very special and key event for our team. We will no doubt be looking to put on a good show once again, we always start a race with the goal to win, this year's Tour of Britain will be no different.”

Founded in 2007, Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka became the first ever African cycling team to gain a WorldTour license, in 2016. In the team’s palmares you can find a Milan-Sanremo victory, numerous stage wins at the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana, two Tour of Britain GC victories, and 36 National Championships.

It’s also known as Africa’s Team due to its focus on helping African talents to the world stage of cycling. The team races to raise funds for the Qhubeka Charity to change lives with bicycles in Africa.

For route details and timings in Northumberland log on to www.nlandtob.com  
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A fantastic range of  free events and activities will be taking place  in communities along the route of the Ovo Energy Tour of Britain cycle race to celebrate its day in the county.

On Monday 4th September there will be a carnival atmosphere across Northumberland as elite cyclists from the world’s top teams set off from Kielder for the second stage of Britain’s most prestigious cycle race, passing through 28 communities and covering over 200kms  of the county.

The community events will focus on all things pedal powered and provide Northumberland residents, of all ages the perfect opportunity to have a go at cycling.

These include:

Kielder

In Kielder where the race starts,  a two day cycle themed festival will take place on  Saturday 2nd and  Sunday 3rd September at Kielder Waterside to help get people of all ages and abilities in the mood for the big day on Monday 4th.   KielderFest is free and includes a pop up velodrome, stunt performances, live music, outdoor cinema screenings, street food and a whole host of cycling related activities.


Morpeth

From 11 am  on Monday there will be a family fun day in Carlisle Park and the Market Place. 3 Sixty bicycle stunt team will put on a BMX display at the skate park in Carlisle Park and will help anyone wanting to have a go using their own bike. Other activities include archery, a cycle slalom, games and puzzles with prizes and bowling and tennis taster sessions. There will also be music and a climbing wall in the Market Place.

Staff at Morpeth Riverside Leisure Centre will be holding free bike riding lessons to help children get off their stabilisers.  Children must wear a helmet and bring their own bike, preferably with the stabilisers removed. Sessions last approximately 75 minutes and will run from 10 am - 12 noon.  Call in at Riverside to find out more, and to book your child onto one of the sessions.

There are also 14 golden bikes placed around Morpeth for you to try spot !



Alnwick

From 10 am on Monday there will be a series of attractions in Bondgate Within including The 3 Sixty bicycle stunt riding team. Bring your children  along to try out balance bikes with Active Northumberland or watch a cycle-powered juice maker in action. Spinning cycling sessions will be taking place at Willowburn Sports Centre. It is hoped that members will  clock up the total 815 mile distance of the Tour of Britain over the course of the day.

Rothbury

On Monday from 10.30am on Church Street there will be music, crafts, street performers, a Vintage 3 wheeler morgan and a bookstall.  Childrens sports will start  at 1.30 pm ( meet outside the parish hall)   and Free Balance Bike sessions will be open for 3-5 year olds at Rothbury Kindergarten between 2-3pm.  To book a place contact Rothbury Visitor Centre on 01669 621462.


Blyth

Activities will be taking place in Blyth Market Square on Monday from 10am when the Street Velodrome and stalls will open. There will be live music on stage from 11. Local school children will be competing in Italian time trials on the finishing straight between 11.45-12.45.

Sports Development Officers from Active Northumberland will be present in the town centre from 10am. They will run balance bike sessions for young children, a  static cycle challenge for those a little older and you can learn more about the adult cycle hire scheme.

Spinning cycling sessions will be taking place at Blyth Sports Centre. It is hoped that members will  clock up the total 815 mile distance of the Tour of Britain over the course of the day.

At around 3pm the pro cyclists  will pass through and start their finishing lap of the Seaton Valley. The riders are set to cross the finishing line around 3.30pm by Blyth Market Place.
The presentations to the pro-riders will take place in the Market square after the race.
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Deputy Leader of Northumberland County Council,  Cllr Wayne Daley said: ”This promises to be a really memorable day for Northumberland  and I hope residents enter the spirit of the occasion by coming along,  cheering on the riders and taking part  in the fun family events taking place in their local community.”

For further information log on to  wwww.nlandtob.com    
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With just days to go until Northumberland is alive with the sights and sounds of the Ovo Energy Tour of Britain, spectators are being urged to arrive in plenty of time to catch the action.

The Ovo Energy Tour of Britain, the UK’s premier road cycling event, is coming to the county on Monday 4 September, with world class riders cycling over 200 kms  between Kielder and Blyth, passing through 28 communities along the route.

To minimise disruption across the county, all roads on the route will be closed using a rolling roadblock system for around 40 minutes -  both 20 minutes before and after the cyclists are expected to pass through each community.

The closures are required to ensure the safety of spectators and competitors and will be managed by police motorcycle escorts.  While the closures are in place, pedestrian access will be maintained as will vehicle access for emergency services.

In some key parts of  the race, including Rothbury to Alnwick, Belford to Seahouses, Lesbury to Warkworth, the centre of Morpeth  and in Blyth town centre there will be full road closures which will have a greater impact on travel.

