Last week's poll on the Your Place Northumberland sites asked people to vote for their favourite natural beauty spot in the county. We celebrate the winner, the Farne Islands, with a gallery of photos showing some of the islands' inhabitants:

You've picked Northumberland's top castle and its top beauty spot, but now we're asking you for your views on the county's best building.

Our choice of 12 impressive structures ranges from the Royal Border Bridge in the north to Seaton Delaval Hall in the south, from the 12th century Hexham Abbey to modern buildings like Woodhorn and Alnwick Treehouse.

You can also pick from Morpeth Chantry, Howick Hall, Belsay Hall, Wallington, Brinkburn Priory, Cragside or Biddlestone Chapel - or add your own choice if we've missed it.

You can vote by clicking your choice on the Local Poll section at the bottom of this home page. The voting will be open for the next two weeks, with the winner announced on April 10.

Green events for all the family will now be on offer at two more nature reserves.

Northumberland Wildlife Trust has added two more reserves to its list of venues for its programme of 2009 events offered as part of the SENSE (South East Northumberland Sustainable Environments) project.

At the time of the launch, the five sites chosen were Holywell Pond, Big Waters, Newsham Pond, Ha'Penny Woods and East Cramlington Pond and Local Nature Reserve.

Now Choppington and Plessey Woods have been added to the list and a series of community events, education opportunities and volunteer days will be held at the two sites throughout the forthcoming year.

The Traveller's Rest in Choppington overcame a tricky away game at Pegswood Ex-Services to maintain the pace at the top of Division One.

Goals from David John Kilpatrick (2) and Dale Wilkinson earned them a 3-2 win, with Carl Sanders and Matthew Cummins getting on the scoresheet for the hosts.

Lynemouth keep snapping at their heels, however, after comprehensively beating Ashington Booze Brothers 8-1.

Former miner John Devon has been through the two biggest town hall reorganisations in Northumberland's history - but he describes the current shake-up as 'mayhem' compared to the last one.

Coun Devon, now 75, had only been an elected councillor for two years when he took part in the 1974 local government reorganisation, which resulted in the creation of the county's existing six district and borough councils.

As a member of the Ashington Urban District Council, he was part of the process which saw his authority merged with the neighbouring Newbiggin and Bedlingtonshire Urban Councils to create the new Wansbeck District Council.

A tree planting ceremony will take place next week to celebrate the inauguration of the new Northumberland County Council.

Council leader Jeff Reid and chief executive Steve Stewart will be planting an oak tree in the grounds of County Hall, Morpeth, on Wednesday at 1pm.

They will also be officially raising the new county council flag.

Meanwhile, residents across the county can still give their opinions on how they would like the new-look authority to tackle problems in their community.

The Farne Islands have been voted Northumberland's top beauty spot.

In the latest poll on the Your Place community websites, the Farnes got 27% of the votes, ahead of Lindisfarne (22%) and the Cheviots (17%).

Votes also went to Bolam Lakes, Crag Lough, Allen Banks, Druridge Bay and Kielder Water.

Transport secretary Geoff Hoon refused to back a long-running campaign to restore passengers trains to Northumberland's most heavily-populated area.

Geoff Hoon, centre, at Bedlington Station yesterday with Denis Fancett, of the South East Northumberland Rail User Group, and Wansbeck MP Denis Murphy, right

Mr Hoon would not give any commitment of Government support or funding for plans to re-introduce passenger services to towns such as Ashington and Bedlington.

Police have named an elderly woman whose body was found lying on a riverside footpath in Northumberland early yesterday.

Margaret Shaw, 78, of Windsor Villas, Choppington, lived near the spot where her body was found.

She was discovered at 6am lying on a path next to the River Wansbeck underneath Stakeford Bridge.

Northumbria Police put up a white tent to shield the body from public view and issued appeals in a bid to identify who it was, formally naming Mrs Shaw later in the day.

Red Row Brick Club - last year's beaten finalists - booked a return to the final of the Lewin Cup after their 1-0 win over Pegswood Ex-Services in their semi-final.

Gavin Keen was the man who popped up with the all important goal to see them through to a match against Traveller's Rest, Choppington, following their extra time win over Lynemouth in the other semi. Adam Kent scored for Lynemouth , but goals from Simon Kilpatrick, Steven Young and Damon Mullen saw the Traveller's through.