Golfers from across the world are making a drive for the North East courses.

Course bosses in the region have flagged up a recent surge in the numbers tapping into the facilities on offer, which they claim are now on a par with the Scotland's East coast courses.

Lars Andersson from Sweden at Bamburgh Castle Golf Club

Bamburgh Castle golf course alone claims to have seen a 25% rise in players from abroad over the last year.

More controversy has erupted after it emerged an image of a British beach used in a Canadian tourist campaign was taken seven years ago.

Officials in Alberta were criticised last week for using an image of a boy and girl running along a Northumberland beach to promote their area.

For many this view across to Bamburgh Castle is the finest in the region - if not the country.

View of Bamburgh Castle taken by Journal reader Cliff Bullock

Janet Street Porter took it as her pick during ITV's search for find the nation's favourite view. Asked to reflect on her choice the editor turned TV host said: "As you stand and stare, you're not just looking at a view, you're standing in the footsteps of kings."

Bosses at Northumberland's new super council have been accused of failing to comply with an independent regulator's guidance by providing an 0845 number for people who need to contact the authority.

Bob Watson is unhappy that Northumberland County Council's new number is premium rate

Members of the public who telephone the all-purpose council - which came into being on April 1 following the switch to unitary local government - now have to use a single number, 0845 600 6400, to speak to call handlers.

Springhill have won this year's Robson Cup after beating Alnwick Town Reserves 2-0.

The match played at Shielfield Park in Berwick had a goalless first half, but Springhill went ahead following a penalty scored by Kristian Neil.

Alnwick keeper Gordon Sanders kept his team in the game with a string of good saves but could do nothing as Adam Roberts scored with a well-struck effort to give Springhill a second goal.

As coastguards responded to eight separate incidents in the region yesterday, the Seahouses lifeboat also had to be tasked to locate a vessel which had left its radio transmitting, blocking Channel 16 - the international distress frequency monitored by the Coastguard.

Lifeboats from Hartlepool and Redcar and Flamborough Head, Robin Hood's Bay and Amble RNLI had to deal with incidents ranging from vessels in danger of sinking to helping move and find casualties throughout yesterday.

Tourism chiefs in Canada have apologised for using pictures of a picturesque Northumberland beach in their advertising campaign.

Land-locked Alberta province tried to claim beautiful stretch of beach near Bamburgh as their own.

The five-second clip, featuring a boy and a girl laughing and running through the sand dunes with the North Sea in the background, has been included in an advert as part of a $25m (£14m) re-branding initiative organised by Alberta's public affairs bureau.

The springtime fairytale is almost complete for ousted cockerel Basil. First, the ejected bird found love with Bonnet the hen after he was turned out of his Gateshead home following complaints from neighbours

Now the happy pair are expecting chicks.

Claire Thorburn, 32, who took Basil into her Bamburgh farm, after he was served with a notice to quit his adoptive home in Henderson Avenue, Whickham, has revealed Bonnet has produced eggs.

A pilgrimage to Holy Island and Bamburgh will take place this summer.

The trip will be led by Anglican priest Rev Rob Marshall and takes place on July 16. For more details, telephone 01482 662721.

Tourism bosses have laughed off attempts from abroad to 'steal' one of the North East's most picturesque stretches of coastline.

It might be more than 5,000 miles away and land-locked, but that hasn't stopped Canadian province Alberta trying to claim Bamburgh Beach as their own in a new advertising campaign.

The scene from the Alberta advertising campaign- the full video is at the bottom of the page

The five-second clip, featuring a boy and a girl laughing and running through the sand dunes with the North Sea in the background, has been included in an ad as part of a $25m (£14m) re-branding initiative organised by Alberta's public affairs bureau.