Although the road closures will be kept in place for as short a time as possible, they will inevitably cause some disruption  to both car and bus journeys.

Spectators are advised  to arrive in plenty of time to watch the race and residents who are going about their daily business  on race day are being asked to plan their journeys around the race, take a different route, or allow extra travel time.

Some key points and estimated timings along the route:
  10.15am    Start on Kielder Dam 11am        First King of the Mountains climb starts outside Elsdon, climbing  
                 to the Winter’s Gibbet 11:45am    Riders approach Rothbury followed by King of the Mountains hill
                 climbs up Debdon Bank and Corby Crag 12:10pm    Riders approach Alnwick 1pm      Riders approach Belford and head to Bamburgh 1.20 pm    Sprint through Seahouses 2pm      Sprint through Warkworth 2.40pm     Arrive in Morpeth via Amble, Widdrington and Ulgham 2:50pm     Arrive in Bedlington via Guide Post and Choppington 3pm       Riders pass through Blyth for the first time 3:10pm      Sprint  through Seaton Sluice 3:30pm      Riders race back through Blyth for the finish Deputy Leader of Northumberland County Council, Councillor  Wayne Daley  said: “The preparation is almost complete and we’re ready to welcome the Tour of Britain, which will attract many visitors to the county, boost the local economy and showcase Northumberland’s magnificent landscape to a worldwide television audience.

“ The council has worked hard to minimise disruption for its residents while the race takes place but this is a major international event so there will be a number of road closures in place to ensure the race can take place safely.

“We will be working hard to ensure any disruption is kept to a minimum and would ask residents  to familiarise themselves with some of the details and timings of the route so they can plan ahead. ”

Access to Morpeth Bus Station, Morpeth Railway Station and public car parks in the centre of Morpeth will all be affected by the road closure between 2pm - 3.30pm  so visitors should plan their journeys around these times as routes around Morpeth are likely to be busy during this period.
There will be disruption to other bus journeys on 4 September, particularly with afternoon services. Details of all affected services are available via www.nlandtob.com

All health services will remain open and fully functioning during the Tour and access to hospitals and GP practices along  the route will be maintained, although in some cases diversions may be in place. Patients and visitors are advised to allow extra time for their journey.
 
Professor Chris Gray, medical director at NHS England Cumbria and the North East, said: “The Tour of Britain is sure to be an exciting event, but with the added influx of people in the area, this may put additional pressure on health services.

“If you are unfortunate enough to have a minor injury or illness, such as a sprain, strain, cut or fall, there are lots of options – ranging from pharmacist advice and basic first aid treatment to GP surgeries and NHS 111.  Please keep A&E for life-threatening injuries and severe symptoms which come on suddenly.”

For more details about Stage Two of the Tour of Britain, including maps detailing the route, road closures  and estimated arrival times of the race, plus information about events going on in your local area, visit www.nlandtob.com  
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Excitement is building for the eagerly-anticipated return of the Tour of Britain to Northumberland.
Covering 117 miles and passing through 26 communities, the world’s elite riders will descend on the county next week.
The race - one of the most prestigious dates on the cycling calendar - sees riders compete over eight days across the UK.
The Northumberland stage starts in Kielder Water and Forest Park and finishes in Blyth.
Here is everything you need to know about the event.
It is British Cycling’s premier road race and the country’s largest free-to-watch live annual sporting event.
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Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) is to take up the baton of promoting mental health awareness across the county.

The Our Blue Light Torch relay is making its way across the UK’s emergency services and on Saturday, September 2 the baton will be handed over by bike from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service to NFRS, along with colleagues from Northumbria Police.

Our Blue Light started in the north west of England with the specific aim of raising mental health awareness across all emergency services including fire, police, ambulance, search and rescue, the Prison Service and the NHS.

The arrival of the torch relay heralds the start of a week of NFRS awareness raising events in Northumberland, including a cycle ride, demonstrations of the service’s swift water rescue techniques and a walk from Craster to Bamburgh, which people are welcome to attend.

At the end of the week the torch relay will pass to colleagues from County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service and will also make an appearance at the Great North Run.

Station Manager Andy Davison from NFRS said: “Recent high profile incidents in London and elsewhere have really highlighted the work of the emergency services and the challenges and stresses we face on a daily basis.

“While the service already offers a range of support to promote both physical and mental wellbeing, it’s important we continue to realise that mental health issues can affect everyone and this relay is a great way of getting the message out there.”

Councillor John Riddle, Chair of Northumberland Fire Authority, added: “While working in the fire service is one of the most rewarding jobs, by its very nature it can be stressful.

“Their health and welfare is an absolute priority and we are delighted to be involved in this torch relay and awareness raising events.”

Anyone interested in joining the awareness raising walk on Thursday, September 7 can contact Andy Davison on (01670) 621186 or via andy.davison@northumberland.gov.uk

More information on the work of the charity is available via www.ourbluelight.com  
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Residents are being asked to play their part in tackling under-age sales in the county.

