World Cup winner Sir Bobby Charlton has been voted the Greatest Living Northumbrian in a poll on the Your Place microsites.

The Ashington-born footballer won 27% of the votes, beating actor Robson Green (17%) and comedian Ross Noble (15%).

Other nominees in the poll were Sir Bobby's brother Jack, musician Kathryn Tickell, cricketer Steve Harmison, the Duchess of Northumberland and darts commentator Sid Waddell.

A twitcher has turned to Twitter in his quest to share his love of Northumberland's spectacular wildlife.

Web-savvy Martin Kitching has enlisted the help of online messaging tool Twitter to allow fellow bird-watchers to indulge their passion for Northumberland's wildlife by following his sightings online.

Martin, who runs Choppington-based Northern Experience Wildlife Tours, said: "Twitter is an online service that allows its users to send and read each other's updates. People have been following us on the site so that they know about any animal sightings as soon as possible. It's not limited to updates about just birds, as we often see other animals too.

Linton and Woodhorn took three points at Alnmouth Argyle with a 3-1 win in Division One of the Morpeth Sunday League.

Stu Bremner netted for Argyle, but Davie Jones, Kevin Bell and Michael Freathy won it.

Pegswood Ex-Services swept aside Ox Inn with a 9-0 thrashing. Lee McAndrew scored five, Carl Sanders took a hat-trick and Josh Gilmartin completed the scoring.

A serial burglar who spent decades touring the region and raiding rural homes has begun a nine-year jail term.

Anthony Graham targeted wealthy families in Northumberland, Cumbria and North Yorkshire, creeping into their isolated properties and making off with treasured possessions.

The 50-year-old even plundered an historic castle of expensive antiques in his 30-year career as a "professional burglar".

A teenage rower and a thriving judo club have been honoured as sporting heroes in an awards scheme run by Wansbeck council.

Left to right: councillor Brian Richmond, Wayne Broderick, the Ashington Judo Club Senior Coach, Chris Weitz, Stephen Miller and Jamie Kirkwood

Rower Jamie Kirkwood, 19, and the Ashington Judo Club have been chosen as this year's top performers in the sporting hotbed of Wansbeck.

After last week's fun poll to find Northumberland's favourite castle, this week we turn our attention to the important matter of finding the Greatest Living Northumbrian.

After much discussion in the Your Place office, we have come up with eight people who we think sum up all that is great about Northumberland.

From the world of sport, you can choose between World Cup winners Bobby and Jack Charlton, and the Ashington Express Steve Harmison. There's also comedian Ross Noble, folk musician Kathryn Tickell, actor Robson Green and darts commentator Sid Waddell. Finally, we've added the Duchess of Northumberland into the mix for her work in developing the Alnwick Garden.

You can vote below for your choice and the results will be revealed next Friday.

Northumberland's new unitary council has received a national award for its planning service.

The authority was given a commendation by the Royal Town Planning Institute for the innovative way it is merging the existing planning services in Northumberland.

A new range of free courses is being put on this month at venues throughout the county.

The short bitesize courses provide an introduction into a variety of subjects, and include Computer Essentials, Working in Renewable Energies, Introduction to Alternative Therapy, Introduction to Retail Skills and Do You Want to Work in Tourism?

A guide which aims to help older people in Northumberland make the most of their lives has been produced for a third time by popular demand.

A fundraising campaign to drum up sponsorship has allowed the publication of the latest edition of the Golden Guide for Older People.

The Journal's Your Place microsites now have a group on the photo sharing facility Flickr.

We're looking for people to share their photos of community events, local sports teams, animals, places, or local people, from the Choppington area or anywhere else in Northumberland.

Go to www.flickr.com/groups/northumberlandcommunities to view an existing selection of images from recent Northumberland stories, including a miniature pig, a champion body-builder, a wheelbarrow race and a celebrity cockerel, as well as scenes from September's devastating floods...

To add your photos to the group you will need to set up a free account with Flickr if you don't already have one.