Latest news with #Northumberland
BBC News
6 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Dead swan found shot at Druridge Bay nature reserve
A dead swan has been found shot in the head at a popular beauty of the public found the female bird last week on the East Chevington nature reserve in Druridge Bay, grisly discovery was then reported to staff at the Hauxley Wildlife Discovery Centre, who said the swan had been 16 years old when it was Wildlife Trust (NWT) called the death "senseless" and "terrible". Hatched in 2009, the mute swan had a numbered metal ring attached to its leg in February 2011 for scientific monitoring meant it was possible to check its history. And, although there is no record of where the bird was born, three other records show it living on the River Wansbeck in June 2011, July 2012, and August Hauxley team also suspect the swan had been a resident at East Chevington for some time. NWT said, like all wild birds, swans were protected by the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act, making it illegal to harm charity stressed the killing of birds, or any other wildlife, would not be tolerated and would lead to "severe legal consequences" for those Alex Lister added: "It's terrible that a swan that had reached such a ripe old age should have their life ended in such a senseless way. "As a wildlife charity it is our job to protect and conserve wildlife and we are furious that this has happened at all, let alone in what's meant to be a safe and tranquil place to enjoy nature." Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
10 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Shambles market in Hexham shut until autumn for revamp
A £400,000 restoration project has started to rectify damage and address safety issues at a 259-year-old covered Shambles, a Grade-II listed structure built in 1766, occupies a prominent position within the heart of Hexham's conservation area, next to the town's County Council said it is in a poor state and "urgent work" is needed to restore its timber beams, stone columns, roof and marketplace is expected to remain shut until autumn, with traders offered an alternative site nearby, but Hexham East councillor Suzanne Fairless-Aitken called the closure "short-term pain for long-term gain". The Local Democracy Reporting Service reports bollards are also to be placed around The Shambles' north and west sides to protect its columns and stonework, which "have been repeatedly damaged by vehicles over the last few years". Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Tyneside stories you may have missed this week
From a sausage roll honour, to a stolen pit pony statue and a car recovered from the tide - here are some stories from Tyneside you may have missed this week. A sculpture of a Greggs sausage roll has been unveiled at Madame Tussauds. The London attraction has said the famous Geordie snack is the first food item to go on display in its own right. It elevates the snack to the level of a British cultural icon, sitting along celebrities such as Shakespeare and David Attenborough. Read more on this story here. A car submerged by the tide near the Holy Island causeway was recovered 50m (164ft) away from the road. Chris Mason, a worker who helped recover the car, said he had never seen one swept that far away before. "It just shows you how much the tide can pick a car up and shift it." The owners were located by Northumbria Police safe on the island shortly after the report was received, Seahouses Lifeboat Station said. Read more on this story here Families who had to leave their homes to make way for a project to widen part of the A1 in Northumberland, said they had "been through hell" as they saw their properties "left to rot" unnecessarily. The National Highways agency spent more than £4m on the purchase of houses and land in the way of the scheme, but the government scrapped the plans in October 2024. Melanie Wensby-Scott sat in her car and cried on the day she and her husband left Northgate House, which sits right next to the road not far from Morpeth. "When they first came round I said I didn't want to move and they basically said I had no option," said Mrs Wensby-Scott. "It was just awful to know you were going to lose your home." Read more on this story here A mystery sculptor has erected a bronze statue of a pit pony in place of a stolen one that served as a memorial to miners in Ryhope, Sunderland. The original was was cut down to its hooves and stolen in August 2024, while an identical statue at the other end of the village was sliced down by thieves in 2021, with nobody ever traced for either theft. The new bronze-coloured, fibreglass effigy appeared on one of the concrete plinths welcoming visitors to the village on Friday morning. Councillors previously estimated it could cost £34,000 to replace each original, and that the council faced "financial pressures". Read more about this story here Newcastle United's Dan Burn, who scored a gold that helped his team seal the historic Carabao Cup win in March, has been presented with the Freedom of Northumberland. The Blyth-born defender was hailed a "Northumberland legend" as he collected his home county's highest honour. Burn said he was "quite emotional" after receiving an ornate scroll, medal and tie decorated with the Northumberland flag, in a special ceremony at County Hall. "It's a real honour, especially for just playing football," he said. Read more about this story here Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Kielder Forest's first osprey chicks of the year hatch
The first osprey chicks of the year have hatched at one of their most important sites in chicks hatched at Kielder Forest, in Northumberland, earlier this week despite what were described as "less than ideal" conditions with wind and year saw the ospreys' earliest recorded return to the national park from sub-Saharan Africa with a sighting on 21 March - three days ahead of the previous first led to hopes of an improved breeding season after 12 chicks failed to fledge last year. The park is awaiting possible further hatchings this a Facebook post announcing the new arrivals, it said: "Conditions have been less than ideal here, with wind and rain causing a few wobbles but we're hopeful for a few more hatching over the weekend."There have been some excellent parenting skills on show and, with a steady diet of Kielder's rainbow trout, the chicks will grow quickly."Once found throughout the UK, wild ospreys were persecuted and the species became extinct in England in 1847 and in Scotland in in 2009 ospreys were born for the first time in Northumberland in more than 200 years, with more than 120 successfully fledging since are now approximately 350 breeding pairs in the UK, mostly in Scotland, but numbers in England and Wales have been slowly increasing. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Dan Burn receives Freedom of Northumberland honour
Newcastle United's Dan Burn was hailed a "Northumberland legend" as he collected his home county's highest Blyth-born defender, whose towering header helped the Magpies to a historic Carabao Cup win in March, has been presented with the Freedom of said he was "quite emotional" after receiving an ornate scroll, medal and tie decorated with the Northumberland flag, in a special ceremony at County Hall."It's a real honour, especially for just playing football," he said. The award caps a remarkable few months for the 33-year-old, who also made his first England appearance in March and has recently signed a new contract to keep him at Newcastle until 2027."It is always nice to get footballing achievements, but to be given this away from football as well is a real privilege and quite emotional," Burn told the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The Freedom of Northumberland is a symbolic status bestowed upon individuals to recognise their services to the Lioness Lucy Bronze is a former leader Glen Sanderson, who nominated Burn for the honour, said the defender was "someone with a proud Blyth history"."He is a very good man and also a hero to many for what he has achieved on and off the pitch- a real Northumberland legend," he Howe has also been awarded the Freedom of Newcastle this week, an honour held by club legends such as Alan Shearer, Jackie Milburn and Sir Bobby Robson. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