The sale of age restricted products happens throughout the whole of the year and Northumberland County Council’s Trading Standards Service carry out regular test purchasing exercises whenever it receives complaints.

The sales usually centre around alcohol and tobacco but can include any age restricted product, including knives, solvents, fireworks and aerosol paints, e-cigarettes and liquids.

Apart from the known health effects of some of these products, issues can arise in terms of anti-social behaviour when some of the products are consumed or abused.

Currently there are few complaints being reported about the selling of age restricted to those under the legal age and the Trading Standards Service is asking anyone who sees or knows of shops selling age restricted products to report it to them so that action can be taken.

Councillor John Riddle, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing & Resilience said: “If residents know of any people selling age controlled products to young people, especially if they are selling alcohol or tobacco from their own home, they should report this to Trading Standards.

“If you are approached by a young person and asked to purchase alcohol, tobacco or e-cigarettes always refuse. Buying such items for under 18s can lead to a fine, fixed penalty notice or even a criminal record.”

Any concerns regarding age restricted sales should be reported via email to tradingstandards@northumberland.gov.uk

Any information will be held in the strictest confidence.

People can also telephone 01670 623870 and ask to speak to the Trading Standards Duty Officer.
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Up to 2,000 homes and businesses could benefit from funding to provide superfast broadband to more Northumberland communities.   Through the iNorthumberland programme, Northumberland County Council and BT have agreed a fund of £2.2 million to bring the high-speed technology to some of the most expensive and technically difficult to reach communities in the county.   The new iNorthumberland Community Broadband Fund works with a Community Fibre Partnership programme in which communities not currently in any fibre broadband plans can partner with Openreach, the local network business which is part of BT Group, to get superfast broadband in their area. These communities can now apply to use the new iNorthumberland fund, which can be matched by up to 50 per cent of additional private funding, on top of Openreach’s investment. If fully matched, the value of new broadband schemes could be more than £4 million.    The fund will offer up to £2,000 matched funding per premise for a superfast broadband connection or up to £2,500 for ultrafast - with a maximum contribution available to a single community capped at £100,000.   Each community will need to have a nominated person or organisation to apply for inclusion in the scheme.  They will be responsible for getting a community fibre broadband quote from Openreach and also required to arrange payment of the community’s contribution to the scheme when the contract is agreed.   Cllr Nick Oliver, cabinet member for corporate services at Northumberland County Council, said:  “I am really pleased that we have been able to agree the funding for this scheme, and to get the ball rolling for a number of communities who are geared up to sign contracts, and get work underway.   “We know that there is a high demand amongst households in these more hard to reach areas, and also that a number of businesses are struggling to sustain their current business models due to connectivity issues.   “Securing schemes through this funding will help to increase access to services and allow greater adoption of digital services for rural residents.  It will also help to grow the economy by both supporting existing businesses and encouraging new ones to become established in Northumberland.”   By the end of this year the iNorthumberland programme will have delivered superfast broadband to 93 per cent of homes and business in the county - and it is envisaged that through this new community fund it could reach close to 98 per cent.     These final premises are in some of the most rural and dispersed communities in Northumberland and providing connectivity to these areas has been both technologically challenging and costly.   The iNorthumberland team has been working with BT, Openreach and local communities and groups across the county with a view to progressing with this scheme, and some communities are already gearing up to sign contracts.   Some of the first communities set to benefit include Nunnykirk, Stanton near Netherwitton, Bolam, Pauperhaugh and Styford.   Steve Haines, managing director of next generation access for Openreach, said: “It is great to be able to work with Northumberland County Council and communities from across the County to find a fibre broadband solution.    “Openreach is committed to making fibre broadband as widely available as possible for households and businesses. The technology really does have the ability to transform the way people interact online.”   Simon Roberson, BT’s regional partnership director for the North East, added: “This additional fund is quite literally going to help superfast broadband go that extra mile, reaching communities that would otherwise be unlikely to benefit from faster broadband speeds. This is fantastic news for Northumberland.”   The iNorthumberland team will liaise with communities who have previously been in touch with the council or BT to support them through the process.     Those who are interested will need to register with the iNorthumberland team, who will be able to provide support in completing documentation and starting the process.   As well as the 50:50 funding option, there could be further opportunities for areas to become connected.  In instances where Openreach cannot provide a quote under the criteria of the fund, there will be secondary funding within the scheme which could be used to seek alternative network solutions, such as fibre via a different network provider, fixed wireless or mobile 4G.   The funding for the iNorthumberland Community Broadband Scheme has been made available due to efficiencies in the first phase of the iNorthumberland programme.   iNorthumberland, a partnership between Northumberland County Council and BT, has already made fibre broadband available to more than 55,000 premises across the county.   More than 40 per cent of Northumberland households and businesses able to upgrade to the new technology have already chosen to do so - a figure which is among the highest levels of take-up in the UK.   BT was awarded the iNorthumberland contract in April 2013, whilst the second phase contract was signed in June last year.    More than £29 million is being invested in the programme area by Northumberland County Council, the Government’s Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) fund, BT and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).    For further information and details of how to contact iNorthumberland visit www.inorthumberland.org.uk


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